BIOLOGY
Biology is the scientific extension of the human tendency to feel connected to and curious about all forms of life. It takes us to the wet, wild world inside a cell, nudges us to take a close look at the stripes of a zebra and to plunge down to the eternally dark regions at the bottom of the sea where albino crabs move with unhurried pace over the soft, cold mud. This course is required for all ninth grade students and all entering students who have not had any previous exposure to high school biology. It covers all of the vital topics in this field: cytology, genetics, biochemistry, taxonomy, evolution, botany, ecology. This is a dense, fast-paced grand tour of the most definitive aspect of this planet.
ELECTIVES
ADVANCED BIOLOGY
This is an intense and rigorous course light years beyond the scope of standard biology courses. Students are immersed in a comprehensive study of current evolutionary theory, ecology, botany, biochemistry, genetics, embryology, anatomy, and physiology. Laboratory work is frequent and requires an additional time commitment. Lectures and discussions are supplemented with readings from the text as well as articles from journals such as Nature, Science, and Scientific American. This course helps prepare students for the Biology AP exam. The only way to cross the ocean of information, enjoying the fast pace and laboratory work, is to be a bonafide biophile. Prerequisite: Chemistry 1
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR
As social beings, we learn instinctively to read and understand behavior. This course explores ethology, the branch of biology concerned with the mechanisms and evolution of behavior in wild animals. We investigate how complex behaviors such as communication, aggression, learning and mating are organized. We examine multiple types of behavior across species and practice various methods of collecting data in the field. We end with an ethological analysis of our own species.
This course consists of a combination of lectures, discussions, and an occasional field trip. A long-term independent project exploring a question in animal behavior results in a research paper and/or presentation to the class at the end of the year. Although no specific background is assumed, students with an elementary knowledge of Darwinian evolution are probably at some advantage. There are no prerequisites for the class, and it is open to 9 th through 12 th graders.
ASTRONOMY: OUR SOLAR SYSTEM AND BEYOND
Are we alone in the universe? Will Earth be destroyed by an asteroid? What happened before the big bang? Explore these big questions and more on our journey through the past thirteen billion years. Attractions along the way include the formation of galaxies and stars (300 million years after the big bang), the birth of the solar system (five billion years ago) and the earliest life on Earth (3.8 billion years ago). We also stop at more recent points and explore historical milestones from determining the circumference of Earth to the more recent Mars Explorer Rovers, and discuss how these landmarks influence our current understanding of cosmology. Last, we look to the sky as amateur astronomers, gazing at the rings of Saturn, the moons of Jupiter, and numerous other wonders of the universe.There are no prerequisites for the class, and it is open to 9 th through 12 th graders.
CHEMISTRY 1
This is a broad, sweeping, fast-paced survey course introducing students to the fundamental principles of chemistry and to the basic techniques a chemist uses. Topics include: stoichiometry, atomic and molecular theory, basic atomic and molecular structure, chemical equilibrium, acid-base chemistry and electrochemistry. Students develop facility working with calculators and become intimate with the Periodic Table. Laboratory work is an integral part of the course, both in illustrating principles presented in lectures and in providing experience conducting qualitative and quantitative analysis. Prerequisite: Algebra 1
ADVANCED CHEMISTRY
This course is designed to give students the experience of an intensive college level course in which they hone their ability to think critically about chemical phenomena. Several topics introduced in Chemistry 1 (including stoichiometry, gases and chemical bonding, are explored in depth, and connections are made between these concepts and new topics such as kinetics and the energetics of bonding). Students also learn how to predict the spontaneity and rates of chemical reactions and how to work with chemical equilibria (especially acid-base equilibria). Many applications of chemistry are covered during this course, including electrochemistry and nuclear chemistry. The rapid pace of the course requires independent learning and preparation on the part of the student, and extensive lab activities require an additional time component. This course helps prepare students for the Chemistry AP exam. Advanced Chemistry is for those who relish the challenge of wrestling with equations and who find chemical reactions exocharmic. Prerequisite: Chemistry 1
THE CHEMISTRY OF FOOD AND COOKING
Have you ever tried to make homemade whipped cream and wound up with butter, or wondered why transparent egg whites turn white when heated? This course is about the chemicals in food and the processes that take place in the kitchen. We experiment with crystallization (a.k.a. candy making) and emulsification (mayonnaise). We explore food spoilage and learn how humans have exploited it to produce yoghurt, cheese, bread and beer. We also investigate some of the unusual chemicals in food, from beneficial elements (selenium in Brazil nuts) to harmful compounds (cyanogens in apple seeds).
