Pioneer High School Science Courses

Science Courses

Twenty credits (4 semesters) of Science are required for graduation. Ten credits must be Life Science and ten must be Physical Science. Enrolling in designated courses in the Home Economics and Agricultural Departments may complete the Science requirements.

Our science courses are designed to organize the body of science knowledge into subject areas and to teach methods of science that will be used to broaden our student’s knowledge during their lifetimes. We live in an ever-changing world and our students will need to be prepared to meet new challenges with a solid, basic education. These courses in science will give students analytical skills that will enable them to advance, absorb new discoveries, and be a critical thinker in a modern society. All courses are aligned with California academic content standards or national standards. 9th – 10th Grade Courses

ANATOMY/PHYSIOLOGY
Course Code: SD510Y	Grade: 10-12	⬛ PHS ⬛WHS
Prerequisite: “C” or better in Biology or Chemistry or teacher approval. 11th and 12th grade students only. Course Description: This course focuses on the anatomy and physiology of the human body. Students will perform experiments in respiration, circulation, digestion, and other body systems. Students may work frequently with microscopes and dissections. This course is recommended for students who want to go to college and pursue careers in medicine, health, physical education, or other life sciences. As an alternative to physics, this class will further a student’s understanding of the human body and help to prepare them for college.

BIOLOGY
Course Code: SD110Y	Grade: 9-10	⬛ PHS ⬛WHS
Course Description: This course provides a basic understanding of cell biology, genetics, ecology, evolution and physiology. Students will experience Biology through a variety of assignments and labs. Lab activities promote technical lab competence, utilize the scientific process of research and reporting, as well as teach and reinforce scientific and biological concepts. Biology lab attendance and completion of lab reports is required. This course will help students to understand basic Biology concepts.

BIOLOGY AP
Course Code: SD190Y	Grade: 10-12	⬛ PHS ⬛ WHS
Prerequisite: “B” or better in Biology and a “C” or better in Chemistry or concurrent enrollment in Chemistry or with teacher approval. Course Description: AP Biology is a second high school biology course that will broaden and enhance a student’s level of science knowledge and further prepare them for college. This course is designed to offer students topics in Biology that are covered in a university freshman level course. Highly motivated students in AP Biology class will be required to actively participate in lectures and laboratory activities as well as rigorous and challenging reading assignments on a daily basis. Exams cover 3-4 chapters in the text and generally occur every two to three weeks. Lab activities specified by the College Board, and additional labs chosen by the teacher, are conducted to give a fair representation of a university-level biology course. Students enrolled in this course are encouraged to take the AP examination in the spring.

BIOLOGY & COMMUNITY HEALTH
Course Code: S150Y	⬛ PHS ⬜ WHS
Course Description: Biology and Community Health is a college preparatory laboratory science course with Next Generation Science Standards for Life Science integrated with Public and Community Health Pathway standards. This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of biological concepts through the study of the effect of disease on public and community health. Students will engage in experiments, conduct research, complete simulations and apply knowledge of cellular physiology to understand the spread of disease, which is the foundation of public and community health. Students will use experiments and genetic concepts to demonstrate the prevalence of hereditary disorders within a community. Using the concepts of evolution, students will examine the relationship between humans and pathogens and their change over time. Students will trace how public health has impacted the size of the human population over time. They will identify environmental issues affecting health in their community and then create action plans to improve the health outcomes within the community. The course culminates with students engaging in community health by going out and educating their community about relevant health problems prevalent in that community.

BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE M
Course Code: SQ310Y	Location of program based on Regional Program location
Program	Special Day Class ASD
Course Description: This course focuses on understanding the principles of the biological world and the study of living things. The established content goals for general education will be incorporated into the structure of the class to provide opportunities for special education learners to access the general education curriculum with modified materials, assignments and/or expectations as needed to be consistent with the student’s learning style and pace. This class does not offer a laboratory practicum component. This class will complete the high school Life Science requirement.

CHEMISTRY
Course Code: SD210Y	Grade: 10-12	⬛ PHS ⬛ WHS
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Biology with a “C” or better and a “C” or better in Integrated Math I or teacher approval. Course Description: This course offers students an opportunity to learn about the chemical nature of the world in which they live. Students will explore the physical and chemical properties of solids, liquids and gasses, chemical change, the characteristics of solutions and the structure of matter as well as specific lab techniques and safety. Chemistry involves many labs and activities. Lab attendance and write-ups are required. Chemistry will prepare students for college level work and upper division science classes including AP classes.

