Biology AP

1.00 Units        Wt. 1.10                    PD/WK  07   AP Exam Required 
(AP examination fee required before November 1)
Offered in Grades 11, 12
Prerequisite: Three Regents Level Course in biology, chemistry, physics or earth science.

A college level biology course in which laboratory work is supplemented with collateral readings and lectures.  Major areas of study focus on: molecular and cellular biology; organismal and ecological biology; genetics and evolution.

AP Chemistry

1.00 Unit        Wt. 1.10                    PD/WK 07   AP Exam Required
AP Examination fee payment required before November 1

Offered in Grade 11, 12
Prerequisite: three Regents Level Science Courses (one must be Regents Chemistry)

A college level chemistry course covering the following major topics: the structure of matter, kinetic theory of gases, chemical equilibria, chemical kinetics, and the basic concepts of thermodynamics.  College level chemistry labs are required.

AP Environmental Science

1.00 Unit         WT. 1.10                    PD/WK 07
AP examination fee payment required before November 1

Offered in Grades 11, 12
Prerequisite: three Regents Level Science Courses in biology, chemistry, earth science or physics.

A college level course, the goal of the AP Environmental Science course is to provide students with the scientific principles and concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems and to evaluate and examine alternative solutions to these problems.  Environmental science is interdisciplinary and includes themes and topics such as: energy; biological and physical systems; populations; agriculture; toxicology; pollution; and solutions to environmental problems. College level labs and field studies are required.  

Physics B - AP

1.00 Unit                   Wt. 1.10                PD/WK 07
AP Examination Fee Payment Required Before November 1

Offered in Grades 10, 11, 12
Prerequisites: Regents Living Environment, Regents Chemistry, and completion of Math A.  Students who wish to elect this course must have satisfied one of the following requirements: passed honors chemistry, earned a 90% or higher final average in Regents Chemistry; taken a placement test.  Since this is a college level course that terminates with an AP exam, students electing this course must be strong math students and must be familiar with algebra and trigonometry.  Therefore, a final average of 90% in Math A is strongly recommended.  "In some schools, AP Physics has been taught successfully (as the first year of physics) as a very intensive first-year course, but this format may be difficult for students to have enough time to develop conceptual understandings..." (College Board, 2002, p.5).

This course is part of the Advanced Placement Program in Science, and it provides a foundation for students who are planning careers in life science, pre-medicine, and some applied sciences.  However, this course is not part of the college sequence for students majoring in the physical sciences or engineering.  Topics include mechanics, electricity and magnetism, kinetic theory and thermodynamics, waves and optics, and modern physics.  Laboratory activities and report writing are course requirements.  Students electing this course must take the AP Physics B examination, and they may sit for the Regents examination in Physics given in June.

Physics C - AP

1.00 Unit                Wt: 1.10                PD/WK 07
AP Examination Fee Payment Required Before November 1

Offered in Grade 11, 12
Prerequisites: Three Regents Level Courses (One must be Regents Physics).  Calculus is a co-requisite.

This course ordinarily forms the first part of a college sequence serving as the foundation for students interested in the physical sciences or engineering.  Strong emphasis is placed on solving a variety of challenging problems in physics.  The course is divided into two parts.  Part A treats problems in mechanics; Part B treats problems in electricity and magnetism. Calculus is used increasingly as the year progresses for both derivations and problem solving.  Appropriate laboratory experiments are performed where possible.