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SCIENCE

PHILOSOPHY

Students, teachers, parents, and other members of the school community are encouraged to develop awareness, knowledge, skills, and attitudes that will enable them to work individually and collectively – as an integral part of the planet Earth to make decisions and adopt responsible behaviors in the stewardship of the universe.

Students and teachers are actively involved in the process of discovery and its role in the acquisition of scientific knowledge. This knowledge includes the life, physical, Earth, and space sciences and their application through technology.

Through the sequencing of integrated topics of study and hands-on materials designed to provide conceptual understanding, the science program at Escola Americana enables students to become literate in science and empowers them to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world.

ESSENTIAL AGREEMENTS

To develop an attitude of discovery
To apply scientific principles in real-life situations
To develop a systematic approach to problem solving through the use of the scientific method
To become knowledgeable of scientific concepts, theories, and principles
To discover and prove scientific principles and laws through experimentation
To develop literacy in science; to be able to read, understand, and react to science literature and research
To apply knowledge of scientific principles to individual and collective decision making
To transfer knowledge and problem-solving skills to other disciplines
To acquire a feeling for nature and a sense of "world citizenship"

STANDARDS FOR SCIENCE

Science and Technology

Students understand the nature of scientific knowledge.
Students understand the nature of scientific inquiry.
Students understand the scientific enterprise.
Students understand the nature of technological design.

Physical Sciences

Students understand basic concepts about the structure and properties of matter.
Students understand energy types, sources, and conversions, and their relationship to heat and temperature.
Students understand motion and the principles that explain it.
Students know the kinds of forces that exist between objects and within atoms.

Earth and Space

Students understand basic features of the Earth.
Students understand basic Earth processes.
Students understand essential ideas about the composition and structure of the universe and the Earth’s place in it.

Life Sciences

Students know about the diversity and unity that characterize life.
Students understand the genetic basis for the transfer of biological characteristics from one generation to the next.
Students know the general structure and functions of cells in organisms.
Students understand how species depend on one another and on the environment for survival.
Students understand the cycling of matter and flow of energy through the living environment.
Students understand the basic concepts of the evolution of species.

417 GENERAL PHYSICS

Grades 9-12
This course is a study of the fundamental concepts of classical and modern physics. Problem-solving skills are stressed as well as laboratory investigations. The course covers kinematics, Newton’s laws, work/energy, waves, optics, heat, electricity and magnetism. Students who have already received credit for the course Conceptual Chemistry and Physics will not receive credit for this course.

411 GENERAL BIOLOGY

Grades 11-12.
This course provides students with a basic knowledge of biological topics as they relate to their own range of experiences, using both textual and investigative materials. It also pursues the development of scientific learning skills such as observing, classifying, identifying, measuring, inferring, hypothesizing, interpreting, and predicting. The concepts dealt with are basic biochemistry, cell theory, principles of zoology, principles of botany, human anatomy and physiology, genetics, evolution, and the interrelation of these by the unifying concept of ecology.
Prerequisite: Chemistry and Physics

413 GENERAL CHEMISTRY

Grades 10-12
This course offers the opportunity to improve laboratory skills, to study the language of chemistry necessary to communicate ideas in all sciences, and to discover how chemistry is a part of daily life. Topics to be included in this course are: the study of matter, atomic structure, periodic table, inorganic chemical reactions, reaction kinetics, solutions, acids, thermodynamics, gas laws, bases, salts, nuclear chemistry, organic chemistry, and electrochemistry. Prerequisite: Physics

421 MARINE BIOLOGY

Second Semester Course Only
Grade 11-12
This course emphasizes the general theme of the production and the consumption of food, the special directions and limitations that marine environments impose, and the ways in which various organisms have become adapted for exploiting marine resources and interacting with each other. Classes are supplemented with outside readings, labs, and fieldwork.
Prerequisite: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in General Biology

423 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

First Semester Course Only
Grade 11-12
This course is based on the application of knowledge from many disciplines to the study and management of the environment. The students are required to do field and laboratory work. The course covers basic ecological rules, studies of the environment, water, soil, and air pollution studies, beach analysis, and mangrove vegetation.
Prerequisite: Completion of or concurrent enrollment General Biology or General Chemistry

451 IB BIOLOGY STANDARD LEVEL

The IB Biology SL course is designed for those students with high levels of interest and achievement in biology. The course consists of material designated by the IB program. Approximately 75% of the time is spent on general core material. The core material covers the wide range of subjects involved in modern biology in greater depth than in General Biology. The other 25% of the time is spent on three options selected from a list of many designated by the IB curriculum. Options are topics in biology covered in more detail. Laboratory experience is very important and approximately one-fourth of class time is involved in laboratory. In addition, all students are required to participate in an interdisciplinary project involving all of the IB Science courses.
Prerequisites: Chemistry and Physics and teacher recommendation

453 IB BIOLOGY HIGHER LEVEL

IB Biology HL is an extension of the IB Biology SL course. The same topics are covered but in much greater detail. In addition, all students are required to participate in an interdisciplinary project involving all of the IB Science courses.
Prerequisites: IB Biology SL and teacher recommendation

455 IB CHEMISTRY STANDARD LEVEL

This course is a more advanced chemistry designed for those who are interested in a more challenging and in-depth study. Laboratory experiments are used to highlight the concepts studied. Topics include those of inorganic, physical, and organic chemistry. In addition, all students are required to participate in an interdisciplinary project involving all of the IB Science courses.
Prerequisite: Physics and teacher recommendation

459 IB PHYSICS STANDARD LEVEL

This course is designed for those students with high interest and ability levels in physics. A strong background in mathematics is necessary. The goals of the course are to develop an understanding of the laws of physics and to appreciate the function of the scientific method in discovering these laws. The course emphasizes a hands-on approach to physics utilizing many laboratories to reinforce principles learned in the classroom. Upon completion of the course, students will have a solid background in physics that will prepare them for further study in science and/or engineering. In addition, all students are required to participate in an interdisciplinary project involving all of the IB Science courses.
Prerequisite: Trigonometry or Pre-Calculus, Chemistry and Physics, and teacher recommendation

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