Science Department

Essential Knowledge and Skills:

The purpose of elementary Chemistry and Physics Advanced is to give all students a knowledge of physical science and to offer some insight into the means by which scientific knowledge is acquired. The course is designed to serve as a solid foundation for those students taking later courses in biology, chemistry and physics. It is taught at a fairly quick pace and covers elements of both physics and chemistry. The textbook and course materials typically serve as a basis and launching point for additional enrichment in chemistry and physics. The method employed in the course is one of student experimentation and guided reasoning on the results of such experimentation. Whenever possible, the student is to learn science in the laboratory in order to make his/her own observations and draw his/her own conclusions. When the student finds their own answer, they not only learn more but also gain confidence in their ability to make useful decisions.

Indicators of Student Learning

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

Using the Scientific Method

• Develop analytical and critical thinking skills.

• Investigate basic physics and chemistry problems.

• Develop laboratory techniques.

• Collect and record data.

• Organize observations made during an experiment and infer a conclusion based on their own data and observations.

• Deduce scientific principles from the results of their own experimentation not from reading about a scientific law in the text.

Communication • Come to conclusions from their own laboratory experiments.

• Be able to clearly explain their thought processes used in arriving at said conclusions.

• Be able to communicate their results and conclusions to fellow students and teaching staff using written and other electronic presentation modalities.

Technology

• Students will become familiar with the tools and the basic laboratory equipment used in physical science experiments.

• Students will be able to set up the apparatus for an experiment, and manipulate the different parts of the apparatus to collect their data.

• Students will be able to use computer presentation software (media) to effectively communicate their results to fellow students and teaching staff.

Assessment

Upon completion of this course, students will:

• Collect and record their own data by which they can infer a conclusion based upon that observation and data.

• Draw and explain their own results and conclusion from lab experiments.

• Set up apparatus for experiments

• Give presentations using computer media software

• Maintain notebook