This two semester course is an introduction to general biology and to the processes of scientific inquiry and thinking. It will include the fundamental principles of living organisms including physical and chemical properties of life, cellular organization and function, the transfer of energy through metabolic systems, cellular reproduction, the classification of living things, the six kingdoms of life will be examined. The main focus is to present biological information in an understandable and straight forward way that will capture the students’ interest dealing with up to date principles and concepts.

This two semester course adheres closely to standards for the teaching of chemistry. It emphasizes the mathematical, theoretical and experimental basis of modern chemistry. Emphasis is placed on the use of theoretical and mathematical concepts to explain and predict chemical behavior. An overview of the significant learning objectives that are presented in this course include Measurement, Atomic Structure, Chemical Bonding, Conservation of Matter, Stoichiometry, Gases, Acids and Bases, Solutions, Chemical Thermodynamics, Reaction Rates, Chemical Equilibrium, Organic Nomenclature, Biochemistry, and Nuclear Chemistry.

This introductory two semester Earth Science course incorporates the body of knowledge and facts accumulated from people's observations of the Earth around them and the skies above them. This observed information of the earth has evolved over centuries into the branch of science known as earth science. Earth science has several different branches of study: the solid earth (geology); the earth's waters (hydrology and oceanography); the earth's atmosphere (meteorology); and the universe beyond earth (astronomy). Using careful observation and experimentation, students will learn to effectively analyze and evaluate the earth's natural phenomena and their causes, as well as, its relationship in the universe by focusing on the four major areas of study.

This course provides students with instruction in the nature of science, including scientific processes, the scientific method, and scientific inquiry. It covers safety in the lab and the field, principles for conducting experiments, and the need for scientific communication. The course then covers the atomic nature of matter, classification of the elements, the periodic table, acids, and bases. Next, students are introduced to energy. They learn what energy is and the various forms of energy. They explore energy transformations and specifically discuss the production of electricity.

The course discusses energy in motion, with emphasis on defining work, power, velocity, acceleration, forces, and gravity. Students learn about Newton’s laws of motion and simple machines and have the opportunity to design their own machine using the basic principles of physics. Finally, the course discusses the composition and structure of the universe, the life cycles of stars, and space exploration.

The goal of physics is to describe the physical world using a small number of basic assumptions, concepts, and equations. In this course, emphasis is placed on relating physics to the everyday world. Students explore the concepts involved with motion in one- and two dimensions, forces, work and energy, momentum and collisions, circular motion and gravitation. They recognize the importance of the laws of thermodynamics. Students learn the characteristics of waves and describe the behavior of waves with emphasis on light and sound. They understand the relationship between electricity and magnetism. Finally, the students gain a simple understanding of atomic physics. Approximately 40% of the course involves virtual laboratory investigations. Some activities will require ordinary household items such as rulers, meter sticks, balls or marbles, string, paper and pencils.

Semester 1 focuses on understanding motion. Students learn kinematic equations and apply them to various situations. They explore forces, work and energy and apply these concepts in the special case of circular motion. Heat and the laws of thermodynamics are covered. Semester 2 focuses on waves, in particular sound and light. The course then moves to understanding electricity and magnetism and the relationship between the two. It concludes with a basic exploration of atomic physics.