LaGuardia Program Office: Academic Sequencing: Science

The Science Department is committed to expanding students' understanding and appreciation of the natural world around them and providing hands-on laboratory experiences that connect theory and the real world. All science courses are full-year courses and include laboratory experiences. All students must complete three years of Science and pass a Regents examination.

Every LaGuardia student must complete the state science requirement by passing at least three years of science classes in our school and at least one science Regents to graduate. Most of our students elect to take a fourth year of science. Each science class is annualized, which means students are expected to remain in the same class with the same teacher for the duration of the year.

Each student is placed in Living Environment unless he or she has both completed the course previously and passed the respective Regents.

LaGuardia Arts High School invites any accelerated student in a private or independent school whose educational institution does not offer Regents examinations in math to take the Regents at LaGuardia in June or August.

*A ninth grade student may only be placed into Earth Science or Chemistry if he or she has already passed the Living Environment class and Regents Examination.
**A tenth grade student may only apply for Physics Honors if he or she has already passed the Chemistry class and Regents Examination.

If a student were to fail a class, that student would be programmed for Summer/PM school. These classes are compulsory and ensure timely graduation!

Regardless of whether a student passes or fails a science class, that student will be programmed for the next class automatically as follows:

Current Ninth Grade Students Those students currently in Living Environment with an average of 85 or above for the current second marking period report card grade will be programmed automatically for Chemistry. All other students will be programmed for Earth Science. If a student would like to take a different science course, he or she contact the appropriate guidance counselor by the beginning of June.
Current Tenth Grade Students The honors and AP course offerings for eleventh grade students are Physics Honors, AP Biology, and AP Chemistry. If you would like to apply to be added to the pool of students who are qualified to take one of these courses, it is necessary to request this in Daedalus. If a student's subject average is 90* or above, that student will automatically be added to the pool of applicants who are qualified to take the AP or honors science class that was selected. If the student does not meet this criterion, Daedalus will add his or her the name to a list that will be given to the Department Chair for evaluation.

For the fourth year of science, students may choose one course from our advanced science classes, which include AP Environmental Science, AP Biology, and AP Chemistry. Students who would like to continue with a fourth year of science should have a strong background in the subject. To apply for any of these classes, students need to use the online system, Daedalus. If a student's subject average is 90* or above, his or her selection will be accepted automatically. If the student does not meet this criterion, Daedalus will direct the student to add the name to a list that will be given to the Department Chair for evaluation.

* These scores have proven to be a good indicator of students' success in the classes mentioned above; however, they are just guiding criteria, and any student who would like to register for physics or chemistry can do so.

Regents Courses
All Regents science courses -- which are described below -- culminate in a Regents examination; students enrolled in Regents courses must take the examination. According to the State Education Department regulations, all students must successfully complete the laboratory component of the course in order to be admitted to the examination. In order to satisfy this requirement each student must:

Students must satisfactorily complete and submit a report for a minimum of 15 full laboratory periods (600 minutes) per term to receive credit for a Regents course.

The Living Environment: Biology - In this required course, the following topics will be covered: measurement, scientific method, research design, microscopy, organization and classification, molecular biology, animal and plant maintenance, homeostasis, disease and immunity, genetic inheritance, mitosis and meiosis, protein synthesis, genetic engineering, human reproductive systems, evolution, and ecology. In addition, there will be several special field and research reports.

Chemistry - The following topics will be covered: the interaction between matter and energy, atomic structure, bonding, periodic trends, stoichiometry, solutions, kinetics and equilibrium, organic chemistry, nuclear energy, acid-base chemistry, and redox reactions.

Earth Science - The following topics will be covered: earth dimensions, celestial motion, interaction between matter and energy, heat and gravity, interpreting and constructing maps (contour and profile) plate tectonics, age of the earth, origin of the solar system, seasons and insulation, weathering and erosion, minerals and rocks, landscapes, climate, and meteorology.

Physics - The following topics will be covered: forms of energy, interaction between energy and matter resulting in change of motion, light, electricity, sound, magnetism, predicting velocities based on energy conservation.

Non-Regents Electives
These courses may be taken by juniors and seniors only after they have passed two Regents courses. All science courses are full-year courses.

Biology, Advanced Placement - This college-level course is an in-depth study of all major areas of Biology with an emphasis on molecular mechanics, geared to the preparation for the AP exam. The course is taught through lecture, active classroom discussion, and laboratory projects. Students are tested on each unit and are graded on outlines they prepare of major topic areas. The student must read and master the material in a college-level text and review book that is required as outside reading. Students perform dissections and other laboratory exercises. Pre-requisite: Living Environment, Chemistry and Algebra 2 and Trigonometry. This is a double-period class that meets every day. Students must commit to completing the entire year and taking the AP examination.

Chemistry, Advanced Placement - The college-level course encompasses stoichiometry, matter, atomic structure, bonding, solution chemistry, periodicity, kinetics, equilibrium, acids and bases, redox, and electrochemistry. Students must be highly motivated and expect to engage in recitation and laboratory lessons. This course also includes frequent class exams, midterm, final exam, class participation and comprehensive laboratory reports. Pre-requisite: Regents Chemistry and Algebra 2 and Trigonometry. This is a one-year course that meets for a double period daily. Students must commit to completing the entire year and taking the AP examination.

Environmental Science, Advanced Placement - The goal of the AP 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. This course is interdisciplinary. A wide variety of topics from different areas are covered. Field trips, field studies and lab work are included. Students must commit to completing the entire year and taking the AP examination.

The Program Office

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Academic Sequencing: Science