Olivia Carofano, Features Editor
@OCarofano32144
This year, the high school added a new zoology course to its science electives, and it’s already generating buzz among students. Taught by Janel Willmott, the class is about studying vertebrate animals and their evolution, giving students a chance to dive into animal biology on a more detailed level.
“In this course, we are exploring how vertebrate animals evolved over time,” Ms. Willmott said. “The main purpose is to learn about the five main groups of vertebrates and the characteristics and behaviors each group exhibits.” Throughout the semester, students will focus on fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, discussing how they developed and the challenges they face today.
The course was designed with students in mind, especially those who are passionate about animals or are thinking about careers in conservation, veterinary medicine, or other related fields. “Biology classes focus more on the molecular level,” Ms. Willmott explained. “I thought it would be interesting for students to study animals at the organism level.”
Michael LeDuc, Head of the Science Department, believes this course is a great opportunity for hands-on learning. “The objective is to provide students with the opportunity to learn more about anatomy and physiology, evolution, and more broadly, animal biology,” Mr. LeDuc said, “It’s ideal for students who love animals and are potentially interested in careers in the medical or veterinary fields.”
The class builds off concepts learned in biology, especially when it comes to evolution and anatomy. “We discuss processes like evolution that students learned in biology and apply it to how vertebrate animals developed over time,” Ms. Willmott explained. The class even has some crossover with marine science, as students will explore fish adaptations and behaviors.
In terms of student perspective, Senior Ava Pepe finds this course appealing and something that she looks forward to throughout the school day. “Currently we have been learning about the evolution of mammals, amphibians, reptiles which is not only something that I find interesting but something that is just genuinely fun to learn about,” she said.
One of the key features of the zoology class is the focus on labs and hands-on activities. Students will be performing dissections for each group of animals they study, and they even go to Waveny Park to observe animal behavior. “We’ll do labs where we engineer designs of animal body parts,” Ms. Willmott said.
So far, there’s only one section of the course being offered, but Ms. Willmott hopes it grows and becomes more popular within the student body. “The current students seem to be enjoying the class so far,” she said.
Mr. LeDuc added that he expects the course to become more popular as students learn about it. “The course is off to a great start,” he said “Usually, it takes a few semesters for a course to gain attention and enrollment, but this one is already pretty popular.”
Whether students are interested in animals, biology, or just want a new kind of science experience, the new zoology class offers a fun and engaging way to learn. With hands-on labs, dissections and trips to study animals in the wild, this course provides students a unique and exciting opportunity at the high school.
