Grade: 9 – 1 year
Hoosic Valley Central School District
Core Curriculum Topics
Subject: Earth Science
First Semester Units to be covered:
Earth Science Curriculum
Units of Study
Introduction
Observations, inferences, measurements,
density and scientific notation.
1.5 weeks
UNIT 1 - Dimensions of the Earth
Shape, structure, locating positions on Earth, and
profiles.
3 weeks
UNIT 2 - Minerals, Rocks and Resources
Earth's composition, the rock cycle, minerals, and
igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rock
identification.
3
weeks
UNIT 3 - The Dynamic Crust
Faults, folds and plate tectonics.
UNIT 4 - Earthquakes and the Earth's Interior
Earthquake waves and seismic
evidence, plate movements and crust
properties.
2 week
s
3 week
s
UNIT 5 - Surface Processes and Landscapes
Weathering, erosion, deposition and
landscapes.
4 weeks
UNIT 6 - Interpreting Earth's History
Geologic sequence, correlation, determining
age and evidence of evolution.
3
weeks
UNIT 7 - Weather Systems
Properties of the atmosphere, clouds and
precipitation, weather maps and forecasting,
and hazardous weather.
5
weeks
UNIT 8 - The Water Cycle and Climate
The water cycle, insolation, terrestrial radiation and
climate.
2
weeks
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UNIT 9 - Earth in Space
3 weeks
Motions of celestial objects, apparent motion of the Sun,
Earth's path and revolution and Earth's position in the
universe.
i
UNIT 10 - Beyond Planet Earth - Astronomy
3 weeks
Phases of the Moon, heliocentric and geocentric models,
geometry of orbits, the solar system, stars and evolution
of the universe.
UNIT 11 - Environmental Awareness
The affects of population and pollution
and Earth.
.5 week
33 weeks
(17 weeks + 1 week review =1" semester ; 16 weeks + 1.5 weeks review = 2nd
semester)
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Hoosic Valley Central School District
Core Curriculum Topics
Subject: Oceanography
Grade: 11 & 12
First Semester Units to be covered:
Hoosic Valley High School
Curriculum Development
Oceanography
M Spooner
Marine Science Curriculum - Oceanography
Oceanography is one of the two components of the Marine Science
curriculum at Hoosic Valley. Each component, marine biology and oceanography
are scheduled for one semester (sequentially) of class.
During the semester oceanography will focus on how the ocean works,
organizing the subject matter into the following areas: concepts, processes and
principles.
Students will have homework assignments, tests, and writing assignments
to promote understanding oceanography and how it affects earth and their lives.
The study of the marine environment or oceanography is divided into three
major categories:
•
Geological oceanography - the study of the structure of the ocean floor and
how the sea floor has changed over time; the creation of the sea floor; and the
history of sediments deposited on it.
•
Chemical oceanography - the study of the chemical composition and
properties of seawater; and the effect of pollutants.
•
Physical oceanography - the study of waves, tides, and currents; relationships
that influences weather and climate; and the transmission of light and sound in
oceans.
The units to be covered during the semester include:
Unit 1 - Introduction to Oceanography Unit 6 - The Ocean and Atmosphere
Unit 2 - Plate Tectonics
Unit 7 - Ocean Currents and Circulation
Unit 3 - The Sea Floor
Unit 8 - Waves and Water Dynamics
Unit 4 - Marine Sediments
Unit 9 - Tides
Unit 5 - Water and Seawater
Unit 10- Coasts, beaches and estuaries
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Grade: 9th & 8th accelerated
Hoosic Valley Central School District
Core Curriculum Topics
Subject: Earth Science Lab
First Semester Units to be covered:
Follows Earth Science Class Curriculum
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Density
Earth’s layers
Latitude/Longitude
Field/Topographic Maps
Mineral Identification
Rock classifications
Dynamic Earth and Plate Tectonics
Earthquake Epicenter location
Porosity and permeability
Erosion and deposition
Stream abrasion
Costal processes
Second Semester Units to be covered:
Follows Earth Science Class Curriculum
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Glacial processes
Stream divides
Landscapes (w/a focus on New York)
Rock record and sequencing/matching layers
Absorption/radiation of Solar energy
Dew point and cloud formation
Costal/continental temperatures
Weather patterns and maps
Hurricane tracking
Angle of insolation
Terrestrial radiation
Diurnal motions of the sun
Ellipses
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Hoosic Valley Central School District
Core Curriculum Topics
Grade: 10
Subject: Living Environment
Living Environment Lab
First Semester Units to be covered:
Givney/Kausch
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Concept of Life
Diversity of Life
Structure of Cells
Chemistry of Life
Organic Compounds
Enzymes
Animal & Plant Maintenance
Details of Photosynthesis
Transport
Cell Respiration
Regulation
Excretion
Locomotion
Human Nutrition
Human Circulation
Human Circulation II
Human Respiration
Human Excretion
Human Nervous System
Second Semester Units to be covered
:
•
Human Endocrine
•
Asexual Reproduction
•
Mitosis
•
Sexual Reproduction
•
Sexual Reproduction
•
Human Reproduction
•
Transmission of Traits
•
Genetics II
•
Interaction of Heredity and Environment
•
Modern Genetics
•
Evolution
•
Ecological Organization
•
Ecology II
•
Human Impact on the Environment
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Grade: 10
Hoosic Valley Central School District
Core Curriculum Topics
Subject: Forensic Science
First Semester Units to be covered:
Forensic Science Course Outline
Part 1 - Understanding Forensics
I.
