JCHS Academic Planning Guide_2020-2021

SCIENCE
2020-2021 ∎ PLANNING GUIDE
CHEMISTRY I (4400) Grades 10-12 Full Year: Credit 1.0
Prerequisite: Completion of, or concurrent enrollment in Geometry
Chemistry is a college-preparatory laboratory course designed to help the student develop problem-solving and analytical
thinking skills. Course content includes the study of atomic models, electron arrangement, the periodic table and trends,
chemical bonding, inorganic formula writing and nomenclature, chemical equations, scientific measurements, states of matter,
Gas Laws, and solutions. Emphasis is placed upon the interpretation and analysis of data collected from laboratory
experiments. NCAA approved course.
AP CHEMISTRY (4403) Grades 11-12 Full Year: Credit 1.0
Prerequisite: Students should have successfully completed Chemistry and Algebra II with grades of C or higher
AP Chemistry provides students with a college-level foundation to support future advanced course work in chemistry. Students
cultivate their understanding of chemistry through inquiry-based investigations, as they explore topics such as atomic structure,
intermolecular forces and bonding, chemical reactions, kinetics, thermodynamics, and equilibrium.
AP PHYSICS A (4500) Grades 10-12 Full Year: Credit 1.0
Prerequisite: C Average in Geometry
Physics A is a college-preparatory laboratory course designed to help the student develop problem-solving and analytical
thinking skills. The content of the course includes the qualitative and quantitative interrelationships of force and motion,
energy, gravity, simple harmonic motion, mechanical waves, and sound. The course is a prerequisite for AP Physics B.
Qualified students may enroll for dual enrollment through Lincoln University. NCAA approved course.
AP PHYSICS B (4501) Grades 11-12 Full Year: Credit 1.0
Prerequisite: C average in Physics A
AP Physics B is a college-preparatory writing intensive, laboratory course designed to help the student develop problem- solving
and analytical thinking skills. AP Physics B will prepare students for the AP Physics 2 exam. Course content includes electricity
and magnetism, the nature of matter, the nature of light, nuclear radiation and radioactivity, quantum mechanics, special and
general relativity, and the standard model of fundamental particles and interactions. Qualified students may enroll for dual
enrollment through Lincoln University. NCAA approved course.
ASTRONOMY I (4302) Grades 11-12 Semester: Credit 0.5
Prerequisite: Completion of Biology and concurrent enrollment in Geometry or higher
This course introduces the science of modern astronomy with a concentration on the solar system. Emphasis is placed on the
history and physics of astronomy and an introduction to the solar system, including the planets, comets, and meteors. Upon
completion, students should be able to demonstrate a general understanding of the solar systems.
ASTRONOMY II (4303) Grades 11-12 Semester: Credit 0.5
Prerequisite: Completion of Biology, Astronomy I and concurrent enrollment in Geometry or higher
This course expands upon the science of modem astronomy. Topics include a deeper knowledge of the planets in our solar
system, the sun, stars, galaxies, and the larger universe, including cosmology. Upon completion, students should be able to
demonstrate a general understanding of the solar system, space flight, and stars.
GEOSCIENCE (4503) Grades 11-12 Semester: Credit 0.5
Prerequisite: Completion of Biology
This course covers the fundamentals of geology: Rocks, minerals, geologic time, plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, surface
processes, and earth resources. The lab delves into the chemistry of minerals, how rocks form, soil profiles, geologic mapping
with GIS, geology in the field, and other fundamental topics. Understanding the causes and potential societal consequences of
natural Earth processes (e.g. earthquakes, floods, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, weather, and global climate change)
and the production, availability, and potential depletion of natural resources (e.g. water, soil, mineral, and energy) is of
particular importance.
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