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Science

SCIENCE 8 
 
Science 8 develops four main areas of understanding:
  • Life processes at the level of the cell.
  • Properties and the behavior of light.
  • The structures and behavior of matter.
  • Plate tectonics and processes within the Earth.
Many of these concepts will be explored and tested in lab activities.
 
 
SCIENCE 9          (required)
This course develops four main areas of understanding:
  • Reproduction is a cellular process.
  • The chemical nature of elements and compounds.
  • Electric current and electric circuits.
  • Cycles of matter and energy in the Earth.
Many of these concepts will be explored and tested in lab activities.
 
 
SCIENCE COURSES FOR GRADES 10, 11 and 12
 
Required courses for a Dogwood Diploma :
  • Science 10
  • Any Science 11 or 12 course listed below
 
 
SCIENCE 10
 
This course develops four main areas of understanding:
  • DNA, genes and chromosomes, patterns of inheritance, genetics and its applications.
  • Re-arrangement of atoms and energy changes during chemical reactions, chemistry of acids and bases, and practical applications of chemical reactions.
  • Transformation of potential and kinetic energy and the impacts these have on the environment; nuclear energy and radiation and their applications.
  • Formation of the universe and how the universe is changing over time, including Big Bang Theory and methods used in Astronomy to understand the universe.
 
 
CHEMISTRY 11          (meets Grade 11 or 12 Science requirement)  4 credits
Pre-requisite: Minimum 65% in Science 10 and FMP(Foundations of Math and Pre-Calculus)10
 
This course builds a basic understanding of chemical reactions:
  • Structure of atoms, ions and molecules, and how and why they interact.
  • Conservation of matter and energy in chemical reactions.
  • Solubility of compounds.
  • Concept of the mole, and application of math to the analysis of chemical reactions.
  • Organic chemistry and its applications, as well as its effects on human health and the environment.
 
 
CHEMISTRY 12        (meets Grade 11 or 12 Science requirement)  4 credits
Pre-requisite:  Chemistry 11
 
This course continues from Chemistry 11 and further develops the understanding of chemical reactions:
  • Reactants must collide to react, and the rate of reaction depends on several conditions.
  • How reactions in equilibrium can be shifted by changing the conditions.
  • The behavior of saturated solutions in equilibrium.
  • The chemistry of acids and bases.
  • Oxidation-reduction reactions and their applications, such as electrochemical cells.
  • Further development of mathematical and laboratory analysis.
 
 
EARTH SCIENCE 11          (meets Grade11 or 12 Science requirement) 4 credits
Pre-requisite: Science 10
 
This course builds an understanding of:
  • earth materials, rocks and minerals, geological time, weathering and erosion, glaciers, resources and mining, and environmental problems.
  • plate tectonic theory, earthquakes and volcanoes.
  • atmospheric science and climate (atmosphere, weather, wind, and hydrologic cycle).
  • oceanography (oceans, currents, waves), lakes and streams and environmental systems and concerns.
  • space and astronomy.
 
 
LIFE SCIENCES 11          (meets Grade 11 or 12 Science requirement)  4 credits
Pre-requisite:  Minimum 65% in Science10
 
This course builds on an understanding of:
  • cell structure and function; asexual and sexual reproduction.
  • viruses.
  • process of evolution, including changes in DNA, natural selection, and formation of new species.
  • artificial selection and genetic modification.
  • levels of complexity in living organisms, from single celled forms to multicellular forms.
  • trends in complexity among life forms, and how they are related in evolution.
  • how living things are classified.
Many of these concepts will be explored and tested in lab activities.
 
 
PHYSICS 11          (meets Grade 11 and 12 Science requirement)  4 credits
Pre-requisite:  Minimum 65% in Science 10 and FMP(Foundations)10
 
This course builds an understanding of:
  • scalar quantities (where direction does not matter) and vector quantities (where it does matter).
  • the motion of objects, including projectiles; forces that can cause changes in motion.
  • Newton's Laws of motion.
  • simple machines, electric circuits, thermal equilibrium.
  • properties of waves and characteristics of sound.
  • graphing methods in Physics.
PHYSICS 11 WILL NOT BE OFFERED THIS COMING YEAR. THE NEXT TIME WILL BE 2023-2024
 
 
PHYSICS 12          (elective)  4 credits
Pre-requisite:  Minimum 65% in Physics 11 and Foundations of Math 11
 
This course builds an understanding of:
  • frames of reference and relative motion, uniform circular motion.
  • gravitational fields and gravitational potential energy.
  • electric fields, electrostatics, and electrical potential energy.
  • magnetic fields and magnetic force.
  • electromagnetism and its applications (motors, generators, for example).
  • conservation of momentum and energy, graphical methods in Physics.
PHYSICS 12 WILL NOT BE OFFERED THIS COMING YEAR. THE NEXT TIME WILL BE 2023-2024
 
 
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY 12          (meets Grade 11 or 12 Science requirement)
Pre-requisite:  Minimum 65% in Science 10 
 
This course builds an understanding of the following topics, focusing on the human body:
  • Biological molecules (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, etc.).
  • Metabolism and enzymes.
  • How substances are moved in and out of cells.
  • DNA and gene expression.
  • Proteins and their role in the human body.
  • Biotechnology.
  • Organ systems: their structure and function, and how they work together.
  • Effects of lifestyle choices; disease as an imbalance of the functioning of organ systems.
 
 
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 12          (meets Grade 11 or 12 Science requirement)  4 credits
Pre-requisite:  Science 10
 
Some key areas of focus are:
  • water quality, availability, and water use impacts. Water saving and protection.
  • environmental laws and regulation.
  • changes in climate systems.
  • impacts of climate change.
  • land use and management.
  • personal choices and sustainable living.
  • global environmental ethics, policy, and law.
  • local and global disasters or issues (drought, water shortages, wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, pipeline spills, tanker spills, oil spills, red tide, invasive species, plastic pollution, other forms of pollution, ocean acidity, and so much more).
 
 
SPECIALIZED SCIENCE 12 (ASTRONOMY)          (meets Grade 11 or 12 Science requirement) 4 credits
Pre-requisite:  Science 10
 
Some key areas of focus are:
  • orientation in the Celestial Sphere (how to navigate when looking up).
  • size up (we will determine the size of the earth, moon, and sun through observation and simple calculation).
  • distances (how far away are celestial objects).
  • black holes (we will be taking a field trip inside of one).
  • light
  • infinity (is the universe infinite? Is time infinite?)
  • Big Bang Theory