Have you always had an interest in a science topic but never had the time to study it in great depth? Have you ever had a question pop into your curious mind that you wished you could investigate to discover the answer? This course allows students to pursue a scientific topic of interest in great…

This course explores the relationship between marine ecosystems and physical and chemical oceanography, including units related to geology and the atmosphere. The course also introduces students to the fundamentals of marine biology. Topics include ecosystem dynamics, biological interactions, biogeochemical cycles, ocean stratification and circulation, and wave–shore interactions. For all topics, the interplay between natural phenomena…

This course focuses on the collection and analysis of physical trace evidence, such as document analysis, fingerprints, and casts/impressions. Case studies and crime scenarios help students understand the implications and complicated issues that are emerging as the science of forensics continues to develop. The course incorporates basic forensics skills along with other science knowledge to…

This course focuses on the collection and analysis of biological and chemical trace evidence such as blood typing, DNA profiling, and toxicology. Case studies and crime scenarios help students understand the implications and complicated issues that are emerging as the science of forensics continues to develop. The course incorporates basic forensics skills along with other…

On weekly field trips to local parks from Delaware Bay to Shenandoah National Park, students investigate the local flora, fauna, geology and ecology. Insect watching, eating wild edibles, stream surveys, botany, frog surveys and searching for fossils are all interesting ways to learn about ecosystems. A major component of the course is ornithology (the study…

This course focuses on the relationship between the evolution and interactions of life on Earth, and the physical and chemical processes that shape the world. The initiation and evolution of life through time is intricately linked to extraterrestrial (e.g., the delivery of major elements to Earth, the formation of the solar system, bolide impacts, and…

This class exposes students to fundamental science principles related to Earth’s structure, its physical features and natural processes, and the relationship between humans and the environment. Units of study include volcanoes and earthquakes, rocks and minerals, geologic time, natural disasters, paleontology, natural resources, past climate changes, and their relevance to current climate events. Special attention…

This course provides students with the opportunity to perform novel relevant research that can contribute to scientific knowledge. Students are guided through a research workflow identical to those performed in genomics laboratories worldwide. Over a multiple-week laboratory course, students combine traditional and cutting edge molecular biology techniques and bioinformatics to clone, sequence and analyze a…

This laboratory-based course develops basic and advanced laboratory and analytic skills using biotechnology as the source content. The news is filled with stories of genetically modified organisms, advances in medicine and targeted treatments and the use of DNA technology to determine the guilt or innocence of suspects. This course allows students to understand the science…

This introductory course emphasizes the observational aspects of astronomy. Topics include the relationship between earth and the sky, the exploration of the solar system, the nature, distribution and lifecycles of stars and galaxies and the origin of the universe. (Semester, .50 credit)