Science
The science curriculum is aligned with the California Science Common Core Standards. The courses are sequenced so that the knowledge and skills acquired in each course prepare students for the knowledge and skills to be learned in each sequential course. Students must earn 20 units of science credit for graduation (10 units of physical science and 10 units of life science).
Science 7HP
Grade: 7
Course Length: One year
CIMS 7th grade students will study the following disciplinary core ideas:
1. From Molecules to Organisms; Structures and Processes: Help students gather information to support explanations of the structure and function relationship of cells, communicate the cell theory, basic understanding of the role of cells in body systems and how those systems work to support the life functions of the organism, and connect to role of animal behaviors in reproduction of animals and dependence of some plants on animal behaviors for their reproduction.
2. Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics: Help students understand how a system of living and non-living things operate to meet the needs of the organisms in an ecosystem. Students analyze and interpret data, develop models, and construct arguments and demonstrate understanding of resources and the cycling of matter and the flow of energy in ecosystems. Also study patterns of the interactions among organisms within ecosystem, biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem, and the effects the factors have on a population.
3. Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits: Help students understand how living organisms pass traits from one generation to the next, and inheritance of traits and variation of traits.
4. Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity: Students will understand how organisms change over time in response to changes in environment through study of evidence of common ancestry and diversity, natural selection, adaptation, and biodiversity and humans.
Science 8HP
Grade: 8 Course
Grade: 8 Course
Length: One year
CIMS 8th grade students will study the following physical science disciplinary core ideas:
1. Structure and Properties of Matters: Help students understand how particles combine to produce a substance with different properties and how thermal energy affects particles. Know that pure substances have characteristic properties and are made from a single type of atom or molecule, and explain the states of matter and changes between states.
2. Chemical reactions: Students will understand when new materials are formed, what is changed and what stays the same. Provide molecular level accounts to explain that chemical reactions involve regrouping of atoms to form new substances, and that atoms rearrange during chemical reactions.
3. Forces and Interactions: Help students understand why some objects will keep moving, why objects fall to the ground, and why some materials are attracted to each other while others are not. Students will be able to describe physical interactions between objects and within systems of objects, Newton’s Third Law of Motion and how it relates to the forces of objects in motion.
4. Energy: Help students understand how energy can be transferred from one object or system to another; definitions of energy, conservation of energy and energy transfer, relationship between energy and forces, and energy in chemical process and everyday life.
5. Waves and Electromagnetic Radiation: Students will understand the characteristic properties of waves and how they can be used, describe and predict characteristic technologies and instrumentation, predict characteristic properties and behaviors of waves when the waves interact with matter.
CIMS 8th grade students will study the following physical science disciplinary core ideas:
1. Structure and Properties of Matters: Help students understand how particles combine to produce a substance with different properties and how thermal energy affects particles. Know that pure substances have characteristic properties and are made from a single type of atom or molecule, and explain the states of matter and changes between states.
2. Chemical reactions: Students will understand when new materials are formed, what is changed and what stays the same. Provide molecular level accounts to explain that chemical reactions involve regrouping of atoms to form new substances, and that atoms rearrange during chemical reactions.
3. Forces and Interactions: Help students understand why some objects will keep moving, why objects fall to the ground, and why some materials are attracted to each other while others are not. Students will be able to describe physical interactions between objects and within systems of objects, Newton’s Third Law of Motion and how it relates to the forces of objects in motion.
4. Energy: Help students understand how energy can be transferred from one object or system to another; definitions of energy, conservation of energy and energy transfer, relationship between energy and forces, and energy in chemical process and everyday life.
5. Waves and Electromagnetic Radiation: Students will understand the characteristic properties of waves and how they can be used, describe and predict characteristic technologies and instrumentation, predict characteristic properties and behaviors of waves when the waves interact with matter.
Biology 1HP (Lab)
Course Length: One year
Grade: 9
UC/CSU Requirement: D
This biology course includes the study of ecological networks, cellular networks, genetics, and heredity, multi-cellular development, evolution, and human body networks. Students learn biological concepts through the scientific practices of modeling inquiry. Laboratory experiences foster an understanding of scientific processes and the development of scientific habits of mind. Students design and conduct investigations; record, analyze, and present data; account for errors; and formulate evidence-based conclusions. Students complete research papers and additional laboratory activities.
