Science

Year - 6 credits

Required for ninth grade students

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Algebra I, and currently enrolled in Geometry or higher.

This course provides students the foundational knowledge in physics, chemistry and biology necessary to excel in future science courses and research opportunities at Winchester Thurston. This course weaves the connectedness of physics, chemistry, and biology to ensure 9th graders see the relevance and integration of science content areas while focusing on competencies, such as science literacy, experimental design, and problem-solving. Students in the Science 9: IPCB course will explore the properties and behaviors of matter and how those translate into both physical and biological processes. The course will have a heavy focus on hands-on learning and inquiry-based experimentation that will prepare students for future STEM courses.

Year - 6 credits

Prerequisites: Students entering this class must have successfully completed Science 9: IPCB and Geometry and be enrolled in Algebra 2 or higher.

This course is a math-based, chemistry course where the focus will be on understanding the concepts in chemistry through a physical and mathematical lens. This course introduces concepts such as: the structure and properties of atoms, molecules, and ions; classifying and balancing chemical reactions and associated periodic properties of the elements; chemical bonding; molecular geometry and bonding theories; gases; intermolecular forces, liquids, and solids; and properties of solutions. Teaching methods include interactive lecture, discussion, demonstration, computer simulation, laboratory work, and group work. A special emphasis will be placed on correlating concepts learned in lecture and discussion to hands-on laboratory work and the presentation of that laboratory work.

Year - 6 credits

Open to juniors and seniors.

Prerequisite: successful completion of Chemistry.

AP Chemistry is designed to be the equivalent of the general chemistry course usually taken during the first college year. In order to take AP Chemistry without either introductory biology, students must test into AP Chemistry and complete a summer course or internship. It will enable students to attain a breadth of understanding of fundamentals and a reasonable competence in dealing with chemical problems.

The course contributes to the development of the students’ abilities to think clearly and to express their ideas, orally and in writing, with clarity and logic. AP Chemistry provides rigorous treatment of college-level topics such as chemical behavior, bonding theory, thermodynamics, quantum theory, kinetics, equilibrium, electrochemistry, and organic chemistry. Emphasis on problem solving and extensive laboratory work prepares students for the AP examination in Chemistry.

Year - 6 credits

Open to juniors and seniors

Prerequisite: Chemistry

Biology is a laboratory-based course comprised of units relating to three major themes: cell structure and function, genetics, and evolution. We will begin with biochemistry as a way to build on prior chemistry knowledge and prepare to dive into cell structure and function. After learning cell structure and function, we will hone in on the nucleus and learn about DNA and how information is transferred throughout the cell. We then examine the roles genes play in our everyday lives and how they make us who we are. We will finish the year by studying evolution, first on a micro scale then on a macro scale. Students will be assessed through multiple methods, including short-term projects, inquiry-based labs, and written assignments.

Year - 6 credits

Open to juniors and seniors

Prerequisite: Chemistry

We are currently living during the anthropocene era. Never before in the history of mammals has one species driven the climate of the earth. This course offers students the chance to delve deeply into our environment and the impact humans are having on it. This laboratory-based course begins by examining climate change, which sets the stage for the rest of the year. The climate change unit focuses on understanding the data available and how it shows that climate change is real and that humans are the driving cause. We then begin investigating how climate change and other human actions affect the delicate balance of nature. We will continue to explore different ecosystems, the importance of biodiversity, and how we rely on nature. Throughout the course, students will engage in a year-long, CAOC project that will focus on improving the environmental health of our community. Students will be required to present their work throughout the year and at the STEM symposium.

Year – 6 credits

Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

Prerequisite: Sophomores and juniors must also be concurrently enrolled in a core lab science (i.e. Chemistry, Environmental Biology).

Recommended: Prior Computer Science courses (i.e., Physical Computing).

The Altruistic Engineering and Design course offers students a distinct learning opportunity by emphasizing the application of research through integrated projects that utilize the engineering cycle for prototype development. In this course students apply our credo, "Think also of the comfort and the rights of others" by designing products and processes that can improve the lives of individuals and communities, both locally and globally. In consultation with the course instructor, students will work in small groups on all projects. This student-centered course is structured to highlight the creativity and design aspects associated with STEM learning. There will be a heavy focus on CAD modeling and 3D-printing for rapid prototyping. Integrating electrical circuits, sensors, and/or microcontrollers is an option for those with experience. Each student-design team will work with mentors with relevant expertise from academia and/or industry through WT’s City as Our Campus program. Students will be responsible for sharing their products with members of the broader scientific community through local symposia, print media, or other suitable modes of communication. Students will be encouraged to consider participating in possible regional, state, and national STEM competitions, when appropriate.

Year – 6 credits

Open to juniors and seniors

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Altruistic Engineering and Design 1

Altruistic Engineering and Design 2 course offers students who completed Research Science 1 the opportunity to continue to build on their project from Research Science 1, going deeper or further refining their design, or to engage in a new project. As with Altruistic Engineering and Design 1, students engage in a distinct learning opportunity by emphasizing the application of research through integrated projects that utilize the engineering cycle for prototype development. In this course students apply our credo, "Think also of the comfort and the rights of others" by designing products and processes that can improve the lives of individuals and communities, both locally and globally. In consultation with the course instructor, students will work in small groups on all projects. This student-centered course is structured to highlight the creativity and design aspects associated with STEM learning. There will be a heavy focus on CAD modeling and 3D-printing for rapid prototyping. Integrating electrical circuits, sensors, and/or microcontrollers is an option for those with experience. Each student-design team will work with mentors with relevant expertise from academia and/or industry through WT’s City as Our Campus program. Students will be responsible for sharing their products with members of the broader scientific community through local symposia, print media, or other suitable modes of communication. Students will be encouraged to consider participating in possible regional, state, and national STEM competitions, when appropriate.

