SCIENCE

Encouraging students to develop scientific literacy and problem-solving skills which will enable
​them to become lifelong learners.

Solve.
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Students work to solve real-word problems using their knowledge and skills in science which enables them to connect their learning to the world around them.

Create.
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Students create opportunities to explore science in the lab, in the field, and with members of the science community throughout their experience in the Nipmuc Science Department.

Discover.
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Students discover both the depth and breadth of science disciplines and careers through the diversity of the science electives.

2022-2023 Course offerings

Environmental Science         CPS            1 Credit     Grade 9

Global Climate Change, Sea Level Rise, Wildfires, Melting Polar Ice, Pollution, World Hunger, are these topics that interest you? Discover these topics and get your hands dirty too! Work outdoors and in the lab to learn how the environment works and how humans influence the planet. Apply your new knowledge to your own life and see the impact that you can make. Create a personalized service project to benefit the local environment.  Students should successfully complete Biology prior to enrolling in this course.

Environmental Science         Honors           1 Credit     Grade 9-10

Global Climate Change, Sea Level Rise, Wildfires, Melting Polar Ice, Pollution, World Hunger, are these topics that interest you? Discover these topics and get your hands dirty too! Work outdoors and in the lab to learn how the environment works and how humans influence the planet. Apply your new knowledge to your own life and see the impact that you can make. Create a personalized service project to benefit the local environment.  Students should successfully complete Biology prior to enrolling in this course.​


Biology                           CPS        1 Credit    Grade 10

Did you ever wonder what makes living things alive? Did you ever wonder what a day in the life of a research scientist looks like? By practicing laboratory skills, creating models, and investigating scientific topics, students will gain a deeper understanding of molecular and cellular biology, genetics, and human anatomy. Students will gain a deeper appreciation for the environment and the world around them.


Biology                            Honors    1 Credit        Grade 9-10

This is a lab course for highly independent and well motivated students. Did you ever wonder what makes living things alive? Did you ever wonder what a day in the life of a research scientist looks like? Students will be exposed to a greater depth of content while practicing laboratory skills, creating models, and investigating scientific topics, such as molecular and cellular biology, genetics, and human anatomy. Students will gain a deeper appreciation for the environment and the world around them. 


Environmental Chemistry                    CPS    1 Credit    Grades 10-11

Why is water so important?  Why is “clean” water important?   Can we survive on other planets if we were to get there?  How does organization in science matter to me? All these questions and more will be answered as we investigate chemical bonds, the Periodic Table, and energy transfer in our year of Environmental Chemistry.   Students should successfully complete Biology prior to enrolling in this course.


Chemistry                            CPS    1 Credit    Grade 10-11

Why does ice float? What are calories? Can fire change color? Concepts of Chemistry surround us every day. In this course, students will explore how chemistry is directly related to their world. They will use computational thinking, laboratory experiments, and team work to understand how Chemistry is intertwined through everyday life.    Students should have successfully completed Biology and be enrolled in or have successfully completed Algebra II.
        

Chemistry                            Honors    1 Credit    Grade 10

Why is the saying “no chemicals have been added” a ridiculous statement?  What does it mean when something says it’s organic? How can organization make your life better?  How can computational thinking be used every day in your life? This fast paced laboratory science will keep you on your toes while you explore how chemistry can be applied to everyday questions and problems.  We will investigate the world around us, as scientists before us have, to explain what we see and predict what we could observe in the future.  Students should have successfully completed Biology and be enrolled in or have successfully completed Algebra II.



SCIENCE ELECTIVES 


Anatomy and Physiology            CPS        1 Credit    Grades 10-12

Ever wonder why we close our eyes when we sneeze? What about why you were told as a kid to wait before going swimming after you ate? It’s all about your anatomy and physiology! This course is designed to be an “owner’s manual” for the human body, investigating the relationship between how the body systems function and what this means for personal health. Students will be expected to participate in hands-on projects and dissections in order to exemplify the connections between structure and function.  Students should successfully complete Geometry prior to enrolling in this course.


