Science

Hawaiians’ reliance on knowledge derived from highly developed powers of observation has been critical in maintaining lives and communities acutely attuned to the natural world around them—earth, sea, and sky.  In our modern society, knowledge of science, engineering, and technology continues to play a critical role in shaping lives that are healthy and connected—physically, intellectually, socially, and politically—to family, friends, community, and environment.  Regardless of career path, scientific knowledge and methodologies play a major role in helping students understand the natural world around them and their place in it.  Often, this knowl­edge also allows them to understand and participate in major social and pub­lic policy discussions of the day.  Through the high school science curriculum at Kamehameha Schools Maui, students gain a solid foundation in scientific thought processes and methodologies.

Agriscience / Aquascience [MH09635] – Year A/B

1 Credit.  Agriscience and Aquascience are combined in this course which is designed to introduce and develop skills required to create and maintain agricultural plots and aquatic fish farms.  Students will engage in hands-on activities, group projects, laboratory experiments, field trips, and classroom discussions.  Course topics include botany, aquatic biology, chemistry, irrigation, hydroponics, the nitrogen cycle, and farming methods.  Classroom study is integrated with practical onsite production activities through the creation of agricultural plots and fish ponds utilizing aquaponics.  Offered every other year with course previously scheduled during School Year 2018-2019.  Required for Natural Resources endorsement.  Prerequisite: Biology or Honors Biology and Chemistry or Honors Chemistry. 

Biology [MH01104] – Semester Daily

1 Credit.  Biology is designed as a college prep course that provides students an opportunity to delve into the major principles and themes of modern biological science.  The course focuses on developing students’ ability to understand and conduct scientific inquiry, from identifying questions and concepts that guide a scientific investigation to designing and conducting their own laboratory investigations.  Students will actively participate in group work, presentations, discussions, and lectures, and they will conduct labs individually as well as in groups.  As a result of these activities, students will develop a comprehensive understanding of a cell and cell processes, the molecular basis of heredity, the process of biological evolution, and energy and organization in living systems.  Required for all freshmen.

Honors Biology [MH01103] – Semester Daily

1 Credit.  Honors Biology is an accelerated college prep course that, like the Biology course above, provides students with an opportunity to delve into the major principles and themes of modern biology. As a result, students develop understandings of the cell and cell processes, the molecular basis of heredity, biotechnology, the process of biological evolution, the interdependence of organisms, and energy and organization in living systems.  However, while Honors Biology reviews the knowledge and skills necessary to do scientific investigations in a laboratory setting, it also delves deeper into specific topics to develop in students a much more advanced level of understanding.  Expectations and standards are set high—the instructor serves as a guide, but the students are expected to demonstrate initiative.  In addition, Honors Biology students will look at the use of technology in the sciences, form ideas about science from a personal and social perspective, and explore the history and nature of science.  Prerequisite:  A qualifying score on placement test and teacher recommendation. Please contact Ms. Holderbaum about the placement test: brholder@ksbe.edu.

Biomedical Innovation [MH01183] – Semester Daily

1 Credit.  In the final course of the PLTW Biomedical Science sequence, students build on the knowledge and skills gained from previous courses to design innovative solutions for the most pressing health challenges of the 21st century. Students address topics ranging from public health and biomedical engineering to clinical medicine and physiology. They have the opportunity to work on an independent design project with a mentor or advisor from a university, medical facility, or research institution.  May count towards Health Services endorsement requirement.  Prerequisite: Biology or Honors Biology and Chemistry or Honors Chemistry.

Chemistry [MH01109] – Year A/B

1 Credit.  Chemistry is a lab-oriented and introductory physical science course. This course covers content within the following four themes of chemistry: Behavior and Properties of Matter; Particulate Nature of Matter; Conservation of Matter and Energy; Equilibrium and Driving Forces. Students will strengthen their scientific thinking and laboratory skills through research, participating in and designing experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and communicating their findings. Required for all sophomores.  Prerequisite: Biology or Honors Biology.  Required for all sophomores.

Honors Chemistry [MH01118] – Year A/B

1 Credit.  Honors Chemistry is an intensive lab-oriented course which provides a rigorous and math-intensive introduction to chemistry.  This course covers content within the following 4 themes of chemistry: Behavior and Properties of Matter; Particulate Nature of Matter; Conservation of Matter and Energy; Equilibrium and Driving Forces at a deeper level of understanding and application than does the basic Chemistry course. Students will strengthen their scientific thinking and laboratory skills through research, participating in and designing experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and communicating their findings.  Prerequisite: Biology or Honors Biology, a qualifying score on placement test, and teacher recommendation. Please contact Mrs. Gann about the placement test: kagann@ksbe.edu.

Environmental Science [MH01142] – Year A/B

1 Credit.  Environmental Science introduces students to environmental issues and local and global problems facing our technological society.  Topics presented in this course include environmental history, ecological cycles, local and global current events, alternative energy sources, population and community ecology, and sustainability.  The course emphasizes group activities and fieldwork to develop student awareness and understanding or their Hawaiian environment.  This includes a project designed and constructed on campus.  Offered every other year with course previously scheduled during School Year 2018-2019.  Required for Natural Resources endorsement.  Prerequisite: Biology or Honors Biology and Chemistry or Honors Chemistry.

