Science
At Chelmsford High School, the Science Department offers instruction at various academic levels. Level 1 Honors courses are by teacher recommendation only. The recommendation is based upon performance in both Science, Mathematics, and ELA. The student should also have exhibited a sincere interest in STEM. Honors courses are for the self-motivated and academically mature students. It is assumed that the Level 1 Honors science student is also in Level 1 Honors math course. AP courses are aligned with College Board’s expectations for curriculum and assessment. Summer work may be required for AP and Honors Science courses. See the Program of Studies for details. All other Science courses offered at Chelmsford High School are of the College Preparatory Level.
For students wishing to enroll in Biology Honors in grade 9, the following criteria must be met:
Average of terms 1 & 2 of 93 or higher and 3 of the following:
- Grade 8 benchmark scores in the exceeding range
- Placement into Honors Math
- Advanced score on the Grade 7 ELA MCAS Exam
- Teacher recommendation
Quality science education is based on standards that are rich in content and practice, with aligned curricula, pedagogy, assessment, and teacher preparation and development. It has been nearly 15 years since the National Research Council and the “American Association for Advancement in Science” produced the seminal documents on which most state standards are based. Since that time, major advances in science and our understanding of how students learn science have taken place and need to be reflected in state standards.