Anatomy and Physiology            Honors        1 Credit    Grades 10-12
    
Ever wonder why we close our eyes when we sneeze? What about why you were told as a kid to wait before going swimming after you ate? It’s all about your anatomy and physiology! The ultimate goal is for students to understand the complex inter-relations of all body systems, how they affect overall health, become proficient in using and understanding medical terminology, and how modern medical interventions and practices are utilized.  This course will investigate the relationship between how the body systems function and what this means for personal health. Students will be expected to participate in hands-on projects and dissections in order to exemplify the connections between structure and function.  Students should successfully complete Biology prior to enrolling in this course.

Biotechnology         CPS/Honors           1 Credit     Grade 10-12
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Are you interested in biotechnology or therapeutic biologics? Do you want to learn more about what DNA does... then change it? We can! Right in a high school science class, we can clone genes and alter genetic code. In this lab-based biotechnology class, you will learn about genetics and how understanding the genetic code is transforming the pharmaceutical industry and helping find cures for diseases. You will learn the core techniques and tools that scientists in the biotech industry are using in the discovery of human therapeutics and better understand the role of biotechnology and the potential impact of this industry on our future.


Engineering Solutions for Disease           CPS/Honors       1/2 Credit        Grades 10-12

What about your world can actually make you sick? Why are some diseases curable, but others aren’t? Are there better ways to treat people who are suffering from illnesses? There are just some of the questions ESD will aim to answer. Students will tackle these inquiries through hands-on projects and class discussions. The goal for (each unit? The class?) will be for students to design a solution that has to do with a global health problem of their choice.  Students should successfully complete Biology prior to enrolling in this course.


The History and Future of Science           CPS/Honors       1/2 Credit        Grades 10-12

This course is designed for students who have an interest in exploring the connections between life science and physical science and their impacts on history and future. The course will provide an in-depth look at the fundamental concepts and principles that underpin these two fields of study and will use hands-on activities and real-world examples to help students understand and apply these concepts in a meaningful way. The course will also include opportunities for students to work with their peers, to develop problem-solving, critical thinking, and teamwork skills.  Students should successfully complete Biology prior to enrolling in this course.



UPPER LEVEL SCIENCE ELECTIVES 

Engineering 1                 CPS/Honors            1 Credit        Grades 11-12

Do you enjoy coming up with solutions to problems?  In this class, a NASA astronaut will ask you to help NASA solve an epic challenge.  Students will work in teams on different aspects of the epic challenge while learning.  Teamwork is a big component of this class. We will focus on problem definition, problem immersion, team development, creativity tools, creative ideation, prototyping, concept evaluation and selection, and the development and presentation of engineering results and plan.  Students could work with scientists and engineers from around the world. Student teams will present their work in the Wilsman Symposium and have an opportunity to present their work in other venues outside of school like NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Students should successfully complete Biology prior to enrolling in this course.


Engineering 2                 CPS/Honors            1 Credit        Grades 11-12

Engineering 2 is for students who would like to continue their engineering research project from Engineering 1.  Students will take the feedback received at the end of the first year and improve their projects follow the innovative conceptual engineering design process.  Students will also serve as mentors for Engineering 1 students. The results of their engineering project will be presented at a conference.  Students should successfully complete Engineering 1 prior to enrolling in this course.


Physics                           CPS        1 Credit    Grade 11, 12

Ever wonder why objects move the way they do?  Then CPS Physics is for you! CPS Physics is a “hands-on” approach to discovering why and how the everyday world works.  The emphasis of this course is learning through discovery in labs about the physical laws of nature, with an emphasis on mechanics, sound and light, electricity and magnetism, and how they apply to the real world.  Students should successfully complete Geometry and Algebra II prior to enrolling in this course.


Advanced Placement Physics I            AP          1 Credit        Grade 11, 12
 
Challenge yourself to understand how the world works by taking AP Physics 1 which is equivalent to a first-semester college course in algebra-based physics (including knowledge of basic right triangle Trigonometry), but is designed to be taught over a full academic year.  Students will make explain why an object moves and make predictions about where it will be in the future. We will also explore mechanical waves and sound to understand how and why instruments make sounds. Students will work with DC electricity and build simple circuits.  Students should successfully complete Geometry and Algebra II prior to enrolling in this course.


