The science department at ECHS has a large variety of classes to offer. Students will take part in hands-on activities and labs such as using a microscope in Biology and separating chemicals in Chemistry.
Eric Jantzen, Department Chairperson
Department email: ejantzen@blueblazers.org
Department Telephone: 574-295-4749
Description of classes...
* NOTE: Biology, Chemistry and Physics is the recommended sequence of classes to meet the requirement of CORE 40.
Biology I: a & b #4231 & 4242 (Core 40 & AHD)
Level: 9, 10, 11, 12 ..... Length: 2 terms ......... Credit: 1 credit/term
Biology I is a course based on regular laboratory and field investigations that include a study of the structures and functions of living organisms and their interactions with the environment. At a minimum, students enrolled in Biology I explore the functions and processes of cells, tissues, organs and systems within various species of living organisms and the roles and interdependencies of organisms within populations, communities, ecosystems, and the biosphere. Students work with the concepts, principles, and theories of the living environment. In addition, students enrolled in this course are expected to: (1) gain an understanding of the history and development of biological knowledge, (2) explore the uses of biology in various careers, and (3) investigate biological questions and problems related to personal needs and societal issues.
Biology I, Honors: a & b #4277 & 4288 (Core 40 & AHD)
Level: 9, 10,11, 12......... Length: 2 terms ............ Credit: 1credit/term
The theme for this Honors level Biology course for the academically gifted Balancing Freedom and Responsibility. This course considers the diversity of organisms with regard to structure and function as each organism interacts with its environment as well as the energy demands needed for the maintenance of the organisms and the continuance of the species. This course is laboratory oriented, and the student is required to engage in an independent investigation and thorough study, often of self-selected topics and issues. Must apply through a selection process.
Prerequisite: Algebra I
Biology II: a & b #4711 & 4722 (Core 40 & AHD)
Level: 10, 11, 12............ Length: 2 terms ............ Credit:1 credit/term
Biology II is an extended laboratory, field, and literature investigations-based course. Students enrolling in Biology II examine the internal structures, functions, and processes of living organisms. Students also analyze and describe the relationship of Earth's living organisms to each other and to the environment in which they live. In this course, students refine their scientific inquiry skills as they collaboratively and independently apply their knowledge of the unifying themes of biology to biological questions and problems related to personal and community issues in the life sciences.
Prerequisite: Biology I
Advanced Science, Special Topics:
(Anatomy/Physiology):a&b #4221 &4232 (Core 40 & AHD)
Level: 10, 11, 12 Length: 1 term Credit: 1 credit/term
Each system of the human body is discussed over the two trimesters. A dissection is a major project that usually takes place in the second trimester.
Prerequisite: Biology I
Advanced Science, Special Topics: Marine Biology): #4889
(Core 40 & AHD)
Level: 11, 12 Length: 1 term Credit: 1 credit/term
Marine Biology is a course designed to integrate concepts from Biology and Chemistry into an intensive study of the marine environment. The course meets on four Saturday mornings and the week of Spring Break. Independent initiative and motivation are key components in this course. The week of Spring Break is spent in the Florida Keys doing intensive individual and group work.
Prerequisite: Two years of Core 40 science course work with grades of A or B.
Biology, Advanced Placement or College Credit: a & b #4731 & 4742 (Core 40 & AHD)
Level: 10, 11, 12 Length: 3 terms Credit: 1credit/term
Biology, Advanced Placement is a course that provides students with the content established by the College Board. Topics include: (1) molecules and cells; (2) heredity and evolution; (3) organisms and populations.
Prerequisite: Biology I and concurrent with or credit in Chemistry I
Environmental Science, Advanced: a & b #4131 & 4142(Core 40 & AHD)
Level: 11, 12 Length: 2 terms Credit: 1 credit/term
Environmental Science, Advanced, is an interdisciplinary course that integrates biology, earth science, chemistry, and other disciplines. Students enrolled in this course conduct in-depth scientific studies of ecosystems, population dynamics, resource management, and environmental consequences of natural and anthropogenic processes. Students formulate, design, and carry out laboratory and field investigations as an essential course component. Students completing Environmental Science, Advanced acquire the essential tools for understanding the complexities of national and global environmental systems.
