Biology is the study of life, and life is all around us with millions of species inhabiting the Earth. Building off of molecular concepts learned in chemistry, we will explore the complexity of life on earth from the microscopic cellular level to the larger biosphere. We will examine evolution, cell biology, biochemistry, photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and genetics. Major themes include: the structure and function relationships in a wide variety of life forms and the influence of variation on evolutionary trends. Experiments, lectures, discussions, and research will be integrated so that students will be able to recognize the fundamental biological concepts in their immediate world as well as understand the methods and significance of current research in the field. This course will parallel the Biology 1A course in topics presented but not in depth of coverage and therefore Bio I is best suited for students who prefer structured review and reinforcement of concepts while learning. The class pacing is an introductory level course and provides scaffolding as problems ramp up in difficulty and moves at a pace which is somewhat slower than the demanding pace of level IA.

Full year course – 4 credits                                                                                                          

Prerequisite(s): Chemistry I or IA

Biology is the study of life, and life is all around us with millions of species inhabiting the Earth. Building off of molecular concepts learned in chemistry, we will explore the complexity of life on earth from the microscopic cellular level to the larger biosphere. We will examine evolution, cell biology, biochemistry, photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and genetics. Major themes include: the structure and function relationships in a wide variety of life forms and the influence of variation on evolutionary trends. Experiments, lectures, discussions, and presentations will be integrated so that students will be able to recognize the fundamental biological concepts in their immediate world as well as understand the methods and significance of current research in the field. This course moves faster than the Biology 1 course and explores topics in greater depth and therefore this course is best suited for students with strong critical thinking skills as well as the ability to take abstract principles and apply them to broader concepts in the course. Level IA courses require students to make connections using scientific facts and data driven applications. Because of the quick pace of this course, students will be asked to take more ownership of their learning. 

Full year course – 4 credits

Prerequisite(s): Chemistry I or IA and Permission of department.

Advanced Biology is a full-year, advanced course for students who wish to deepen their understanding of living systems beyond Biology I or Biology IA. The course briefly reviews core concepts such as cell structure and function before moving into more advanced topics, including biochemistry, organismal diversity, comparative anatomy, and physiology. Students engage in regular laboratory investigations and analysis of scientific data, strengthening their ability to think critically and apply biological concepts across levels of organization. Emphasis is placed on experimental design, interpretation of results, and clear scientific communication. The course culminates in an independent research or capstone project in which students investigate a biological question of interest, drawing on primary literature and presenting their findings. Advanced Biology prepares students for advanced study by emphasizing analytical thinking, experimental design, and the clear communication of scientific ideas and challenges students to engage deeply with biological questions, strengthening habits of inquiry, reflection, and evidence-based reasoning essential for advanced study.

Full year – 4 credits                                                                                                       

Prerequisite(s): Permission of department. 

This program is a 3-year course (Introductory, Intermediate and Advanced Years) in which students will be expected to read, analyze, and present primary literature in the form of peer-reviewed journal papers, perform experimentation as carried out in professional research laboratories, analyze cutting-edge scientific research, communicate their findings in the format expected by the scientific community and compete in science competitions such as JSHS and Terra. Students will spend the first year of the program honing their scientific understanding of their chosen field, as well as their scientific writing and presentation skills. They will also look for and secure a lab mentor for the following two years by the end of their first year in the course. Then, students will spend two years and two summers working in their respective lab. Each student will be required to spend 240 hours per school year in their lab and 160 hours per summer in their lab. If they desire, these requirements will allow students to receive up to 10 college credits from SUNY Albany for their work in this class. The essential prerequisites of this program are motivation, organization, and dedication. This course will develop and hone students' commitment to long term scientific research while fostering creativity, perseverance and resilience as they navigate the ebbs and flows of research design and thinking.

Full year – 4 credits                                                                                                       

Prerequisite(s): Application required. Permission of department. 

Chemistry is the study of the composition of matter and the changes that matter endures. This course introduces basic chemistry with an emphasis on the applications of chemical concepts to the “real world.” Students will encounter traditional chemical concepts and laboratory skills through student-centered activities and labs. While the course is conceptual in nature, there is a mathematical component. This course will best serve students who are growing in their  math skills and require periodic review of math concepts that connect to the discipline to which they are learning. The class pacing is an introductory level course and provides scaffolding as problems ramp up in difficulty and moves at a pace which is somewhat slower than the demanding pace of level IA. Major topics include: metrics, states of matter, mixtures, atomic structure, chemical periodicity, chemical bonding, solubility, acids and bases, stoichiometry, and gas laws.

Full year course – 4 credits    

Prerequisite: Physics I

This course introduces basic chemistry with an emphasis on the atomic and molecular theories. The focus of this course will be on understanding what matter is and how it behaves. Students will participate in inquiry-based laboratory activities that will require them to have strong analytical skills and the ability to comprehend abstract concepts. This course is best suited for students who find they have strong math skills and who find they have a mastery of concepts at a faster pace. Level IA courses require students to make connections using scientific facts and data driven applications. Because of the quick pace of this course, students will be asked to take more ownership of their learning. 

Full year course – 4 credits                                                                                                      

Prerequisite(s): Physics I and Permission of department.

This advanced course will build on the foundational concepts of  introductory chemistry courses and focuses on advanced chemical concepts, such as kinetics, thermodynamics, electrochemistry and organic chemistry. Students will learn analytical lab techniques and hone their critical-thinking and problem solving skills through inquiry-guided labs and project based learning. Topics will include Stoichiometry, Atomic Structure & Spectroscopy, Chemical Kinetics, Acid-Base Equilibria, Chemical Thermodynamics, Electrochemistry and Organic Chemistry. Students will design and perform experiments that allow them to identify unknown substances, determine the concentration of food dye in sports beverages, and calculate the percent composition of synthetic pain relievers to name a few. Not only will students collect and plot data from these experiments, but they will analyze it and perform calculations in order to draw conclusions. This course requires students to have a strong foundation in algebra. Students will also explore how the concepts we are studying relate to real world issues, such as energy, medicine and environmental chemistry by reading contemporary articles and publications.

Full year course – 4 credits 

Prerequisite: Permission of department. 

Physics employs an inquiry based, student centered approach to understanding the physical world and prepares students for learning science in Friends Seminary’s Upper School. Students investigate the physical world utilizing an experiential approach in which data are collected and analyzed to reveal fundamental physical laws. With energy storage and transfer as a recurring theme, the emphasis in this course is on developing a deep, conceptual understanding of the core skills needed to do classical mechanics. Students develop important scientific skills including experimental design, data collection and interpretation, and drawing logical conclusions. In addition, an emphasis is placed on communicating one’s understanding through a variety of representations: verbal, diagrammatic, graphical and mathematical. Students are encouraged to collaborate, make mistakes together and grow as learners. 

Full year course – 4 credits