AP Science Courses offered: Prerequisite TeacherTeacher’s Biology Co-Req: Chemistry Sarah Kelly Janet Cascio Chemistry Robert Mandes Aaron Dobbs Physics C Physics & Pre-Calculus Co-Req: AB Calculus Tim Gresh No grade required, but an A/B average and passing SOL scores are encouraged

Curriculum and Pace is determined by the College Board guidelines For subject majors Lecture Labs Problem solving Discussion Not many grades, but always homework Think analytically & conceptually Do not be discouraged if it takes your child some time to adjust to the academic vigor of an AP course Essential Qualities of an AP student: Desire Work Ethic Background TIME Attendance Advice: Take another science concurrently If you fall behind, get help ASAP, AP teachers are notoriously available extra hours SCOPE – Summer program for beginning AP students

It aims to provide students with the conceptual framework, factual knowledge, and analytical skills necessary to deal critically with the rapidly changing science of biology. The two main goals of AP Biology are to help students develop a conceptual framework for modern biology and to help students gain an appreciation of science as a process. The ongoing information explosion in biology makes these goals even more challenging. Primary emphasis in an AP Biology course should be on developing an understanding of concepts rather than on memorizing terms and technical details. Essential to this conceptual understanding are the following: a grasp of science as a process rather than as an accumulation of facts; personal experience in scientific inquiry; recognition of unifying themes that integrate the major topics of biology; and application of biological knowledge and critical thinking to environmental and social concerns Biology

Biology Topic Outline Molecules and Cells, 25% Heredity and Evolution, 25% Organisms and Populations, 50%

Biology Exam 60% of the Exam 80 minutes100 Multiple Choice Questions 40% of the Exam 10 Minute Reading/Planning & 90 minute Free Response 4 Essay Questions (All required)

2009 Biology Grade Distribution International, not SBHS Examination Grade% of Students Earning Grade 5 - Extremely Well Qualified Well Qualified Qualified Possibly Qualified No Recommendation 34.0

Chemistry The course should contribute to the development of the students' abilities to think clearly and to express their ideas, orally and in writing, with clarity and logic. The college course in general chemistry differs qualitatively from the usual first secondary school course in chemistry with respect to the kind of textbook used, the topics covered, the emphasis on chemical calculations and the mathematical formulation of principles, and the kind of laboratory work done by students. Quantitative differences appear in the number of topics treated, the time spent on the course by students, and the nature and the variety of experiments done in the laboratory.

Chemistry Topic Outline The following outline for an AP Chemistry course is intended to be a guide to the level and breadth of treatment expected rather than to be a syllabus. The percentage after each major topic indicates the approximate proportion of multiple-choice questions on the exam that pertain to the topic. 1.Structure of Matter (20%)Structure of Matter (20%) 2.States of Matter (20%)States of Matter (20%) 3.Reactions (35-40%)Reactions (35-40%) 4.Descriptive Chemistry (10-15%)Descriptive Chemistry (10-15%) 5.Laboratory (5-10%)Laboratory (5-10%)

Chemistry EXAM 50% of the Exam 90 minutes 75 Multiple Choice Questions 50% of the Exam 95 Minute Free Response 3 Quantitative Problems, 1 reactions problem and 2 Essay Questions

2009 Chemistry Grade Distribution International, not SBHS Examination Grade% of Students Earning Grade 5 - Extremely Well Qualified Well Qualified Qualified Possibly Qualified No Recommendation 29.8

Physics Strong emphasis is placed on solving a variety of challenging problems, some requiring calculus. The subject matter of the C course is principally mechanics and electricity and magnetism, with approximately equal emphasis on these two areas.

Physics Topic Outline In the typical Physics C course, roughly one-half year is devoted to mechanics. Use of calculus in problem solving and in derivations is expected to increase as the course progresses. In the second half-year of the C course, the primary emphasis is on classical electricity and magnetism. Calculus is used freely in formulating principles and in solving problems. See the topic outline for each area: Newtonian Mechanics (50%) Electricity and Magnetism (50%)

Physics EXAM Both Physics C exams are 90 minutes long and contain 45 minutes of multiple-choice questions and 45 minutes of free-response questions. 50%35 Multiple Choice Questions 50%3 Free Response Questions

2009 Physics C Grade Distribution International, not SBHS Examination Grade % of Students Earning Grade 5 - Extremely Well Qualified Well Qualified Qualified Possibly Qualified No Recommendation 11.5 Examination Grade % of Students Earning Grade 5 - Extremely Well Qualified Well Qualified Qualified Possibly Qualified No Recommendation 15.1 Electricity & MagnetismMechanics

SCOPE The only SCOPE course offered over the summer in the sciences is AP Biology.

AP Science Courses offered: No grade required, but an A/B average and passing SOL scores is encouraged Prerequisite TeacherTeacher’s Biology Co-Req: Chemistry Sarah Kelly Janet Cascio Chemistry Robert Mandes Aaron Dobbs Physics C Physics & Pre-Calculus Co-Req: AB Calculus Tim Gresh