This course includes many topics not covered in Chemistry 1 while exploring the applications of some Chemistry 1 concepts. The class consists of lectures and labs (many of which produce edible results!) and there is no prerequisite.
TOPICS IN ORGANIC CHEMISTRY AND PHARMACOLOGY
By looking at the details of a chemical reaction, we can obtain a better understanding of how the world operates, as well as an appreciation for the atomic ballet that is always happening in our world. Reaction mechanics is just one of the many interesting areas to be studied in this exploration of organic chemistry and its pharmacological applications. Simply put, carbon is an amazing element; therefore we start the year by highlighting the chemical celebrity who sits in the square on the periodic table. From here, we play with a variety of chemical brainteasers including isomerism, follow the electron through acid-base reactions, and fill in the missing reaction steps. Furthermore, through a detailed look at organic molecules, we explore the dynamic processes molecules are always undertaking, such as rotating, vibrating, and even flip-flopping. Throughout the course, lab work is used to complement ideas presented in class.
Once we’ve obtained a sufficient background in organic chemistry, we turn to chemical processes in the brain. First we see how forensic and laboratory scientists use different technologies, including MRI and IR spectroscopy, to identify molecules. Next we examine how our neural networks rely on chemical messengers to make us think and feel. Changes in brain chemistry, due to both legal and illegal drugs, are explored. To enjoy this course you must be a true chemophile with a willingness to work hard! Prerequisite: Chemistry 1
EVOLUTION
Evolution has consistently been a controversial topic – Darwin ’s fears of publishing On the Origin of Species were justified. However, the evidence supporting evolution amasses by the day. We discuss some of the historical and present day controversy about this theory and focus on the mechanics of the evolutionary process. Specific topics may include: natural selection, sexual selection, kin selection and altruism, coevolution, mathematical models involving Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, fitness and heritability, molecular evolution, phylogenetics and classification, human evolution, biogeography, and the origin of life and paleontology. Throughout the year we examine particular case studies of evolution, such as the polyembryonic endoparasitic wasp, the “eyes” of cave fish, or the morphology of Urbilateria. The class consists of a mixture of lectures, primary source readings and discussion, and an occasional lab or field trip. Prerequisite: Biology
INDEPENDENT SCIENCE RESEARCH
Independent Science Research is a cooperative research adventure between a student and his/her mentor. Students interested in developing a science project meet with the research director early in the school year to begin creating a research question and to solicit the assistance of a mentor. One day a week, students meet together to work on their projects, read scientific papers, and share ideas. After establishing a formal relationship with a mentor from the Science Department or outside the school, independent research work begins. Students are required to write a formal research paper and make an oral presentation at the end of the year.
MICROBIOLOGY
Like most humans, you probably enjoy the popular misconceptions that a) showers make you clean b) humans are the most “evolved” species, and c) the majority of life on earth lies in the vast numbers of plants and animals covering the globe. It’s not your fault – you were merely misinformed. The truth is that bacteria, fungi, and other microbes represent the most ubiquitous, evolved, abundant and essential divisions of life. Not only do they make possible life on earth as we know it (without them, it would be impossible to grow crops, digest food, make cheese, develop modern medicines, clean up environmental disasters, treat sewage, or make advances in biotechnology) but in addition they offer clues to how more complex, multicellular life forms (us) may have evolved in the first place. Furthermore, it’s no secret that certain microbes can make you very, very sick when they want to (and good bugs do go bad).
