Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in Geometry or a higher-level mathematics course. Any student in the course that desires to take the AP Exam in May wIll receive extra material and support.

Advanced Computer Science Principles (ACSP) offers a multidisciplinary approach to teaching the underlying principles of computation. The course will introduce students to the creative aspects of programming, abstractions, algorithms, large data sets, the Internet, cybersecurity concerns, and computing impacts. ACSP also gives students the opportunity to use current technologies to create computational artifacts for both self-expression and problem-solving. Together, these aspects of the course make up a rigorous and rich curriculum that aims to broaden participation in computer science. Students will complete two performance tasks during the course.

Prerequisites: Biology and Chemistry; concurrent enrollment in Algebra 2 or higher and a recommendation from the Science Department. 

Any student in the course that desires to take the AP Exam in May wIll receive extra material and support.

The goal of the Advanced Environmental Science course is to 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. Environmental science is interdisciplinary, embracing a wide variety of topics from different areas of study. Major themes include science as a process, our planet as an interconnected living system, the human population and its influence on the Earth’s biodiversity, societal dependence on non-renewable energy sources and the search for alternatives, and managing and sustaining common resources. Students will spend a considerable amount of time doing fieldwork around Vermont and the Academy’s greater campus.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of Honors Physics, Concurrent enrollment in Calculus or higher, and/or science department recommendation. 

The Advanced Physics course is designed around the AP Physics C-level course curriculum. This course will include a review of simple Harmonic Motion and the basic concepts of Wave Mechanics, an introduction to the concept of the electron and its resulting electrostatic and electromagnetic field interactions. Topics of capacitance, resistivity and resistance, voltage and current, and induction as they apply to electric circuitry will be covered. Another topic investigated will be the electromagnetic nature of the atom and the origination of natural and induced magnetic fields. Topics in modern physics such as Relativity, Quantum theory, The Atomic Nucleus and Radioactivity, Atomic Fission and Fusion and Nuclear Energy, Particles and Waves, and topics in Astrophysics, will be discussed. This course combines both algebraic and calculus techniques as they apply to the study of these concepts. Students will have the option of taking the AP Physics C exam upon completing the course but will need to commit to a significant amount of independent learning to be successful.

Prerequisites: Completion of Cellular Biology, Honors Chemistry, and/or recommendation of the science department 

The course will cover units including Bio-ethics, biochemistry, cells, genetics, DNA technology, and organ systems. Class time will be utilized with a combination of discussions, lectures, group and individual work. The combination of these methods is designed to encourage observation, critical thinking, attention to detail and process, and understanding of the scientific method. Students will be expected to cultivate and maintain a lab book which includes formatted notes and a lab report format piece of technical writing to accompany each lab. Evaluation is based on participation and attendance, homework, tests and quizzes, lab performance and reports, projects, and a final exam. Students will have the option of taking the AP Biology exam upon completing the course but will need to commit to a significant amount of independent learning to be successful.

No prerequisites

Astronomy is a trimester lab elective that introduces students to the composition and structure of the universe.  Students will learn about the development of astronomy from its roots in the ancient Middle East to the present.  Students may make their own astronomical instruments and will use telescopes to view celestial objects.  Students will consider our place in the solar system, galaxy, and universe.  Evaluation is based on participation and attendance, homework, tests, and quizzes, lab performance and reports, and projects.

Prerequisites: Completion of Chemistry, concurrent enrollment in Algebra 2.

Cellular Biology is a lab course designed to introduce students to basic concepts of scientific study, research, and experimentation, as well as provide a survey of major themes in biology. This course addresses the major themes of biology through the lens of nutrition, medicine, health, and fitness. The course will cover the units of chemistry, biochemistry, cells, genetics, evolution, and the human body systems. Class time will be utilized with a combination of discussions, lectures, group, and individual work. The course will meet for one lab block approximately once per week, providing the opportunity for supplementary lab and field experimentation. The combination of these methods is designed to encourage observation, critical thinking, attention to detail, and understanding of the scientific method. Evaluation is based on participation and attendance, homework, tests and quizzes, lab performance, and reports.

Prerequisites: Completion of Conceptual Physics or higher; concurrent enrollment in Geometry or higher.

Chemistry is a laboratory science course in which students investigate the composition of matter and the physical and chemical changes it undergoes. Students use science process skills to study the fundamental structure of atoms, the way atoms combine to form compounds, and the interactions between matter and energy. Students explore chemistry concepts through an inquiry-based approach. This course offers a solid understanding of the fundamentals concepts of chemistry. Students in this inquiry-based class will practice science process skills such as experimental design, data collection, and scientific communication as they investigate the world at the atomic scale.

Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in Algebra 1 or Geometry.

Science is a way of knowing and understanding the universe that we live in. A conceptual understanding of physics provides the foundation for the study of chemistry and biology through learning about the interactions of matter and energy. Students in this inquiry-based class will learn science process skills such as experimental design, data collection, and scientific communication as they investigate the world on a human scale and at an atomic scale. Students will be evaluated using homework assignments, laboratory investigation procedure and technique, laboratory reports, and a complement of papers, quizzes, tests, participation, and final assessment.

Prerequisites: Completion of Chemistry and Algebra 1 or higher.

Field Biology is a full year lab course that will provide students with an understanding of the diversity of life on Earth and the interactions that occur between those living organisms. Much of our work will be tied to New England flora and fauna, utilizing the different ecosystems available to us on the Vermont Academy campus as our lab. Students will be exposed to learning in the four major areas of biology: cellular respiration, plant form and function, animal form and function, and the evolution of biological diversity.

