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Bay Shore staff propose ‘Science of Sound’ and ‘Science of Sports’ electives at high school
Summary
A high school teacher presented two proposed semester electives—Science of Sound and Science of Sports—aimed at applying physics to music and athletics; both would require algebra and would be project-based. The board asked about staffing, materials, enrollment thresholds and alignment with future STEM credit requirements.
Bay Shore High School staff proposed two new half‑year elective courses—Science of Sound and Science of Sports—for the 2025–26 school year, designed to teach physics principles through music and athletics and broaden access to physics for students who might not otherwise take a full-year physics course.
Teacher and course proposer Mr. Leach described the classes as project-driven, inquiry-based electives that require algebra as a prerequisite. The Science of Sound would explore wave mechanics, resonance and acoustics, with students building or modifying instruments and composing recordings on digital workstations. The Science of Sports would examine force, energy and momentum in athletic contexts and include sports‑medicine concepts and biomechanics labs.
Mr. Leach said the courses were intended to make physics more accessible and appealing, allow students who are not otherwise physics students to encounter scientific thinking, and reinforce skills such as data analysis and collaboration. The courses would be locally developed; Mr. Leach and the department have begun curriculum planning and outreach to regional physics teachers for resource sharing. He said no additional staffing is required at present because the offerings could be cycled into the existing physics schedule, with the department potentially reallocating sections (for example, cycling the Physics of Electricity) or moving sections among teachers depending on projected enrollment.
Board members asked about minimum enrollment to run a section, required materials and the semester layout; Mr. Leach said spring enrollment projections determine the master schedule and the district will require a minimum number of students for a section to run. Board members asked to see a detailed semester-by-semester syllabus and a materials list; Mr. Leach said staff will provide a full layout and that the courses could also fit anticipated New York State STEM credit buckets under forthcoming standards.
No formal action was taken. The board expressed support and requested a fuller course outline, enrollment thresholds and an estimate of any one‑time materials costs before final approval for the 2025–26 master schedule.
