Academics

In CRMS’s foundational science course, students explore the evolution and processes of life on Earth.  When the class is presented with authentic problems or projects, this class dives into them. Examples of this in the past have involved devising an aquaponics system to grow fish and vegetables for the CRMS kitchen, relocating a threatened osprey nest, creating an observational beehive, and constructing a baseline water quality analysis of a threatened local watershed. When we are not involved in a project-based unit, we jump into ecology, plant biology, evolution, genetics, taxonomy, biochemistry, cells and cell division, human reproduction, infectious disease, and the immune system.

Prerequisite: Algebra I    

The composition and behavior of matter are the focus of chemistry. The course follows a largely historical approach and focuses on the development of conceptual models through numerous laboratory experiments, demonstrations, and student-centered instruction. Over the course of the year, students will, for example, discover absolute zero, learn how to count particles too small to be seen, design and build small rockets powered by different fuels, discover the chemical basis behind the greenhouse effect and global warming, and compare the combustion of different alcohols as possible alternatives to gasoline.  In the process, most of the topics expected in a typical college-preparatory course will be covered. Much of the instruction and learning will take place during the students’ drawing of pictures that model at the submicroscopic level the phenomena we observe. Studies emphasize qualitative and quantitative lab work, critical analysis of experimental results, along with numerous demonstrations. A variety of projects during the year will allow students to apply their new knowledge and skills in new situations. 

Prerequisite: Chemistry (can be taken concurrently with Chemistry with approval).   

Geology has been a course offered at CRMS since the school’s beginning, and with good reason.  In this course, you will learn to read the deep history of planet Earth that is written in the very rock we ski through, climb up, paddle down, and backpack through.  In that regard, this is a field-based course and is a great option for students who want to learn in the outdoor environment. Students engage in field trips almost every week as the course explores plate tectonics, sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks, the interior structure of the Earth, glacial geomorphology, and climate science.  This course is also integrated into outdoor trips as every geology student prepares a geology lesson for their Spring Trip group. Moreover, CRMS offers a geology-specific interim option.  There are no prerequisite math standards for Geology students.

Prerequisites: Biology, Chemistry, and must have completed or be concurrently enrolled in Algebra II.  
Summer and winter break work required. AP exam and fee required.

This class takes advantage of CRMS's unique location to study and examine the natural world in a relevant, hands-on way. The course is designed to be the equivalent of a college-level course with extensive field and laboratory work that requires organization, planning, and critical thinking skills. Covered topics include ecology, population dynamics, earth science, and human impact at local, regional, and global levels. Students engage in the content by monitoring the health of the Crystal River using a macroinvertebrate survey, wrestling global population policy in a mock UN debate, and collaborating in group projects about climate change and invasive species. Students enrolled are required to take the AP exam in May. As an AP course, students should expect extra reading and homework.  Summer and winter break work required.

Prerequisites: Algebra II, Biology, and Chemistry 

Physics is all about attempting to understand and explain the physical phenomena in the world around us. The process can be challenging and often mind-bending as students wrestle to reconcile their years of experience in the world with scientifically accepted conceptual models. In class, we celebrate this challenge and the difficult process that is science. The course is focused on creating conceptual models that are built from student observations and data collected in small groups. Class periods revolve around solving problems in small groups or trying to clarify misconceptions or misunderstandings during class discussions. While Physics is the most mathematically heavy science course at CRMS, the emphasis is on ensuring a qualitative understanding of the concepts of physics. However, most students find that their math skills improve during the year as they discover the delightful fact that math helps to clarify and solve problems rather than hinder understanding. Topics covered include a description of motion, the causes of motion, forces, energy, and momentum as seen through the lens of classical mechanics, as well as a discussion of electrostatics and electrical circuits. Most topics covered either start or finish with laboratory experiments, projects, or tutorials.

Prerequisite: Calculus AB and Physics. May be taken concurrently with Calculus or without having the Physics prerequisite only with teacher approval.
Summer work required. AP exam and fee required.

AP Physics C follows a rigorous curriculum dictated by the College Board. Students learn and are expected to apply differential and integral calculus as it is relevant to the topics studied in mechanics. Early emphasis is placed on differentiation in the study of the relationships between position, velocity, and acceleration. Integration is emphasized most in the study of work and energy. Lab work is built into the curriculum and makes up a large portion of the class. Students are required to take the AP Exam in May.