Science Department

Welcome to the Science Department!

Maria D. Rodriguez, Assistant Principal

The Science department offers a full and comprehensive program of Regents and Advanced Placement courses to meet the needs of all our students.  Our goal is to give students a firm foundation in the sciences and to inspire them to pursue their study of science at the college level and beyond.

New York State graduation requirements, and the new Common Core Standards, require the completion of four years of rigorous academic science courses.  All science classes at the High School for Arts and Business include weekly hands-on laboratory experience.  The state requires each student to successfully complete 1200 minutes of lab work in order to qualify for Science Regents Examinations.  If a student misses a laboratory session(s), opportunities are provided to make-up the work.

All of our classes are aligned to the New York State Science Standards and the Common Core Standards http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/pub/pubmst.html

Our goal is to help students acquire scientific literacy.  Students will be able to:

• Design a controlled experiment.
• Draw upon inferences based on charts, tables and graphs.
• Identify current trends in scientific research as a means of educating the surrounding community.
• Ask themselves the question: What if?
• Comprehend the need to conserve the earth's natural resources.
• Integrate mathematics and technology into the realm of science.
• Describe and explain the organ systems of the human body.
• Calculate various physical measurements of objects.
• Cite possible careers and occupations related to science.
• Articulate with other high school students on issues relevant to their future and survival.

 Science Course offerings:

The Living Environment

Description: This course is expected to prepare the students to explain, both accurately and with appropriate depth, the most important ideas about our living environment.

Required:

·         Successful completion of 1200 minutes of lab work.
·         Completion of Homework and Exams.
·         Sitting for Living Environment Regent exam.

Earth Science

Description: The Earth Science Regents class is an overview of basic principles and concepts in a number of Earth Science fields such as Geology, meteorology, astronomy and oceanography.

Required:

·         Successful completion of 1200 minutes of lab work.
·         Completion of Homework and Exams.
·         Sitting for Earth Science Regent exam.

Chemistry

Description: Introduction to the basic principles of chemistry.  Concepts covered include: matter and energy, atomic structure, bonding, periodic table trends, acids and bases, kinetics, electrochemistry, and organic chemistry.

Required:

·         Successful completion of 1200 minutes of lab work.
·         Completion of Homework and Exams.
·         Sitting for Chemistry Regent exam.

Physics

Description: In the Fall students work on Kinematics, Newton's Laws of Motion, Vectors, Forces, Momentum, Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion, Newton's Laws of Universal Gravitation, Energy and Work.  During the spring term they study topics in electricity, magnetism, waves, optics and modern physics.

Required:

·         Successful completion of 1200 minutes of lab work.
·         Completion of Homework and Exams.
·         Sitting for Physics Regent exam.

Advanced Placement Psychology

Pre-requisites: Completion of 2 years of Regents Science.

Description: This is a two-semester college freshman course on introductory psychology. The course culminates with the AP exam in May.

Advanced Placement Environmental Science

Prerequisites: Completion of 2 years of Regents Science.

Description: This is a college course in Environmental Science and also an overview of current environmental issues. A variety of topics and projects will be completed.  Field trips will take place in order to give a greater understanding of the issues.

Science Helpful Links:

Science Reference Tables: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/apda/reftable/home.html

Regents Exams Practice Website: http://www.regentsprep.org

Recent Regents Exams with scoring keys: http://www.nysedregents.org

Science Bilingual Glossaries: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/biling/bilinged/bilingual_glossaries.htm

American Museum of Natural History: http://www.mnh.si.edu

College Board: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc

Public Library: http://www.nypl.org

Science Homework Help: http://www.homeworkhelp.com

Study and Homework help: http://www.hippocampus.org