1. Science Curriculum Registration Assistance O’Fallon Township High School

2. Science Curriculum Information The O’Fallon Township High School science curriculum offers a variety of courses designed to meet the needs of all students. Students are required to complete two years of science by the end of their junior year. The two required years of science must include one Life Science course and one Physical Science course. After meeting this requirement, students are encouraged to take additional science courses. Many OTHS science courses have prerequisites. The course prerequisites are listed after each course description.

3. Course Options by Student Class Freshman Freshmen taking their first science course (click here)(click here) Sophomore Sophomores taking their first science course (click here)(click here) Sophomores who have already taken a science course (click here)(click here) Junior Juniors who have taken one science course (click here)(click here) Juniors who have taken more than one science course (click here) (click here) Senior Seniors who have taken one science course (click here)(click here) Seniors who have taken more than one science course (click here) (click here)

4. FIRST-YEAR SCIENCE COURSES Life Science Courses: Biology 1 Honors Biology 1 Physical Science Courses: Physical/Earth Science A first year science student is either: 1. an entering Freshman to OTHS or 2. a Sophomore student who has not yet taken a science course Return

5. SECOND-YEAR SCIENCE COURSES Life Science Courses: Biology 1 Honors Biology 1 Integrated Life Science Environmental Science Physical Science Courses: Physical/Earth Science Geology 1 Chemistry 1 Honors Chemistry 1 Physics 1 Honors Physics 1 A second year science student is any student who has successfully completed one year of science at the high school level. Return

6. ADDITIONAL SCIENCE COURSES Additional courses may be taken after meeting the two-year science requirement, assuming other prerequisites are met.

7. ADDITIONAL SCIENCE COURSES Life Science Courses: Biology 1 Integrated Life Science Environmental Science Human Anatomy & PhysiologyHuman Anatomy & Physiology Honors Biology 2 Physical Science Courses: Physical/Earth Science Geology 1 Chemistry 1 Honors Chemistry 1 Chemistry 2 Honors Chemistry 2 Physics 1 Physics 2 Honors Physics 1 Honors Physics 2 Return

8. ADDITIONAL SCIENCE COURSES Teacher Assistants Science Lab AssistantScience Lab Assistant Science Individualized InstructionScience Individualized Instruction Electronics I360: Fundamentals of Digital Technology I360: Fundamentals of Digital Technology I365: Principles and Applications of Digital Technology I365: Principles and Applications of Digital Technology I460: Advanced Digital Technologies I460: Advanced Digital Technologies I465: Honors Digital Technologies I465: Honors Digital Technologies Return

9. Biology 1 Course Description: One year, life science course Provide students with knowledge of introductory biological principles Content progression from cells to simple organisms, to more complex organisms to man Connection between living things and the environment and the significance of concepts to human welfare Introduction to laboratory exercises that reinforce concepts and stimulate interest

10. Biology 1 Course Prerequisites: None

11. Biology 1 Course Highlights: Water Purification Lab Insect/Leaf Collection – Rock Springs Park Bacteria Cleaner Lab Earthworm, Squid, and Shark Dissections Arthropod Anatomy Lab Invertebrate Zoo Project Return

12. Chemistry 1 Course Description: One year, physical science course Strong mathematics background is critical to student success Highly recommended for college bound students Structured to reinforce and enhance students’ problem solving, critical thinking, science reasoning, and lab skills Content deals with the study of matter, its forms, and changes. Areas covered include: matter, atomic structures, equations, mass relationships, solution chemistry and qualitative analysis

13. Chemistry 1 Course Prerequisites: Successful completion of a first year life science course AND Advanced Algebra I with a C or better OR Algebra 1 with an A OR instructor consent

14. Chemistry 1 Course Highlights: Class lecture is coupled with significant laboratory time Second semester final exam is a lab practical You get to see, first hand, lecture and theory vs. reality through lab activities Improve your math grade by cross-curricular reinforcement Gas bubbles of fiery doom, sugar monsters, and hydrogen combustion explosions Return

