Academics:

• Preschool
• Elementary
• Middle School
• High School
  • Science HS
  • AP Courses
  • Concurrent Credit

High School Science Sequence

Biology is the study of life. Modern biology includes the study microscopic forms of life including molecular and cell biology as well as the more traditional subjects of Taxonomy, physiology and ecology. Offered in the ninth grade, this class will incorporate these concepts and combine them with a thorough understand of God’s creation. Historically the study and instruction of biology has relied heavily upon biological illustrations; this course will contain a significant biological illustration component. Students who complete this course will have a basic understanding of the main topics of biology.

•  Cell biology
•  Taxonomy
•  Physiology
•  Ecology

This understanding will provide a foundation for future science courses in both high school and college. This class will also help develop a Christian world-view looking at God’s amazing creations. Furthermore, this class will help you develop the study skills necessary to succeed in a college level science courses.

Lab Activities:

This class includes several hands-on lab activities including basic dissections, plant identification, and modeling. This class also takes a field trip to the Oregon Zoo to do an Animal Behavioral Analysis Lab.

Chemistry is the study of the atoms and molecules that make up all matter and their interactions. Chemistry is a challenging, but rewarding subject that will help to reveal the beautiful complexity of God’s creation. As a tenth grade science class, chemistry acts as the foundation for understanding the world and the complex beauty involved. Students who complete this course will have a sound understanding of chemical principles, providing a foundation for future science courses in both high school and college. Students will learn science foundation for physics and advanced biology classes. Furthermore, this class should help you develop the study skills necessary to succeed in a college level science courses.  Lab Activities: This class includes many chemistry lab activities including calculating the heat of a reaction, titrations, and rate of reactions. This class also includes a field trip to George Fox University to complete a NMR lab using the facilities there.

Physics is the study of matter and energy. It covers concepts from simple motion, vectors, and Newtonian mechanics to more complicated concepts like electricity, magnetisms, and quantum mechanics.  Physics acts as a springboard for a greater understanding of the mechanics of motion. This class is also an excellent introduction to engineering.  In this course, students will work at gaining a basic understanding of Newtonian motion through hands-on experiments. Students will also be exposed to basic electronics and will do activities including creation of electrical circuits and robot manipulation. The school offers a traditional physics class and an AP version for upperclassmen. This class is offered every other year. 

Lab Activities:

This class includes many lab activities including calculating rates of change, motion, electrical circuits. This class also includes a field trip to Reed College to complete a lab on the Nuclear Reactor located there.

Anatomy is the study of the structure and relationship of the parts of the human body. Physiology is the study of the processes by which living organisms achieve their vital function. These two ideas are presented together because of the close relationship between form and function. In this course, through the rigorous study of anatomy and physiology, we will gain an appreciation for the beautiful creation that God has made; the human body. Furthermore, as part of this course we will be exploring the argument for design from irreducible complexity, found in Michael Behe’s book Darwin’s Black Box. Students who complete this course will be able to identify the structures of the human body and their function and explain the relationship between structure and function within the systems of the human body. Additionally, this class should help you develop the study skills necessary to succeed in a college level science course. This upper division science class is offered every other year and can be taken for college credit through Northwest Nazarene University. 

Lab Activities:

This class includes many lab activities including bone identification, cell mitosis, and heart dissections. This class also includes a field trip to George Fox University to hear a college lecture on human anatomy and complete a muscle lab using the cadaver there. 

In Science Olympiad students work as a team to complete science build projects and study for exams in assorted topics. Students can letter in the class along with receiving elective credit. For more information go to the Science Olympiad Page.