In addition to highlighting how and where bacteria are used by humans (making yogurt and Junior Mints, growing crops, developing bioweapons, etc.), this course thoroughly examines the biology of many different types of bacteria, as well as selected fungi and viruses. We explore how the human immune system (usually) keeps us one step ahead in the daily war being waged between our bodies and trillions of microbes. This class features extensive labs that train students in key components of bacterial lab research and experimental techniques. There are also lectures, reading and discussion of primary research, and student presentations. Open to 10 th through 12 th graders with permission from the instructor. Prerequisite: Biology
MARINE BIOLOGY
Students are introduced to the wide array of invertebrate, vertebrate, and plant species that live on or near the sea. We consider their evolutionary histories as well as the anatomical and physiological adaptions that enable them to occupy the places they do. The role the sea plays in the regulation of the earth’s processes is addressed, as are the impacts that humans have on the health of the oceans. Students have the option of participating in a five-day trip to Florida and the Newfound Harbor Marine Institute. Prerequisite: Biology
OCEANOGRAPHY
In studying the oceans, we consider the physical and chemical forces that determine the marine environments that in turn support a vast array of life. We examine the geologic processes that created the oceans and our coastlines, the unique chemical properties of water, and the role that tides and waves play in the ever changing, glorious oceans. Students participate in a boat trip to learn how to collect, manipulate and analyze oceanographic data. Prerequisite: Biology
ANALYTICAL PHYSICS
This course embodies a study of how things move through time and space. Great emphasis is placed on the rigor and detail underlying different areas of motion. We observe fundamental principles applied to mechanics, waves, optics, electricity/magnetism, thermodynamics, basic quantum phenomena and the special theory of relativity. Resonating guitar strings, a tunnel through the center of the earth, funhouse mirrors, the moons of Jupiter, lightning bolts, air conditioners: all is explained, though questions propagate faster than answers. In order to cover the basic content of motion in such a vast spectrum of forms, we move quickly. A command of basic algebra is necessary. This course helps prepare students for the SAT II in physics.
CLASSICAL MECHANICS, RELATIVITY & QUANTUM THEORY
This course is a study of motion. The depth with which we examine motion, however, is such that by June we may no longer know what the term “motion” means. Motion of what? A particle? A field? Motion in which reference frame? Is the motion inertial or accelerated? Jerked or whipped? Eternally differentiable? By solving numerous and subtle problems in mechanics and exploring the mind-blowing developments of the 20 th century, we begin to see patterns, sense and harmony in the laws of nature. This perspective, along with the development of technique, helps prepare students for the AP Physics C exam. This course may be taken after a prior course in physics. Prerequisite: Calculus (concurrent enrollment is acceptable).
ROBOTICS
This is an engineering-based class with an emphasis on teamwork, creativity and problem solving. Working in teams, student use Lego-Mindstorm and Robolab software to design and program gradually more advanced robots, from simple cars to cranes and crawlers. We cover various scientific concepts ranging from the mechanics of motion and gravity to the depths of artificial intelligence, where autonomous machines are capable of interpreting their environment and adapting to it. Robotics is an extremely hands-on course requiring a high level of independent motivation. There are no prerequisites, and the class is open to 9 th through 12 th graders.
THE ‘SCI’ IN SCI-FI: FROM AI TO XENOSCIENCE
In this course, we enjoy some of the great short stories and films of the genre. Themes include space exploration, alien life and advanced civilizations, alternate universes, and robots/artificial intelligence. For each topic, we take in what the most creative and learned writers have produced, then we evaluate the science. Example: in Isaac Asimov’s Nightfall, the characters inhabit a planet with six suns! Is it possible for this configuration to exist? We have to learn about gravity and the theory of star formation. Could intelligent beings evolve? How would astronomy and technology differ on such a world? Example: in Stanislaw Lem’s Solaris, astronauts encounter an alien “ocean” that turns out to be a vast organism engulfing its planet. Can complexity arise naturally in a form like this? What is essential for intelligence in terms of the chemistry of stars? This class treats many diverse topics in science, mostly related to physics, astronomy and astrobiology, and students experience the interplay between sci-fi and modern science—worlds that profoundly influence and inspire each other.