Science

1 Credit  

Grade 9 

Students discover science as inquiry as they investigate the nature of life on both the molecular and environmental levels. Topics such as biodiversity, the effect of human activity on the biosphere, cell structure and function, photosynthesis, cellular respiration, genetics, evolution, plants, and the human body are discussed in a way to enhance critical thinking skills and to provide associative skills for personal and social perspectives that may influence future decision making. Experiments support and enhance classroom discussion, as well as stimulate students to analyze and make assessments. Technology is utilized to provide animations, simulations, problem-solving activities, scientific processes and procedures, and virtual dissections. PowerPoint presentations and other apps are used in classroom lectures. The students will learn the skills necessary to write lab reports. 

1 Credit  

Grade 9 

Honors Biology expands upon the topics covered in General Biology class. Students explore how living things are constructed on a molecular level, investigating processes of photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and cellular activities that drive the cell cycle, as well as making comparative anatomy studies of human and other organisms. They assimilate how traits are inherited and how organisms evolved over time. Students gain an understanding of environmental processes, the impact of human activity on ecosystems, interdependent relationships between organisms and their environments, and the correlation between structures and functions in major human body systems. Interactive labs include dissections, organic chemistry, modeling, computer simulations, and genetic studies. This course prepares students for the SAT/ACT and complies with National Science Standards. Completion of Honors Biology is a stepping stone towards enrollment in AP Biology. 

Prerequisite: Student must demonstrate high proficiency in the quantitative, math, and reading sections of the Gwynedd Mercy Academy Entrance Exam to be offered placement.

1 Credit  

Grades 11, 12 

This course brings content essential to support the basic themes and foundations of biology to the student. More than memorization of content, the value of learning comes from the ability to apply themes and patterns over many topics of biology. This curricular framework will advance critical thinking skills, utilizing inquiry and reasoning skills, designing experimental procedures and data collection, analyzing data, applying mathematical formulae, and connecting concepts in and across domains. Students practice establishing lines of evidence and use them to refine testable explanations and make predictions about natural phenomena. Each big idea, "enduring understanding," is supported by underlying content and laboratory experiences. 

Prerequisites: 93 or higher in Honors Biology and Honors Chemistry; 97 or higher in Biology and Chemistry; 88 or higher in prior AP Science courses; Completion of AP Chemistry is advantageous but not required. Completion of summer assignments.

Note: AP students are required to take the AP exam, and families will be responsible for any associated fees.

1 Credit  

Grades 10

Chemistry offers fundamental knowledge about the world in which we live. Coursework includes the study of structure of matter and the changes that matter can undergo. This course will also focus on the connection among observations, experimental data, and conceptual understanding. The course will stress the importance of descriptive and predictive abilities based on the understanding of concepts. Students will be expected to recognize patterns and make inferences from scientific data. Laboratory experiences are designed to support chemical concepts learned in class discussions. Students will develop laboratory skills, practice safe lab procedures, and refine writing techniques for lab reports. Technology will be used for molecular modeling, class communication, and to support concepts learned in class. 

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Biology and Algebra 1

1 Credit  

Grades 10, 11 

This course is designed for students considering engineering, science, and pre-medical courses of undergraduate study. Course topics include atomic structure, molecular structure, states of matter, balanced chemical reactions, equilibrium, acids and bases, and oxidation-reduction. The students investigate the structure and properties of substances and the reactions by which one substance is converted to another. Emphasis will be given to problem solving and interpretation of scientific data. The course requires evaluation of scientific models based on pattern recognition, contradictions, and exceptions. The honors chemistry class is accelerated both in depth of detail and breadth of study. Students will develop laboratory techniques and refine writing for lab reports. Students must commit to daily review of class work. 

Prerequisites: 90 or higher in Honors Biology and Honors Algebra; 95 or higher in Biology and Math

1 Credit  

Grades 11, 12 

The AP Chemistry course is designed to be the equivalent of the general chemistry courses usually taken during the first college year (2 semesters of both Chemistry & Lab, 8 credits total). AP Chemistry is built around 9 units of study which include: Atomic Structure & Properties, Molecular & Ionic Compound Structure & Properties, Intermolecular Forces & Properties, Chemical Reactions, Kinetics, Thermodynamics, Equilibrium, Acids & Bases, and Applications of Thermodynamics. Students further cultivate their understanding of chemistry through inquiry-based lab investigations as they explore scale, proportion, quantity, structure & properties of substances, transformations, and energy. This course follows the Fall 2019 College Board redesign for Advanced Placement Chemistry. 

Prerequisites: 93 or higher in Honors Chemistry; 97 or higher in Chemistry; Completion of or enrollment in Honors Precalculus or Calculus; Completion of summer assignments.

Note: AP students are required to take the AP exam, and families will be responsible for any associated fees.

1 Credit  

Grades 11, 12 

Physics is the branch of science that studies matter and energy and how they interact. The topics in this course focus on the study of motion, forces, energy, waves, light, and electricity. Physics is less about the problems and more about using equations, laws, and theories to understand the world we live in. Fundamental concepts of physics will lead to investigations in the laboratory. Students will gain skills using laboratory apparatus and correct laboratory techniques and procedures to design and carry out long and short-term investigations using principles of the scientific method and use proper formats for reporting their findings. 

