Network of Sacred Heart Schools

Curriculum Detail

SHP Courses by Department

To learn more about each department's requirements and philosophy, please visit the SHP Departments page.

Science

  • Biology

    Students in Biology will explore the living world with a focus on the following themes: 
    Matter and Energy in Organisms:  How do organisms obtain and use the matter and energy they need to live and grow? 
    Structure and Function: How do the structures of organisms enable life’s functions? 
    Inheritance and Variation of Traits: How are the characteristics from one generation related to the previous generation? 
    Natural Selection and Evolution: How can there be so many similarities among organisms yet so many different plants, animals, and microorganisms? 
    Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems: How do organisms interact with the living and non-living environment to obtain matter and energy? 
    Students will explore these concepts by observing patterns in systems at different scales. They will collect and use evidence to support their explanations of phenomena. Students will use models (e.g., physical, mathematical, and computer models) to simulate the flow of energy, matter, and interactions within and between systems as well as to explore the conservation, and variation, of traits within organisms and species. This course aligns with the Life Science Next Generation Science Standards. 

    Prerequisite:
    Placement based on diagnostic assessment and 8th-grade performance.

  • Biology Honors

    Students in Biology Honors will explore the living world with a focus on the following themes: 
    Experimental design, measurement, and data analysis - How do we learn about living systems?
    Atomic structure- How do atomic interactions underpin life?
    Biomolecules- What are the essential molecules of life?
    Cell replication and it’s dangers - Why and how do cells replicate?
    Transcription & Translation - How is the shape of proteins determined?
    Metabolism and Photosynthesis - How do living things create and use energy?
    Meiosis and Genetics - How are physical traits passed down?
    Evolution and natural selection- What principles shape the changes between living organisms?
    Ecology and organism interactions - How do we understand and study organism interactions?
    Biology Honors is designed for the motivated student and emphasizes biochemistry concepts. There is the expectation that the student will be able to visualize abstract biological concepts and investigate open-ended, inquiry-based lab experiments. Assessments follow a traditional (no-notes) format.

    Prerequisite:
    Placement based on diagnostic assessment and 8th-grade performance.

  • AP Biology

    AP Biology
    AP Biology covers the same material and in the same depth as most college-level biology courses for biology majors.  However, every attempt is made to make the material as engaging and relevant as possible.  This includes a variety of teaching methods and activities.  The main goals of this course are: 1) To become confident with scientific methods such as lab design, cutting-edge laboratory techniques, data analysis, and the ability to read and understand scientific literature; 2) To learn college-level biology in detail while still being able to make interconnections between topics to see the big picture more clearly; 3) To provide a strong foundation for further study in biology in college and to provide a basic understanding of biological concepts that will serve as a springboard for lifelong learning.  This class is both very challenging and very enjoyable.  Students will need to be able to read college-level scientific language without guidance and take detailed notes in class and in the lab without being reminded.
     
    Prerequisite:
    Students must have completed Biology and Chemistry.

  • Chemistry

    Chemistry is all around us in our physical world and is noticeably present in our daily lives.  Chemistry is the study of matter and the changes it undergoes on the nanoscopic and macroscopic levels. This includes our environment (ocean, air, Earth), our bodies including medicine, the energy we consume, and the materials we use every day. All matter is made of atoms and molecules that we cannot see. To study chemistry, we collaboratively make claims based on observations, collect evidence through qualitative and quantitative investigations, draw conclusions through scientific reasoning, and effectively communicate our work. Chemical discoveries and models emerge and evolve within a diverse scientific community by members of all genders, socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds. 

    Prerequisite:
    Concurrently taking Geometry or higher; Placement based on diagnostic assessment 

  • Chemistry Honors

    In Chemistry Honors, students achieve all of the outcomes of Chemistry but do so with a higher level of conceptualization and with more complex mathematical problem-solving. This higher level of expectation is particularly evident in laboratory investigations, collaborative problem-solving sessions, and various classroom assessments. Various topics included and in addition to the Chemistry course are reaction rates, dynamic equilibria, gases and their behavior, thermodynamics, acid/bases, and electrochemistry. Students will be expected to sustain a very fast pace and to complete labs, assignments, and exams that demand a higher level of independent thought than in the regular Chemistry course. Sound study habits and excellent math skills are absolutely necessary to ensure success in this course. This course is helpful for any future AP science course and is excellent preparation for entrance into AP Chemistry.

