Science
Our ProgramThe Science Department is committed to serving all Brookline High School students by presenting a well- rounded, sequential and content-rich program in a stimulating and challenging manner. Each course is designed with the purpose of having students learn more about the physical world in which they live. Skills involving observation, critical thinking, effective verbal and written communication, manipulation of equipment, and applying technology are woven throughout the curricular fabric of the Science Program. The Science Department offers a wide range of courses in the basic disciplines at various levels, such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology for English Language Learners, and Special Education offerings such as Applied Science I, II, and III, as well as all Advanced Placement Science courses. In addition to this, students may take specialized 2nd year courses from Anatomy & Physiology to Engineering by Design - Honor, and everything in between.
The Physics – Chemistry – Biology – 2nd Course sequence represents the recommended order of courses. These courses build on each other in content, and they progress in the degree of abstraction. However, a different sequence may be appropriate in certain cases. All requests for exceptions to course prerequisites will be subject to approval by the Science Curriculum Coordinator. |
AP Summer Work
AP Courses often have summer work. As soon as schedules are released, students will be sent the work directly, if there is any.
Course Selection Documents for 2022-2023
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The Women in STEM Club, WiSTEM, has great descriptions of the following optional courses, with student perspectives:
Optional Course Descriptions - WiSTEM Site Anatomy and Physiology - Anatomy and Physiology Honor Astronomy - Astronomy Honor Biomedical Science Honor Neuroimmunology Honor (formerly Body/Mind) Drawing for Understanding Field Science Engineering (both courses) Environmental Science and Society - Environmental Science and Society Honor Forensic Science - Forensics Science Honor Marine Science- Marine Science Honor |
Student Perspectives on 9th grade Physics
Please view this video of students talking about Physics from 2018, it still applies today
Here is the presentation made on Curriculum Night
Here is the presentation made on Curriculum Night
A Note on Summer Courses
If you are thinking of taking a summer school course in order to “Get Ahead,” please know that even the most rigorous summer courses classes do not cover the material that we expect students to be fluent in for the AP courses. If a student takes a summer course in Biology, they will feel prepared for our Biology 1 courses, but completely underprepared for AP Biology. Students who have taken summer courses as a replacement for our courses have done far worse than they had hoped, and have regretted taking the summer course.
Therefore, we highly recommend that students perform their own research over the summer. They should explore on their own, and make things on their own. They should find topics that interest them, learn as much as they can, and document their progress as well.
However, if students feel compelled to take courses, we recommend courses that go well outside the norm for a high school student. Such as:
These courses this will allow a student to learn a great deal about interesting topics, but will not cause issues with the course sequence at BHS.
If you are thinking of taking a summer school course in order to “Get Ahead,” please know that even the most rigorous summer courses classes do not cover the material that we expect students to be fluent in for the AP courses. If a student takes a summer course in Biology, they will feel prepared for our Biology 1 courses, but completely underprepared for AP Biology. Students who have taken summer courses as a replacement for our courses have done far worse than they had hoped, and have regretted taking the summer course.
Therefore, we highly recommend that students perform their own research over the summer. They should explore on their own, and make things on their own. They should find topics that interest them, learn as much as they can, and document their progress as well.
However, if students feel compelled to take courses, we recommend courses that go well outside the norm for a high school student. Such as:
- Astronomy
- Electrical Engineering
- Game Theory
- Neuroscience
- Paleobiology
- Special Relativity
- Zoology
These courses this will allow a student to learn a great deal about interesting topics, but will not cause issues with the course sequence at BHS.