Human Body Systems [MH01146] – Semester Daily

1 Credit.  Students examine the interactions of body systems as they explore identity, power, movement, protection, and homeostasis.  Exploring science in action, students build organs and tissues on a skeletal Maniken; use data acquisition software to monitor body functions such as muscle movement, reflex and voluntary action, and respiration; and take on the roles of biomedical professionals to solve real-world medical cases.  May count towards Health Services endorsement requirement.  Prerequisite: Chemistry or Honors Chemistry.

Issues in Medicine [MH06260] – Semester Daily

1 Credit. This intermediate course explores the reality of working as a health professional. The course will focus on current issues, ranging from legal and ethical matters to local and global concerns, pertaining to health care, with a strong emphasis on critical thinking and communication skills. A variety of controversial issues, such as abortion, genetic screening, euthanasia, etc., will be covered, along with career explorations and patient simulations.  May count towards Health Services endorsement requirement.  Prerequisite: Biology, Honors Biology, Chemistry or Honors Chemistry.   Note: Course last offered during School Year 2018-2019. 

Marine Biology [MH01132] –  Year A/B

1 Credit.  Marine Biology engages students in the investigation of physical and chemical aspects of the ocean while exploring ecological principles and identifying human impacts on marine environments.  Topics presented in the course include examination of the chemical and physical properties of water, coral reef ecology, marine plants, marine invertebrates, marine fishes, marine mammals, and reptiles.  The course is highly interactive and hands-on.  Frequent field activities are scheduled, weekly labs include dissections, and students maintain a number of marine aquaria.  Required for Natural Resources endorsement.    Prerequisite: Biology or Honors Biology and Chemistry or Honors Chemistry.

Medical Intervention [MH01169] – Semester Daily

1 Credit. Medical interventions allows students to investigate the variety of interventions involved in the prevention, diagnosis, of disease as they follow the lives of a fictitious family. A “How To” manual for maintaining overall health and homeostasis in the body, the course will explore how to prevent and fight infection, how to screen and evaluate the code in our DNA, how to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer, and how to prevail when organs of the body begin to fail.  May count towards Health Services endorsement requirement.   Prerequisite: Biology, Honors Biology, Chemistry or Honors Chemistry.

Physics [MH01166] – Semester Daily

1 Credit.  Physics is a college-preparatory laboratory science course designed to provide students with an understanding of the major concepts that provide the foundation for the science of physics.  Students develop their understandings through active participation in lectures, practice activities, homework, labs, and tests.  They are required to utilize logic and reasoning to solve problems in addition to analyzing empirical and graphical data. The course emphasis is on mechanics and includes topics such as velocity, vectors, acceleration, momentum, gravitational force, potential and kinetic energy, wave motion, and Conservation of Energy.  Prerequisite: Biology or Honors Biology and Chemistry or Honors Chemistry.  Successful completion of Geometry and concurrent enrollment in Algebra II.

STEAM [MH09610 ] – Semester A/B

0.5 Credits.  This course introduces the concept of sustainability and explores how today’s society impacts the world in which we live. The course focuses on key knowledge areas of sustainability, including global change, ecosystem degradation, resource 20 limitations, population, energy, Hawaiian ethnobotany, ethnozoology, marine stewardship, food production, conservation, and overall sustainable practices. Open to grades 9-12.  Note: Course last offered during School Year 2018-2019. 

AP Biology [MH01176] and AP Biology Lab [MH01179 ] – Year A/B

1 Credit.  AP Biology emphasizes the 4 “Big Ideas” within the AP Biology curriculum framework, and the connections, enduring understandings, between them.  The course and lab work is equivalent to an introductory-level college course.  Students passing the AP Biology exam with a 3 or better have the opportunity to earn college credit for the course, depending on the individual college’s requirements and policies.  May count towards Health Services endorsement requirement.  Prerequisite: Grade of “B” or higher in Biology and Chemistry or a grade of “C” or better in Honors Biology and/or Honors Chemistry; a 75% or better score on the placement test; teacher recommendation. Recommended prior coursework: Human Anatomy & Physiology, Human Body Systems and/or Intro to Biotech.  Please contact Mrs. Panglao about the placement test: mapangla@ksbe.edu.

AP Physics [MH01129] and AP Physics Lab [MH01178] – Year A/B

1 Credit.  A full year AP Physics course, equivalent to the first semester of an introductory, algebra-based college Physics course that will cover the concepts and skills students will need to demonstrate in order to earn credit for the aforementioned college course.  Course work will place an emphasis on kinematics and mechanics, as well as basic electronics and wave mechanics.  Course relies heavily on physics concepts and application in labs.  Prerequisite: Algebra II.  Completed or concurrently enrolled in  Pre-Calculus/Trigonometry.  Please contact Mr. Lopez for further inquiry: grlopez@ksbe.edu.

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