    Prerequisite:
    Concurrently taking Geometry Honors or higher; Placement based on diagnostic assessment 

  • AP Chemistry

    The AP Chemistry course is designed to be the equivalent of college-level chemistry. Students in the course will attain a depth of understanding of the fundamentals of chemical problem-solving and analysis. AP Chemistry is designed to contribute to students’ abilities to think clearly and to express their hypotheses logically. Students should already possess skills such as data analysis, and experimental design. As a course designed to prepare students to succeed on the AP exam, emphasis will be placed on both qualitative and quantitative laboratory investigations. This course will differ from honors chemistry in that it will move at a much faster pace, the depth and breadth of topics will be more extensive and students will be required to integrate concepts seamlessly.

    Prerequisite:
    The placement requirement is that the student has completed Chemistry Honors and is concurrently enrolled in Precalculus (BC preferred) or higher; Placement is based on a recommendation from the chemistry teacher.

  • Anatomy & Physiology

    Anatomy & Physiology is an upper-division elective science course.  Students will learn about the human body, and emphasis will be placed on how the structure of its parts reflects their functions.  Body systems studied include the immune system; skeletal system, muscular system, nervous system, cardiovascular system, digestive system, respiratory system; and reproductive system.  Students will be expected to read the textbook as well as articles about current medical issues. Laboratory investigations will improve students' understanding of the various components within an organ system and expose them to the structure and function of actual tissues.  Such labs will include interactive computer programs and dissections.  An alternative final assessment will involve students exploring and becoming an expert on one anatomy and physiology related topic.

    Prerequisite:
    Students must have completed Biology and Chemistry.

  • Marine Biology

    Marine Biology is an upper-division elective science course.  The main focus of the course is to increase student’s awareness and understanding of the ocean and marine environment. The course provides students with a survey of the structural, physical, and chemical features of the oceans, marine communities, ecology of the sea and marine ecosystem, basic classification, evolution and taxonomy, and characteristics of major marine phyla.  Fundamental principles of biology and chemistry are also reviewed including species interactions, pH, energy transformation, chemical makeup of marine habitats, as well as human impact on the oceans.  The course format uses classroom lectures, individual assignments and group work, online research, laboratory exercises, and field trips.

    SCUBA component of Marine Biology:
    During the first semester, students will complete the online basic open water certification course. There will be set deadlines for each chapter. Students will be assigned weekly sections of the online SCUBA course to complete. The scuba sessions will be held at the aquatic center. 

    Prerequisite:
    Students must have completed Biology and Chemistry.

  • AP Environmental Science

    This course is designed to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies: 1) to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, 2) to identify and analyze environmental problems, 3) to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and 4) to examine alternative solutions for resolving or preventing them.  The topics covered include earth science, biodiversity, land and water use, energy resources and consumption, pollution, and climate change.  This course also includes a strong laboratory and field investigation component through which students learn about the environment by first-hand observation.  Experiences in the lab combined with a mixture of readings in both classic works of environmental literature and contemporary media provide students with important opportunities to apply concepts that are introduced in the classroom and to explore specific problems in depth.

    Prerequisite:
    Placement based on recommendation of previous Science teacher.  Students must have completed Biology and Chemistry.

  • Bioethics

    Bioethics is a co-taught science and religious studies course. Students will study advances in biotechnology and discern, using a framework rooted in Catholic ethics and morality framework, how our abilities and progress are either leading toward the dignity of the human person or away from it. Students will be asking whether or not these technologies and advancements promote the Common Good using their understandings of Catholic Social Teachings and virtue theory gained from prior coursework in both their Junior year Social Ethics and Personal Morality. There will be a laboratory component as well as group and individual projects.  It is expected that students will have the necessary maturity and discernment needed to have a respectful and thoughtful dialogue.
    NOTE: This is a team-taught course spanning two departments. Seniors can earn Religious Studies and Science credit for successful completion of the course.

