SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
INTRODUCTION
The mission of our department is to teach students the scientific method so they can understand modern scientific descriptions of the universe and come to objective conclusions about the natural world. All of our science courses provide students with the opportunity to develop skills in forming hypotheses, gathering and interpreting data, and drawing rational conclusions.
St. Ignatius College Preparatory requires all students to complete a minimum of two years of laboratory science: one in the life sciences (such as Biology) and one in the physical sciences (such as Chemistry). College-bound students are advised to enroll in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and to consider a 4th year science elective or Advanced Placement course. Science electives include Astronomy, Human Anatomy and Physiology, Environmental Science, Engineering, Science Research Project, and Advanced Science Research Project. Advanced Placement courses include AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and AP Physics C. Students in Physics Honors are encouraged, but not required, to take the AP Physics B exam.
Students should familiarize themselves with the science recommendations of the University of California. All of our science courses, with the exception of the Science Research Project, Environmental Science, and Engineering courses, fulfill UC’s laboratory science requirement. These courses are UC-approved as science electives. UC requires students to take at least one natural (life) science and one physical science (see descriptions below).
COURSES
BIOLOGY (3010) (Natural Science)
- Grade Level - 9, 10
- Length - One Year
- Type of Course - Elective meeting one year of graduation requirement of two years of science; UC-approved laboratory science course
- Prerequisite - None
- Criteria for Enrollment - None
- Course Description - Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. This course aims to develop students into scientifically literate citizens who have mastered the critical thinking skills that will allow them to make informed decisions in a world increasingly impacted by scientific discovery. This course also aims to develop in students an appreciation for the natural world and our role in its stewardship. Units of study in this course include evolutionary biology, genetics, heredity, cell structure and function, human reproduction, and ecology.
CHEMISTRY (3030) (Physical Science)
- Grade Level - 10, 11, 12
- Length - One Year
- Type of Course - Elective meeting graduation requirement of two years of science; UC-approved laboratory science course
- Prerequisite - Biology, Algebra 1
- Criteria for Enrollment - Math GPA 2.0 or higher
- Course Description - Chemistry is the scientific study of matter. This course aims to develop students as practicing laboratory scientists who can ask and answer questions of their own about what the world is made of and how and why chemical reactions occur. This course also aims to develop students’ conceptual and quantitative understanding of chemical principles. Units of study in this course include the nature of the atom, naming of chemicals and compounds, bonding, the periodic table, reactions and equilibrium, stoichiometry, behavior of gases, acids, bases, and safe laboratory practices.
CHEMISTRY HONORS (3033) (Physical Science)
- Grade Level - 10, 11, 12
- Length - One Year
- Type of Course - Elective meeting graduation requirement of two years of science; UC-approved laboratory science course
- Prerequisite - Biology, Algebra 1 Accelerated or Algebra 2 Honors
- Criteria for Enrollment - Science GPA 3.3 or higher; Math GPA 3.3 or higher; overall GPA of 3.3 or higher
- Course Description - The honors course differs from the non-honors course in that each topic is covered in more detail, at a faster pace, and with greater mathematical rigor.
PHYSICS (3041) (Physical Science)
- Grade Level - 10, 11, 12
- Length - One Year
- Type of Course - Elective meeting graduation requirement of two years of science; UC-approved laboratory science course
- Prerequisite - Biology, Chemistry, Algebra 1
- Criteria for Enrollment - Math GPA 2.0 or higher
- Course Description - Physics is the scientific study of the most fundamental laws of nature. This course aims to further develop students’ appreciation for and competence in the scientific method. This course also aims to develop students’ conceptual and quantitative understanding of physical principles. Students perform experiments to develop proficiency in laboratory technique in applying physical principles to the analysis of experimental data. Units of study in this course include motion, Newton’s Laws, collisions, energy, thermodynamics, waves, sound, light, fundamental particles of nature, radioactivity, quantum mechanics, and electricity and magnetism.
