Oak Park and River Forest High School
Integrated Laboratory Science
Course Outline
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Integrated Laboratory Science
First Semester
Second Semester
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
While the specific activities and curriculum are under development the following are the basic concepts we want to students to learn.
Integrated Laboratory Science 1-2
Semester 1 - Space exploration
I. How do we determine what's in space?
A. Electromagnetic radiation (EMR)
1. optics and telescopes
2. nature of EMR
3. atomic structure and elements
B. Meteorites
II. How do we get there?
A. Finding distance
B. Universe features
C. Linear motion, relativity
III. How do we leave earth?
A. Projectile motion
B. Newton's 3 laws
C. Satellite motion
1. circular motion
2. gravitation
3. simple harmonic motion
IV. What else do we need to know?
A. Momentum
B. Energy
Atmosphere
Semester 2 - The Atmosphere - It's in the air we breath.
I. Atmospheric evolution
A. The origins
B. Changes over time
1. meteors
2. volcanoes
3. plants
4. respiration
C. Today's atmosphere
1. composition
2. structure
D. Future trends
1. ozone
2. carbon dioxide
3. pollution
II. Behavior of gases
A. Physical properties
1. phases and phase changes
2. Gas laws - KMT
3. density
B. Chemical properties
1. compounds and covalent bonding
2. reactions (oxidation) and energy
III. Life cycles
A. Nitrogen cycle
B. Carbon/oxygen cycle
1. photosynthesis
2. respiration
C. Water cycle
IV. Atmospheric heating
A. Solar radiation
B. Terrestrial radiation
C. Heat transfer
V. Weather - water cycle
A. Wind
B. Clouds
C. Storms/fronts
VI. Pollution
A. Air quality assessment
B. Environmental social and economic impact (global warming, ozone, smog, acid rain, industry, auto, incinerators, indoor, radon, respiration)
C. Possible solutions
Integrated Laboratory Science 3-4
Water
Semester 3 - Water - The fluid of life.
I. Origins
A. Terrestrial
B. Extraterrestrial
II. Behavior of water
A. Physical properties
1. surface tension
2. capillary action
3. polarity
4. phase change
5. density
B. Chemical properties
1. compounds and ionic bonding
2. reactions in solution
III. Water cycle
A. Return to atmosphere
1. evaporation, sun, heat exchange
2. transpiration, capillary action, surface tension, polarity
3. perspiration
B. Condensation into clouds
C. Precipitation
D. Run off (fresh water)
1. weathering
2. erosion
3. biological implications
IV. Oceans (salt water)
A. waves
B. tides
C. currents
1. surface
2. deep
D. ocean layers
V. Organisms
A. aquatic life zones
B. organisms with water currents as circulatory system
C. organisms with closed circulatory systems
VI. Purification
A. Organisms
B. Natural systems
C. Human technologies
Life
Semester 4 - A Matter of Life
I. Biogenesis
A. Primordial environmental conditions / biochemical evolution
B. Evolution of first life forms
II. Cells
A. Types of cells
1. prokaryotes
2.eukaryotes
B. Structure and function
C. Movement of material through membranes
D. Cell processes
III. Growth and division
A. Mitosis and cytokinesis
B. asexual
C. sexual / meiosis
IV. Genetics
A. Mendelian principles
B. Chromosome theory of heredity
C. Mutations
D. Gene expression
E. Genetic engineering
V. Evolution
A. Earth history
B. Global climatic changes
C. Relative dating
D. Radioactive dating, radiation
E. Continental drift
VI. Taxonomy
A. Levels of classification
B. Comparative anatomy and physiology
VII. Ecology
A. populations
B. biomes
C. soils
D. human impact, waste management
Integrated Laboratory Science 5-6
Land
Semester 5 - The Land we live on.
I. Plate Tectonics
A. Major features (ocean basins, continents, mountain ranges, trenches)
B. Planet interior
1. seismology
2. layering / structure
3. isostacy, buoyancy
4. radioactive decay
D. Plate boundaries
1. convergent / divergent
2. stress and strain
3. hot spots, island ecology, geothermal zones
II. Minerals
A. Crystallography
B. Physical properties
C. Chemical properties
IV. Rock cycle
A. Igneous
1. crystal growth
2. identification and classification
3. volcanology
B. Sedimentary
1. sedimentary environments
2. fossil fuels
3. fossilization
C. Metamorphic
1. recrystallization
V. Structural geology
A. Folding
B. Faulting
VI. Resources
A. Fossil fuels
B. Metals
C. Gems
D. Construction
VII. Mapping
A. Topography
1. terrestrial
2. marine
B. Scale models
Colonization
Semester 6 - Colonization of a planet. What is necessary to sustain life? - Under development
I. Pick a planet
II. Food
III. Air
IV. Water
V. Shelter
VI. Energy
VII. Waste
VIII. Transportation