Science

The Physics Foundations course serves as a student’s first introduction to science in the upper school. This initial term of 9th-grade physics familiarizes students with essential scientific skills and concepts through collaborative investigations and design tasks. Emphasizing problem-solving, teamwork, experimental methods, data analysis, and clear communication, students engage in hands-on activities to understand core principles of

From the use of antibiotics to the evolution of skin color, this survey course applies the concepts of biology to the real and changing world around us. This course gives students the opportunity to learn about the fundamentals of life, from the evolution of homo sapiens down to the microscopic viruses that invade us. This course

Chemistry Foundations covers essential core content while providing hands-on opportunities for students to learn how to think like a chemist. Students learn to use the language of chemistry to describe physical and chemical changes in matter. They explore atomic structure and theory, ionic and covalent bonding, and the structure and organization of the Periodic Table in

This course is the second term of 9th-grade science following the Physics Foundations course. It offers students an opportunity to further their understanding of physics principles through engineering. Throughout this course, students delve into the practical application of physics, specifically focusing on engineering principles such as design, fabrication, and iteration. Students engage in hands-on exploration and

This course explores the fundamental principles of thermodynamics, with a focus on understanding climate change and its implications for sustainable energy solutions. This interdisciplinary course delves into the intricate relationship between energy, environment, and society. Through an interdisciplinary approach, students analyze Earth’s energy budget and the mechanisms driving climate change, evaluating the scientific evidence behind global

In this class, you will explore the Universe from where we are today back to the beginning. As a part of our work, we will grow our knowledge of astronomy done throughout history and from multiple civilizations, use mathematics to calculate the expansion of the universe and the search for extrasolar planets, learn about the biology

DNA is often referred to as the “code of life.” This course seeks to explore what we know about how our bodies interpret and utilize our genetic code and how our understanding has changed in recent years. Included in this course are discussions of the evolving concept of what a gene is, DNA structure, function, and

Ecology studies relationships and interconnections. In this course, students focus on the interdependence of living marine organisms (biotic factors) and their ocean environment (abiotic factors) and how energy flows through Earth’s systems and connects us to all living things. Topics interwoven throughout the course include: biodiversity, food webs, population biology, predation, competition, symbiosis, climate change, and

The most basic function of the brain is to keep you alive. Your 100 billion neurons regulate breathing, heart rate, hunger and sleep cycle. But perhaps what fascinates us the most about the human brain is how it goes beyond these basic functions and generates emotions, perceptions, and thoughts that guide behavior. In this course, we

Biochemistry explores the fascinating intersections of chemistry and biology This course delves into the molecular processes and reactions necessary for life. Students first review the foundations of chemistry while focusing on the importance of carbon as an element on Earth and its role in living things. In this course, students explore a selection of topics ranging

This interdisciplinary course explores the physical and chemical properties of matter.  Students learn about the challenging fields of thermodynamics, thermal and chemical equilibrium, acids and bases, and buffers.  In this course, students gain a thorough understanding of how chemical systems behave and respond to external stress through hands-on laboratory experiences and problem sets. Throughout the course,

In Quantitative Analysis, students build on the basic chemical concepts and skills learned in the foundations course. The concept of a mole is explored and students learn to predict the products of chemical reactions. In this lab-based course, students conduct a variety of experiments and use stoichiometry to quantitatively analyze their findings and the efficiency of

In this lab-based course, we explore the integrated systems that make up the incredible human body and learn about how the structures of the body perform the functions necessary to maintain the balance of life (homeostasis). Students investigate the relationship between structure and function through dissections, projects, and discussions. We look into the pathophysiology of diseases

This course provides students with an opportunity to learn advanced techniques in molecular biology and their applications in biotechnology. Students delve deeply into advanced topics such as genetic engineering and synthetic biology, with a specific focus on the use of CRISPR technology and the ways in which they can leverage it to explore real-world problems in

Organic molecules are the building blocks of all life on Earth, and the carbon atom is central to the formation of this class of molecules. The importance of chemistry in biological systems is the focus of the course. Students investigate the chemistry of key functional groups including alcohols, carboxylic acids, amines and ethers and their role

This course is intended to give students a more challenging and demanding environment to apply the skills they learned in either Engineering Applications: Robotics (formerly Engineering Design Foundations) or at NuVu and allow them to continue to wrestle and build on solutions to real problems. This course is largely project-based, and students areexpected to use class

Advanced Electricity and Magnetism is an extension of the skills and concepts learned in Conceptual Physics. These concepts are more rigorously explored and use more sophisticated mathematical tools than were used in conceptual physics (geometry, trigonometry, functions, pre-calculus, and some calculus). The goal is to develop tools and intuition capable of describing the physical world at

Advanced Mechanics is an extension of the skills and concepts learned in Conceptual Physics. These concepts are more rigorously explored and use much more sophisticated mathematical tools than were used in conceptual physics(geometry, trigonometry, functions, pre-calculus, and some calculus). The goal is to develop tools and intuition capable of describing the physical world at a very

Forensics is the application of science to solve crimes using evidence that is admissible in a court of law. A multidisciplinary approach that encourages analytical thinking and problem solving in biology, chemistry, and physics is  used. Students may cover the following topics: deductive reasoning, fingerprinting, qualitative analysis of substances such as fingerprints, blood, DNA, document analysis,