Sciences

The goal of The Sharon Academy’s Science Department is to graduate students who have the confidence, curiosity, and tools necessary to answer questions relating to science in their everyday lives. All of the science classes strive to help all students achieve Scientific Literacy. Scientific Literacy includes a basic understanding of what science is (vs. pseudoscience), scientific vocabulary, scientific methods (observations, experimentation, inquiry, evidence analysis and making conclusions, logical reasoning/problem-solving), use of tools and models, math/science connections, skepticism, ethics and scientific history & current events.

The science curriculum is split into seven classes designed to give students in-depth knowledge of the following topics: biology, physics, chemistry, and energy, ecology and the environment. With a focus on hands-on, problem-solving based learning, the main concept driving all science courses at The Sharon Academy is relevance.

Biology I

This biology class offers a substantial introduction to many different areas of biology. Students study how biological systems influence humans and the world in which they live. Specific topics studied in detail during the year include: the kingdoms of life, evolution, ecology, human anatomy and physiology, cells, DNA & genetics. Upon the successful completion of the course, students will have a strong foundation in basic scientific vocabulary and concepts, and will possess skills including: how to use the scientific method to answer a question, how to use a compound microscope, and how to collect, analyze, present, and apply scientific knowledge.

Modern Biology (Every other year)

Biology I is a pre-requisite for Modern Biology class, unless exempted through consultation with the instructor. In the first semester of Modern Biology, students will review DNA structure and function and basic genetics and will explore what scientists have learned beyond basic genetics and how they have attempted to work with and actively manipulate genetic systems.

An introduction to genetic engineering tools and processes such as electrophoresis and genetic forensic analysis will be a part of the laboratory experience in this class.

The ethical issues surrounding current genetic procedures will also be discussed in some detail, as the results of genetic engineering are becoming more and more entwined with modern developments in everything from agriculture to human health.

The second semester of Modern Biology will focus on the study of environmental science, taking a global approach and looking at the big picture of what is happening on our planet and how our choices and actions as human beings are changing the environment around us. Students will look at pollution, climate change, the destruction of rainforests, endangered and invasive species, and many other environmental issues. Students will engage with these issues through a series of projects, labs, and debates throughout the term. Students will also connect back to the world of genetic engineering to see how it is revolutionizing both our understanding of the world and our place in it, as well as providing potential solutions (and also ethical dilemmas) to some of our greatest crises.

Physics I

The primary objective of Physics I is for students to develop a strong foundation in skills that are essential for the physical sciences. These skills include technical communication, critical thinking, experimentation, and logical argumentation. The course content is structured as a historical progression that traces the development of physics from antiquity through the work of Galileo Galilei so that, in addition to skills and content knowledge of basic physics, students will also learn about history, mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, and even some literature and art. A rough schedule of some topics covered each quarter is provided below.

Quarter 1: The first part of the course revolves around the time period of Classical and Hellenistic Greece with content focusing largely on philosophical questions from which science emerged such as, “What is knowledge and how do we attain it?” The end of the quarter will mark a transition to practicing laboratory skills as we discuss some of the discoveries made during Hellenistic Greece.

Quarter 2: This quarter continues with the Hellenistic era in terms of science content, but students will spend almost the entire quarter developing skills in experimentation and measurement.

Quarter 3: During the third quarter we will move from late antiquity through the middle ages and up to the Renaissance. The content willlargely focus on the advancements in astronomy made during this period starting with ancient models of the cosmos and moving up through Kepler’s laws of planetary motion.

Quarter 4: Our final quarter turns back to terrestrial phenomena with our main character of study being Galileo Galilei. Students will learn how Galileo analyzed free fall and projectile motion in addition to learning some more data analysis techniques. The end of the year will culminate with a project involving projectile motion.

Physics II

Physics II picks up where Physics I left off and also follows a historical progression. Students who elect this course will solidify the skills they developed in Physics I and also build a broader content knowledge of physics. Topics have historically been variable, but are guaranteed to at least include geometric optics, air pressure, collisions and momentum, Newton’s laws of motion, universal gravitation, basic calculus, Newton’s second law as a differential equation, and basic numerical analysis.

Chemistry I

This class covers an introduction to the study of matter at the sub atomic level and the physical and chemical properties of elements and compounds. Specific topics may include: the atom, electromagnetic radiation, elements, compounds, quantum mechanics and the electron, periodic table of the elements, ionic/covalent bonding, chemical reactions, moles, molarity, stoichiometry, states of matter, percent error/mass/composition, acids/bases, biochemistry and gases. A chemistry student at The Sharon Academy finishes the year with the following skills: how to measure in metric, how to convert between metric units, how to take precise measurements using different instruments, how to write data using scientific notation and significant digits, and how to write a thorough laboratory report. A chemistry student will be able to explain common phenomena such as combustion and oxidation.

Chemistry II

An understanding of basic chemistry is required for this class and Chemistry is a recommended prerequisite. This class continues studies in the atoms and molecules that make up our universe. Topics will include: States of Matter, Gases, Solutions, Energy and Chemical Change, Reaction Rates, Chemical Equilibrium and Acids and Bases. The class may also cover Electrochemistry, Hydrocarbons and Nuclear Chemistry. This class will be taught in a traditional format and is intended for students who plan to study STEM in college.

Environmental Science – Ecology Focus
(Every other year)

This class will study the relationships between living organisms and their natural environments. This is a field-based class, where students will use the scientific method to investigate the relationships between species and their habitat. The class will use the 80 acres adjacent to the school for the majority of their investigations, but will also study other Vermont ecosystems. Students will work on various projects and field based investigations that will increase their understanding of the natural world. Classes will focus on the following areas: water quality testing, forest benchmark assessment, salamander studies, species identification and inventory, succession, winter ecology, forest journal, soil studies, forest carbon assessment, invasive species, a geomorphic assessment of White Brook. Assignments will largely be laboratory reports, due every three to four weeks. Woodland Ecology will meet outside for large parts of this class. Students who take this class must be prepared to spend class time outside in inclement weather.

Environmental Science – Energy Focus
(Every other year)

Energy and the Environment covers a specific topic related to energy each year. Topics over the years have included Vermont’s energy portfolio, transportation, and green home building. In the first quarter, students become experts on a topic and teach their classmates in seminar-style classes. In the second quarter, students synthesize the information they have learned and develop a big-picture model of the information. In past years this has resulted in presentations to the Vermont House Committee on Transportation, and the Vermont House Committee on Natural Resources and Energy, and an open house at the Montshire Museum. In the third quarter, students use their knowledge to develop procedures for taking action at TSA and in the community. In the fourth quarter, students are dedicated to actualizing their action plans. Among many other great projects, these have included putting solar panels on the TSA roof, planting a garden along the entrance walkway, leading local energy awareness campaigns, assessing the possibility of switching town garages to biodiesel, and organizing a teaching bike trip to share energy based curriculum with other schools.

Revised September 2017