CHEMISTRY (Honors)
Course Code: SD211Y	Grade: 10-12	⬛ PHS ⬜ WHS
Prerequisite: Integrated Math II with an “A” or “B”, concurrent enrollment in (or completion of) Integrated Math III, and Biology with an “A” or “B” and approval of a biology teacher. Course Description: Honors Chemistry is a rigorous, college-prep, laboratory science class that provides a foundation in general and inorganic chemistry for the college-bound science major. This class will equip students to be successful in a first-year college chemistry course. Students will participate in many qualitative and quantitative hands-on labs to develop theoretical aspects of chemistry. Honors Chemistry progresses at a rapid rate, covers a greater depth of content, and applies more complex mathematics then Chemistry. Students need to be able to apply math previously learned to solve a variety of problems encountered in Honors Chemistry.

CHEMISTRY AP
Course Code: SD290Y	Grade: 10-12	⬜ PHS ⬛ WHS
Course Description: The Chemistry AP course is a rigorous second year Chemistry course designed to further develop knowledge of Chemistry concepts. The course will be the equivalent of the general chemistry course usually taken during the first year of college. Students will learn about the structure of matter, states of matter, and chemical reactions. This course will build upon the foundations of chemistry that were introduced in the first year chemistry course. This course is recommended for students that are interested in science majors including medicine, biotechnology, engineering, etc.

EARTH SCIENCE M
Course Code: SQ320Y	Location of program based on Regional Program location
Program	Special Day Class ASD
Course Description: This course focuses on understanding the principles of the physical earth. The established content goals for general education will be incorporated into the structure of the class to provide opportunities for special education learners to access the general education curriculum with modified materials, assignments and/or expectations as needed to be consistent with the student’s learning style and pace. This class does not offer a laboratory practicum component. This class will complete the high school Physical Science requirement.

EMERGENCY MEDICINE I
Course Code: SD153Y	Grade: 10-12	⬛ PHS ⬜ WHS
Prerequisite: Successful completion Biology SD110Y or Bio/Sust Ag SR122Y or Bio & Community Health Course Description:This concentrator course is designed to provide students specific content knowledge and skills required in all health and medical sciences. In addition to learning the key elements of the U.S. healthcare system, students will learn terminology, anatomy and physiology, pathologies, diagnostic and clinical procedures, therapeutic interventions, and the fundamentals of medical emergency care. Throughout the course, instructional activities emphasize safety, professionalism, accountability, and efficiency for workers within the healthcare field.

EMERGENCY MEDICINE II
Course Code: SD154Y	Grade: 11-12	⬛ PHS ⬜ WHS
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Med 1: Intro to Emergency Medical Care Course Description: Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) care for the sick or injured in emergency settings, and people's lives often depend upon their quick reaction and competent care. California law requires all ambulance attendants to be trained and certified at the EMT level. Many fire departments also require firefighters to be EMT certified. EMTs are often used as the first dispatched medical providers within an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system. Training consists of 170 hours, broken down into lecture, lab and supervised field experience. Students must participate in an ambulance ride-along and hospital emergency room clinical. CalAPS will provide an EMT Course Completion Certificate, EMT skills verification including LA County Scope of Practice and access to test with the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT). Students will also earn a Basic Life Support (BLS) through the American Heart Association or American Red Cross.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AP
Course Code: SR190Y	Grade: 11-12	⬛ PHS ⬜ WHS
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Chemistry with a “C” or better. Course Description: AP Environmental Science uses “hands-on” learning strategies to teach students to establish an experiment, collect, organize, analyze, evaluate and report data for laboratory assignments. Chemistry and Physics principles are included, but not emphasized. Students will submit an organized lab journal using the Scientific Method of Reporting on a weekly basis. This class will cover all California Earth Science Standards.

FORENSIC SCIENCE
Course Code: SD140Y	Grade: 10-12	⬛ PHS ⬛WHS
Course Description: Forensic Science is the application of science to law. The class is designed to allow students to apply chemistry, physics and biology principles to crime scene analysis. This course will also explore topics such as evidence gathering, analytical techniques, fingerprints, blood spatter analysis, toxicology, hair and fiber analysis, and entomology and Odontology. The class is recommended for students interested in criminal justices and analytical lab techniques.

