Science

In this course students are introduced to major unifying themes in biology, which focus on the relationships between structure, function, and the maintenance of homeostasis in living systems. Special emphasis is placed on helping students make connections between the complex nature of biological principles and their own lives through readings, an extensive laboratory curriculum, and discussion of current global and local issues. After a comprehensive study of ecology, students finish the first term by mastering the basic chemical and physical principles and relating those concepts to body systems. The second term is devoted to a continued systematic approach to human anatomy and physiology with the integration of evolution and more complex cellular processes.

In this course students take a molecular approach when studying the relationships between structure, function, and the maintenance of homeostasis in ecological and biological systems. This honors course offers a similar beginning to that of Biology, but midway through the first term, the molecular basis for biological phenomena is heavily emphasized, and a more abstract, quantitative approach is used to discuss topics including energy transfer and cellular chemistry. Students continue with a theoretical look at evolution and speciation, and transition back to the human body for a comprehensive study of human anatomy and physiology during the second term.

Chemistry involves the study of matter, its properties, and the changes matter undergoes. Topics include atomic structure, the Periodic Table, molecular structure and behavior, solutions, gas laws, chemical reactions, the mole concept, and thermochemistry. An emphasis is placed on developing algebraic and problem-solving skills. Students are frequently engaged in lab activities and learn to communicate scientific concepts efficiently and effectively.

Honors Chemistry students study a branch of natural science that deals principally with the properties of substances, the changes they undergo, and the natural laws that describe these changes. Topics in this rigorous, quantitatively-oriented course include measurement, atomic structure and chemical bonding, chemical reactions and stoichiometry, gases and condensed phases, reaction kinetics, chemical equilibrium, thermodynamics, acid-base reactions, electrochemistry, and nuclear chemistry. Students develop competence with experimental design, data analysis, and a wide range of laboratory techniques. Students are expected to have strong algebraic skills, as they will tackle most of the topics in a quantitative manner.

Physics introduces students to the ideas of classical physics and builds connections between those ideas and the experiences of everyday life. Topics covered include work and energy, oscillations and waves, sound and music, electrostatics and electrical circuits, one- and two-dimensional motion, and Newton’s Laws. Strong emphasis is placed on experimental design, data collection and analysis, and interpretation and communication of experimental outcomes. Students also gain experience in problem solving and model building, deriving theoretical understanding from laboratory observations.

Honors Physics provides a quantitative formulation of the fundamental laws of physics and their relation to physical phenomena, and it prepares students for university courses in science and engineering. The course covers the following topics: one- and two-dimensional motion, Newton’s laws, the universal law of gravitation, work and energy, oscillations, momentum conservation, electrostatics, and electrical circuits. The course has a significant lab component with a strong focus on practical problem solving in the lab, using both empirical and theoretical methods. Emphasis is placed on experimental design, data collection and analysis, and interpretation and communication of experimental outcomes.