Course Length: One year
Grade: 9
UC/CSU Requirement: D
This biology course includes the study of ecological networks, cellular networks, genetics, and heredity, multi-cellular development, evolution, and human body networks. Students learn biological concepts through the scientific practices of modeling inquiry. Laboratory experiences foster an understanding of scientific processes and the development of scientific habits of mind. Students design and conduct investigations; record, analyze, and present data; account for errors; and formulate evidence-based conclusions. Students complete research papers and additional laboratory activities.
AP Biology
Recommendation: Course Length: One year
Grade: 11-12
UC/CSU Requirement: D
This is a college level biology course, which focuses on enduring, conceptual understanding in biology through scientific practices. The curriculum is organized around four underlying biological principles: the prices of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life; biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce and to maintain dynamic homeostasis; living systems store, retrieve, transmit and respond to information essential to life processes; and biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties. Students will also develop advanced scientific inquiry and reasoning skills, such as designing a plan for collecting data, analyzing data, and connecting concepts in and across domains. Students are encouraged to take the Advanced Placement Examination for college credit.
Recommendation: Course Length: One year
Grade: 11-12
UC/CSU Requirement: D
This is a college level biology course, which focuses on enduring, conceptual understanding in biology through scientific practices. The curriculum is organized around four underlying biological principles: the prices of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life; biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce and to maintain dynamic homeostasis; living systems store, retrieve, transmit and respond to information essential to life processes; and biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties. Students will also develop advanced scientific inquiry and reasoning skills, such as designing a plan for collecting data, analyzing data, and connecting concepts in and across domains. Students are encouraged to take the Advanced Placement Examination for college credit.
Chemistry (Lab)
Recommendation: Course Length: One year
Grade: 10-12
UC/CSU Requirement: D
Chemistry I is California standards based introductory laboratory course in chemical science. This course includes the study of fundamental concepts: basic atomic theories, chemical bonding, stoichiometry, kinetic molecular theory, thermo chemistry, solutions, acids-bases, chemical equilibrium, nuclear transmutations, organic and inorganic chemistry. The course utilizes mathematical tools, analytical data acquisition, and communication skills for discovery.
Recommendation: Course Length: One year
Grade: 10-12
UC/CSU Requirement: D
Chemistry I is California standards based introductory laboratory course in chemical science. This course includes the study of fundamental concepts: basic atomic theories, chemical bonding, stoichiometry, kinetic molecular theory, thermo chemistry, solutions, acids-bases, chemical equilibrium, nuclear transmutations, organic and inorganic chemistry. The course utilizes mathematical tools, analytical data acquisition, and communication skills for discovery.
Physics (Lab)
Recommendation: Course Length: One year
Grade: 11-12
UC/CSU Requirement: D
This course covers the development of physical laws and how it applies to the science of everyday life. Through laboratory experiences, lectures, discussions, and demonstrations, students explore the mechanics, optics, waves, electricity, atomic structure, and transfer of energy and matter. This laboratory-oriented course requires students to solve problems, often with mathematical operations
Recommendation: Course Length: One year
Grade: 11-12
UC/CSU Requirement: D
This course covers the development of physical laws and how it applies to the science of everyday life. Through laboratory experiences, lectures, discussions, and demonstrations, students explore the mechanics, optics, waves, electricity, atomic structure, and transfer of energy and matter. This laboratory-oriented course requires students to solve problems, often with mathematical operations
AP Physics (Lab)
Recommendation: Course Length: One year
Grade: 11-12
UC/CSU Requirement: D
This course follows a college preparatory curriculum that further develops the content and methods of Physics I using a higher mathematical foundation. Students are expected to perform mathematical operations involving knowledge of trigonometric functions, circular functions, vectors, and other geometric skills. Students will demonstrate problem-solving skills through laboratory experiences using inductive reasoning. This course prepares students for the Advanced Placement Physics B Test. This course may be offered pending sufficient enrollment.
Recommendation: Course Length: One year
Grade: 11-12
UC/CSU Requirement: D
This course follows a college preparatory curriculum that further develops the content and methods of Physics I using a higher mathematical foundation. Students are expected to perform mathematical operations involving knowledge of trigonometric functions, circular functions, vectors, and other geometric skills. Students will demonstrate problem-solving skills through laboratory experiences using inductive reasoning. This course prepares students for the Advanced Placement Physics B Test. This course may be offered pending sufficient enrollment.