NCSSM COURSE CAtAlOG - North Carolina School of Science and ...

This course focuses on the study of natural Earth processes in order to
understand how these processes have grown interdependent over millennia to
form a life-supporting and balanced Earth system. Due to the interdisciplinary
nature of this course, the laboratory and field components include a variety of
activities from analysis of existing data sets to experimental design.
BI426 AP Environmental Science (II)
One trimester
Credit: One unit core biology or core elective credit.
Prerequisite: BI424 AP Environmental Science (I).
Meeting pattern: Five periods per week including lab.
This course continues the study of the environment with emphasis on the effect
of human activity on the Earth’s natural processes in order to consider how
economic development and human activity can be practiced in a sustainable
manner. Many of the field trips and labs are off campus and outdoors. Students
who master the concepts covered in both trimesters of environmental science
are prepared for the AP Environmental Science examination.
NOTE: Due to the variation of the residential trimester calendar and the NCSSM
Online semester calendar, BI430 Advanced Topics in Environmental Science in
the NCSSM Online program is not an acceptable prerequisite for BI426 AP
Environmental Science (II) in the residential program.
BI434 AP Biology (I)
BI436 AP Biology (II)
BI438 AP Biology (III)
One trimester each
Credit: One unit each core biology or core elective credit.
Prerequisite: Senior standing and completion of a general biology course and a
chemistry course with a final grade of B or higher. Juniors who have completed
a general biology course and a chemistry course with a grade of A or higher
and permission of the Dean of Science may also qualify.
Meeting pattern: BI434 – four periods per week including lab, BI436 – five periods
per week including lab, BI438 – four periods per week including lab.
This course is a survey of all areas of biology. It is divided into three terms. In
BI434 students investigate molecular and cellular biology as well as Mendelian
genetics. BI436 includes DNA science, evolutionary biology, and phylogeny.
BI438 covers organisms and populations. This course has a strong laboratory
emphasis, which includes the twelve laboratories suggested by the AP. Students
may enroll in and receive credit for any, or all, of these one-trimester courses.
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