Science

EARTH SCIENCE REGENTS

1 High School Credit

Final Exam - NYS Regents Physical Setting/Earth Science

Earth Science/ Physical Setting is the required science course for all freshmen in our district. The course is divided into three core areas:

  • Geology – the study of the physical earth.

  • Astronomy – the study of the universe beyond the earth.

  • Meteorology – the study of the earth’s atmosphere including weather and climate.

Students will attend a daily class period and a lab period every other day. The course concludes with a Regents exam in June. Students who have not completed the required labs will not be allowed to take the final exam. Students must pass the exam with a 65% and have a passing yearly average to receive credit for the course.

EARTH SCIENCE REGENTS HONORS

1 High School Credit

Final Exam - NYS Regents Physical Setting/Earth Science

This select Earth Science class will prepare students for the Earth Science Regents exam and will follow the Core Curriculum for Earth Science that includes the three core areas of geology, astronomy, and meteorology. The course will be more rigorous than general Earth Science and involves more project work, a different testing program, and a different textbook. As with general Earth Science, students will attend a daily class period and a lab period every other day. More emphasis will be put on critical thinking skills, problems solving skills, and inquiry-based learning. Acceptance in Honors Earth Science will be based on performance in previous science classes, teacher recommendation, and application completion.

APPLICATION REQUIRED

Please note that application deadlines vary each year.  Check with your teacher for more information

BIOLOGY REGENTS

1 High School Credit

Final Exam - NYS Regents Living Environment

This course follows the Core Curriculum for the Living Environment. It involves the study of plant and animal maintenance, reproduction and development, genetics, evolution and ecology. Students will attend a daily class period and a lab period every other day. 

The labs involve hands-on activities that emphasize learning from experience and observation and reinforce the topics covered in class. All sophomores are required to take The Living Environment course in Biology to fulfill graduation requirements. Students who have not completed the required labs will not be allowed to take the regents exam in June.

BIOLOGY REGENTS HONORS

1 High School Credit

Final Exam - NYS Regents Living Environment

This select Biology class will prepare students for the Living Environment exam and allow students to acquire a clear understanding and mastery of key biological concepts. The course involves the study of animal and plant maintenance, reproduction and development, genetics, evolution, the diversity of living things, and ecology. The course will be more rigorous than the general Living Environment curriculum. A different testing and lab program are used.  Students in Honors Biology go into more detail and cover more topics than the typical Regents Biology course. One of the goals is to place more emphasis on critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, and inquiry based learning. Current research and advances within the science and medical fields will be discussed as well. The labs involve hands-on activities with a writing component in the form of a lab report that emphasizes scientific inquiry, learning from experience and observation, and reinforcement of the topics covered in class.

APPLICATION REQUIRED

Please note that application deadlines vary each year.  Check with your teacher for more information

CHEMISTRY

1 High School Credit

Final Exam - NYS Regents Physical Setting/Chemistry

The objective of this course is to follow the New York State learning standards established in the Physical Setting/Chemistry Core Curriculum. Students will take the Chemistry Regents examination as part of the course. They will be exposed to inquiry-based learning using the scientific method and historical achievements in chemistry. Laboratory skills and techniques will be used to supplement content. A grade of 80% or higher in Regent’s Biology is a prerequisite. Upper level math skills are used on a daily basis and are required.

REGENTS PHYSICS 

1 High School Credit

Final Exam - NYS Regents Physical Setting/Physics AP Physics Exam- Optional


This course is recommended for students with good math skills. Physics should be taken by students that are interested in following a science, engineering or health-related career path. The emphasis of this course will be to exceed the New York State learning standards in the Physical Setting/Physics Core Curriculum. Since science is a collaborative process, the use of teams (cooperative learning groups) is encouraged. Topics covered include:

  • Measurement and Mathematics

  • Mechanics

  • Energy

  • Electricity and Magnetism

  • Waves

  • Modern Physics

This course provides students with the conceptual framework, knowledge and analytical skills necessary to deal critically with the science of Physics. Both short and long term laboratory investigations are an integral part of the curriculum. Emphasis will be given to developing complex and abstract problem solving skills. Students will be expected to use computer software and /or graphic calculators. Laboratory experiments will employ specialized and technical equipment including Vernier software and probes.

