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A background in mathematics and science provides a key body of knowledge as well as a formal method of thought that enhances our understanding and appreciation for the world around us. The most fundamental premise of this department is that math and science should be accessible to everyone. Too many young people are given the message that these topics are only for the most gifted students. We simply do not accept this! We offer rigorous college preparatory curricula, yet the material is accessible to all students because of our teaching methods and the unusually high level of support available. Nearly all lessons are interactive and student-centered. Material is often presented through Socratic dialogue and using active, hands-on lessons, frequently taking place in the outdoors. Cooperative learning groups help with problem solving, and the material is regularly linked to real world applications. This blending of varied teaching methods addresses all learning styles; and the willingness of the instructors to tutor and assist their students makes even this very demanding curriculum accessible to and exciting for everyone. Students are required to take Biology, either Chemistry or Physics, Algebra I and II, and Geometry.
Algebra I
This full-year course is an introduction to the basic concepts of algebra, including the use of variables, solving linear and quadratic equations, systems of linear equations, and an introduction to functions, with significant emphasis on linear functions. In addition to the development of basic algebra, this course recognizes the need for many students to frankly assess and further build arithmetic skills, including calculating with integers, decimals, and fractions, as well as percentage and proportion problems. Students develop their abilities through daily assignments, group work, structured self-paced work, maintaining Algebra Journals, use of manipulatives, in-class workshops, laboratory work, projects, classroom discussion, teacher presentation, and extra help sessions which are available daily. This course builds not only mathematics and problem-solving skills, but also deliberately develops organizational skills, written and oral communication skills, and effective collaboration skills. Students are also expected to periodically assess their own strengths and weaknesses, and to give similar feedback regarding class activities and projects. This course contributes to the mission of the school by developing skills that will enable students to make more informed choices by including quantitative, logical analysis as part of the decision-making process. (Full year)
Geometry
In this course we study the relationships that exist among a variety of geometric elements in two-dimensional space. Knowing these relationships is essential to solving spatial problems. Specific topics covered are: lines and angles, area of polygons, Pythagorean Theorem, similarity, trigonometry, coordinate geometry, and the properties of circles. During the course of the year, students will be asked to identify and utilize the fundamental principles as well as using those principles to construct solutions to complex problems. The classwork is designed to provide hands-on experience as a concrete foundation in order to challenge each student to then think more abstractly. (Full year)
In Algebra II, students use their background in linear functions and equations from Algebra I and their experiences in Geometry as a launching point for learning about more intricate types of functions and relationships. This allows us to model and analyze a much broader range of phenomena, with applications in engineering, business, music, physics, finance, biology, and many other disciplines. Students develop their abilities through daily assignments, group work, structured self-paced work, maintaining Algebra Journals, classroom discussion, teacher presentation, and extra help sessions which are available daily. Projects such as designing trails with varying slopes and building parabolic solar ovens help students make connections between graphical representations, algebraic principles, and actually using mathematics to solve problems. (Full year; Prerequisite: Algebra I)
Pre-Calculus
Pre-Calculus focuses on the variety of relationships that can exist between ideal mathematical variables as well as the relationships that can exist between measured variables. The idealized models that are studied include polynomial, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions. Substantial time is spent on understanding the fundamental behavior of these models as well as developing a solid skill base for solving and manipulating them. From the neat and clean world of ideal models we step into the messy and challenging world of measured variables. A study of basic statistics and probability form the foundation for understanding data. Extensive use of the TI-83 graphing calculator and computers help us understand how to reconcile ideal models and measured data. (Full year; Prerequisite: Algebra II)
Calculus
This course is a full-year mathematics elective which formally introduces students to the study of calculus. The primary objective of this course is for students to become proficient in using derivatives and integrals in solving problems. To facilitate this, we take care to build a strong fundamental understanding of differentiation and integration, develop associated techniques, and explore a variety of applications. If time allows, students are then introduced to first- and second-order differential equations. Although this course is not designed specifically as an Advanced Placement course, the material covered in this course closely matches the AB Calculus curriculum. Students wishing to take the AP exam will be given appropriate additional work and support.