15. Chemistry 2 Course Description: One year, physical science course Continuation of first year chemistry with emphasis on solution chemistry, gas laws, acid- base chemistry, organic chemistry, forensic chemistry, nuclear chemistry, thermal chemistry, and qualitative analysis Significant class time is spent performing lab activities to reinforce topics Requires strong mathematics background

16. Chemistry 2 Course Prerequisites: Chemistry 1 with a C or better OR Chemistry 1 teacher consent

17. Chemistry 2 Course Highlights: Class lecture is coupled with significant laboratory time Extensive forensic study including: evidence, crime scene, fingerprinting, hair analysis, fiber analysis, blood analysis, document analysis, toxicology, crime scene mysteries Expanded qualitative analysis unit Ten test tube “mystery” final exam Quantitative and qualitative labs reinforce teamwork, critical analysis, and scientific reasoning Return

18. Environmental Science Course Description: One year, life science course Introduction to the interrelationship of man and his natural environment; explore the significance of balancing biodiversity and sustainability topics include: renewable vs. nonrenewable resources, biomes, field ecology, environmental issues, and interactions between living and non- living factors of ecosystems calculation, evaluation, use of basic statistics, and proper use of the scientific method are emphasized throughout the course

19. Environmental Science Course Prerequisites: Successful completion of a first year physical science course AND Successful completion of a first year math class

20. Environmental Science Course Highlights: labs for reinforcement of concepts hands-on field work visiting guest speakers field trip to Giant City State Park and Touch of Nature field trip to an eco-friendly subdivision and natural watershed area Return

21. Geology 1 Course Description: One year, physical science course Emphasis on earth’s materials, processes, and history Hands-on, laboratory course for students that enjoy learning through personal engagement Areas covered include: rocks and minerals, maps, geologic history, volcanoes, earthquakes, plate tectonics, mountain building and groundwater

22. Geology 1 Course Prerequisites: Successful completion of a first year life science course AND Sophomore or above

23. Geology 1 Course Highlights: Significant laboratory work with rock and mineral specimens Field studies in Illinois Caverns and the Missouri Ozarks Direct application of classroom materials to surrounding environment Lecture is reinforced and developed through lab-based activities Return

24. Geology 2 Course Description: One year, physical science course In depth studies of mountains, oceans, soil, sand, groundwater, historical geology Cross curriculum project studies of the Seven Summits, Grand Canyon, Hawaii Designed to prepare students for college studies in the earth sciences

25. Geology 2 Course Prerequisites: Successful completion of Geology I

26. Geology 2 Course Highlights: Field studies on the Great River Road and Shawnee National Forest Field studies on school grounds Application of material to real life surroundings Project based curriculum Alternative assessment options Return

27. Honors Biology 1 Course Description One year, life science course Structured to enforce and enhance students’ problem solving,critical thinking, science reasoning, and laboratory skills Highly recommended for college bound students Vocabulary and reading skills are essential for student success Areas covered include: cellular structures/functions, cell division, human genetics, invertebrate/vertebrate anatomical study, plant/animal classification, microbiology, and plant biology

28. Honors Biology 1 Course Prerequisites: Invitation only based on: Science placement test AND Teacher recommendation

29. Honors Biology1 Course Highlights: Class lecture is coupled with significant laboratory time Many individual and group activities all designed to stimulate student interest and promote learning of key concepts Dissections of various organisms including earthworms, squid, crayfish, spider, grasshopper, starfish, and shark Use chemical indicators to test for various organic compounds Improve your vocabulary using and understanding biological and medical terminology Return

30. Honors Biology 2 Course Description One year, college-level, life science course Elective enrollment for credit at Saint Louis University through the 1818 Dual Credit Program Class intended for the advanced junior or senior student with strong study skills Highly recommended for students interested in any biology field major in college Prepares students to take the Advanced Placement exam to earn college credit Course stresses biological content, critical thinking, science reasoning, and use of scientific literature Labs are college-level to reinforce lecture concepts, lab skills, and analytical thinking Content covers molecular, cellular, genetics, ecology, evolution, zoology, and botany branches of biology