CHEMgineering: Chemical Solutions to Real World Problems     CPS/Honors 1 Credit  Grade 11-12 

Have you heard that the field of engineering is growing exponentially, but have an unclear vision of what a career as an engineer actually looks like? Are you interested in the movement to better our planet and its inhabitants for generations to come? This course showcases the many opportunities that a career in Chemical Engineering offers. Students will apply concepts of Chemistry and Mathematics to the engineering design process. They will expand critical thinking skills by collaborating with a team to identify real world problems, design and develop solutions, and evaluate processes from start to finish. Students will explore topics of materials synthesis/processing, alternative energies, food engineering, and environmental engineering. This is a lab course for independent and well motivated students.  Students should successfully complete Chemistry and be enrolled in or have successfully completed Algebra II.

                         
Forensic Science             CPS/Honors    1 Credit    Grade 11 ,12

DNA Analysis, bloodstain patterns, fingerprints, and trace evidence: how do forensic scientists process and examine these types of evidence in the laboratory in order to help solve crimes? Use authentic lab processes to understand how evidence moves from the scene to the courtroom. Apply Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics to understand how to recreate a crime scene. Participate in the school-wide crime scene by analyzing evidence and bringing the findings to court.  Students should successfully complete Biology and have completed or be enrolled in Chemistry prior to enrolling in this course.


Advanced Placement Biology                AP    1 Credit    Grade 11, 12

Does manipulating cells and the way they function fascinate you? Is genetics “your jam”? Are you looking to be challenged while exploring the many ways living things affect each other? AP Biology is designed to help students interested in a college level biology course demonstrate their love for life science through sophisticated laboratory experiments, independent outside reading, and construction of models.   Students should successfully complete Biology and Algebra I prior to enrolling in this course.


Advanced Placement Environmental Science       AP       1 Credit       Grades 11-12

Grab your boots and join the #APEStravaganza! Learn about ecology, soil, water, pollution, climate change, and the human population in the classroom, in the laboratory, and in the woods. The APES course is a college level environmental science and helps students develop real world problem solving skills through community service projects which can earn them the designation of AP with WE Service. Taking the AP Environmental Science Exam is a required component of this course.  Students should successfully complete Algebra I and be taken or have taken Chemistry prior to enrolling in this course.


Advanced Placement Chemistry            AP    1 Credit    Grades 11-12

If your chemistry class left you with more questions that you want answered, this could be the solution  The problems will be life-like and the solutions will involve combinations of possibilities. There will be more inquiry labs that start with “What if…” and are left for you to solve using your resources.  We will continue with the Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning explanations to show how what we learn can be applied to questions that we investigate and relate everything to only six big ideas that can help with issues in the world around us.   Students should successfully complete Chemistry prior to enrolling in this course.


Marine Science                 CPS/Honors        1 credit    Grades  11,12

This full year project-based course is an introduction to Oceanography, Marine Biology and Marine Ecology.  Students will have the opportunity to explore the physical environments of the world’s ocean, the aspects of climate and climate change as they relate to oceans, the diversity of life that exists in marine environments and the interactions between organisms and their environment.  Students will also participate in a community conservation project supporting a local endangered species. Students will be required to participate in 4-5 dissections.   Students should successfully complete Biology and Ecology & Populations as well as be enrolled in or have taken Chemistry prior to enrolling in this course. 

Student Leadership positions - Science

*NEW* Laboratory Technician         Honors        1 Credit        Grade 12
Students who have been successful in an upper-level science class as a junior are eligible to apply for the position of Science Laboratory Technician.  Students will learn how to set up laboratory and field experiments for science courses, introduce laboratory experiments and projected outcomes/goals in science courses, and facilitate lab experiments with the help of a content teacher. The students will also explore science-related topics of their choosing in order to design and implement a research or experiment-based project.


*NEW* Teaching Assistant        Honors        1 Credit        Grade 12
Students who have been successful in an AP science course are eligible to apply for a position as an AP Teaching Assistant in the subject of their previous course.  Teaching Assistants for AP science classes will be required to utilize previously learned content and procedures. They will help to set up laboratory and field experiments for AP classes, introduce laboratory experiments and projected outcomes/goals to the AP classes, and facilitate lab experiments with the help of the AP science teacher. Teaching Assistants will also be encouraged to create new or rework old activities and labs for the related classes. The students will explore science-related topics of their choosing in order to design and implement a research or experiment-based project.

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