Students must take the state Regents examination in Physics.

 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 1 & 2

.5 High School Credit per semester

Explore and investigate the interrelationships of the natural world, identify and analyze environmental problems, both natural and human made, evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them.  Topical environmental issues like climate change, aquatic and terrestrial ecology, air and water pollution, world human population problems, and the unsustainable use of natural resources will be examined.  This course will fulfill the graduation requirement for a third year of science and is typically taken junior or senior year.  This course does not have a lab requirement and will conclude with a local exam in January and June.

Prerequisite: Biology

 ACE/AP BIOLOGY

1 High School Credit

College Credit Available:  ACE BIO 100 Principles of Biology/AP Biology Exam

The course content for ACE/AP Biology will include Principles of Biology.

The course is designed for students interested in majoring in science in college and/or a career in the medical or biological fields. Students will be expected to take the course for Advanced Placement (AP) and/or Advanced Studies credit through Genesee Community College. The AP Biology Exam is taken in May and the BIO 100 Final Exam in June. Admission into the class is by application and will be determined by performance in Regents Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry and SAT scores. An average of 85% or higher in previous science courses is recommended. 

Co-requisite (or Prerequisite): Chemistry 

APPLICATION REQUIRED

Please note that application deadlines vary each year.  Check with your teacher for more information

 ACE CHEMISTRY

1 High School Credit

College Credit Available: CHE101 General Chemistry I

The Advanced Studies Chemistry course is designed to be the equivalent of the general chemistry course usually taken during the first college year. For some students, this course enables them to undertake, as freshman, second year work in chemistry sequence at their institutions or to register in courses in other fields where general chemistry is a prerequisite. For other students, Advanced Studies Chemistry course fulfills the laboratory science requirement and frees time for other courses.

Admission to this course may be limited and will be determined by performance in Regents Chemistry and is based on application acceptance. This course is rigorous and needs daily practice. The lab will consist of 2 consecutive class periods.

Prerequisite: Regents Chemistry & Trigonometry

APPLICATION REQUIRED

Please note that application deadlines vary each year.  Check with your teacher for more information

 GOT STEM?

.25 High School Credit

Have you ever wondered what water bottle shape is best for the #waterbottlechallenge?  Or what fin shape makes for the best straw rocket?  Or how to design a Mars rover that will outcompete your classmates in a series of challenges?  You are about to find out!  This hands-on class focuses on designing, building, and class competitions.

ANIMAL BEHAVIOR

.25 High School Credit

Do you want to understand how and why animals behave the way they do? This 10 week course provides an introduction to the complexities of domestic and wild animal behavior. We will cover how animals learn and communicate with each other, how they find food, avoid predators, choose their mates, and rear their offspring. This course is aimed at anyone looking to broaden their understanding of animal behavior beyond nature documentaries. No previous knowledge is required- only curiosity and enthusiasm for the subject.

FORENSICS

.5 High School Credit

In this 10 week course, students will explore various lab techniques and methodology related to the science of forensics such as fingerprinting, hair/fiber analysis, toxicology, DNA/Blood analysis, etc.  During the first part of the course, students will learn about and perform the different lab techniques that would help solve a crime.  Towards the end of the course, students will be given a crime scene to investigate, work in pairs to decide what tests they need to perform and then process their evidence in the lab.  Students will utilize the lab skills they practiced in part one to carry out the appropriate lab tests on their evidence to come up with the guilty suspect.  This course is open to all students grades 9-12.

LOCAL OUTDOOR SCIENCE (LOS)

.5 High School Credit

This course is geared towards students' desire to conduct science outside. We will explore and collect data outside, then utilize scientific methodologies in the lab setting. Topics will include, but are not limited to: hydrology, engineering, mining, soils, meteorology, and natural/environmental disasters. Many science professionals conduct their work outdoors. Students will interact with such professionals from various STEM career fields. Additionally, field trips will expose students to an array of work environments while learning new science concepts. The course is open to grades 9-12 and will be capped at 18 students to accommodate field trips. The final will include a public outreach project at the end of the 20 week course.