Aragon High School's Science Department seeks to provide a rigorous academic and quality labotatory experience for all students.  Our courses are aligned with state standards and are delivered in an environment that providees rich, multimodal opportunities for all students to access content information.  Laboratories enhance this environment and allow our students to apply content knowledge to real problems.  We strive to educate informed, aware, scientifically literate citizens.

Biotechnology 1-2

 
This course is designed to introduce the standard operating procedures used in the biotechnology industry and the techniques involved in recombinant DNA and recombinant protein production.  Students will be instructed in the SLOP (Standard Laboratory Operating Procedures) and demonstrate proficiency in lab safety, documentation, legal scientific notebooks, measurement, experimental design, pipeting/micropipeting, solution preparation and dilution, sterile technique, cell culture, DNA isolation and gel analysis, bacterial transformation, VIS spectrophotometry, protein purification, and more...Biotech 1-2 is the first year of a laboratory program designed to start preparing students for work or research in college, or in our growing biotech industry.  Excellent attendance, responsibility, and organization are key components for success in this class.  After successful completion of Biotech 1-2, students may continue the program at San Mateo High School with Biotech 3-4 and a industry internship opportunity.

Physicis 1-2

Year Course

Prerequisite: Algebra 3-4, grade C or better (students must bring a calculator to class). Excellent attendance and strong work habits.

Open to grades 11-12

Course description: This one year course is designed to teach underlying principles of physics as described in the State of California Science Framework. The course covers mechanics in the fall semester (including the Newton's 3 Laws, velocity, acceleration, momentum and energy - in linear and rotational systems) and the topics of heat, light, sound, wave theory and some relativity in the spring semester. The class is taught in sequential units which build upon one another - the fall semester is a prerequisite for the spring. A command of Algebra-Trigonometry is essential.

Important Note: Since laboratory activities are the core of this course and cannot be made up, it is critical that students in this class have consistent attendance or risk receiving a lower grade.

Chemistry 1-2

Year Course

Prerequisite: Algebra 1-2 with a grade of B or better, concurrent enrollment in Algebra 3-4 recommended, and completion of Biology 1-2.

Open to grades 10-12

Course Description: Chemistry is the study of matter, energy and their interrelationships. Fundamental concepts include the mole theory, stoichiometry, gas laws, liquids, and solutions, atomic theory, chemical bonding, acid base reactions and nuclear chemistry. Students will be responsible for a number of laboratories that will expand the knowledge base. The course is rigorous and fulfills the U.C. requirement for science

Chemistry 3-4 (AP)

Year Course

Prerequisite: Chemistry 1-2, with a grade B or better and completion of Algebra 3-4 or concurrent enrollment.

Open to grades 11-12

Course Description: AP Chemistry is an intensive one year advanced chemistry course. Students will study concepts and principles introduced in Chemistry 1-2 [the mole theory, stoichiometry, gas laws, liquids, and solutions, atomic theory, chemical bonding, acid-base reactions and nuclear chemistry]. The objectives of the course are to provide interesting college level work using laboratory experiments as a focal point for learning. All students are required to take the AP exam in the spring.

Biology 3-4 (AP)

Year Course

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Biology 1-2 and Chemistry 1-2 with a B or better. A recommendation from your Biology or Chemistry teacher, or consent of instructor is required.

Open to grades 10-12

Course Description: AP Biology is equivalent to the first course in Biology taken by biological science majors at a college or university. The flow of the course is rapid and is thematically taught. The areas of emphasis are similar to Biology 1-2, but are developed in much greater depth and detail. Students should expect 1-2 hours of homework per night which involves reading and critical thinking problems. The laboratories are demanding and exciting. Our challenging BioTechnology unit engages the students in state-of-the-art cloning, electrophoreses, and PCR techniques. All students are required to take the AP exam in the spring.

course website located at: http://web.mac.com/katherineward1

Biology 1-2

Year Course

Prerequisite: Students must be currently enrolled or have taken Algebra 1-2 or its equivalent, when they enroll in Biology.

