By Jessica Nguyen and Brian Pham, Staff Writers
FVHS offers a variety of Advanced Placement (AP) science classes that students can take including chemistry, biology, environmental science and physics. Each class is different in the subjects covered, projects and potential careers; so, how do you choose the class that is right for you?
AP Chemistry
AP Chemistry is a class open to mainly juniors, seniors and ambitious sophomores. Students must have already taken and passed Accelerated Biology and Chemistry with higher than C both semesters along with an “A” or concurrent enrollment in Algebra II before being able to advance to this class. AP Chemistry is a fast-paced course that covers a variety of topics, including electrochemistry, thermodynamics and chemical bonding, in a short period of time. The class requires a summer assignment and biweekly two to three hour labs done after school on Fridays or Saturday mornings.
“Like when you watched fireworks, sodium lamps, rooftops, everything is put together and when you say everything happens for a reason, chemists try to think why is everything put together and for what reason,” said FVHS AP Chemistry teacher Michael Olsberg.
AP Chemistry can be considered one of the hardest AP classes offered at FVHS, requiring hours of homework and studying; but, if you have a genuine interest in science and are willing to push and challenge yourself, AP Chemistry is the class for you!
“AP Chem is not necessarily the class that you’re like, ‘Oh well hopefully I can bump my GPA’. I think it’s the most mentally strenuous, mentally demanding of all the classes. If you have a mental curiosity that cannot be satiated, we have a place for you,” said Olsberg.
AP Biology
AP Biology is only open to juniors and seniors who have completed Accelerated Biology and Chemistry with a grade of “B” or higher. It is centered around four central themes: information, interactions, energy and evolution. This class also requires a summer assignment.
“Some unique aspects of taking AP Biology is the ability to take a bio for majors course in highschool and to conduct investigation that they might not do until college and give them a better understanding of the intricacies behind some biological processes deeper than we go in Accelerated Biology,” said FVHS AP Biology teacher Erika Williams.
There are many different careers paths AP Biology allow a student to explore as well like biotechnology, ecology and medicine although the list goes on.
“The advantages of taking this AP Bio class other than potentially getting credit for a course in college is that you make some really good connections with people as you investigate the biological processes in a deeper way and do some cool labs and learn about how challenging but how interconnected this topic is,” said Williams.
AP Environmental Science
The prerequisites for AP Environmental Science (APES) include a grade of “B” or higher in Accelerated Biology and Chemistry. The class covers numerous subjects about the earth such as ecological principles, global changes and their consequences and interdependence of systems.
“Some of our AP students, especially those taking AP Environmental Science, have a true passion for environmental issues and are interested in experiencing field research and exploring ways to solve the current ecological concerns/problems,” said Lehua Werdel, FVHS Science Department Head.
AP Environmental Science is also very hands on compared to the other AP science courses or the AP Capstone course. The class requires students to go outside into the natural world, conduct studies, examine the data they collect and try to interpret it. Students who take APES also have the chance to go on a scuba trip.
“We do a big focus research project and there are a number of students that pursue scuba in order to do that so that option is available. You become scuba certified. You get a chance to actually do your research underwater and receive an intro to scientific diving card, which is unique,” said Lisa Battig, FVHS APES teacher. “You’re actually going to go out into the system and take data from that system and then parse out that data to make sense out of it”.
AP Physics (Mechanics)
Juniors and seniors who have at least passed Chemistry or Chemistry in the Community and Physics or Physiology class and Algebra II/Trig can take AP Physics. Some topics covered include Newton’s laws of motion, simple harmonic motion, and momentum. Students are able to have numerous hands on opportunities including being able to go to Knotts Berry Farm to calculate the speeds of the roller coasters or make catapults.
“Students taking AP Physics 1 or AP Physics C are typically strong in math and are interested in experiencing the real-world applications of the math they have learned,” said Werdel.
The options may seem endless to choose from; but, just remember to take the class that you find more interesting and not what others are taking or because of the AP credit. If you are interested in more than one class, most FVHS students are able to take two AP science classes! Good luck Barons!
FVHS AP Physics teacher, Jeff Larson, was not able to comment.