Prerequisite: Two years of Core 40 & AHD science course work.
Integrated Chemistry-Physics: a & b #4265 & 4276 (Core 40 & AHD)
Level: 10, 11, 12.......... Length: 2 terms Credit: 1credit/term
Integrated Chemistry-Physics is a laboratory-based course in which students explore fundamental chemistry and physics principles. Students enrolled in this course examine, through the process of scientific inquiry, the structure and properties of matter, chemical reactions, forces, motion, and the interactions between energy and matter. Working in a laboratory environment, students investigate the basics of chemistry and physics in solving real-world problems that may have personal or social consequences beyond the classroom.
Prerequisite: Concurrent with or credit in Algebra I
Chemistry I: a & b #4651 & 4662 (Core 40 & AHD)
Level: 10, 11, 12.......... Length: 2 terms ............. Credit: 1 credit/term
Chemistry I is a course based on regular laboratory investigations of matter, chemical reactions, and the role of energy in those reactions. Students enrolled in Chemistry I compare, contrast, and synthesize useful models of the structure and properties of matter and the mechanisms of its interactions. In addition students enrolled in this course are expected to : (1) gain an understanding of the history of chemistry, (2) explore the uses of chemistry in various careers, (3) investigate chemical questions and problems related to personal needs and societal issues, and (4) learn and practice laboratory safety.
Prerequisite: Algebra I
Chemistry I, Honors:a & b #4653 & 4664 (Core 40 & AHD)
Level: 10, 11, 12.......... Length: 2 terms ............. Credit: 1 credit/term
Academically gifted students study the chemical behavior and structure of substances in this extended laboratory course. The students' data books provide a record of their laboratory work, data analysis, conclusions and journal writings. Students practice laboratory safety. Seminars provide opportunity for discussion of current work, assigned readings, chemical theory, historical and contemporary chemical issues, use of chemistry in the real world and the relevance and relationship of chemistry to other disciplines, the unifying themes of chemistry, the development of physical and mathematical models of matter and its interactions and the methods of scientific inquiry. The student will engage in an independent research project with a topic of the students' choosing.
Prerequisite: Algebra I
Advanced Science, Special Topics: (Chemical Concepts) #4761 (Core 40 & AHD)
Level: 10, 11, 12.......... Length: 1 term Credit: 1 credit/term.
This course provides for the in-depth study of the application of chemical concepts and principles to specific technological, environmental, or health processes and problems. Topics include the study of: atomic structure, bonding, reaction rates, equilibria, acid/base reactions, oxidation/reduction reactions, and electrochemistry.
Prerequisite: Chemistry I a & b
Advanced Science, Special Topics:(Qualitative Chemical Analysis) #4691 (Core 40 & AHD)
Level: 10, 11, 12 Length: 1 term Credit: 1 credit/term.
Qualitative chemical analysis is a college freshman-level laboratory course. Nearly all class time is spent in the laboratory analyzing solutions to identify the ionized elements they contain. Grades are determined by the correct analyses of solutions containing various mixtures of dissolved ions.
Prerequisite: Chemistry Ia
Advanced Science, Special Topics: (Organic Chemistry) #4771 (Core 40 & AHD)
Level: 10, 11, 12 Length: 1 term Credit: 1 credit/term
Organic chemistry is designed to provide students with a laboratory-based introduction to the study of the major groups of organic compounds, their structures, and reactions. Additionally, the properties of polymers, detergents, lipids, and cosmetics are explored.
Prerequisite: Chemistry I
Chemistry, Advanced Placement or College Credit #4581 (Core 40 & AHD)
Level: 11, 12 Length: 3 terms Credit: 1credit/term
Chemistry, Advanced Placement is a course that provides students with the content established by the College Board. Topics include: (1) structure of matter--atomic theory and structure, chemical bonding, molecular models, nuclear chemistry; (2) states of matter--gases, liquids and solids, solutions; (3) reactions--reaction types, stoichiometry, equilibrium, kinetics and thermodynamics.