Prerequisites: Biology, Chemistry, and Algebra 1

1 Credit 

Grades 11, 12 

Students investigate the relationship between matter and energy and relate the fundamental laws that tie sciences together including the modern theory of special relativity. As a STEM-themed class, students evaluate the scientific principles of everyday phenomena as they apply the mathematical laws of physics to such phenomena. Students support analysis of lab data with evidence from equations and graphs. They draw assumptions from concepts, recognize patterns of concepts, and propose when and how to apply the concepts and laws they have learned in new situations. Students will devise mechanical models and present the principles of and demonstrate their action to the class. 

Prerequisites: 90 or higher in Honors Chemistry; 95 or higher in College Preparatory Chemistry; Enrollment in Honors Precalculus, Precalculus, or Calculus

1 Credit  

Grades 11, 12 

AP Physics is an algebra-based, introductory college-level physics course. It builds upon many of the concepts explored in Gwynedd's Honors Physics and College-Prep Physics courses and explores new concepts too. Students will cultivate their understanding of physics through classroom study, in-class activity, and hands-on, inquiry-based laboratory work as they explore these content areas: Kinematics, Forces and Translational Dynamics, Work, Energy, and Power, Linear Momentum, Torque and Rotational Dynamics, Energy and Momentum of Rotating Systems, Oscillations, and Fluids. Time allowing, students will also have the opportunity to experience topics of their own choice beyond the remit of the AP exam. 

Prerequisites: 93 or higher in Honors Physics; 97 or higher in Physics; Completion of Geometry

Note: AP students are required to take the AP exam, and families will be responsible for any associated fees.

1 Credit  

Grades 11, 12 

Honors Anatomy and Physiology is a full-year science elective in which human anatomy and physiology are studied using a body systems approach, with an emphasis on the interrelationships between form and function as well as homeostasis. Laboratory activities, projects, dissections, clay modeling, diagrams, and clinical studies are provided to help students distinguish relationships between body systems both healthy and diseased. Comparative animal dissection is used to investigate similarities to human anatomical structures. 

Prerequisites: 88 overall average in Biology & Chemistry

1 Credit  

Grades 11, 12 

The level of sophistication that forensic science has brought to criminal investigations is awesome. This lab course emphasizes scientific methodology while investigating the actual science concepts and technology utilized in crime solving. Topics range from gathering physical evidence at the crime scene, analyzing toxicology, blood, and DNA, to microscopic examination of hair, fibers, and fingerprints. Labs are designed to solve crime scene scenarios. 

Prerequisites: Biology, Chemistry, and Algebra 1

1 Credit

Grades 11, 12

Environmental science explores the earth through the interconnectedness of biotic and abiotic factors and the influences they have on each other.  Topics such as biodiversity; interdependence of organisms; air, land, and water resources; and human impacts on the environment are discussed to enhance critical thinking and evaluative responses to current issues facing our global society.  Students use these skills to develop and hone their ecological perspective as they explore associations between the environment, other scientific concentrations of study, and practical applications in the real world.  Experiments and independent research enhance classroom discussion and aim to increase overall knowledge of the environmental concerns for today, while providing students with opportunities to invest in their environmental future.

Prerequisites: Biology, Chemistry, and Algebra 1

1 Credit  

Grades 11, 12 

The AP Environmental Science course is a project-based and interdisciplinary exploration of the field that is designed to promote a multifaceted approach to the subject at the college level. Students cultivate their understanding of the interrelationships of the natural world through inquiry-based lab investigations and field work as they explore concepts like the four Big Ideas: energy transfer, interactions between earth systems, interactions between different species and the environment, and sustainability. 

Prerequisites: 90 or higher in Honors Biology and Honors Chemistry; 95 or higher in Biology and Chemistry; Completion of summer work

Note: AP students are required to take the AP exam, and families will be responsible for any associated fees.

1 Credit 

 Grades 11, 12 

This two-semester, introductory-level biotechnology course covers applications of biotechnology in varied industries, such as agriculture, pharmacy, medicine, and environmental remediation. The structure of DNA and RNA, the structure of the gene, and the central dogma of molecular biology (replication, transcription, translation, reverse-transcription) are covered at a foundational level. Laboratory activities introduce basic skills such as documentation, safety, pipetting, sterile technique, DNA-extraction, restriction of DNA, bacterial transformation, agarose-gel electrophoresis, PCR, and production and purification of proteins. Prefatory overview of reverse-transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR), gene chips, and emerging techniques like CRISPR-Cas9 is presented as time allows. 

Prerequisites: 90 or higher in Honors Biology and Honors Chemistry; 95 or higher in Biology and Chemistry

1 Credit

Grades 10, 11, 12

This course introduces students to the principles of materials science and manufacturing through hands‑on exploration of modern fabrication and prototyping technologies. Students learn how material properties influence design decisions, manufacturing processes, and product performance while developing practical skills used in engineering and advanced manufacturing industries.  Students will design, build, and test physical and electronic systems using additive manufacturing (3D printing), subtractive manufacturing with CNC machines, and traditional hand and power tools. The course also introduces basic electronics, including circuit design and microcontroller programming using Arduino, allowing students to integrate mechanical and electrical components into functional prototypes.  Throughout the course, students apply STEM concepts such as measurement, data analysis, engineering design, and problem-solving real-world manufacturing challenges. Emphasis is placed on safety practices, tool operation, material selection, iterative design, and teamwork. By the end of the course, students will understand how products move from concept and material selection to fabrication and testing.

Prerequisite: Completion of Algebra 2 or concurrent enrollment in Algebra 2