Living Environment – Biology | Regents

Classes of middle and high school Living Environment meet everyday for one period and every other day there is one period of lab.  Laboratory work must be successfully completed with evidence in the form of 30 passing lab grades in order to qualify for the Regents examination.  Specific course content covers:  Evolution; Energy, Matter and Organization; Maintaining a Dynamic Equilibrium; Reproduction, Growth, and Development; Interaction and interdependence.

• Grade: 9
• Prerequisites: completion of 8th grade science; Accelerated students take Living Environment in 8th grade based on teacher recommendations; must have a MINIMUM of a 90% average in Science in 7th grade and must be enrolled in Accelerated Math
• Length: 40 weeks
• Final Evaluation: Regents
• Credits: 1

Conceptual Biology

This is a special class in science that covers topics from Earth Science: space, our solar system and the Earth and moon, as well as topics from Biology: ecology, cycling of matter, the flow of energy in an ecosystem, relationships in an ecosystem.  Biology topics will be based on New York State landforms, plants and animals.  An emphasis will also be placed on reading relevant articles to enhance our scientific knowledge.

• Grade:  9 -10
• Prerequisites:  none
• Length:  40 weeks
• Final Evaluation: Cumulative test or project
• Credit: 1

Earth Science (Regents)

Classes of high school Earth Science meet every day for one period and every other day there is one period of lab.  Specific course content covers the four major branches of Earth Science: astronomy, geology, oceanography and meteorology.  Within these major branches, some sub-topics covered include earth’s motions, energy and its exchange in the atmosphere, rock formation, geologic history, water and climate, landscape development, and environmental change.

• Grade: 9 for accelerated MS students, 10
• Prerequisites: Successful completion of Living Environment
• Length:  40 weeks
• Final Evaluation: Regents
• Credits:  1

Honors Earth Science (Regents)

Classes of high school Earth Science meet every day for one period and every other day there is one period of lab.  Specific course content covers the four major branches of Earth Science: astronomy, geology, oceanography and meteorology.  Within these major branches, some sub-topics covered include earth’s motions, energy and its exchange in the atmosphere, rock formation, geologic history, water and climate, landscape development, and environmental change.

• Grade: 9 for accelerated MS students, 10
• Prerequisites: Successful completion of 8th grade Accelerated Living Environment; teacher recommendations; must have a MINIMUM of a 90% average in Science in 8th grade Accelerated Living Environment and must be enrolled in Accelerated Math
• based on work ethic, absenteeism, behavior
• Length:  40 weeks
• Final Evaluation: Regents
• Credits:  1

Chemistry (Regents)

This course meets five days per week for one period with a lab period every other day.  Chemistry is the study of matter, the changes in matter, and the mechanics of chemical change.  Topics include, but are not limited to, atomic structure, bonding, the periodic table, radiochemistry, organic chemistry, oxidation-reduction, and kinetics.  Chemistry includes a laboratory requirement and submission of lab reports to qualify for the final examination.  We strongly recommend this course for college bound students.

• Grade:  10/11
• Prerequisites: successful completion of Regents’ Living Environment and Earth Science or 1 other science credit
• Length:  40 weeks
• Final Evaluation: Chemistry Regents Exam
• Credit: 1

Physics (Regents)

This course includes the study of the broad concepts involved in the fields of Mechanics, Waves, Electricity and Atomic Theory with special emphasis on the energy exchanges that occur in each area.  There is a mandatory laboratory requirement of at least two periods per week spent doing experiments and the submission of a formal report for each experiment.  Labs must be successfully completed in order to take the Regents examination.  This course is strongly recommended for college-bound students.

• Grade:  11 and 12
• Length: 40 weeks
• Prerequisites: successful completion Regents level Chemistry and/or SUPA
• Chemistry
• Final Evaluation: Regents
• Credits:  1

Environmental Science

Environmental Science is the branch of science concerned with the relations between organisms and their environment. Major topics that are included in the course are, studying Earth, weather, as well as the forces that affect it. Biomes, ecological interactions, Evolution, Zoology, Botany/ Dendrology, Forestry, classification and identification, Taxonomy, Aquatic Resources and studies, environmental careers, human impact-as well as resource management.

