NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL BELMONT

Academics

Science

Philosophy

Science and technology are part of our everyday lives. We need a population which is literate in science and can help fulfill our many future needs. It is the goal of the Notre Dame Science Department to teach literacy in science and equip young women with the tools they will need to be successful in the careers of their choice. In preparing our students for the 21st century, we focus on a great many subject areas in our science classes.

The Notre Dame Science Department is actively developing biotechnology programs to be integrated throughout the three-year science requirement. It is our goal that freshmen will learn the basics in Integrated Science and move on to higher-level lab experiences in Biology and AP Biology. Aspects of biotechnology will also be integrated into Chemistry. Biotechnology is a rapidly developing field with applications in all areas of science. We feel it is imperative to provide learning opportunities that will support career development and enable students to make sound personal choices in the future.

Our Essential Standards

  1. Show respect for life and the physical world demonstrated in actions and in written work.
  2. Respect, support, and work with other students in their learning.
  3. Demonstrate qualitative and quantitative problem solving approaches to articulate and understand scientific concepts.
  4. Conduct lab experiments and other activities in a manner that regards their own safety and the safety of others and reflects proper use of school materials.
  5. Evaluate and integrate information gained through research.
  6. Articulate, orally and in writing, work that is well organized and clear.
  7. Use technology where appropriate in investigation and analysis.
  8. Make connections between science, other disciplines and their lives.

Our Programs

Students begin their studies of science in our Integrated Science/Human Biology course. Expanding the amount of time we spend on biology curriculum allows for more in-depth coverage of each topic and for the inclusion of extensive studies of genetics and biotechnology. Approximately 5% of incoming freshman are offered placement in Honors Biology, which is our second year course.  This placement is determined through a combination of high school placement test scores, the science placement test, interest level in science, and teacher recommendation. Students who do extremely well in the general class may join the honors program the following year. A student originally placed in the honors program may at some point choose to go into a general class to make room in her schedule for an honors or AP course in a different subject.

The Notre Dame graduation requirement is three years of science. Many students choose a fourth year or take more than one science course in a year because specific courses may be required or recommended by colleges depending on the student’s focus.

Honors Program

Most of the science courses have a companion honors course. Placement within the honors course is done by the Science Department. A minimum grade in science and math is required to continue in the program.

The purpose of the program is to provide students with a greater challenge, cover concepts in greater depth, and move at a pace that extends the curriculum. To be successful, the students should be able to understand material on the first presentation, learn new concepts on their own, and extrapolate information to solve diverse problems.