Watkins Glen High School

New York State graduation requirements – Science

1) All students must obtain at least 3 units (credits) of science.

2) All students must pass a Living Environment core-based course (Living Environment) and a Physical Setting core-based course (Earth Science, Chemistry, or Physics).

3) A third core-based course or a standards-based course may be used for the third unit.

4) To earn a Regents Diploma you must pass one science Regents Exam (Living Environment, Earth Science, Chemistry, or Physics).

5) To earn an Advanced Regents Diploma you must pass two science Regents Exams. You must pass the Living Environnment Regents exam and one of the following Regents exams - Earth Science, Chemistry, or Physics.

Courses offered at WGHS:

Core-based courses (Regents Lab Science, Phase 4):

Living Environment

                Earth Science, the Physical Setting

                Chemistry, the Physical Setting

                Physics, the Physical Setting

   Standards-based courses (Phase 3):

Environmental Science

   AP/ACE course (Phase 5):

                 AP/ACE Biology

   Electives (Phase 3):

                  Biological Illustration

                  Scientific Research

____________________________________________________________________

Students are encouraged to take more than the minimum requirement of three units in science.

____________________________________________________________________

Course Descriptions:

Living Environment              Phase 4                           Grades 9 -12

Full Year                                7 Periods/Week               1 Unit

Prerequisites: Successful completion of eighth grade.

Course Description: This course may be taken for one unit toward the Living Environment. It prepares students for the New York State Regents Living Environment exam. This course provides students with an opportunity to understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to biology and its historical development. In addition, students will use mathematical analysis, scientific inquiry, problem solving, and research in order to understand and apply the themes that connect mathematics, science, and technology and to solve real-life problems. Students will be expected to explain (both accurately and with appropriate depth), analyze, and interpret the processes and natural phenomena of biology. The core topics of the course are: Unity and Diversity Among Living Thing; Life Functions of Living Things; Human Physiology; Reproduction and Development; Genetics; Evolution; Ecology; Biological Laboratory Skills.

Requirements: Reading and writing assignments, notebook, projects, discussions, presentations, labs (NYS lab requirement), quizzes, tests, local midterm exam, and the NYS Regents Living Environment exam.

Materials: Text, equipment, and supplies are provided. A notebook is required.

Earth Science, The Physical Setting     Phase 4        Grades 10 -12

Full Year                                5 - 7 Periods/Week        1 Unit

Prerequisites: Successful completion of Living Environment.

Course Description: This course may be taken for one unit toward the Physical Setting science requirement or a unit toward a third unit in science. It prepares students for the New York State Regents Earth Science exam. This course provides students with an opportunity to understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to earth science and its historical development. In addition, students will use mathematical analysis, scientific inquiry, problem solving, and research in order to understand and apply the themes that connect mathematics, science, and technology and to solve real-life problems. Students will be expected to explain (both accurately and with appropriate depth), analyze, and interpret the processes and natural phenomena of the earth setting and the universe around it. The core topics of the course are: Earth Dimensions; Resources, Minerals and Rocks; The Dynamic Crust; Surface Processes and Landscapes; Earth’s History; Meteorology; The Water Cycle and Climates; The Earth in Space; Environmental Awareness; Earth Science Laboratory Skills.

Requirements: Reading and writing assignments, notebook, projects, discussions, presentations, labs (NYS lab requirement), quizzes, tests, local midterm exam, and the NYS Regents Earth Science exam.

Materials: Text, equipment, and supplies are provided. A notebook and calculator are required.

Chemistry, The Physical Setting    Phase 4       Grades 10-12

Full Year                       5 - 7 Periods/Week         1 Unit

Prerequisites: Successful completion of Living Environment and successful completion of Geometry.

Course Description: This course may be taken for one unit toward the Physical Setting science requirement or a unit toward a third unit in science. It prepares students for the New York State Regents Chemistry exam. This course provides students with an opportunity to understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to chemistry and its historical development. In addition, students will use mathematical analysis, scientific inquiry, problem solving, and research in order to understand and apply the themes that connect mathematics, science, and technology and to solve real-life problems. Students will be expected to explain (both accurately and with appropriate depth), analyze, and interpret the processes and natural phenomena of chemistry. The core topics of the course are: Atomic Structure; The Periodic Table; Moles and Stoichiometry; Chemical Bonding; Physical Behavior of Matter; Kinetics and Equilibrium; Organic Chemistry; Oxidation-Reduction; Acids, Bases, and Salts; Nuclear Chemistry; Chemical Laboratory Skills.

Requirements: Reading and writing assignments, notebook, projects, discussions, presentations, labs (NYS lab requirement), quizzes, tests, local midterm exam, and the NYS Regents Chemistry exam.

Materials: Text, equipment, and supplies are provided. A notebook and calculator are required.

Physics, The Physical Setting      Phase 4   Grades 11, 12

Full Year                5 - 7 Periods/Week          1 Unit

Prerequisites: Successful completion of Regents Chemistry and Algebra 2.

Course Description: This course may be taken for one unit toward the Physical Setting science requirement or a unit toward a third unit in science. It prepares students for the New York State Regents Physics exam. This course provides students with an opportunity to understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to physics and its historical development. In addition, students will use mathematical analysis, scientific inquiry, problem solving, and research in order to understand and apply the themes that connect mathematics, science, and technology and to solve real-life problems. Students will be expected to explain (both accurately and with appropriate depth), analyze and interpret the processes and natural phenomena of physics. The core topics of the course are: Mechanics; Energy; Electricity and Magnetism; Waves; Modern Physics; Laboratory Skills.

