Science

This course, taken by all freshmen, is intended to introduce students to the principles of physics and to foster enthusiasm and confidence in science. Additionally, much of the material forms an important base of knowledge for the further study of topics in modern chemistry and biology. Throughout, an emphasis is placed upon problem solving, critical thinking, and the application of theories to varied real-world situations. Topics include the full range of those found in a more traditional physics course, but they are treated conceptually in plain English rather than in mathematical language: the emphasis is on comprehension rather than computation. Equations are given as guides to thinking rather than as recipes for computing. Hands-on laboratory activities and engineering projects allow students to solidify their understanding of theories and laws, as well as to develop skills in data collection, interpretation, and experimental design. Students use computer simulations to reinforce their understanding and to investigate more complex situations. Independent exploration is strongly encouraged and projects are required.

Chemistry introduces students to the properties and behavior of matter. Chemistry is designed to reinforce the concepts mastered in Conceptual Physics and to prepare students for the molecular foundations of biology. Chemistry takes a broad, conceptual approach introducing students to the material world through an extensive array of lecture-based discussions, demonstrations, projects, and laboratory explorations. In order to achieve a more complete presentation of the theoretical side of chemistry, this course de-emphasizes the mathematical aspects of chemistry. Finally, Chemistry is a laboratory-based science, so students learn to work safely and confidently in a laboratory setting by completing weekly laboratory assignments.

Students taking Chemistry Honors have demonstrated an aptitude for science and mathematics during their freshman courses. In comparison to standard Chemistry, Chemistry Honors features a faster pace, covers more material, and takes a more quantitative approach. The goal of Chemistry Honors is to develop a strong foundation in chemistry so students can successfully undertake advanced studies in chemistry, biology, and physics.

This course is designed to be the equivalent of a first-year general chemistry course at the college level. Students taking Chemistry Advanced Placement are required to have successfully completed one year of chemistry, preferably Chemistry Honors, and at least two years of algebra, preferably at the honors level. The goal of this course is to prepare students for the rigors of the Advanced Placement examination, while further exposing them to the field of chemistry. Chemistry Advanced Placement covers all major areas of chemistry, including structure of matter, states of matter, chemical reactions, descriptive chemistry, and laboratory chemistry. This course builds on the knowledge and understanding a student acquires in first-year chemistry while exploring topics in greater descriptive, theoretical, and quantitative depth. Finally, because chemistry is primarily a laboratory science, special emphasis is placed on laboratory work in Chemistry Advanced Placement.

The emphasis throughout Biology is on the process of science rather than its product. Many different approaches to the material support students in this process of inquiry and discovery. Students learn science by being scientists. They are asked to search for applications and to try to bring the science they encounter outside school back to the classroom. Biology is correlated with history, the arts, literature, and other sciences in a holistic approach, and contemporary social issues are addressed. Biology centers on the major unifying themes: evolution, genetic continuity, structure and function, diversity and unity, and regulation. During the first semester, molecular biology is studied. Topics include organic molecules, cells, energy in living systems, and genetics. Evolution bridges the gap to a more organismic approach in the second semester. Major phyla are covered, but the emphasis is on higher plants and animals. Human biology is studied in depth. The year ends with a look at ecology.

Students taking Biology Honors have demonstrated an aptitude for science during their first two years at Santa Catalina. In comparison to standard Biology, Biology Honors features a faster pace, covers more material, and explores biology in greater depth. The goal of this course is to develop a strong foundation in biology so students can successfully undertake more advanced studies in this subject.

Throughout Biology Advanced Placement, students are shown that science is as much a way of thinking and viewing the world as it is a body of knowledge. In laboratory sessions, students are encouraged to develop their own lines of inquiry and to design experiments. New laboratory skills are learned, and students master some that have already been introduced. Students are made aware of the applications of the investigations they carry out. This course centers on the major unifying themes of biology: evolution, genetic continuity, structure and function, diversity and unity, and regulation. Building on the ideas introduced in previous science courses, connections between the natural world and the laws of the physical world are discussed. During the first semester, the emphasis is on molecular biology: biological molecules; energy production and use; the life processes of the cell; and genetics. The first semester ends with an in-depth study of evolution and the mathematical laws that govern it. The second semester offers a survey of the diversity of life forms, with particular attention given to the body systems of human beings. Finally, how organisms interact with each other and with their environment is discussed.

The Environmental Science AP course covers the material contained within a one-semester college course in Environmental Science. This course integrates extensive readings, discussions, qualitative and quantitative laboratory experiments, field trips, environmental monitoring, and numerical simulations in order to facilitate the understanding of the interconnections that make our world function. Emphasis is placed on understanding the science behind the complex interactions amongst people, the animals and plants with whom we share the earth, and the physical environment. Topics covered include environmental economics, energy resources, ecology, population studies, climate, geology and oils, agriculture, water, mineral resources, climate change, toxicology, risk assessment, pollution, hazardous waste, and biodiversity.

Marine Science presents an overview of oceanography and marine biology and emphasizes the interactions between the living and non-living parts of the sea. Topics covered include marine geology, marine chemistry, waves and tides, marine invertebrates, fish, marine mammals, and marine ecology. Frequent field trips to local near-shore habitats, along with research projects and demonstrations, are integral parts of the course. Some of the goals of the course are to instill a sense of wonder and curiosity about the entire ocean and to expand understanding of the role the ocean plays in climate regulation and biochemical recycling, and of human extraction of food and mineral resources.

Quantitative Physics is usually taken in the senior year by students who have a strong background in mathematics (most students are enrolled concurrently in Pre-Calculus Honors, Calculus, or Calculus Advanced Placement). The course begins with a thorough development of Newtonian mechanics. Topics in the first semester include straight-line motion (constant speed and acceleration), projectile motion, vector analysis, statics, dynamics, momentum (linear elastic and inelastic collisions, two-dimensional collisions), work, and mechanical energy. Topics covered during the second semester include rotational motion, wave properties, sound waves, the nature of light, reflection and refraction of light, electrostatics, electric circuits, and electromagnetic induction. Students perform experiments to develop their understanding of theories and laws and to refine their skills in data collection, interpretation, and experimental design.

The Physics C Advanced Placement course is designed for students who, in college, plan to major in the physical sciences or engineering. Students in the course have successfully completed a calculus class since methods of calculus are used wherever appropriate in formulating physical principles and in applying them to physical problems. Strong emphasis is placed on solving a variety of challenging problems, some requiring calculus. The subject matter is principally mechanics and electricity and magnetism, with approximately equal emphasis on these two areas.