No prerequisites

Geology is a trimester lab elective that will immerse the students in a study of the local land and its natural history. Students will begin the trimester when the Earth was a hot, liquid sphere of rock and metal, and move through time until the present where we will explore the local bedrock of the area. By the end of the course, students will be able to explain what the geology of Vermont is, and how it came about. Evaluation is based on participation and attendance, homework, tests, quizzes, lab performance and reports, and a trimester project.

Prerequisites: Completion of Conceptual Physics or higher; concurrent enrollment in Algebra 2 or higher.

Chemistry is the study of matter: the “stuff” that makes up the world in which we live.

Students in Honors Chemistry will explore some big ideas in chemistry: atoms and elements; structure and properties of matter; and chemical reactions at a level that prepares students for AP Chemistry and college general chemistry. Chemical concepts are introduced in the lab and explored in depth during lectures, discussions, and problem-solving sessions. Students learn how to maintain a proper laboratory notebook as evidence of their investigations and communicate their findings in a variety of formats. Honors Chemistry includes some of the big ideas from AP Chemistry, most notably atomic structure, and periodicity. 

Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in Pre-Calculus or higher.

Honors Physics is a full-year laboratory science focused on fundamental topics from mechanics. The program covers Linear Mechanics to include: fundamental concepts of one and two-dimensional linear motion, the Newtonian Laws of Motion, and Gravitation. Then the student progresses to rotational mechanics, including fundamental topics of rotational mechanics, work, mechanical energy and momentum, simple harmonic motion, wave mechanics, and sound. Also, during the year, each student will research a topic of their choice, write a major paper concerning their research, and make a presentation of their findings to their peers during the final weeks of classes in May. It is recommended that the student demonstrates to the class an example of an experiment that supports the topic if at all possible.

Prerequisites: Completion of Cellular Biology (is preferred) and Chemistry; concurrent enrollment in Algebra 2 or higher.

Kinesiology is the scientific study of human movement. This full-year course is designed as an introduction to this area of study covering many of the fundamental concepts of anatomical structure and function and physiology that determine how we move and maintain stability during stationary and moving activities. The course is a discussion/laboratory class that leads the student to understand and measure the healthy range of movement of some of the body segments during normal and sport-related activity. Additionally, there will be discussions and activities about the recognition of the mechanics of injuries, how injuries impact the musculoskeletal system, prevention strategies, and interventions that improve conditions. Basic anatomy and muscle physiology, bone growth and maturity, and nutrition are included as topics of discussion as well.

Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in Algebra 2 or higher.

This introductory physics course is equivalent to conceptual physics but uses more mathematical reasoning and mathematical modeling. Physics is a full-year laboratory science focused on fundamental topics from mechanics. The program covers Linear Mechanics including fundamental concepts of one and two-dimensional linear motion, the Newtonian Laws of Motion, and Gravitation. Then the student progresses to rotational mechanics, including fundamental topics of rotational mechanics, work, mechanical energy and momentum. Also, during the year, each student will research a topic of their choice, write a major paper concerning their research, and make a presentation of their findings to their peers during the final weeks of classes in May. It is recommended that the student demonstrates to the class an example of an experiment that supports the topic if at all possible

Prerequisites: Completion of Conceptual Physics; concurrent enrollment in Algebra 2 or higher.

This year-long engineering course covers a wide range of entry-level electrical, mechanical, software design topics. The student will work with an experienced project leader and learn how to function as part of a team working together with common goals and timelines. Topics may include electrical and hardware design, Arduino programming software, the basics of troubleshooting hardware and software malfunctions. The student will maintain an engineering design notebook, create a simple proof of principle experiments, collect, examine, and use electronic data to find patterns and quantify results. In addition, the student will plan long-term projects, maintain a schedule, create and write technical documents based on the information gathered. In this way, the students are discovering the physics of machines and engineering design using a hands-on STEM approach.

Prerequisites: Completion of Robotics Design and Engineering; concurrent enrollment in Algebra 2 or higher, or by recommendation of the department.

This year-long engineering course covers all aspects of robotics in greater detail and the student will choose an area of focus from:

· Control Systems

· Electrical

· Mechanical

· Programming

All students will be in one class and will become the project leaders for their area of design on the First Tech Challenge (FTC) team. They will also support each other as necessary, modeling the behavior and function of a real engineering job. The student will maintain an engineering design notebook, create a simple proof of principle experiments, collect, examine, and use electronic data. In addition, the student will plan long-term projects, maintain a schedule, create and write technical documents based on the information gathered. In this way, the students are discovering physics and engineering design using a hands-on STEM approach.

Prerequisites: Completion of Biology and Geometry.

Sustainability is a fall trimester course designed to help students better understand how human communities can thrive without diminishing the beauty and integrity of the natural world. We explore food systems by taking field trips to local farms, working with Saxtons River Elementary School students in the community garden, and learning to cook and preserve fresh, locally grown food. We then shift our focus to energy by investigating the history of fossil fuel use and its social and environmental consequences. We visit homes in the area that have been designed with efficiency and renewable energy in mind and build our own solar, wind and hydroelectric models in order to better understand the potential for these technologies. Students are introduced to the principles of biomimicry and “cradle to grave” materials analysis. We finish the trimester by developing projects to help make Vermont Academy a more sustainable campus.