The class is designed to expose the student to various environmental science fields, through hands-on experimentation, research, writing, reading, and use of the Internet. The course allows students to develop skills of observation and helps to hone abilities of data interpretation and judgment of information sources. The course allows for the opportunity to meet with professionals in various environmental fields, and allows the students to design and conduct independent research.

• Grade: 11 and 12
• Prerequisites:  successful completion of Living Environment or Earth Science
• Length:  40 weeks
• Final Evaluation: Local Final
• Credits:  1

Physics of Toys

Students of science should do more than memorize definitions and formulas.  To make sense of science, students must be given opportunities to make connections between scientific phenomena and their own world.  This class delves into the mysteries of such toys as the Push-n-Go, bottle rockets, paper airplanes, ‘Operation,’ and Mousetrap.  The students will experience the minds-on, hands-on learning that will improve their problem-solving skills while also improving their science content knowledge.

• Grade:  11 and 12
• Length: 20 weeks
• Prerequisites: Successful completion of at least one lab science credit
• Final Evaluation: Cumulative Test/Project
• Credits:  ½

Forensics

Forensic science is a multidisciplinary science, which includes concepts in many areas including biology, chemistry, zoology, anatomy, genetics, physics, math and statistics, earth science, sociology, psychology, and communications. Topics for this half-year course may include: types of evidence, evidence collection, fingerprints, and impressions, DNA evidence, blood and blood spatter, drug testing, handwriting analysis, muscle and bone analysis, and time of death. Students may not enroll in Forensics if they enroll in the Public Safety program at SC BOCES due to an overlap in curriculum.

Class requirements:

• Students must maintain a notebook, which will include all tests, quizzes, labs, complete notes, homework and any additional information, in chronological order.
• Each student must present to the class two major projects. Most work will be done independently. Computer access is necessary.
  Students must have the ability to work independently as well as within groups.

• Grades: 11 – 12
• Prerequisites: Successful completion of at least one lab science credit
• Length: 20 weeks
• Final Evaluation: Cumulative Test/Project
• Credits: ½

General Biology I & II – Syracuse University Project Advance (SUPA)

This is a full year (two-semester), eight-credit college course offered through Syracuse University. This course meets five days per week for one period with a lab period every other day. The course teaches modern biological concepts, including classification of organisms, ecology, human influences on natural ecosystems, microscopy, cells, organic and inorganic chemistry, animal development, genetics, energy, and plant structure and function. During a session, the student may be asked to carry out an experiment, view a demonstration, interpret experimental results, make a drawing to document observations, and so on.

• Grade: 11 and 12
• Prerequisites: Successful completion of Living Environment or Earth Science, and Chemistry (Regents)
• * Students are strongly encouraged to take Physics whenever possible.  This can be before SUPA Biology, or can be taken concurrently with SUPA Biology, with the permission of the Science Facilitator.
• Length: 40 weeks
• Final Evaluation: College final
• Credit: 1 high school and 8 college credits per semester/course (with tuition payment)

General Chemistry I & II – Syracuse University Project Advance (SUPA) (Not offered in 2024-2025)

This is a full year (two-semester), eight-credit college course offered through Syracuse University. This course meets five days per week for one period with a lab period every other day.  Chemistry is the study of matter, the changes in matter, and the mechanics of chemical change. This course investigates forms of energy, atomic structure, quantum theory, periodic law, molecular geometry, properties of liquids and gasses, and more. The second semester will more deeply explore the dynamic processes that make up the organic and inorganic world. Topics include chemical reactions, chemical equilibrium, thermochemistry and thermodynamics, electrochemistry, voltaic cells, nuclear chemistry, organic chemistry, and polymers.

• Grade:  10, 11, and 12
• Prerequisites: Successful completion of Living Environment or Earth Science, and Chemistry (Regents)
• Length:  40 weeks
• Final Evaluation: College final and Chemistry regents if not already passed
• Credit: 1 high school and 8 college credits per semester/course (with tuition payment)