SCIENCE

School Year: 2024-2025  /  Number of Courses: 22

Department Overview

“There is no doubt that science—and, therefore, science education—is central to the lives of all Americans. Never before has our world been so complex and science knowledge so critical to making sense of it all. When comprehending current events, choosing and using technology, or making informed decisions about one’s healthcare, science understanding is key. Science is also at the heart of the United States’ ability to continue to innovate, lead, and create the jobs of the future. All students—whether they become technicians in a hospital, workers in a high tech manufacturing facility, or Ph.D. researchers—must have a solid K–12 science education.” (Next Generation Science Standards, 2013)

The science curriculum in AUHSD is aligned to the State adopted Science Content and Performance Standards as detailed in the Next Generation Science Standards. The science curriculum is designed to provide the basic foundational knowledge and skills students will need to become scientifically literate adults, while at the same time providing rigorous coursework that will prepare students for both college and career. In their science classes students will receive instruction in the disciplinary content of science as well as develop the practices and dispositions that underlie science and engineering thought and application.

 


ND751 MARINE BIOLOGY
7th - 8th
5.0 semester credits
Recommendation: None.


Marine Biology is designed to enhance the student’s knowledge about the relationship between organisms and the ocean environment in southern California. Students will understand the basic makeup of the ocean biome and biological systems of the pacific ocean.



ND751Q MARINE BIOLOGY
7th - 8th
2.5 quarter credits
Recommendation: None.


Marine Biology is designed to enhance the student’s knowledge about the relationship between organisms and the ocean environment in southern California. Students will understand the basic makeup of the ocean biome and biological systems of the pacific ocean.



SC700F INTEGRATED SCIENCE 7
7th
5.0 semester credits
Replaces Science 7 (5209) as of the 2018-19 school year.


Seventh Grade Integrated Science is a year-long course in alignment with the Next Generation Science Standards and the California Science Framework. The overarching guiding concept for the year is, "natural processes and human activities cause energy to flow and mater to cycle through Earth’s systems." Students explore the various systems that comprise and interact in Earth’s environment through an integration of the various science disciplines: Earth (ESS), Life (LS), and Physical Sciences (PS-chemistry and physics), along with Engineering, Technology, and Science Applications (ETS). Units of study include engineering, principles of chemistry, chemical processes (photosynthesis and cellular respiration), ecological interactions, plate tectonics and geoscience processes, and human impact on the environment. In each of these units, students will apply the Environmental Principles and Concepts (EP&C) by considering the deep relationship of humans and their natural world. The final culminating unit of the year focuses upon sustainability. Students will synthesize the learning that has occurred over the year to research, develop, and engineer solutions to environmental problems. Throughout the course students make sense of scientific phenomena using related science facts, concepts, practices, and their prior knowledge and experiences. As students gain new information and skills they apply it to their understanding of the phenomena. In doing so, students are actively learning and working like scientists and engineers by seeking solutions, asking questions, creating models, constructing explanations, providing evidence, making connections, and revising their thinking along the process.



SC700S INTEGRATED SCIENCE 7
7th
5.0 semester credits
Replaces Science 7 (5209) as of the 2018-19 school year.


Seventh Grade Integrated Science is a year-long course in alignment with the Next Generation Science Standards and the California Science Framework. The overarching guiding concept for the year is, "natural processes and human activities cause energy to flow and mater to cycle through Earth’s systems." Students explore the various systems that comprise and interact in Earth’s environment through an integration of the various science disciplines: Earth (ESS), Life (LS), and Physical Sciences (PS-chemistry and physics), along with Engineering, Technology, and Science Applications (ETS). Units of study include engineering, principles of chemistry, chemical processes (photosynthesis and cellular respiration), ecological interactions, plate tectonics and geoscience processes, and human impact on the environment. In each of these units, students will apply the Environmental Principles and Concepts (EP&C) by considering the deep relationship of humans and their natural world. The final culminating unit of the year focuses upon sustainability. Students will synthesize the learning that has occurred over the year to research, develop, and engineer solutions to environmental problems. Throughout the course students make sense of scientific phenomena using related science facts, concepts, practices, and their prior knowledge and experiences. As students gain new information and skills they apply it to their understanding of the phenomena. In doing so, students are actively learning and working like scientists and engineers by seeking solutions, asking questions, creating models, constructing explanations, providing evidence, making connections, and revising their thinking along the process.



