Sophomores begin concentrating on chemistry as their first opportunity to study a single scientific discipline in depth. As a foundational science, chemistry demands considerable mental effort and thinking from students. After freshman year, students at Poly typically choose among different science courses that vary in coursework and workload. Many schools offer Advanced Placement (AP) classes for those interested in a more rigorous experience, and ultimately, the opportunity to take the AP exam.
At Poly, however, PolyEnriched (PE) courses provide an additional, uniquely advanced option. For sophomores, PolyEnriched Chemistry (PE Chem) is the only advanced chemistry course offered, meaning students interested in a challenging chemistry experience are unable to take AP Chemistry. PE classes showcase a unique feature of Poly: the ability to deviate from traditional College Board structures and gain real-world experience and applications of the topic at hand. For many students, PE classes offer in-depth exposure to the topic, enabling them to learn more and enjoy their albeit demanding coursework. Some students, however, prefer a traditionally structured course that prepares them thoroughly for the AP Test.
Upper School Science Teacher Robin Barnes, who teaches the PolyEnriched class, has made PE Chem as similar to the AP course as possible while still offering unique labs and allowing a little deviation from the curriculum. With the specialized course, PE Chem students are subject to a sacrifice: the time spent on additional labs and special projects is taken from the time that would otherwise be spent studying AP content. Though AP classes offer the same units, students are given more time to understand the coursework and are guided to engage with the material in a manner that solely prepares them for the AP exam.
Though hands-on and real-world experiences facilitate an understanding of science that helps students succeed, many students who select the more challenging class also plan to take the AP test at the end of the year. PE Chem is an excellent alternative for students who aren’t as concerned with their AP test score but want to challenge themselves and enjoy chemistry, but AP Chemistry should be an option for those hoping to earn a 4 or 5 come May. Current PE Chem student Maggie Tsay noted, “PE Chem is much slower, and we go a lot more in depth. So although it provides a more experimental and fun approach than AP, some material doesn’t come up, and we have to self-teach for the test”.
Barnes explains, “If you’re bound to the AP Chemistry curriculum, that means you have to stop teaching new content some number of weeks before the test so you can then just study for the test.” For a class that devotes significant time to additional hands-on experiments throughout the year, the compressed pace of the review period can feel overwhelming and make it challenging to sustain an engaging laboratory environment. In fact, many students rely on those weeks beforehand to truly get a grip on the material and understand how an AP test works. “Since it gets really busy around AP season, the in-class review sessions worked into my AP classes have been really helpful for reviewing content,” shared senior Lennon Standridge. Though Barnes offers out-of-class study sessions for the AP test sprinkled throughout weekends leading up to the test, only a small portion of what could be achieved on weekdays can be accomplished. The current PE Chem course is trying to compress both interactive learning and AP preparation into one curriculum, creating lack of depth in both aspects – that’s why we need two separate classes. The PE Chem course can focus on the laboratory and physical applications of chemistry without worrying about the rigid AP curriculum, while an AP Chem class can provide the traditional learning experience for those who strive for AP success. Similar to how PE and AP Biology exist in tandem for junior-year science courses, having the same options for sophomore-year courses would cater to students’ varying interests and goals. Advanced chemistry courses pose a challenge for students, no matter who they are.
PE Chem is an excellent, well-thought-out curriculum that many enrolled students appreciate. Still, offering the AP course in addition to the PE class would benefit many students who struggle to balance classwork and self-study for the AP test, helping them earn higher scores on the AP exam if that’s their ultimate goal.