PHYSICS HONORS (3044) (Physical Science)
- Grade Level - 10, 11, 12
- Length - One Year
- Type of Course - Elective meeting graduation requirement of two years of science; UC-approved laboratory science course
- Prerequisite - Biology, Chemistry
- Criteria for Enrollment - Previous or concurrent enrollment in Precalculus Accelerated or Precalculus Honors
- Course Description - The honors course differs from the non-honors course in that each topic is covered in more detail, at a faster pace, and with greater mathematical rigor. This course prepares students to take the optional AP Physics B exam in May.
AP Courses
ADVANCED PLACEMENT BIOLOGY (3014) (Natural Science)
- Grade Level - 10, 11, 12
- Length - One Year
- Type of Course - Elective meeting one year of graduation requirement of two years of science; UC-approved laboratory science course
- Prerequisite - Biology (see criteria below)
- Corequisite - Students enrolling in this course will also be automatically enrolled in the AP Science Laboratory course, which meets once or twice per week during 0 or 8th periods (see below for description).
- Criteria for Enrollment -
Overall GPA 3.3 or higher and successful completion of Biology, Chemistry, Physics with Science GPA of 3.3 or higher. Students not meeting these criteria may submit an appeal under the following alternate criteria:
Alternate Criteria (for appeal): Overall GPA 3.7 or higher and successful completion of Biology with Science GPA 3.7 or higher and approval of the department chair. - Course Description - The AP Biology course is equivalent in content, depth, and complexity to an introductory biology course at the college level. This course is designed to prepare the student to excel on the AP exam offered in May, and follows the AP curriculum closely. AP Biology is an in-depth, content-intensive study of biological principles that allows students the opportunity to engage hands-on in scientific experimentation. Units of study include cell biology, genetics, DNA technology, enzyme catalysis, photosynthesis, ecology, evolution, and physiology. Students are required to take the AP exam in May.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT CHEMISTRY (3034) (Physical Science)
- Grade Level - 11, 12
- Length - One Year
- Type of Course - Elective meeting graduation requirement of two years of science; UC-approved laboratory science course
- Prerequisite - Chemistry (see criteria below)
- Corequisite - Students enrolling in this course will also be automatically enrolled in the AP Science Laboratory course, which meets once or twice per week during 0 or 8th periods (see below for description).
- Criteria for Enrollment -
Overall GPA of 3.3 or higher, and successful completion of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics with Science GPA 3.3 or higher. Students not meeting these criteria may submit an appeal under the following alternate criteria:
Alternate Criteria (for appeal): Overall GPA 3.7 or higher, Math GPA 3.7 or higher, and successful completion of AP Biology with Science GPA 3.7 or higher and approval of the department chair - Course Description - The AP Chemistry course is equivalent in content, depth, and complexity to an introductory chemistry course at the college level. This course is designed to prepare the student to excel on the AP exam offered in May, and follows the AP curriculum closely. AP Chemistry is an in-depth, content-intensive study of chemical principles that allows students the opportunity to engage hands-on in scientific experimentation. Units of study include chemical reactions, modern atomic theory, molecular bonding, hybridization, organic chemistry, stoichiometry, thermodynamics, kinetics, aqueous equilibrium, acids, bases, precipitation, reduction, oxidation, electrochemistry, and nuclear chemistry. Students are required to take the AP exam in May.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT PHYSICS "C" (3047) (Physical Science)
- Grade Level - 11, 12
- Length - One Year
- Type of Class - Elective meeting graduation requirement of two years of science; UC-approved laboratory science course
- Prerequisite - Physics (see criteria below)/Physics Honors strongly recommended
- Corequisite - Students enrolling in this course will also be automatically enrolled in the AP Science Laboratory course, which meets once or twice per week during 0 or 8th periods (see below for description).