Open to grades 9-12

Course Description: Biology is the study of organisms, their structure and function, and the interrelationships between them and their environment. Areas of emphasis are: cell structure and function, metabolism, genetics, adaption and evolution, animal and plant physiology, and ecology. A thematic approach is used to develop the concepts in Biology and the student develops skills in experimental design, analysis and application of the principles developed. Our BioTechnology unit engages the student in state-of-the-art cloning and electrophoresis techniques.

Integrated 1-2:

Prerequisite: None

Open to grades 9-12

Course Description: This course examines a variety of scientific fiels of study.  Some study will be done in areas that would usually fall under the following titles: physics, chemistry, geology, cosmology, ecology and technology.  The course is activity-based, meaning that much of the course work will be involve learning through activities that model the scientific principles being studied.  The idea of the course is to give you the tools to look at the world around you and begin to understand how it works.  The topics covered will focus primarily on the physical world and will be split into the following eight units over the course of the year:  Tools of science, Light and the Cosmos, Planetary Formation, Waves and their Forces, and Machines.  Through all these units we will also occasionally look at how humanity interacts with these physical phenomena.  Students will be expected to make observations about the world around them, take notes on what is said in class by the instructor and other students, develop hypotheses, develop experiments to test hypotheses, perfom experiments, and activities to examine topics we study, occasionally perform some calculations to show mathematical relationships in the world around us, and report the findings in written, spoken and visual formations.  Students should expect at least two days a week that involve work they take home.
 

Integrated 3-4

Year Course

Prerequisite:.

Grades: 9-12

Course Description: This is a science course in which students will continue that study of the world they started in Integrated Science 1-2.  Students will learn and use scientific procedures and tools to study the world around them, focusing on living organisms and the environment in which they live and interact.  Topics include solutions, organic chemistry and biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, biotechnology, motion and forces, conservation of energy and momentum, and energy in the earth system.  This is a supported science course with time to study ideas in a step-by-step way that builds on previous understanding.  Students are expected to make observations and perform investigations in the laboratory, take notes in class and maintain an organized notebook of their work, perform calculations, and represent their ideas in written, spoken and visual formats.  Students should expect homework assignments most days of the week.

AP Environmental Science

Year Course

Prerequisite:  Biology 1-2 with a grade of B or better

Grades:  10-12

Course Description:  AP Environmental Science is designed to be the equivalent of an introductory course in environmental science.  The AP Environmental Science course has been developed to be a lab science course that stresses scientific principles, while also providing opportunities to explore the many relevant social, political, economic, and ethical issues concerning the environment.  Exams have been prepared by university and high school environmental science faculty.  In both breadth and level of detail, the content of the courses reflects what is found in many introductory college courses in environmental science.  The goal of the AP Environmental Science course is to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships in the world, to identify and analyze environmental problems (both natural and man-made), to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them.  Additional course objectives include establishing and building a sense of stewardship for the environment in every student, and illustrating that one person can make a difference.

Earth System Science

Year Course

Prerequisite:  Biology 1-2 and Alegbra 1-2

Grades:  10-12

Course Description:  

Physics 3-4 (AP)

Year Course

Prerequisite:  Chemistry 1-2, Algebra 3-4 (preferably Physics 1-2, Pre-Calculus)

Grades: 11-12

Course Description:  AP Physics is designed to accomplish two goals.  First is should provide students with a greater depth of understanding of the principles of physics than they attained in Physics 1-2.  This means that students will be required to demonstrate this greater understanding by completing design projects and analyzing problems of greater complexity and subtlety.  Second, the course will prepare students to take on of the Advanced Placement exams in Physics when offered in May.  The course is aimed at preparing students to successfully pass the Physics B test.  This test is a comprehensive study of physics.  However, opportunities will be given for students with a calculus background to explore the possibility of taking the C version of the test.  The C version requires some use of calculus to solve the problems and focuses in greater detail on the Newtonian mechanics and electricity magnetism topics.  Students will be required to take on the versions as part of the course requirement, but particular version they take will depend on the individual student's performance.  Topics covered will include electricity and magnetism, waves, optics, thermodynamics, fluids, nuclear physics, and Newtonian mechanics.