31. Honors Biology 2 Course Prerequisites: Completion of Chemistry 1 OR Honors Chemistry 1 with a C or better AND Completion of Biology 1 with an A OR Honors Biology 1 with a B or better

32. Honors Biology 2 Course Highlights: Earn college credits during high school Build skills necessary for success in all college courses Advanced lab experiences that reinforce and support classroom lecture Field trip to Shaw Nature Reserve for field work Some labs include: cat dissection, fruit fly genetic crosses, restriction digest and gel electrophoresis of DNA, genetic engineering of bacteria, enzyme catalysis, dissolved oxygen content Return

33. Honors Chemistry 1 Course Description: One year, physical science course Covers all Chemistry 1 topics and lab work at a more rapid pace with more difficult assignments. These topics include: data analysis, matter, atoms, electrons, moles, periodic table, bonding, naming, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, solutions, & qualitative analysis Additional topics, not covered in Chemistry 1, include: gas laws, acid-base chemistry, and expanded study of solutions Requires greater depth in problem solving ability and higher level of math background than Chemistry 1 Significant class time is spent performing lab activities designed to reinforce concepts, promote critical thinking, and improve scientific reasoning

34. Honors Chemistry 1 Course Prerequisites: Successful completion of a first year life science course AND Honors Algebra 1 or Honors Geometry with a B or better

35. Honors Chemistry 1 Course Highlights: Class lecture is coupled with significant laboratory time Second semester final exam is a qualitative analysis / titration lab first hand exposure to lecture and theory vs. reality through lab activities Improve your math grade by cross-curricular reinforcement Gas bubbles of fiery doom, sugar monsters, and hydrogen combustion explosions Return

36. Honors Chemistry 2 Course Description: Designed to challenge students possessing exceptional abilities in science and math by increasing their problem solving and critical thinking skills necessary for success in college chemistry Elective enrollment for up to eight semester hours of credit at Saint Louis University through the 1818 Dual Credit Program Areas covered include: review of first year topics, chemical equilibrium, chemical kinetics, coordination chemistry, and electrochemistry Nearly one third of the course time is lab based

37. Honors Chemistry 2 Course Prerequisites: Honors Chemistry 1 with a B or better OR Chemistry 1 with an A and teacher consent

38. Honors Chemistry 2 Course Highlights: Develop an understanding of and an appreciation for the connections of chemistry with other disciplines and with everyday experiences First semester lab work emphasizes quantitative analysis, titration methods, and percent by mass Second semester lab work emphasizes qualitative analysis identification of unknowns Course provides supplemental background for Advanced Placement Chemistry Examination Return

39. Honors Physics 1 Course Description: One year, physical science course Strong mathematics background is critical to student success Highly recommended for college bound students Structured to reinforce and enhance students’ problem solving, critical thinking, science reasoning, and lab skills Content deals with the study of Kinematics, Thermodynamics, and Electromagnetism. Areas covered include: motion, energy, momentum, rotation, heat, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism.

40. Honors Physics 1 Course Prerequisites: Must have taken or be concurrently enrolled in Honors Algebra 2 or Trigonometry AND Successful completion of a first-year life science course

41. Honors Physics 1 Course Highlights: Class lecture is coupled with significant laboratory time Second semester project involving the design and construction of an electric motor tested in races You get to see, first hand, lecture and theory vs. reality through lab activities Improve your math grade by cross-curricular reinforcement Dynamic demonstrations involving swinging bowling balls, sparking capacitors and magnetic levitation Return

42. Honors Physics 2 Course Description: One year, physical science course Elective enrollment credit at Saint Louis University through the 1818 Dual Credit Program Strong mathematics background is critical to student success Highly recommended for college bound students Structured to reinforce and enhance students’ problem solving, critical thinking, science reasoning, and lab skills Content deals with the study of waves, fluids, nuclear structure, optics and robotics Areas covered include: statics, fluid dynamics, gravitational forces, nuclear theory, fission, fusion geometric optics, wave optics, AC circuits and robot construction

43. Honors Physics 2 Course Prerequisites: Must received at least a B in Physics 1 or Honors Physics 1 AND Instructor consent

