In order to graduate from ARHS, students are required to earn a minimum of eight (8) credits in laboratory science courses. We recommend that students take four years of science. Students entering the ninth grade are encouraged to make a four-year plan for their science course of studies in order to take advantage of the offerings that are best suited to their critical skill development, interests, and possible college and career goals. The core courses in the Science Department are Ecology & Environmental Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Students may choose between College Prep, Honors, or Advanced Placement courses based on their interests and skill level.
Note: Three years of Science 9two of which must be a lab science) are required for admission to the state colleges in Massachusetts and to the University of Massachusetts.
MATHEMATICS PREREQUISITES
Many science courses draw, in part, upon a student’s mathematics background. Please be aware of the mathematics prerequisites for science courses. Students who lack the specific prerequisite for a science course, but have comparable mathematics experience, must meet with the Department Head for review of materials and approval to enroll in that course.
Massachusetts has instituted a graduation requirement that all students pass a Science or Technology MCAS, starting with the class of 2010. Students will be tested in one of the following: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Engineering and Technology. Most ARHS students will take the Biology MCAS in 10th grade.* The following courses are designed to prepare students for this test:
•9th Grade: Ecology & Environmental Science, or Ecology/Honors & Environmental Science/Honors
followed by
• 10th Grade: Biology or Biology/Honors
*Note: Students who plan to take the 3-trimester AP Biology course in 11th grade will take Honors Chemistry in 10th grade. As a result, these students will take the Chemistry MCAS.
All ninth graders are required to take Ecology & Environmental Science or Ecology & Environmental Science/Honors. Students can take a college prep course one year and an honors course the next (or vice versa). Listed below are two possible sequences that allow students to take all four of our core courses (remember to consider mathematics prerequisites when planning a sequence):
STUDENT #1: (Standard Pathway)
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9th Grade |
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10th Grade (MCAS) |
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11th Grade |
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12th Grade |
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Ecology & Env. Sci. or Ecology & Env. Sci. /Honors
|
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Biology or Biology/Honors |
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ChemCom or Chemistry or Chemistry/Honors or Electives |
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Physics or Physics/Honors or Physics/AP or Electives |
STUDENT #2: (Alternate Pathway)
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9th Grade |
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10th Grade (MCAS) |
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11th Grade |
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12th Grade |
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Ecology & Env. Sci. or Ecology & Env. Sci. /Honors
|
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Chemistry/Honors* |
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Biology or Biology/Honors or Biology/AP (3-term)* or Electives |
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Physics/Honors or Physics/AP or Electives |
*Chemistry/Honors is open to tenth graders who plan to take AP biology (3-term) in eleventh grade.
We welcome your feedback to the Science Curriculum Guide. Please send comments to .