Requirements: Reading and writing assignments, notebook, projects, discussions, presentations, labs (NYS lab requirement), quizzes, tests, local midterm exam, and the NYS Regents Physics exam.

Materials: Text, equipment, and supplies are provided. A notebook, protractor, metric ruler, and scientific calculator are required.

Environmental Science          Phase 3                        Grades 11, 12

Full Year                                  4 - 5 Periods/Week               1 Unit

Prerequisites: Successful completion of two Regents lab science classes for high school students.

Course Description: This course is a commencement-level course and may be taken for a third unit toward the three unit requirement in science. It is a standards-based course and does not count as a Regents lab science course. This course provides students with an opportunity to understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to environmental science. In addition, students will use mathematical analysis, scientific inquiry, problem solving, and research in order to understand and apply themes that connect mathematics, science, and technology and to solve real-life problems. Students will be expected to explain (both accurately and with appropriate depth), analyze, and interpret environmental processes and phenomena. The main topics of the course are: Ecosystems and How They Work; The Human Population; Renewable Resources; Energy, Pollution and Prevention; Toward a Sustainable Future; Laboratory Skills.

Requirements: Hands-on and cooperative projects, reading and writing assignments, a notebook, discussions, presentations, labs, quizzes, tests, a local midterm exam, and a local final exam.

Materials: Text, equipment and supplies are provided. A notebook and calculator are required.

AP/ACE Biology               Phase  5                               Grade 12

Full Year                             8 - 10 Periods/Week            1 Unit

Prerequisites: Completion of three Regents lab science courses with an 80% or better, completion of two Regents exams in science with a cumulative average of 75% or better, completion of Algebra 2 with a 75% or better, completion of summer assignment.

Course Description: The AP/ACE Biology course is designed to be the equivalent of two semesters of college introductory biology usually taken by biology majors during their first year. The course prepares the students for the AP Biology exam offered each May and the ACE Biology exams in January and June. The AP/ACE course differs significantly from Regents Living Environment (Biology) with respect to the textbook used, the range and depth of topics covered, the type and level of laboratory work done by students, and the time and effort required of the students. The core topics of the course are: The Chemistry Life; Cells; Cellular Energetics; Heredity; Molecular Genetics; Evolutionary Biology; Diversity of Organisms; Structure and Function of Plants and Animals; Ecology.

Requirements: Reading and writing assignments, a journal, class discussions and presentations, projects, labs, quizzes, tests, midterm exam, and the ACE and/or AP exams in Biology.

Materials: Text, journal, equipment and supplies are provided. A three-ring binder and calculator are required.

Biological Illustration           Phase 3   Grades 11, 12

Half Year Elective                   2 Periods/Week                 ½ Unit

Prerequisites: Successful completion of two Regents lab science courses, at least one successful year of either Studio Art or Mechanical Drawing, and Science Department recommendation. This course does not count toward the three units of science required for graduation.

Course Description: Biological Illustration is designed to allow the student to explore the interrelationship of science and art through the field of scientific illustration. Students will examine the historic melding of these disciplines by studying examples by da Vinci, Michelangelo, and works such as Gray’s Anatomy. Using several textbooks of illustrative technique, students will learn and practice skills necessary for producing competent examples of biological illustration. Throughout the semester students will demonstrate progress through sketchbooks, bi-weekly projects, a final master project, and the sum of his or her portfolio in its entirety. These final products will be reviewed not only by the instructor but by other members of the Science Department as well.

Requirements: Students will maintain an on-going sketchbook in which they solve illustrative problems assigned by the instructor, take notes, and render rough sketches of their larger works. Students will meet twice a week with the instructor for sketchbook review, new assignments, and progress assessment. Weeks one and two will be devoted to historic background, weeks three through 16 to techniques, and weeks 17 through 20 to completion of the final project and assembling a comprehensive portfolio.

Materials: Students will be provided with a sketchbook, reference and topic texts, and all other paper and artistic media required. All the student needs to bring to the course are creativity, and curiosity.

Scientific Research              Phase 3               Grade 12

Half Year Elective           1 – 2 Periods/Week     ½ Unit

Prerequisites: Successful completion of the three unit graduation requirement in science and Science Department recommendation.

Course Description: Scientific Research is designed to allow the serious science student to explore in greater depth a topic that holds special interest for him or her. This may take the form of designing experiments or conducting field research, delving intensely into the current scientific literature to produce a concise, thorough exposition regarding the topic, or an internship/field experience in a lab, institute, etc., that directly works with/on the topic of interest. Various combinations of these are also possible. When finished, the student should have a submittal research paper of a series of experiments, a portfolio illuminating a field experience, or an exhaustive compilation of current research surrounding a particular topic. These final products will be reviewed not only by the instructor but by other members of the Science Department as well.

Requirements: Students will maintain an on-going journal/lab notebook focusing on their chosen topic and meet at least once a week with the instructor to discuss progress and/or difficulties and to allow the instructor to review the journal. By mid-semester, the student should have completed the preliminary studies, experiment, draft, and produced a framework for proceeding to the final phase of research. The final draft product should be done by week 16 of the semester, and the concluded project submitted for display and final grading by week 20.

Materials: Students will be provided with a journal and lab notebook. Depending on the research topic, all other materials will be obtained and provided. The student is responsible only for writing implements and a calculator.