44. Honors Physics 2 Course Highlights: Class lecture is coupled with significant laboratory time Second semester project involving the design and construction of a robot for use in a national robotics competition You get to see, first hand, lecture and theory vs. reality through lab activities Improve your math grade by cross-curricular reinforcement Several hands on projects including: the designing of an atomic bomb, building a telescope, involvement in an engineering design competition, and building a spectrometer Return

45. Human Anatomy & Physiology Course Description: One year, life science course Content covers structure of normal and abnormal functioning human body systems, genetic disorders, cancer, immunology, and bacteriology Course is of interest to all students interested in the human body, good health, and diseases Strongly recommended for students considering a career in any branch of medicine Structured to stress medical vocabulary, student problem solving skills, and critical thinking skills Significant lab component

46. Human Anatomy & Physiology Course Prerequisites: Completion of Biology 1 with a B or better OR Completion of Honors Biology 1 with a C or better OR Biology 1 teacher recommendation

47. Human Anatomy & Physiology Course Highlights: Spring Field Trip to view a Human Cadaver Dissections include fetal pig, sheep brain, cow eyeball, and chicken wing Labs that supplement lecture, model medical testing methods, organ functioning, or physiological processes Student “medical teams” diagnose patient disorders based on medical tests/symptoms Return

48. I360: Fundamentals of Digital Technology Course Description: 1 Semester, 1/2 credit Open to juniors and seniors This course provides learning activities related to testing, maintenance, and repair of components in digital and analog electronic circuits and systems found in radio, televisions, DVD/VCR players, and computers The course examines the principles of diodes, transistors, and digital logic circuits including AND, OR, NOT logic

49. I360: Fundamentals of Digital Techn ology Prerequisite: Completion of Introduction to Electricity/Electronic Technology OR Algebra 1 with a grade of "C" or better OR Instructor Consent Return

50. I365: Principles and Applications of Digital Technology Course Description: 1 Semester, 1/2 credit Open to juniors and seniors This course provides the student with the knowledge and skills in the area of digital applications such as memory devices. It also examines the architecture and programming techniques of a microprocessor (the CPU in a computer).

51. I365: Principles and Applications of Digital Technology Prerequisite: Completion of Fundamentals of Digital Technology OR Instructor Consent Return

52. I460: Advanced Digital Technologies Course Description: 1 Semester 1/2 credit Open to juniors and seniors This course provides learning activities that are related to various digital and microprocessor applications, including fundamental machine coding from the instruction set of a microprocessor to perform a particular function/application on a robot platform. Students will also learn Computer Design and Networking fundamentals.

53. I460: Advanced Digital Technologies Prerequisite: Completion of Principles & Applications of Digital Technology OR Instructor Consent Return

54. I465: Honors Digital Technologies Course Description: 1 Semester 1/2 credit Open to seniors This course offers more advanced digital and microprocessor applications including digital to analog interfacing, applicable to programming, and controlling a robot using the ‘C’ programming format. In addition the student will be introduced to automated systems and industrial instrumentation.

55. I465: Honors Digital Technologies Prerequisite: Completion of Advanced Digital Technologies OR Instructor Consent Return

56. Integrated Life Science Course Description: One year, life science course Hands-on lab intensive course Topics include human senses, fitness and nutrition, genetics, classification, ecology, kingdoms of fungi & plants Designed to reinforce and enhance students’ problem solving, critical thinking, scientific reasoning, and lab skills needed for future success

57. Integrated Life Science Course Prerequisites: Successful completion of a first year physical science course

58. Integrated Life Science Course Highlights: significant laboratory time Evaluation/improvement through a student-designed health and exercise program Extensively explore a specific student-selected ecosystem and the roles & interactions of both the living and non-living factors within that ecosystem Course includes three fieldtrips (in-house guest speaker, SLUE 3-D cadaver demonstration, and Missouri Botanical Gardens) Return

59. Physical Earth Science Course Description: One year, physical science course Designed to give students knowledge of and appreciation for the fundamental physical properties and workings of the earth, moon, solar system, and universe Students are provided with the opportunity of inquiry based laboratory exercises that correspond to lecture material Areas covered include: Methods of science, matter, motion, energy, earth processes, electromagnetic radiation, atomic structure, chemical bonding, chemical reactions, solar system, origin of the universe, and stellar evolution