Forensics - definition, history
II.
The Forensics Team
III.
Crime Scene
Part 2 - The Evidence
IV.
Fingerprints
V.
Bloodstains
VI.
Impressions
VII.
Analyzing trace evidence
Part 3 - Looking at the Body
VIII.
Forensic Autopsies
IX.
Identification of the unknown victim
X.
Estimating time of death
XI.
Traumatic injuries and death
XII.
Asphyxia
XIII.
DNA
XIV. Toxicology
XV.
Ballistics
XVI. Document Analysis
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Grade: 10
Hoosic Valley Central School District
Core Curriculum Topics
Subject: Marine Biology
First Semester Units to be covered:
Marine Biology - Course Outline Mrs. Givney
Life zones Classification Unicellular Algae Multicellular Algae Marine Plants Protists Marine Animals
o Phylum: Porifera
o Phylum: Cnidaria
o Phylum: Annelida
o Phylum: Platyhelminthes
o Phylum: Nematoda
o Phylum: Mollusca
o Phylum: Arthropoda
o Phylum: Echinodermata
o Phylum: Chordata
■
Sub-group: Protochordates
■
Class: Agnathes
■
Class: Chondrichthyes
■
Class: Osteoichthyes
■
Class: Reptilia
■
Class: Aves
■
Class: Mammalia Marine Environments
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Grade: 11
Hoosic Valley Central School District
Core Curriculum Topics
Subject: Chemistry
First Semester Units to be covered:
Matter and Energy
Phases of matter
Structure of Atom
The gas laws
Electron configuration
The periodic table
Chemical bonding
Chemical formulas
Second Semester Units to be covered:
Mathematics of chemical formulas
Chemical equations
Mathematics of chemical equations
Solutions
Kinetics and thermo dynamics
Equilibrium
Acids and bases
Oxidation – reduction
Electro chemistry
Organic chemistry
Bio chemistry
Nuclear chemistry
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Grade: 11 & 12
Hoosic Valley Central School District
Core Curriculum Topics
Subject: Physics
First Semester Units to be covered:
Measurement, Accuracy, Precision
Motion
Acceleration
Forces in One Dimension
Forces in Two Dimensions
Gravity
Momentum and it Conservation
Work, Energy and Simple Machines
Energy (Kinetic and Potential) and the Conservation
Wave Motion
Sound
Second Semester Units to be covered:
Light
Interference and Diffraction
Static Electricity
Electric Fields
Current Electricity
Series and Parallel circuits
Magnetism
Electromagnetic Induction
Quantum Theory
Models of the Atom
Nuclear Physics (optional topic included if time permits prior to the Regents exam)
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Grade: 11 & 12
Hoosic Valley Central School District
Core Curriculum Topics
Subject: Student Scientific Research
First Semester Units to be covered:
Attached is the Curriculum for the student Scientific Research Course. It is unique in that it is a three year
program. I have reflected that on the sheet. Each semester is broken into three columns and labeled to reflect
the three separate years. The course if free flowing so there is no starting point or ending point for any
“curriculum” topic (that is, I do not set aside any specific lecture time for any one topic but pursue these topics
with individuals as they reach that level). Please let me know if you have any questions.
Respectfully,
Ralph E. Pagano, Research Director
Year 1
Identify topic
Data base searches
Development of review of literature
Understanding/Reading scientific literature
Library searches
Oral presentation
Year 2
Preliminary data collection with review of methods
Data collection
Overview of statistics
Oral presentation
Year 3
Data collection
Data evaluation an analysis (review of statistics)
Drawing conclusions from data
Writing papers for submission to competitions
Oral presentations
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Second Semester Units to be covered:
Year 1
Time management and organization skills
Communication skills
Hypothesis/problem statement development
Research methods design
Statistics overview
Scientific writing
–the research proposal
Research review board
-requirements for vertebrate subjects
-requirements for human subjects
Oral presentations
Poster presentations
Year 2
Data collection
Oral presentations
Poster presentations
Year 3
Oral presentations
Writing a publishable paper for a science journal
Poster presentations
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