- Criteria for Enrollment -
Overall GPA of 3.3 or higher, successful completion of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics with Science GPA 3.3 or higher, and previous or concurrent enrollment in AP Calculus AB or BC. Students not meeting these criteria may submit an appeal under the following alternate criteria:
Alternate Criteria (for appeal): Overall GPA 3.7 or higher, Math GPA 3.7 or higher, and successful completion of AP Chemistry with Science GPA 3.7 or higher and approval of the department chair - Course Description - The AP Physics course is equivalent in content, depth, and complexity to an introductory physics course at the college level. This course is designed to prepare the student to excel on both of the AP Physics C exams offered in May: one in mechanics, one in electricity & magnetism. The course follows the AP curriculum closely. AP Physics is an in-depth, content-intensive study of physical principles that allows students the opportunity to engage hands-on in scientific experimentation. Units of study include kinematics, Newton’s laws, conservation laws, harmonic motion, rotational motion, electrostatics, electricity, magnetism, Maxwell’s equations, and circuit analysis. Use of calculus in problem solving is expected to increase as the course progresses. Students are required to take the AP exam in May.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT SCIENCE LABORATORY
- Grade Level - 10, 11, 12
- Length - One Year
- Type of Class - Elective (half-credit)
- Prerequisite - Concurrent enrollment in AP Biology, AP Chemistry, or AP Physics
- Criteria for Enrollment - Students who qualify for and enroll in the AP Science courses listed above are automatically enrolled in this course as well; there is no need to separately enroll
- Course Description - AP Science courses such as AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and AP Physics require an intensive laboratory component extending beyond the regular class meetings. Students enrolled in this class will meet at least once, and at most twice, per week with their class either at zero period or at 8th period. When the corresponding AP Science course is scheduled, zero and 8th period meeting times for this course will be scheduled so that 100-minute “double periods” are created before and after school. Students need only meet before or after school, not both. Students receive a separate grade for the laboratory course.
Science Electives
ASTRONOMY (3055) (Physical Science)
- Grade Level - 11, 12
- Length - One Year
- Type of Class - Elective meeting graduation requirement of two years of science; UC-approved laboratory science course
- Prerequisite - Chemistry, Physics
- Criteria for Enrollment - Science GPA 2.0 or higher
- Course Description - Astronomy is the scientific study of the universe and its constituents. This course allows a student to apply fundamental concepts learned in biology, chemistry, and physics to new problems in astronomy. Students develop proficiency in data and image analysis techniques working with authentic astronomical data sets and instruments. Units of study in this course include constellation study and star identification, motion of the night sky, motion and appearance of the moon and planets, the properties of stars, galaxies, nebulae, and exotic concepts such as black holes, quasars, pulsars, extrasolar planets, curved spacetime, the Big Bang, dark matter, and dark energy. A handful of nighttime sessions will be required.
ENGINEERING (Single Semester) (3057) (Physical Science)
- Grade Level - 11, 12
- Length - One Semester
- Type of Class - Elective meeting graduation requirement of two years of science
- Prerequisite - Chemistry, Physics
- Criteria for Enrollment - Science GPA 2.0 or higher
- Course Description - Engineering consists of the application of scientific knowledge in the creation of useful products. This course acts as an introduction to the concepts and methods of engineering with an intensive hands-on laboratory/workshop component. Students will be expected to conceptualize, design, build, and debug a variety of projects, working independently or in collaboration with other students. Units of study vary by semester, allowing students to take either or both semesters in a single year, and may include mechanical, electrical, robotic, computer, aeronautical, automotive, acoustic, naval, civil, fluid and/or chemical engineering. Several off-campus field trips to visit engineering sites or companies may be required. (Since engineering is not, strictly speaking, a science, this course does not qualify as a UC-approved lab science.)
ENGINEERING (Full year) (3058) (Physical Science)
- Grade Level - 11, 12
- Length - One Year
- Type of Class - Elective meeting graduation requirement of two years of science.
