Bloomfield High School offers a full range of science classes designed to meet the needs of varied interests and abilities. Students must successfully complete three credits from the following list of classes in order to graduate from Bloomfield High School (one of those credits must be a lab science-biology, chemistry, geology, anatomy & physiology, or physics. The class of 2013 and later must pass two lab sciences to graduate).
Four-year college bound students are encouraged to enroll in physical science (9), biology (10), chemistry (11), and physics (12). Students will find it helpful to take as many additional science courses as possible.
Your science teachers and your counselor can help you assess your abilities and career plans to help you make your choices. Placement may be based on achievement test scores, career interests, and teacher recommendation.
PHYSICAL SCIENCE -- 1703
Duration: All Year Credit: 1
Required: Grade 9
Prerequisites: Passed 8th grade science
Content: This course will combine several branches of science into a cohesive study. The science branches to be studied will be physical, chemistry, ecology, earth, and space. General scientific concepts will be explored, as will the principles underlying the scientific method and the techniques of experimentation.
HONORS PHYSICAL SCIENCE -- 1703P (Honors credit)
Duration: All year Credit: 1
Elective: Grade 9
Prerequisite: Recommendation of 8th grade teacher
Content: In addition to the content listed above in Physical Science the honors Physical Science students will be emphasizing critical thinking skills and application. This class prepares the student for the high school AP Science classes that offer the opportunity for earning college as well as high school credit.Students should realize this course is very academically challenging.
BIOLOGY -- 1711
Duration: All Year Credit: 1 credit
Required: Grade 10
Content: This course is designed for the college preparatory course for the student who has a strong reading, writing and study skills. Topics include cell structure and function, photosynthesis and respiration, nucleic acids and protein synthesis, genetics, and a survey of the plant and animal kingdoms. Biological concepts will be reinforced with conventional and computer driven lab activities.
BIOLOGY-SPECIAL TOPICS -1714 (HONORS)
Duration: All Year Credit: 1 credit
Elective: Grades 11 & 12 (Science credit)
Prerequisite: 'C' or better in Sophomore Biology
Content: This course is offered to students who have mastered the concepts covered in Sophomore Biology. This course examines biological systems in more detail, concentrating on a particular subtopic (such as botany, zoology, microbiology, genetics, and so on). Four main topics will be covered throughout the year. This is considered an advancedcourse.
HONORS BIOLOGY - 1715 (Honors Credit)
Duration: All Year Credit: 1 credit
Elective: Grade 10
Prerequisite: "B" in 9th grade science and teacher recommendation
Content: Biology is the study of life. This course is more advanced than the general biology course that sophomores are required to take. It is intended to be a rigorous course for those students who want more from their educational experience and is intended to acquaint the students with different types of living things and the processes that make them unique inpiduals. As a consequence, the student will be held to a higher level of achievement and proficiency of the topics taught in this course. Topics include the following: cell structure and function, photosynthesis and respiration, nucleic acids and protein synthesis, genetics, and a survey of the plant and animal kingdoms. Biological concepts will be reinforced with conventional and computer driven lab activities. Students should realize this course is very academically challenging.
CHEMISTRY -- 1721
Duration: All Year Credit: l credit
Elective: Grades 11 or 12
Prerequisite: Prerequisite-Algebra I, Biology
Content: This course is a general study of chemistry, involving the composition, properties, and reactions of substances. Topics include atomic structure, behaviors of solids, liquids, gases, chemical formulas and equations, acid/base reactions and oxidation/reduction reactions. Concepts will be reinforced with laboratory investigations.
HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY - 1713 (HONORS CREDIT)
Duration: All Year Credit: 1 credit at BHS
Elective: Grade 12 only
Prerequisites: Must have passed either Chemistry or Biology-special topics (1714) class with a "C" or better.
Topics include: the organization of cells and tissues and their metabolic and homeostatic processes and regulation and the physical and chemical operation of organs and systems of the human body, including the integumentary, skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems.
Topics also include: the physical and chemical operation of the organs and systems of the human body, including endocrine, cardiovascular, lymphatic, immune, respiratory, digestive, urinary and reproductive. Basic concepts of nutrition, metabolism, energy, fluid and electrolyte balance, heredity, pregnancy and human development are also included. Students should realize this course is very academically challenging.
CHEMISTRY ADVANCED STUDIES--1723HONORS (CHEM 110 at San Juan College)
Duration: All Year
Credit: l credit at BHS
Elective: Grade 11 or 12
Prerequisite: Biology, Algebra 1 & Geometry
Content: This is an introductory survey of general chemistry including: scientific and dimensional analysis, interactions of heat, light, and electric fields with matter, atomic and molecular structure, reaction dynamics, acid-base systems, and electrochemistry. (College credit available.) Students should realize this course is very academically challenging. The grade earned in this course will also be on your college transcript, affecting your college GPA.
PHYSICS - ADVANCED STUDIES- 1733 (Honors credit)
Duration: All year Credit: 1 credit
Elective: Grade 12 only
Prerequisite: Completion of Algebra 2 with "C" or better
Materials: Non-programmable calculator
Content: High school physics involves the study of forces and the laws of nature that affect matter. Topics investigated include motion, momentum, work, energy, heat, sound, light, magnetism, and electricity. The course focus is on problem solving and the practical application of physics to industry and our everyday lives. This includes a study of mathematical relationships to the world around us, as well as laboratory work to support the relationships studied (both conventional and technology based labs are utilized). Students should realize this course is very academically challenging.
GEOLOGY - 1702
Duration : All year Credit: 1.0
Elective: Grades 10, 11, 12
Prerequisite: None
Content: Course provides an in-depth study of the forces that formed and continue to affect the earth's surface. Semester 1: The earth in space, mapping, earth chemistry, rocks & minerals, resources and energy, stars & galaxies, the solar system. Semester 2: Plate tectonics, crust formation, earthquakes, volcanoes, weathering & erosion, water, weather, and climate. (Counts as extrascience credit for 10th graders)
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE -1751
Duration: All year 1.0 credit
Elective: grade 9-12 No prerequisites
This course will provide students with the scientific principles, concepts and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems both natural and human-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems and to examine alternative solutions for resolving and or preventing them. The course will examine the mutual relationships between organisms and their environment. In studying the interrelationships among plants, animals and humans, the following subjects may be covered: photosynthesis, recycling, and regeneration, ecosystems, population and growth studies, pollution and conservation of natural resources. Counts as an extra science credit for grades 9-10.
SCIENCE LAB TECHNICIAN -- 1794
Duration: All Year Credit: 1 credit
Elective: Science grade 11-12 (Does not count as science credit, but as an elective credit.)
Prerequisite: Completed chemistry or physics. Computer literate. Must have prior teacher approval.
Content: Student will be responsible for pre and post lab activities, mixing chemicals, assisting the instructor during labs, demonstrate proper lab technique and perform lab demonstrations.
ANIMAL SCIENCE-0161 see Agriculture