The Science Department provides students with a solid foundation for the lifelong study of science and an appreciation of the natural world. The curriculum emphasizes the development of scientific literacy, the ability to solve problems methodically, and the application of critical thinking skills through hands-on, inquiry-based learning in classrooms and state-of-the-art laboratories.

Advanced Biology

Advanced Biology is equivalent to a college molecular biology course usually taken by biology majors during their first year. Its goal is to provide students with the conceptual framework, factual knowledge, and analytical skills necessary to analyze and understand the rapidly changing science of biology. This course differs significantly from our freshman biology course with respect to the kind of textbook used, the range and depth of topics covered, the kind of laboratory work performed, and the time and effort required of students.

Topics covered in the course include biological chemistry, cell structure and function, cellular energetics and communication, cell division, control of cell cycle and cancer, animal reproduction and development, plant structure and function, heredity, molecular genetics, gene expression, and biotechnology. The laboratory component of the course will be coordinated with lecture and discussion topics throughout the year. In addition to the specific objectives of each laboratory exercise, students will gain experiences designed to improve their ability to understand problems, develop hypotheses, design and implement controlled experiments, identify independent and dependent variables, analyze data, draw conclusions, think analytically, and communicate results using appropriate graphing tools. Students who perform successfully in this course will be prepared to take the Advanced Placement examination in Biology.

Prerequisite: Biology, Chemistry, and permission of the Department.

Advanced Chemistry

This is a first year college-level course providing an advanced approach to topics in physical, organic, and inorganic chemistry. The course will be both theoretical and experimental. Students who do successful work will be prepared to take the Advanced Placement examination.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of Chemistry and permission of the Department.

Advanced Physics: Mechanics

This college-based course is an intensive exploration of Newtonian mechanics, intended for students who have a strong interest in physics and demonstrated aptitude for mathematics.  The content outline will follow the basic curriculum of Advanced Placement Physics C: Mechanics, including translational and rotational motion, the forces driving them, and their impacts on energy and momentum.  Supplementary topics, laboratory experiments, and rigorous problems will be utilized to study both the content and its applications.  Integral calculus will be used for formula derivation and problem solving in the spring semester, therefore students must be concurrently enrolled in either Calculus AB or Calculus BC.

Prerequisite:  An A- or better average in Pre-Calculus Honors or in Pre-Calculus AB or the completion of Calculus AB.  Permission of the department is also required.

Biology

Required of all freshmen, this course is an introduction to the biological sciences organized around the concept of the unity and diversity of living things.  The following topics will be covered in the course:  organic compounds and macromolecules, the structure and function of parts of the cell, metabolism, Mendelian and molecular genetics, classification of organisms, evolution, systems of the human body, and ecology.  In addition to classwork, this course also stresses laboratory work and hands-on activities. 

Chemistry

This course is a quantitative introduction to inorganic chemistry that stresses atomic structure, the periodic table, oxidation-reduction reactions, electrochemistry, stoichiometry, thermodynamics, reaction kinetics and equilibrium, and acid-base theory.  There will be extensive laboratory work appropriate to the above topics. The Science and Mathematics Departments will review the records of all freshmen in May to determine appropriate placement for this course.

Environmental Science

Environmental Science is a laboratory course that aims to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world. The course encompasses human population dynamics, interrelationships in nature, energy flow, resources, environmental quality, human impact on environmental systems, and environmental law.  Objectives of the class are to identify and analyze environmental problems, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them.  Environmental science is interdisciplinary; it embraces a wide variety of topics from different areas of study including earth science, biology, chemistry, ecology, economics and sociology. 

Environmental Science can be taken as a semester elective by juniors and seniors, in either the fall or spring, but spring registration is extremely limited and not always available.   Sophomores are given enrollment preference and are required to register for the full year.

Evolution of Evolution: Darwin to Dogma

This one-semester course examines the progression of the theory of evolution beginning with Charles Darwin’s “dangerous idea”. From there we will explore the great transformations of life, the journey from sea to land and back to sea, mass extinctions, and competitive strategies favor survival of the fittest. The powerful brain and driving force of sexual reproduction have led humans to the top of proverbial food chain, but for how long? Finally, where does God fit in? We conclude with an exploration of the debate on intelligent design and a place for faith. This course follows PBS’s compelling series Evolution, supplemented by our primary text: Carl Zimmer’s Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea. (Fall)

Human Anatomy and Physiology I

Human Anatomy and Physiology I will highlight the chemical, cellular and tissue levels of organization, and the anatomy and physiology of the integumentary, respiratory, digestive and cardiovascular systems. Organs and systems will be studied to understand their structure, location, function and their interactions with other parts of the body. Students will examine models, preserved specimens and conduct physiological as well as computer simulated experiments to facilitate the understanding and identification of specific structures and functions in those topics.  

Human Anatomy and Physiology II

Human Anatomy and Physiology II will provide students with an opportunity to explore systems of the human body and their interactions, with a greater emphasis on homeostatic imbalances of the endocrine, urinary, lymphatic/immune and reproductive systems. Laboratory activities including dissections are designed to facilitate the understanding and identification of specific structures and functions in those topics.

