Science Department

Over four years, students may select from a wide variety of full year and semester science courses.  Decisions on which courses you will take will depend on several factors: individual interest, future education plans, and academic background.  You should plan the sequence of your courses with care.  As a general rule, the UConn ECE/AP Biology and AP Chemistry courses are taken after successfully completing an introductory Biology and Chemistry  course. Students may elect to take UConn ECE/AP Biology, AP Chemistry or AP Environmental Science during their junior year to allow for AP Physics and AP Calculus to be taken concurrently. The chart below indicates the kinds of choices available at each grade level.  To determine whether you have developed the requisite skills for a course, read the appropriate course descriptions, speak with your current science teacher or talk with your school counselor. Science employs the language of mathematics to represent concepts in each of its science courses. Students must take their math abilities and fluency into consideration when selecting a science course.  One year of a physical science and one year of a biological science is the state requirement for graduation. Actual courses scheduled for 2025 - 2026 depend on sufficient enrollment.

Our honors and advanced courses build on the content and experiences of previous science courses. An abbreviated summer course cannot adequately replace a yearlong foundational WHS science course. Any student taking a summer course to replace a WHS foundational course is required to sit for the final WHS exam and earn a 75% or better before being allowed to advance.