60. Physical Earth Science Course Prerequisites: None

61. Physical Earth Science Course Highlights: Lecture is coupled with hands on laboratory activities Students will further develop scientific graphing skills Students will acquire dimensional analysis skills Students will develop note taking skills from lecture and discussions Return

62. Physics 1 Course Description: One year, physical science course Strong mathematical background is needed; critical thinking skills will be developed Taught as a college level course; great for college prep Course investigates the behavior of natural phenomena such as motion, force, electricity, and magnetism Physics 1 has a large hands-on component; labs and projects constitute a significant portion of the class

63. Physics 1 Course Prerequisites: One year of life science AND Successful completion of or concurrent enrollment in Advanced Algebra II

64. Physics 1 Course Highlights: Introduction to a variety of new scientific equipment and tools A large portion of class time is spent in hands on demonstrations and lab experiences. Preparation for college by the application of prior mathematics knowledge to real world situations in observing motion, heat, energy, electricity, magnetism. Gain an understanding of theoretical concepts as well as lots of common knowledge. Want to know how batteries, lightning, plasma screen TV’s, and touch screens work? Want to know why you can’t jump out of a moving elevator before it crashes to the ground (like in the cartoons!)? Take Physics!! Labs are “non-cookbook”. You will learn by doing, investigating, and exploring Return

65. Physics 2 Course Description: One year, physical science course Strong mathematical background is needed; critical thinking skills will continue to be developed Taught as a college level course; great for college prep Course continues the study began in Physics 1 Students will study statics, fluids behavior, nuclear physics, waves, light and sound, astronomy, and AC circuits Physics 2 has a large hands-on component; labs and projects constitute a significant portion of the class

66. Physics 2 Course Prerequisites: Completion of Physics 1 OR Completion of Honors Physics 1 AND Completion of Advanced Algebra II (or higher math course)

67. Physics 2 Course Highlights: Students will be introduced to a variety of new scientific equipment and tools A large portion of class time is spent in hands on demonstrations and lab experiences Physics prepares the student for college by the application of prior mathematics knowledge to real world situations in observing fluids, waves, light and sound, and AC circuits Gain an understanding of theoretical concepts as well as lots of common knowledge. Want to know how airplanes fly, how musical instruments work, how bridges and building stand up, and how microscopes and telescopes work? Take Physics 2!! Labs are “non-cookbook”. You will learn by doing, investigating, and exploring Students will complete significant projects involving airplanes and aviation, rocketry, and astronomy Return

68. Science Lab Assistant Course Description: 1 Semester, 1/4 credit per semester Open to juniors and seniors 2 Semester Limit No more than two laboratory assistants will be assigned to any science teacher during a given period. Student laboratory assistants will be required to aid the teacher in preparation for instruction in the classroom and to assist the teacher in the preparation, organization, maintenance, distribution, and storage of laboratory materials and equipment. Note: In order for a student to be a Lab Assistant, it must be their sixth class.

69. Science Lab Assistant Prerequisite: Successful completion of advanced-level course works in the field of science in which the student will assist AND Written consent from the instructor who they will assist Return

70. Science Individualized Instruction Course Description: 1 Semester 1/2 credit per semester Open to juniors and seniors 2 Semester Limit No more than one individualized instruction student will be assigned to any science instructor during a given semester. Students will be required to select a topic for scientific study and research. Laboratory work MUST be a component of the study. The assigned science instructor must approve the topic and project for research during the first four weeks of the semester. A written contract, specifying work to be completed and criteria for grading, must be signed by both student and instructor, and submitted to the department chairperson for filing. At the end of the semester the student must submit a written report to the instructor summarizing conclusions reached through their research. After grading, a copy of this report will be placed on file with the department chairperson and will be available for perusal by any member of the science department faculty.

71. Science Individualized Instruction Prerequisite: Completion of advanced-level course work in the field of science in which the student will work AND Written consent from the instructor who will oversee the work and assign a grade Return