Note: You do NOT need to have taken the fall semester to take the spring course.

Independent Study in Science

A student may submit a proposal to the department chair.  The proposal will contain a project description written in essay form, along with a projected calendar.  Once a student’s proposal has been approved by the department and an advisor has been selected, the student will be expected to consult with his advisor at least once a week.  The proposal must be submitted at the time of registration for classes for the succeeding semester. 

Organic Chemistry I 

Organic chemistry is the chemistry of carbon.  The chemistry of carbon is the language of life.  Students schooled in carbon chemistry will be prepared to understand biological processes at a fundamental, molecular level.  Organic molecules will be analyzed in terms of three-dimensional structure, electron-density distribution, and conformational degrees of freedom.  Students will then learn the essential features of organic reaction mechanisms, the characteristic ways in which organic molecules make and break bonds.

Note: You may take this course as a Fall elective or as a full year course but it is not available as a Spring elective only

Prerequisites: Successful completion of Chemistry

Organic Chemistry II

Organic chemistry is the chemistry of carbon, which is the language of life.  Students will continue to learn the essential features of organic reaction mechanisms, the characteristic ways in which organic molecules make and break bonds.  This knowledge will then be applied to analyses of biological processes at a fundamental, molecular level.  The description of how a potassium ion channel works will be examined in detail, and the general features of an enzymatic active site will be described.  The laboratory component will give students an appreciation of how organic reactions are conducted in the real world.  The fall semester of organic chemistry is a prerequisite.

Organic Chemistry: Biomolecules

Organic chemistry is the chemistry of carbon, which is the language of life.  Students will continue to learn the essential features of organic reaction mechanisms, the characteristic ways in which organic molecules make and break bonds.  This knowledge will then be applied to analyses of biological processes at a fundamental, molecular level.  The description of how a potassium ion channel works will be examined in detail, and the general features of an enzymatic active site will be described.  The laboratory component will give students an appreciation of how organic reactions are conducted in the real world.  The fall semester of organic chemistry is a prerequisite for this course.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of Organic Chemistry: Fundamentals.

Physics

The purpose of this course is to provide students with an understanding of basic physical phenomena, and to help them develop the ability to formulate explanations about the world around them. Topics covered include mechanics, relativity, waves, sound, optics, electricity, magnetism, and modern physics. The laboratory component will put a special emphasis on mathematical descriptions of the experiments. The Science and Mathematics Departments will review the records of all sophomores in May to determine appropriate placement for this course.

Psychology: Research and Statistical Analysis

The Psychology courses introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of human behavior and mental processes. While considering the psychologists and studies that have shaped the field, students explore and apply psychological theories, key concepts, and phenomena associated with various topics.  The various topics will be explored with consideration for ethical research practices and careful examination of bias. 

During this course the students will conduct a thorough study of personality and abnormal behavior by conducting long-term research projects.  They will explore these concepts by focusing on such topics as psychology of personality, psychological disorders, social norms, and group behavior.  The research projects will be based on the topics of student interest and statistical analyses will be applied in order to analyze the data and draw conclusions.

Note: The fall semester psychology course is not a prerequisite, but those enrolling in the spring semester are required to learn the material in chapters 1 and 2 in the text and take a diagnostic test on that material at some point before spring break.

Psychology: Basis of Biological Behavior

The Psychology course introduces students to the systematic and scientific study of human behavior and mental processes. While considering the psychologists and studies that have shaped the field, students explore and apply psychological theories, key concepts, and phenomena associated with various topics.  The various topics will be explored with consideration for ethical research practices and careful examination of bias.  The course is broken down into two semesters, and students may take either one or both semesters.

This course is designed to help the students understand the many biological and environmental factors that influence human behavior in various situations.  The topics will include the biological bases of behavior, sensation and perception, as well as learning and cognition.  The students will learn the scientific concepts behind psychological phenomena and apply those concepts to hands-on investigations.

Science and Engineering Research

Science and Engineering Research provides a research opportunity for upperclassmen who have shown a keen interest in some area of science.  This elective course sequence consists of a long-term research project, which may focus on any basic or applied science topic.  Rising juniors can enter a 2-year mentored science research program designed to emulate all of the significant steps in a typical scientific research project, from literature review to presentation of results.  You will seek out and work closely with a professional research mentor outside of IVY Road. Rising seniors can enter a 1-year independent engineering research program, where you will have the opportunity to systematically design, build, test and modify a device that applies scientific concepts.  You will work more or less on your own, seeking out advice and guidance as needed from both inside and outside IVY Road.

A key component of the course involves extensive work outside of the classroom setting; therefore, self-motivation, initiative and resolve are musts.  The number of students in each program will be limited, so prerequisites include demonstrated maturity and accountability, as well as an aptitude for science.  Enrolled students should expect to start preliminary work on their project during the summer before the start of the course, and rising juniors should also expect to continue working during the summer before their senior year.