SC701F INTEGRATED SCIENCE 7 HONORS
7th
5.0 semester credits
Replaces Science 7 HP (5210) as of the 2018-19 school year.






SC701S INTEGRATED SCIENCE 7 HONORS
7th
5.0 semester credits
Replaces Science 7 HP (5210) as of the 2018-19 school year.






SC702F INTEGRATED SCIENCE 7 HONORS-SP
7th
5.0 semester credits
Enrollment in the Dual Language Academy






SC702S INTEGRATED SCIENCE 7 HONORS-SP
7th
5.0 semester credits
Enrollment in the Dual Language Academy






SC710 MARINE BIOLOGY
7th - 8th
5.0 semester credits
Recommendation: None.






SC710Q MARINE BIOLOGY
7th - 8th
2.5 quarter credits
Recommendation: None.






SC711 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
7th - 8th
5.0 semester credits
Recommendation: None.






SC711Q ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
7th - 8th
2.5 quarter credits
Recommendation: None.






SC712 FOOD SCIENCE
7th - 8th
5.0 semester credits
Recommendation: None.






SC712Q FOOD SCIENCE
7th - 8th
2.5 quarter credits
Recommendation: None.






SC713Q FORENSIC SCIENCE
7th - 8th
2.5 quarter credits
Recommendation: None.






SC714Q URBAN ORNITHOLOGY
7th - 8th
2.5 quarter credits
Recommendation: None.






SC800F INTEGRATED SCIENCE 8
8th
5.0 semester credits
None


Eighth Grade Integrated Science is a year-long course in alignment with the Next Generation Science Standards and the California Science Framework. The overarching guiding concept for the year is, "the processes that change Earth’s systems at different spatial scales today also caused changes in the past." Earth and Space Science content (ESS) provides the conceptual connections by separately linking to Physical Sciences (PS-chemistry and physics) through exploration of the solar system, orbital motions, and asteroid collisions; and with Life Science (LS) throughout the unit of evolution with the geologic time scale via fossils and rock strata, as well as, human impact on biodiversity. Students will apply the Environmental Principles and Concepts (EP&C) by considering the deep relationship of humans and the systems of their natural world. The final culminating unit of the year focuses upon human solutions regarding sustainability of biodiversity and serves as a capstone to the middle school years, sixth through eighth. Throughout the course, students make sense of scientific phenomena using related science facts, concepts, practices, and their prior knowledge and experiences. As students gain new information and skills they apply it to their understanding of the phenomena. In doing so, students are actively learning and working like scientists and engineers by seeking solutions, asking questions, creating models, constructing explanations, providing evidence, making connections, and revising their thinking along the process.



SC800S INTEGRATED SCIENCE 8
8th
5.0 semester credits
None


Eighth Grade Integrated Science is a year-long course in alignment with the Next Generation Science Standards and the California Science Framework. The overarching guiding concept for the year is, "the processes that change Earth’s systems at different spatial scales today also caused changes in the past." Earth and Space Science content (ESS) provides the conceptual connections by separately linking to Physical Sciences (PS-chemistry and physics) through exploration of the solar system, orbital motions, and asteroid collisions; and with Life Science (LS) throughout the unit of evolution with the geologic time scale via fossils and rock strata, as well as, human impact on biodiversity. Students will apply the Environmental Principles and Concepts (EP&C) by considering the deep relationship of humans and the systems of their natural world. The final culminating unit of the year focuses upon human solutions regarding sustainability of biodiversity and serves as a capstone to the middle school years, sixth through eighth. Throughout the course, students make sense of scientific phenomena using related science facts, concepts, practices, and their prior knowledge and experiences. As students gain new information and skills they apply it to their understanding of the phenomena. In doing so, students are actively learning and working like scientists and engineers by seeking solutions, asking questions, creating models, constructing explanations, providing evidence, making connections, and revising their thinking along the process.



SC801F INTEGRATED SCIENCE 8 HONORS
8th
5.0 semester credits
None






SC801S INTEGRATED SCIENCE 8 HONORS
8th
5.0 semester credits
None






SC802F INTEGRATED SCIENCE 8 HONORS-SP
8th
5.0 semester credits
Enrollment in the Dual Language Academy.






SC802S INTEGRATED SCIENCE 8 HONORS-SP
8th
5.0 semester credits
Enrollment in the Dual Language Academy.