The Science Department of Brehm Preparatory School provides students with core knowledge in the basic science disciplines:  Earth Science and physical Science interchangeably for middle school students; and Environmental Science, Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, and Chemistry for high school students.  Transcripts are evaluated to ensure proper placement for each individual according to the Illinois State School Standards.  The Science Department’s general objectives include teaching students the concepts and skills they will need to:

• Develop an understanding and an appreciation of the surrounding world as scientifically literate people.
• Possess necessary knowledge to make sound critical decisions individually and as group members in society.
• Fulfill science requirements for college entrance, i.e., three years of science before graduating.
• Prepare them to meet college expectations competently.

Student Science Evaluation:
To assess student performance, the Science Department assigns homework, in-class written assignments and discussions, projects, written and oral evaluations, written and oral exams, science-related collecting and oral reports on collections, and laboratory work and reports that are based on experiments demonstrating knowledge of the scientific method.

The science department is shared between three teachers, one of which teaches math courses and the second teaches Physical education, health, and driver’s education and the third strictly teaches science.  Frequently, they share ideas and materials and attend workshops together.  The emphasis is focused on a hands-on/minds-on philosophy, and the theme they share is learning through experimentation and observation.  The students are challenged to find answers by researching materials and applying the knowledge they have discovered to every day experiences.  Laboratory activities are highly emphasized, and students are taught that science is a part of their active, everyday lives.

Description of Brehm Preparatory School Science Courses:

Middle School Earth Science:
This class is intended for middle school students and is an introduction to earth science.
Specific concepts for instruction include:

• Study of soils including sampling and measurements
• Geologic time with an emphasis on Illinois
• Hydrology  through mini ponds and a living machine
• Study of the atmosphere including sampling and measuring
• Study of space with an emphasis on the solar system

Middle School Physical Science:
This class is intended for middle school students and is an introduction to physical science.
Specific concepts for instruction include:

• Mechanics and Newton’s Laws of Motion through bouncing balls and measurements
• Atomic structure including the development of  the atomic bomb and the bombing of Hiroshima
• Chemistry through studying elements, mixtures and compounds
• Application of mechanics and the laws of motion through making model planes and flight

High School Environmental Science:
Specific concepts for instruction include:

• Planet earth
• Methods of science
• Change in the Biosphere
• Ecological interactions
• Matter and energy in the ecosystem
• Biomes
• People in the global ecosystem
• Energy resources

High School Biology:
Specific concepts and instruction include:

• The study of life, including Biology in use, microscopes, measurements used in Biology, scientific  method, and careers in Biology
• Plant and animal cell with its organelles, functions, and processes
• Taxonomy
• Viruses and bacteria
• Protists and Fungi
• Simple animals
• Complex animals
• Plants and their processes
• Biology research paper over viruses
• Experiments
• Dissect bullfrogs
• Microscope work

High School Anatomy and Physiology:
Specific instruction and concepts include:

• Introduction to anatomy and physiology
• Skeleton System
• Muscular System 
• Cardiovascular System
• Research paper on a disease
• Field trips to St. Louis, MO to observe human cadavers and listen to doctors speak on certain systems of the body.
• Dissect sharks
• Microscope work
• Nervous System
• Reproductive System
• Digestive System
• Blood System
• Experiments

High School Chemistry:
Specific instruction and concepts include:

• Structure, interactions and states of matter
• Physical and chemical properties and reactions
• Nature of chemistry
• Formulating and balancing equations
• Learning the periodic table and what it describes
• Experiments and lab write ups
• Research report over famous chemist
• Field trip to chemical lab

Applied Physics:
This class is a survey of key concepts in physics as they apply to everyday life:  The focus centers around energy and motion, and simple machines.  We then apply those concepts to projects that illustrate the unit of study.  Specific instruction and concepts include:

• Simple Machines
• Energy and Motion basics
• Rocketry
• Design based on properties of energy and motion
• Basic properties of electricity