• Course Overviews

    Biology

    Biology investigates patterns, processes and relationships among organisms. The core concepts are powerful conceptual tools for making sense of the complexity, diversity, and interconnectedness of life on Earth. Order in natural systems arises in accordance with rules that govern the physical world, and the order of natural systems can be modeled and predicted through the use of mathematics. This course also makes connections between Earth and human activity. Students will demonstrate understanding through performance expectations. Lab experiences complement the core concepts.

    Chemistry

    Chemistry investigates matter and energy and ways in which these two quantities interact. Over a course of study in chemistry, students should be able to recognize how both matter and energy are both quantified (measured) and qualified (observed) in a variety of contexts. This course also makes connections between matter and the energy transformations in living systems and includes the connection to nuclear chemistry. This course is designed to provide students with a conceptual and practical understanding of how chemistry affects the environment, society, and global community. Students will demonstrate understanding through performance expectations. Lab experiences complement the core concepts.

    Physics

    Most systems or processes depend at some level on physical subprocesses that occur within it, whether the system in question is a star, Earth's atmosphere, a river, or a bicycle. Understanding a process at any scale requires awareness of the interactions occurring—in terms of the forces between objects, the related energy transfers, and their consequences. In this way, physics underlies natural and human-created phenomena. An overarching goal for learning in physics, therefore, is to help students see that there are mechanisms of cause and effect in all systems and processes that can be understood through a common set of physical principles. This course also presents connections between forces and energy in Earth’s history. This course is designed to provide students with a conceptual and practical understanding of how physics applies to natural phenomena. The students in this course would spend more time on topics and would take the focus away from the underlying mathematics. Students will demonstrate understanding through performance expectations. Lab experiences complement the core concepts.