AP Course

AP Biology

In this class you will learn about the anatomy & function of the human body as well as how various biochemical processes contribute to the sustenance of all life.  In addition to this, you will learn about how all organisms are interconnected both environmentally and/or evolutionary by investigating and comparing various biochemical pathways in different organism. This class has a laboratory component where you will perform hands on activities designed to both illustrate and reinforce the concepts learned in this class.  For instance, in one lab you will insert DNA into a bacterial colony.  In another lab you will investigate how a change in ambient temperature will affect the rate of respiration in either a plant or an animal.  AP Biology is essentially an expansion of your Living Environment class.

PreReq: passed Living Environment Since basic chemistry knowledge is also needed, it is also recommended that you have taken Chemistry.

AP Calculus AB

Want to solve real world problems using math?
Does engineering interest you?

AP Calculus AB is roughly equivalent to a first-semester college calculus course devoted to topics in differential and integral calculus. The AP course covers topics in these areas, including concepts and skills of limits, derivatives, definite integrals, and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. You’ll learn how to approach calculus concepts and problems when they are represented graphically, numerically, analytically, and verbally, and how to make connections amongst these representations. You will learn how to use technology to help solve problems, experiment, interpret results, and support conclusions.

Students taking Calculus AB must have sat for all 3 Math Regents. Some students may have completed Pre-Calculus. AP Chemistry The AP Chemistry

AP Computer Science Principles

AP Computer Science Principles offers a multidisciplinary approach to teaching the underlying principles of computation. The course will introduce students to the creative aspects of programming, abstractions, algorithms, large data sets, the Internet, cybersecurity concerns, and computing impacts. AP Computer Science Principles also gives students the opportunity to use current technologies to create computational artifacts for both self-expression and problem solving. Together, these aspects of the course make up a rigorous and rich curriculum that aims to broaden participation in computer science.

Students should have successfully completed a general high school  Algebra I.

AP English Language and Composition

Want to be a master speaker?
Want to be able to deconstruct any argument?
Make your listeners hang on your every word…

The A.P. English Language and Composition course focuses on rhetoric and writing. You will analyze how an author employs rhetorical strategies to create and convey meaning. Your skills will get stronger using primarily works of nonfiction, although fiction, drama, graphics and visual images will also be evaluated. The course begins with a thorough examination of rhetorical devices and how the author uses these devices to further his or her purpose. The course moves into argumentation as you learn to synthesize various sources to create an effective argument. This focus on evidence-based argumentative writing and the rhetorical analysis of texts will enable you to develop research skills, compose various types of essays and analyze the author’s purpose.

A.P. English Language and Composition is available to juniors (or sophomores on a case-by-case basis). A grade over 75 on the English Regents and teacher recommendation are recommended.

AP English Literature & Composition 

Travel to exotic, distant lands and time periods. Meet extraordinary, unusual characters– while learning to write like a pro. If youre a lover of literature, history, and philosophy, then this is the course for you!  Be prepared for a writing intensive course that covers multiple disciplines, and will be expected to keep up with a challenging, college- level workload. Open to juniors & seniors.

ELA regents pass score is a prerequisite.

AP Spanish Language & Culture

Have you thought about taking AP Spanish next year? You should, we try to make the AP class a fun environment for you. Throughout the year we attend trips that are enriched with Hispanic cultures; we watch movies that help us understand the Hispanic culture and life as a Hispanic, and class plays that emphasize the themes that are being learned in class.

Being bilingual benefits us in the long run and I guarantee my AP Spanish class will be encouraging and delightful.

AP Environmental Science

Concerned about climate change, global energy shortages, natural resource conservation, and population growth?

This course is intended to help us understand the interrelationships in our natural world. The curriculum asks you to identify and analyze natural and human-made environmental problems, evaluate the risks associated with these problems, and examine alternative solutions for resolution and prevention. Environmental Science includes topics from many of the sciences including geology, biology, environmental science, chemistry, and geography. A minimum of one period per week is devoted to hands-on lab experiences or field work.

You must be prepared to go outdoors for some of the labs. Open to juniors and seniors who have passed one year of Living Environment.

AP United States History

AP U.S. History is an introduction to American History and culture that assumes a high level of interest and competence. Because this course is similar to a first-year college course, you should expect that the workload will more encompassing than most regular high school history courses. The analytical thinking, writing, and reading skills that you develop in AP U.S. History will equip you for college and lifelong learning. This is not intended to be a course that details “what happened”, rather this class will ask “why and how” and study the consequences of actual events and other postulated courses of action. The format of the class will include lectures, seminar round tables, class discussions, presentations, cooperative projects, audio visuals and hopefully field trips. Highlights of this past year include our Mock Presidential Debates and a class trip to see Hamilton on Broadway.