Students in Class XII may elect to enroll in one of the following science electives.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT BIOLOGY
This Advanced Placement course is a comprehensive study of the biological sciences, based on the curricula of introductory college courses usually taken by biology majors. The aim of the course is to produce proficiency in three major areas of biological thought and theory: molecules and cells, heredity and evolution, and organisms and populations. Seven themes are emphasized throughout the course to develop a unifying construct in biology: science as a process, evolution, energy transfer, continuity and change, the relationship of structure to function, regulation and interdependence in nature, and science and society. Assessments include laboratory reports, tests, quizzes, and research papers.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT CHEMISTRY
The Advanced Placement Chemistry course is designed to be the equivalent of the general chemistry course usually taken in the first year of college. Students attain an in-depth understanding of fundamental chemical principles. All areas of chemistry are studied, including physical, organic, inorganic, and analytical chemistry. The course begins with an introduction to the structure of matter. States of matter are then introduced, followed by chemical reactions and, finally, by descriptive chemistry. The following laboratory performance skills are essential to this course: physical manipulations, the setting up of processes and procedures, observation and manipulation of data, communication, group collaboration with attention to laboratory records, and laboratory safety. Assessments may include laboratory reports, tests, quizzes, and research papers.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT PHYSICS C: MECHANICS
The Advanced Placement Physics C course forms the first part of the college sequence that serves as the foundation in physics for students majoring in the physical sciences and engineering. Methods of calculus are used wherever appropriate in formulating physical principles and in applying them to physical problems. The course focuses solely on mechanics and includes the study of kinematics; Newton’s Laws of Motion and their applications; work, energy, and momentum; rotation; gravitation; and solids and oscillations. Laboratory activities are an integral part of the course. Assessments include tests, quizzes, homework sets, laboratory reports, and WebAssign problems. AP Physics C students participate in the Mobile Computing Initiative, in which the students use iPod Touch mobile computers in their physics work.
ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE
This college-level course presents the principles of atmospheric science with a focus on weather forecasting and climatology, oceanography, and ecology. Topics include atmospheric structure, radiation and heat imbalances, air pressure, humidity and atmospheric moisture, stability, precipitation and cloud formation, circulation systems, severe weather, ocean currents and oceanic transport, access to water resources, and climate change. Relying on their previous scientific knowledge and using real-time weather data, students develop a deeper understanding of the processes that govern atmospheric motion. Students gain membership in the Marymount Chapter of the American Meteorological Society and participate in the NAIS 20/20 Challenge with an international school. Students also produce weekend weather vodcasts for the Marymount School website.
ADVANCED PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS APPLICATIONS
This interdisciplinary course integrates advanced topics in physics with their calculus-based applications. Following the footsteps of the inventor of calculus, Isaac Newton, who also discovered the laws of motion, the course utilizes the topics learned in previous courses as a springboard for studying more advanced topics, including plasma physics, spintronics and relativity, quantum computing, nuclear physics, as well as differentiation and integration and the determination of limits and their applications in the scientific and engineering worlds. Through the use of inquiry-based learning, students utilize probeware, computer simulations, image processing, statistical applications, and data analysis as the basis for their understanding. Assignments include projects, laboratory reports, tests, homework, and other multimedia activities. Students develop and produce a multimedia project for their final assessment.
INDEPENDENT RESEARCH IN SCIENCE
Authentic scientific research is a necessary skill for all students envisioning a career in the sciences. This program provides Marymount students who have excelled in science with opportunities to conduct external scientific research at Columbia University, Rockefeller University, and the New York Academy of Sciences. Working with their mentors, students learn the content, methods, culture, and ethos of modern scientific research through total immersion in scientific inquiry. Students are expected to submit relevant papers based on their research to the Intel Science Talent Search and the Siemens-Westinghouse Competition in Math, Science, and Technology.