Year - 6 credits

Open to juniors and seniors

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Science 9: IPBC and Chemistry.

This course is similar to an introductory, college-level astronomy course where students use their basic knowledge of physics and chemistry to discern information about the distant celestial objects in the solar system and universe. The course will cover a wide range of topics from the basic techniques of naked-eye astronomy, stellar evolution, and galactic astronomy to the amazing technological methods that are used by modern astronomers and astrophysicists. In addition to studying the content in the OpenStax textbook, students will dive deep with in-class labs to sharpen their data analysis skills. Students will complete a final major project of their own design, choosing from a wide range of possible topics, from launching a satellite to analyzing spectral data from planets and stars.

Year - 6 credits

Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

Prerequisite: successful completion of Science 9: IPCB; successful completion of AP Calculus AB.

AP Physics C is modeled after two college semesters of calculus-based, introductory physics and follows the content outlined in the College Board’s Advanced Placement Physics C syllabus. It is intended for students who have a rigorous command of algebra and trigonometry and are planning to major in a physical science or engineering. The course is equally divided into two major topics: Mechanics (first half) and Electricity and Magnetism (second half). This class will employ a range of teaching techniques, including a flipped classroom format whereby students view instructional information before class and then use class time to ask questions, expand on concepts, and apply their knowledge and skills to complete complex labs and projects. All students will engage in an experience that involves in-depth labs and projects that showcase physics in practical situations, while budding theoretical physicists will be able to apply their mathematical prowess to the most difficult types of problems.

Juniors will be required to take at least one of the AP exams (Mechanics, or Electricity and Magnetism).

Year - 6 credits

Open to juniors and seniors

Prerequisites: Successful completion of biology and chemistry.

This course relies heavily on knowledge gained in the introductory biology courses. In order to take AP Biology without either introductory biology, students must test into AP Biology and complete a summer course or internship. AP Biology is a laboratory-based course that builds on the knowledge and skills addressed in the General Biology and Chemistry courses. AP Biology includes topics regularly covered in a two-semester college introductory biology course and differs significantly from the General Biology course with regard to the type of textbook used, breadth and depth of topics covered, investigative and skills-based nature of laboratory investigations, and time and effort required on the part of the student. AP Biology provides students with the conceptual framework, factual knowledge, and analytical skills necessary to deal critically with the rapidly changing science of biology. The thematic units covered relate to the overarching big ideas and enduring understandings contained within the College Board Curriculum Framework for Advanced Placement Biology. Major topics of discussion will include evolution, energy transfer, continuity and change, relationship between structure and function, homeostatic control, interdependence in nature, and the role of biotechnology in society. Students are required to complete reading assignments from the textbook and primary literature sources. These resources will be used to relate concepts learned in class to matters on a global scale.

In this Experimental Psychology course we will focus on the scientific investigation of basic psychological processes such as learning, memory, sensation/perception, motivation, emotion, development and cognition in humans and animals.We will examine the latest advances in brain science and findings from behavioral studies in both animals and humans to gain a deeper understanding of cognition and how it develops over the lifespan. We will begin by exploring the biological basis of mental processes through the study of neurons and the nervous system, leading to a study of how the brain is organized.

How our emotions and motivations tie together our brain and body will also be discussed. The mechanism for translating sensory input into perceptual experience will also logically come out of our study of brain structure and organization. We will then move on to investigate how we learn and process new information, and how that information is stored in our brains to create memory. We will also examine how our brains and thought processes develop from prenatal stage through advanced age. Interwoven throughout the course will be an analysis of the major historical and current scientific theories that have emerged from behavioral research and cognitive modelling and AI. Student-directed laboratory investigations will be a major part of this course, with the goal of partnering with CAOC mentors and producing authentic research to present at the STEM symposium.

NOTE: This course does not meet the WT graduation requirement for science.

Open to juniors and seniors.

Prerequisites: Biology and Chemistry

Biotechnology is an advanced laboratory course that builds on students’ prior knowledge from our biology and chemistry courses. Students will develop rigorous and advanced-level research techniques, such as DNA cloning, CRISPR, cell culture, cell transformation, DNA barcoding, ELISA assay, and western blotting and apply them to investigate topics in biochemistry, molecular biology, microbiology, and immunology. In addition, students will analyze and debate arguments around the ethics of how technologies such as stem cell research, cloning, use of personal genetic information, gene editing, and genetic testing are used in today’s society. They will further develop their scientific communication skills through writing, presentations, and graphic design. Assessments will include mock scientific journal submissions, presentations to an authentic audience outside of the classroom, and quality of research. The class will cumulate with students designing and conducting their own authentic research to present and defend at the STEM symposium. Students will also be encouraged to apply to the Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair and submit their work to Sigma.