Academy of SCIENCE, tECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS (stem)

The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Academy is offered at Great Mills High School. The STEM Academy offers unique courses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to give students extraordinary knowledge and skills, as well as career exploration in numerous science and engineering pathways. The curriculum includes dedicated research classes founded upon the application of content, integrated technologies, and extensive problem-solving experiences. Advanced Placement courses are incorporated. Admission to the program is through an application process based on students’ past academic performance, dedication to advanced learning, and desire to pursue STEM-related careers.

Since there are much greater demands placed on students with the STEM Academy, it is appropriate to establish a grading system that is commensurate with the nature of the effort required. Therefore, STEM courses with an asterisk (*) will be weighted using a half-weight system (A=4.5, B=3.5, C=2.5, D=1, F=0). All required STEM courses must be taken at GMHS, to include required AP coursework.

Courses highlighted in blue indicate Academy requirements.

EXAMPLE OF STEM FOUR YEAR EDUCATIONAL PLAN

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ACADEMY REQUIREMENTS:

Students must complete the required shaded courses for STEM. See additional world language requirements below. Students will be required to complete a capstone project during their senior year. 

CUMULATIVE GRADE POINT AVERAGE REQUIREMENT:

Students must maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale for each semester to graduate with STEM Academy distinction.

ADVANCED COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

Students must complete at least 12 credits of their high school program in advanced courses at the Pre-AP, Advanced Placement, or Honors level.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS:

Students must complete at least four AP courses during junior and senior years: two in mathematics and two in science and/or technology.  To satisfy the AP Science requirement for STEM, students may take AP Computer Science Principles, AP Computer Science A, or both.

GENERAL HIGH SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS:

Students must complete the state assessments, as applicable, fulfill the Student Service-Learning requirement, and meet the requirements for the University Completer sequence.

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING WORLD LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT:

Students must successfully complete through Level 2 of a world language in order to meet program requirements. Level 1 credit may be earned in middle school with a passing grade in a world language. However, the middle school grade does not factor into the high school grade point average (GPA), quality points, or class rank.  Students are encouraged to complete a third year of a world language, but are not required to do so.

STEM CHEMISTRY (HONORS) – 043433* 

This project-based course is designed to challenge highly able students who have been accepted into the STEM Academy. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics concepts will be fully integrated in this course. This course is aligned to the new Maryland State Science Standards and has 3 primary areas of study: Matter and its Interactions, Motion and Stability (Forces and Interactions), and Energy. This course will also contain disciplinary core ideas for Earth/Space Science. Students will utilize various science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts to help them master the disciplinary core ideas in alignment with the Maryland State Science Standards. This course requires students to have a commitment to academic pursuits, while demonstrating self-motivation and independency. Students will learn skills and content that will help prepare them for future coursework in secondary science, especially AP level coursework. 

• • CREDIT: 1 (half-weighted)*

  • TYPE: Honors 

  • GRADE: 9 

  • PREREQUISITE: Enrollment in the STEM Academy required.

STEM BIOLOGY (HONORS) – 043443*

This project-based course is designed to challenge highly able students who have been accepted into the STEM Academy. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics concepts will be fully integrated in this course. This course is aligned to the new Maryland State Science Standards and has 4 primary areas of study: From Molecules to Organisms (Structures and Processes), Ecosystems: (Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics), Heredity (Inheritance and Variation of Traits), and Biological Evolution (Unity and Diversity). This course will also contain disciplinary core ideas for Earth/Space Science. Students will utilize various science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts to help them master the disciplinary core ideas in alignment with the Maryland State Science Standards. This course requires students to have a commitment to academic pursuits, while demonstrating self-motivation and independency. Students will learn skills and content that will help prepare them for future coursework in secondary science, especially AP level coursework. Students who object to dissection will be given alternative activities. 

• • CREDIT: 1 (half-weighted)*

  • TYPE: Honors 

  • GRADE: 10 

  • PREREQUISITE: Enrollment in the STEM Academy required.

STEM AP PHYSICS 1 – 043453 

This first year college level physics course is designed to challenge highly able students who have been accepted into the STEM Academy. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics concepts are integrated into this course. Students learn about and apply the concepts of vectors, motion-linear and rotational, and forces to explain the physical world. The concepts of electricity and magnetism are studied and related to their role in nature and technology. Wave motion and its relationship to the understanding of various physical phenomena are studied. This laboratory-oriented course includes high-level expectations in scientific observation, investigation, experimental design, interpretation of data, problem solving, critical thinking, analysis of scientific literature, and use of technology. Students sit for the AP Physics 1 exam for the opportunity to earn college credit at the completion of the course. Students should be aware that not all colleges grant credit for qualifying grades on the Advanced Placement examination, although over 400 institutions do grant credit. 

• • CREDIT: 1 

  • TYPE: Honors 

  • GRADE: 10 

  • PREREQUISITE: Enrollment in the STEM Academy required.

STEM PRE-AP ENGLISH 9 – 011243*

This course is designed to support STEM students’ transition into high school-level research and will incorporate cross-curricular STEM activities featuring a STEM-oriented writing programming in order to establish a more solid foundation of research and synthesis. Content focus will be on grammar, writing, and analysis of literature, along with skill development in the areas of research, composition, and vocabulary. 

• • CREDIT: 1 (half-weighted)*

  • TYPE: Honors 

  • GRADE: 9

  • PREREQUISITE: Enrollment in STEM at GMHS.

STEM INTERNSHIP (HONORS) – 046513 

The STEM Internship course is taken in the student’s senior year, following the completion of a 100-hour supervised summer Internship. Supervisors will include the STEM Internship  Teacher, the STEM AP, the STEM Supervisor, and a mentor. All projects must involve a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics application and make use of appropriate investigative techniques. Exemplary research skills will be expected with complete records and data collected in a formal Log Book. Students continue the summer Internship learning experience through the development of a reflection essay, scientific case study, and formal Capstone presentation for the public. Students also present their learning throughout the STEM Academy experience at the STEM Showcase during the spring. 

• • CREDIT: 1 

  • TYPE: Honors 

  • GRADE: 12 

  • PREREQUISITE: Enrollment in the STEM Academy required