FUNCTIONAL SCIENCE
Course Code: SQ330Y	Location of program based on Regional Program location
Program	Special Day Class Severely Handicapped (SH)
Course Description: This course will be taught using resources within the classroom as well as within the community. Accommodations and modifications will be implemented per the student’s IEP. The emphasis will be upon life science and physical science instruction that will be beneficial and relevant to life skills instruction for the students requiring significant modifications to their instruction. This course will fulfill the requirements for students to receive the Certificate of Completion and may be repeated for credit.

MARINE BIOLOGY
Course Code: SD441Y	Grade: 10-12	⬛ PHS ⬜ WHS
Prerequisite: Biology or Ag Biology Course Description: The marine environment encompasses 99% of the Earth's biosphere and contains an incredible diversity of microbial, algal, and animal life forms. This course will examine the biology of these organisms and the abiotic (e.g., salinity, nutrients, water currents and tides) and biotic factors (e.g., competition, predation, symbiosis) that influence their distribution and abundance. Specific topics will include primary and secondary production, rocky intertidal biodiversity, estuaries, subtidal communities, coral reefs, pelagic and deep-sea communities, impacts of humans on the ocean, and conservation.

NEUROSCIENCE
Course Code:SD111Y	Grade: 10-12	⬜ PHS ⬛WHS
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Biology, Biology Sus Ag, Med. Bio with a “C” or better. Course Description: Non-honors, laboratory based introduction to neuroscience and biopsychology with an emphasis on experimentation and case studies while studying the processes of the nervous system as it relates to consciousness. The human brain is the most complex structure in the known universe.The study of its structure and function and how it figures into our actions and experience is among the most exciting arenas of modern science. This class will begin with molecules and cells, build up to brains and nervous systems, encompass neural signaling, sensory perception, memory, language, and emotion, and culminate with the great mystery of how brain processes relate to mental experience, that is, how the mind is related to the brain.

PHYSICAL SCIENCE EXPLORATION
Course Code: SD430Y	Grade: 10-12	⬛ PHS ⬛ WHS
Course Description: Physical Science Exploration provides an overview of Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics standards. From Earth Science, students will learn about plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, and the Earth’s place in the Universe. From Biology, students will be introduced to cells, anatomy, and physiology. From Chemistry, students will be introduced to the Periodic Table, basic atomic theory, chemical reactions, and unit conversions. From Physics, students will be introduced to the basics of motion and forces. This course will also focus upon organization, lab skills, and safety in preparation for future science classes.

PHYSICS
Course Code: SD310Y	Grade: 10-12	⬛ PHS ⬛ WHS
Prerequisite: “C” or better in Biology. “C” or better in Integrated Math III or concurrent enrollment in Integrated Math III or with teacher approval. Chemistry is not required for this course however, it is better to take chemistry first. Course Description: This is a culminating science class focused upon the principles and laws of physics. Students will study natural forces, energy, waves, optics, and electromagnetism. Labs and projects are an important part of this class. Students who take this course will be even more prepared for a 4-year college because they will use math and science at a very high level. Physics is a course recommended for students considering a college major in engineering, architecture, or mathematics.

PHYSICS 1 AP
Course Code: SD390Y	Grade: 10-12	⬛ PHS ⬛ WHS
Prerequisite: Integrated Math III or pre-calculus with a grade of “B” or better, be concurrently enrolled in pre-calculus or have instructor approval. Course Description: Advanced Placement Physics 1 is designed to be equivalent to the introductory college-level algebra based physics course. Students will learn about Kinematics, Newton’s Laws of Motion, Gravitation & Harmonic Motion, Waves & Sound, Electrostatics and Simple Electric Circuits. AP Physics is a thorough, in-depth, student-centered and inquiry activities based class that gives students flexibility and control over how they learn the course curriculum. Students will be required to increase their logic skills, problem solving and analytical abilities. It is a great opportunity for students to become more prepared for college and expose them to further their science career options. Students enrolled in this course are encouraged to take the AP examination in the spring.

ZOOLOGY/BOTANY
Course Code: SD130Y	Grade: 10-12	⬛ PHS ⬛ WHS
Prerequisite: Students must have completed Biology with a“C” or better or teacher approval. Course Description: This lab-based elective course will go beyond the basic biology standards with specific focus upon physiology and anatomy of the plant and animal kingdoms. Students will perform labs involving dissections, specimen collections, taxonomy, and cell processes. Various research projects, presentations, and group work experiences will be required in the class. First semester will be spent on zoology and the second semester on botany. Out of class experiences are required in both semesters. This course is designed to further a student’s interest in biology and can be taken before or after chemistry.