- Prerequisite - Chemistry, Physics
- Criteria for Enrollment - Science GPA 2.0 or higher
- Course Description - Engineering consists of the application of scientific knowledge in the creation of useful products. This course acts as an introduction to the concepts and methods of engineering with an intensive hands-on laboratory/workshop component. Students will be expected to conceptualize, design, build, and debug a variety of projects, working independently or in collaboration with other students. Units of study vary by semester, allowing students to take either or both semesters in a single year, and may include mechanical, electrical, robotic, computer, aeronautical, automotive, acoustic, naval, civil, fluid and/or chemical engineering. Several off-campus field trips to visit engineering sites or companies may be required. (Since engineering is not, strictly speaking, a science, this course does not qualify as a UC-approved lab science.)
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE: AN ECOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE (3052) (Natural Science)
- Grade Level - 11, 12
- Length - One Year
- Type of Course - Elective meeting graduation requirement of two years of science.
- Prerequisite - Biology, Chemistry
- Criteria for Enrollment - Science GPA 2.0 or higher
- Course Description - Environmental science is the study of our natural environment, with an emphasis on humanity’s impact on the environment. This is a project and inquiry-learning based course that investigates the science behind today's environmental issues. Students will be immersed in hands-on science activities, group work, discussions of current scientific research, a long-term scientific investigation, decision-making based on their critical thinking skills, and the design of inquiry-based experiments. The course is arranged in independent modules that offer students a holistic approach towards environmental issues by exploring current environmental problems from a scientific interdisciplinary perspective. While topics will focus of life science related issues, we will also incorporate some basic geological, physical, chemical and technological components that directly impact living creatures.
HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY (3050) (Natural Science)
- Grade Level - 10, 11, 12
- Length - One Year
- Type of Class - Elective meeting graduation requirement of two years of science; UC-approved laboratory science course
- Prerequisite - Biology
- Criteria for Enrollment - Science GPA 2.0 or higher
- Course Description - Human anatomy and physiology are the scientific study of the human body and its major components and systems. This course offers students a hands-on approach to learning through laboratory work (including dissections), student multimedia presentations, independent student research, and field studies. Units of study include body support and movement; communication and control; integration of various bodily systems; the immune system; reproduction and development; digestion, respiration, and the circulatory system.
SCIENCE RESEARCH PROJECT (3060) (Physical or Natural Science)
- Grade Level - 10, 11, 12
- Length - One Semester
- Type of Course - Elective; taken as an independent study with the guidance of science teacher.
- Prerequisite - None
- Criteria for Enrollment - Permission of Department Chair and instructor.
- Course Description - This course offers students the opportunity to develop and demonstrate the maturity and self-discipline required to perform independent scientific research. Students perform one or more independent science or engineering research projects, in laboratory or field settings, on topics of their own choice. The meeting times are flexible and will be arranged to fit the schedule of the student. Areas of study include any area of science or engineering, including: quantum physics, astronomy, robotics, electronics, biotechnology, geology, meteorology, biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, oceanography, marine biology, psychology, etc., as well as traditional areas of biology, chemistry, physics and engineering. Students will gain direct experience in research methodologies used by professional scientists and engineers in industry and academia.
This course is taken in addition to the science requirement for graduation. Enrollment in Science Research does not qualify a student for a study period during the regular academic day.
ADVANCED SCIENCE RESEARCH PROJECT (3065) (Physical or Natural Science)
- Grade Level - 10, 11, 12
- Length - One Semester
- Type of Course - Elective; taken as an independent study with the guidance of science teacher.
- Prerequisite - Completion of one semester Science Research Project
- Criteria for Enrollment - Permission of Department Chair and instructor.
- Course Description - Students perform one or more additional independent science or engineering research projects, beyond those completed in the first semester Science Research Project course, or perform a substantial extension of a project completed in the previous course. This is an independent study course, with flexible meeting times that will be arranged to fit the schedules of the students.
This course is taken in addition to the science requirement for graduation. Enrollment in Advanced Science Research does not qualify a student for a study period during the regular academic day.