Prerequisite: Chemistry I
Physics I: a & b #4451 & 4462 (Core 40 & AHD)
Level: 11, (12)............... Length: 2 terms.............. Credit: 2 credits/year
Physics I is a laboratory-based course in which students synthesize the fundamental concepts and principles related to matter and energy, including mechanics, wave motion, heat, light, electricity, magnetism, atomic and subatomic physics. Through regular laboratory study using such quantities as velocity, acceleration, force, energy, momentum, charge, students (1) examine the nature and scope of physics, including its relationship to other sciences and its ability to describe phenomena using physical laws, (2) describe the history of physics and its role in the birth of technology, (3) explore the uses of its models, theories, and laws in various careers, and (4) investigate physics questions and problems related to personal needs and societal issues.
Prerequisite: Chemistry I, and concurrent with or credit in Algebra II.
Physics I, Honors: a & b #4553 & 4464 (Core 40 & AHD)
Level: 11, (12).............. Length: 2 terms ............ Credit: 2 credits/year
This course is a quantitative study for academically gifted students of the relationship between matter and energy. Students develop necessary skills in an extended problem-solving/laboratory to study mechanics and energy. Students develop mathematical and conceptual models to describe topics such as velocity, acceleration, momentum, force, energy, thermodynamics, charge, optics, magnetism, and electricity.
Prerequisite: Concurrent with or credit in Algebra II.
Physics II #4471 (Core 40 & AHD)
Level: 11, (12) Length: 1 terms Credit: 1 credit/term
Physics II is an extended laboratory, field, and literature investigations-based course. Students enrolled in Physics II investigate physical phenomena and the theoretical models that are useful in understanding the interacting systems of the macro-and microcosms. Students extensively explore the unifying themes of physics, including such topics and applications of physics as mechanics, wave motion, electricity, magnetism, electromagnetism, atomic and nuclear physics, and thermodynamics, etc., in laboratory activities aimed at investigating physics questions and problems concerning personal needs and community issues related to physics.
Prerequisite: Physics I
Physics C, Advanced Placement or College Credit #4481 (Core 40 & AHD)
Level: 11, 12 Length: 3 terms Credit: 1 credit/term
Physics, Advanced Placement is a course that provides students with the content established by the College Board. Newtonian Mechanics will be covered.
Prerequisite: Physics I, Concurrent with or credit in Calculus I
Advanced Science, Special Topics
(Principles of Flight & Space Travel).......... #4981
(Core 40 & AHD)
Level: 11, 12 Length: 1 term Credit: 1 credit/term
Principles of Flight and Space Travel provides an understanding of the physics and mathematics of flight and space travel. The course may be structured to provide the ground training portion of pilot training, or it may be a more general study of aerospace topics such as aerodynamics, avionics, navigation, orbital mechanics, and interplanetary travel.
Prerequisite: Two years of Core 40 and AHD science course work.
Science Research, Independent Study ...... #4791
Level: 11, 12 Length: 1 term Credit: 1 credit/term
Science Research, Independent Study is a course that provides students with unique opportunities for independent, in-depth study of one or more specific scientific problems. Students develop a familiarity with the laboratory procedures used in a given educational, research, or industrial setting or a variety of such settings. Students enrolled in this course will complete a science project to be exhibited at a regional science fair and/or state science symposium during the same school year; additionally, an end-of-course project or product may be required, such as a scientific research paper or some other suitable presentation of their findings.
Prerequisite: Two years of Core 40 and AHD science course work.
Principles of the Biomedical Sciences
Level: 9
This course provides an introduction to the biomedical sciences through exciting “hands-on” projects and problems. Student work involves the study of human medicine, research processes and in introduction to bio-informatics. Students investigate the human body systems and various health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, sickle-cell disease, hypercholesterolemia, and infectious diseases. A theme through the course is to determine the factors that led to the death of a fictional person. After determining the factors responsible for the death, the students investigate lifestyle choices and medical treatments that might have prolonged the person’s life. Key biological concepts including: homeostasis, metabolism, inheritance of traits, feedback systems, and defense against disease are embedded in the curriculum. Engineering principles including: the design process, feedback loops, fluid dynamics, and the relationship of structure to function are incorporated in the curriculum where appropriate. The course is designed to provide an overview of all the courses in the Biomedical Sciences program and to lay the scientific foundation necessary for student success in the subsequent courses.
