Jack Evans
Reporter
With the conclusion of online course registration for the 2013-2014 school year, next year’s juniors and seniors may have seen that the science department will be offering three new courses to them this fall. The new courses include forensics, human anatomy and physiology and AP environmental science. All of these courses will be electives and will be available to upperclassmen based on previous science courses taken.
Science department chair Christian Dockum explained what made the science department decide to add the new courses. “We have been in discussions ongoing for about three or four years,” he said. “We’ve been wanting to add a variety of courses because of teacher and student desire for some different choices at different levels. We conducted a survey last year out of 12 or 13 possibilities to gauge interest of the subjects and made choices based on which were the most popular.”
Forensics is a single semester course that introduces students to the world of criminal justice and asks them to apply scientific principles to solving “crimes”. This elective will require students to use math, English, history, processing skills, technology and analysis. Students will have the opportunity to learn about a range of topics including types of evidence, fingerprint analysis, handwriting analysis, toxicology, forensic anthropology and many more.
Junior Andrew White spoke about why he decided to put down forensics as an option for his schedule next year. “I want to do forensics because it seems like an interesting class and is different from the other science classes available for next year,” he said.
Human anatomy and physiology is a one or two semester course, based on whether the student wants to do it first semester, second semester or both semesters. This course is designed for students who desire a deeper understanding of the structure and function of the human body. Students will be able to learn how to recognize and understand anatomical and physiological terminology, and apply the concept of homeostasis to human physiological activity.
Junior Lindsay Shanley was excited to hear that human anatomy and physiology would be offered as course next year. “I’m really into science, and actually considered going to a boarding school next year to take a course about human anatomy and physiology, but now that they offer the course here, I get to stay here for my senior year with all my friends,” she said.
AP environmental science is a full year elective and for students to be eligible for the class they must have completed biology and chemistry, completed or be taking algebra II and have a recommendation from their current science teacher. The goal of the elective is to cover scientific principles, concepts and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world. Students will analyze environmental problems both natural and manmade, evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems and examine possible solutions for resolving them or preventing them.
According to Mr. Dockum, current science teachers will be teaching these three new classes. “Teacher interest was a big part in choosing the new courses because the classes chosen were selected on teacher specialties and their desire and academic background on the new courses,” he said.
If you have any questions regarding the new electives please contact either your guidance counselor or science teacher.