    Prerequisite:
    This course is open to seniors only.  Social Ethics, Biology/Biology Honors, and Chemistry/Chemistry Honors are required prerequisites 

  • Physics

    This introductory course explores the concepts of motion, mechanics, sound, light, electricity and magnetism, and modern physics.  Both conceptual and mathematical aspects of physics are covered and extensive demonstration and laboratory work are included.  Methods of instruction include computer simulations, lectures, group work, and problem-solving.  Proper use of lab equipment and following proper lab safety are emphasized during class and all labs.

    Prerequisite:
    Concurrently taking Algebra 2 or higher; Students must have completed Biology and Chemistry.

  • Physics Honors

    Although the sequence is similar to the non-honors course, Physics Honors is both mathematically and conceptually more sophisticated.  Like non-honors Physics, this introductory course explores the concepts of motion, mechanics, sound, light, electricity and magnetism, and modern physics.  Both conceptual and mathematical aspects of physics are covered and extensive demonstration and laboratory work are included. Physics Honors places special emphasis on both deeper mathematical and conceptual reasoning. Students spend considerably more time deriving mathematical principles, and completing deeper inquiry-based activities while covering all aspects of non-honors physics.  Methods of instruction include computer simulations, lectures, group work, and problem-solving.  Proper use of lab equipment and following proper lab safety is emphasized during class and all labs.
     
    Prerequisite:
    Placement based on diagnostic assessment.  Students must have completed Biology and Chemistry as well as any level of Algebra 2.

  • AP Physics 1

    Students enrolled in AP Physics 1 will explore principles of Newtonian mechanics (including rotational motion); work, energy, and power; mechanical waves and sound; and introductory simple circuits.  The pace of this course is fast in order to cover the large array of content.  This course will implement teacher and student-centered inquiry-based instruction and focus on a deep conceptual understanding of the physical world as well as difficult algebra-based problem-solving techniques.  Proper use of lab equipment and following proper lab safety is emphasized during class and all labs.

    Prerequisite:
    Placement based on diagnostic assessment. Students must have completed Biology and Chemistry and must be concurrently in any level of Calculus.

     

  • AP Physics C

    This is a second-year physics course structured to deepen the student’s knowledge of physics and to prepare students for calculus-based physics and success on the AP Physics C examination.  Topics include basic Newtonian mechanics and classical electricity and magnetism: motion of particles in one, two, and three dimensions, classical oscillators, rotational dynamics, linear and rotational momenta, conservation laws, friction and drag forces, work and energy, Kepler's laws, electric and magnetic fields, and forces, motion of charge carriers, Faraday's Law, Biot-Savart Law, Ampere's Law, Gauss' Law, and many others.  This course is taught at the first-year college level and presumes student motivation and effort appropriate for that level.

    Prerequisite:
    The placement requirement is that the student has completed AP Physics I and is concurrently enrolled in AP Calculus BC or higher.

  • Physics (Summer)

    This course covers the same material as a full-year high school Physics course in a very intensive fashion.  

    This introductory course explores the concepts of motion, mechanics, sound, light, electricity and magnetism, and modern physics.  Both conceptual and mathematical aspects of physics are covered and extensive demonstration and laboratory work are included.  Methods of instruction include computer simulations, lectures, group work, and problem-solving.  Proper use of lab equipment and following proper lab safety are emphasized during class and all labs.  This is a UC-approved course.

    Prerequisite:
    Placement based on diagnostic assessment. Students must have completed Biology and Chemistry.
     
    Summer Attendance:
    No more than two (2) excused or unexcused absences are allowed; SHP will call parents if attendance becomes an issue and a third absence will result in withdrawal from the course.
Where Scholarship and Values Matter
Founded by the Society of the Sacred Heart, SHS is a Catholic, independent, co-ed day school for students in preschool through grade 12