Younger students who have the ability and desire are encouraged take Geometry and Algebra II concurrently during their sophomore year so that they may take Pre-Calculus as a junior, and Calculus as a senior. Students who intend to apply for selective colleges, and/or intend to pursue studies in medicine, the sciences, economics, mathematics, or engineering are encouraged to schedule their coursework so that they can take Calculus their senior year. (Full year; Prerequisite: Pre-Calculus)
Introductory Physics
What is a car’s crumple zone? How can you turn a light on and off from two different switches? What is your power output? What is “curve-fitting”? Why does wood feel warm but metal feel cool even when both are at room temperature? Questions such as these will be answered by actively performing experiments, gathering and analyzing data, seeking patterns in your observations, and forming conclusions about how the world of matter and energy works. In this course, the fundamental concepts of physics will be discovered through repeated applications of the scientific method. The data analysis will be enriched through the use of the basic math skills students are learning in Algebra I. There will be many opportunities to learn, apply, and reinforce those skills built into the physics course. Introductory Physics is the first course in our basic science sequence. It is followed by Chemistry and Biology and continues with optional electives including a more advanced physics course. (Full year)
Biology class is an examination of the living components of our environment. Beginning with days spent outside on the campus, we utilize our community farm as a foundation for studying ecology. The students then create an action project utilizing our own gardens on campus. The remainder of the year is devoted to learning about cell biology, enzymes and metabolism, genetics, and immunology. Labs include soil testing of our farm to study the aspects of our garden's ecosystem, making models of cellular organelles, comparing enzyme activity, looking at patterns of inheritance, DNA extraction from plants and creating a model of a hypothetical virus to study the immune system. (Full year)
The periodic table is a beautifully elegant summary of all that we know about the behavior and structure of the elements. It hints at why acids eat through some metals but not others. It explains why oxygen must combine with two hydrogen atoms to form water and it suggests why elements bond to each other in the ways they do and how that bonding dictates the characteristics of the compounds. As students explore the wonders of the periodic table, they will learn about chemical reactions. By carrying out experiments, collecting data and analyzing that data, they will discover how the forces of equilibrium, stability, and energy drive those reactions and create the world we know. They will also improve their problem solving skills and experience the ways in which chemists use numbers to describe what they observe. An understanding of equilibrium, acids and bases, chemical bonding and oxidation-reduction reactions will provide students a solid background in chemistry and prepare them for a sophisticated study of biology. (Full year)
Physics
What does light do? What is light, anyway? Can we develop a reliable theory of light? This course follows the story of light with some major side trips like the consideration of how
Anatomy & Physiology/Wilderness First Responder
Are you a backcountry skier, rock climber, canoeist/kayaker, or prospective outdoor instructor? Interested in a possible medical career? Are you a hands-on learner, like to be outside regardless of the weather and want to learn skills relevant to life outside of school? This exciting course teaches backcountry first aid, evacuation, and injury prevention while also teaching relevant anatomy and physiology of organ systems. We draw a relationship between the structure and function of each organ systems and then teach how to address problems of each in a backcountry setting. This is a very hands-on course in which students practice first aid skills. Students are required to participate in a WFR spring Outdoor Learning Expedition (OLE) used as a final practical exam. In addition students are required to become certified in CPR and there will be one or more opportunities to do so during the school year (but outside of regular class time). Students who are 17 years old (or turn 17 years old prior to June) and successfully pass both parts of the final exam will earn certification as Wilderness First Responders. (Full year; Prerequisite: Biology or permission of the instructor)
Environmental Science
This semester-long course takes a project-based approach to the study of environmental science. In doing so, it aims to give students the tools and base-knowledge to understand how many of the earth's systems function and how the students, as scientists, can assess, monitor, and restore the health of our natural systems. Students work in teams throughout the term to develop and execute projects of their own design. Class time is spent discussing effective project design and group work as well as science. Environmental science integrates information from many of the natural sciences, including ecology, geology, hydrology, climatology, limnology, biology, chemistry and physics. While the weather is good, we focus our studies on our local environment. Over the past couple of years, students have been contributing to the preparation of a forest management plan for the WMS campus and have done water quality testing on the
Biomimicry: The Design of Nature and the Nature of Design
Architect and designer, William McDonough writes,
“Could we design a building that's alive?” Imagine a building like a tree. Imagine a building or a project, a complex or a campus that accrues solar energy, builds soil, purifies water, sequesters carbon, provides habitat, changes color with the seasons, and hopefully, self-replicates…
In this course, we will begin to understand the complexities of our natural systems and how we, as designers, may be able to mimic ecological principles and processes in our designs. Our studies will range from living wastewater treatment systems to permaculture food production systems to new energy technologies, each time asking the questions, “How does nature do what it is we need to do?” and “Can we design a system that does what nature does?” The term will culminate in a group project applying biomimicry design principles. (Spring term; Prerequisite: open to Juniors and Seniors or with permission of the instructor)
