Mount Si High School Science Program

Overview

• Staffing/classroom technology • Curriculum adoption process • Course offerings – Required courses – Elective courses • Course sequence and prerequisites • WASL preparation • College preparation • Present/future challenges

Science Department Staff

• Gene Clegg – Chemistry/Physics/Humanities Physics • Ryan Hill – Biology/Environmental Science/Earth Science • Andrew Rapin – AP Biology/Biology • Jana Mabry – Biology/Honors Earth Science • Ken Hagler – Chemistry/Earth Science • Kevin Knowles – Astronomy/Meteorology/Earth Science • David – Earth Science

Science Curriculum Adoption

• In the 2005/2006 academic year (with the support of Snoqualmie Valley School District) we were able to expand our course offerings, update our existing course curricula and purchase much needed materials and equipment to support our lab-based courses.

Required Science Courses

• •

Two science credits are required for high school graduation including: Earth Science

(1 year) – Freshman year

Life Science (Biology or Environmental Science)

(1 year) – Sophomore year

Honors Earth Science

•

Placement based on middle school WASL scores and first and second trimester grade in science.

Elective Science Courses

Science Elective Course Offerings*

• Advanced Placement Biology • Advanced Placement Chemistry • Astronomy • Chemistry • Geology • Humanities (conceptual) Physics • Meteorology • Physics

• * a description of these courses is provided in the course catalog (hard copy or PDF form on the MSHS website )

Course sequence and prerequisites

•

Lower-level achieving student Earth Science



Environmental Science

• • •

Elective options most likely taken: Environmental Horticulture I and II Landscape/Turf Management I and II Emergency Preparedness

• •

Typical achieving student Earth Science



or Earth Science Biology

 

Chemistry Environmental Science



Biology



Chemistry

• • • • • •

Elective options most likely taken: Anatomy and Physiology – Astronomy Environmental Horticulture Geology Humanities Physics Meteorology

•

Higher-level student Honors Earth Science



Biology

 • • •

Elective options most likely taken: AP Biology AP Chemistry Physics Chemistry



Required Science Core Courses

Science Core

Earth Science (2 semesters) Biology (2 semesters) (or) Environmental Science (2 semesters)

Lab-based?

No Yes Yes

Algebra-based?

No No No

Pre requisites ?

Honors- placement based on WASL and 8 th grade science grade >70% average in Earth Science.

>60% average in Earth Science

Science Electives AP Biology

(2 semesters)

AP Chemistry

(2 semesters)

Astronomy

(1 semester)

Chemistry

(2 semesters)

Lab based?

Yes Yes Yes Yes

Geology

(2 semesters)

Humanities Physics

(2 semesters)

Meteorology

(1 semester)

Physics

(2 semesters) Yes Yes Yes yes

Algebra based?

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Pre requisites?

Completed Biology with an 80% average or instructors permission. Completed Chemistry with an 80% average or instructors permission or teachers permission Algebra/Integrated I and passing Earth Science or teachers permission Algebra credit and concurrently taking or having taken another higher math class / 70% or better in Biology or teachers permission 70% or better in Earth Science and Biology, Algebra or permission of instructor or teachers permission B or better in humanities courses or teachers permission Algebra/Integrated I and passing Earth Science or teachers permission 1 credit of Advanced Algebra, concurrently taking/having taken Math Analysis and 1 credit of Chemistry or 1 credit of Earth Science or teacher permission.

• • •

WASL preparation

As of now, students graduating in 2013 will be required to demonstrate competency in science as measured by the WASL (The Washington Assessment of Student Learning).

Since 2004 the state has been piloting the science WASL section. In preparation for this endeavor freshmen (assessed in the spring) and sophomores (assessed in the fall) will be administered a WASL related assessment. The emphasis of this assessment will be on three main areas 1. Experimental design 2. Energy transfer and transformation, and 3. Writing a conclusion based on the results of a scientific experiment.

We continue to aligned our earth and life science courses to Washington State’s Grade Level Expectations (GLE’s). These GLE’s articulate the state’s expectations and learning standards for science.

College prerequisite for high school science*

Current minimum admission requirements for freshmen at Washington public four-year colleges and universities:

two credits of science, including one year of laboratory science.

* As set by The Higher Education Coordinating Board (http://www.hecb.wa.gov/Research/issues/admissions.asp)

College prerequisite for high school science*

Proposed minimum admission requirements for freshmen at Washington public four-year colleges and universities (starting in the summer of 2008)

Two credits of laboratory science, of which one year would require the student to understand and use algebra.

* As set by The Higher Education Coordinating Board (http://www.hecb.wa.gov/Research/issues/admissions.asp)