Science

A thorough and intensive study of the subject of biology, this course covers the material on the AP exam syllabus and is considered the equivalent of a first-year, college-level course. Labs in biotechnology, outside reading, and computer-based learning provide a challenging menu for the student interested in the subject of biology. This course prepares students to take the AP Biology exam.

This course assumes a strong grasp of introductory chemistry; a background in physics is helpful. Many familiar chemical concepts are investigated in more detail and several new topics such as thermodynamics and electrochemistry are introduced. Lab work in this course is more extensive and complex, and involves greater use of instrumentation such as visible spectrophotometers; more emphasis is placed on accurate quantitative results than in first-year chemistry. This course prepares students for the AP Chemistry exam.

This course is a calculus-based extension of the classical mechanics topics introduced in Honors Physics. Due to the frequent and rigorous use of differential and integral calculus techniques, students must have previously taken or concurrently be enrolled in the prerequisite calculus courses. Lab explorations and weekly problem sets are foundational pillars of each unit. This course prepares students for the AP Physics C: Mechanics exam, which is typically equivalent to one semester of physics at most colleges and universities.

The spectacular engineering of the human body intrigues us all, and this course examines the structure as well as the function of that marvelous design. The sophistication and fine-tuned physiology of each system is studied, as well as how disease affects homeostasis or the balance of each system. Within each unit, the relevance of our studies to current health and wellness issues is emphasized through topics like sports medicine, computer analysis of diet and nutrition, skin cancer, tissue engineering, cardiovascular disease, concussions and second impact syndrome, Alzheimer's, and CPR and First Aid. Laboratory-based learning is emphasized through work with microscopes, dissection, anatomical models, simulations, and our on-campus fitness center.

This course will introduce students to the immune system, and the molecular and cellular mechanisms that organisms use to differentiate self from non-self. By learning how organisms recognize and respond to foreign substances, students will gain a better understanding of the biology behind autoimmune disorders, allergies, organ transplants, and vaccines. The course will focus both on the experimental evidence that forms our understanding of the immune system and the clinical relevance of that knowledge.

This course in astronomy engages students with an overview of the universe; topics for discussion include the origin of the universe, the formation of the solar system, stellar evolution, the emergence of life on Earth (and possibly elsewhere), and the historical development of science. Technical skills will be stressed through labs, and assignments in class will give students opportunities to understand the material from a deep level while giving them a chance to apply skills learned in their math courses. Additionally, students will use technical computing to solve numerical problems and express their findings in written reports, developing their scientific communication skills.

Fall Semester The course begins with a breezy review of electricity, starting with a quick re-examination of circuit vocabulary and concepts. Electric fields, magnetic fields and Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction are then introduced. Students synthesize concepts by (a) measuring the magnetic field strength of the earth, (b) learning about the aurora borealis, and (c) understanding the electric power generation and distribution grid in Massachusetts. Finally, students examine how electricity and magnetism join together according to Maxwell's equations to produce light. The fall semester culminates with a gigantic design project. Students build a room-sized Rube Goldberg-style kinetic sculpture, incorporating tools and skills developed during the electricity and magnetism units. Spring Semester During the winter term, students complete a survey of basic electronic principles through a laboratory-based, discovery-oriented curriculum that introduces them to basic electronic structures, design concepts, and standard circuit elements: switches, variable resistors, capacitors, and transistors. Students build and test a handful of environmentally responsive circuits, including ones that send feedback signals to themselves. During the spring term, students work on independent high-speed imaging projects, using tools built during the winter term to study natural and/or contrived phenomena.

This advanced course offers students the opportunity to study Nature’s chemical artistry beyond the confines of a regular classroom environment. In the first portion of the course, students work to develop molecular-level understanding of biological systems and master an arsenal of techniques for probing these systems, including gel electrophoresis, chromatography, spectroscopy, and molecular modeling. In the second portion of the course, students design and conduct original research on self-selected biochemical problems. Independent work is communicated through a final poster presentation.

The goal of this course is to teach students how to think and create like engineers. We begin the term by studying how to analyze problems in a logical manner and create algorithms that can solve these problems, including computer programming techniques in C++. Building upon this abstract foundation, students learn how to apply this mode of thinking to concrete situations involving circuits and sensors. The culminating project, a competition against other students in the class, places the student in the role of lead engineer. Students come up with ideas, develop algorithms, test their ideas, and execute their designs. Through extensive laboratory work, students utilize their computer-programming techniques and an understanding of electronic circuits to implement their engineering projects. ** Credits will be given as a Science course.**