Pre-AP Program
Pre-AP classes begin January 2027.
✳︎
Registration is now open.
✳︎
Pre-AP classes begin January 2027. ✳︎ Registration is now open. ✳︎
Build a Strong Foundation for Future AP Success
Toronto STEM School’s Pre-AP Program is designed for students who want to strengthen their academic foundation, develop higher-level thinking skills, and prepare for the expectations of future AP and advanced high school courses.
Through structured instruction, challenging practice, and academic skill development, students can build greater confidence before moving into more demanding coursework.
What is Pre-AP?
Pre-AP courses help students develop the skills and academic habits needed for more advanced high school study.
Rather than focusing only on memorization, students are encouraged to:
Strengthen core subject knowledge
Apply concepts to more challenging questions
Develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills
Improve academic communication and reasoning
Build effective study and learning habits
Become more comfortable with advanced course expectations
Pre-AP can be especially helpful for students who are considering taking AP courses later in high school.
Who is Pre-AP For?
The program is suitable for students who:
Want additional academic challenge
Are interested in taking AP courses in the future
Would like to strengthen their foundation before entering more advanced classes
Want to improve problem-solving and independent learning skills
Are motivated to prepare ahead for high school and university-level expectations
Students do not need previous AP experience to join.
Class Date: Tuesdays - January 12, 2027 - April 27, 2027
Class Time: 5:45 PM - 8:00 PM on Tuesdays
No class on Winter Break (Dec 21 & 28), Family Day (Feb 15), March Break (Mar 15), Easter Monday (Mar 29)
Minimum Recommended Pre(or Co)-Requisite: Biology 11Pre-AP Algebra 2 has four main units. Their key topics and recommended length are outlined here: Unit 1: Modeling with Function (~3 lessons) Unit 2: Algebra of Functions (~5 lessons) Unit 3: Function Families (~6 lessons) Unit 4T: Trigonometric Functions (~4 lessons)
In Pre-AP Algebra 2, students solidify and extend the understanding of functions and data analysis developed in prior courses.
Students build upon linear, quadratic, and exponential functions as they work to define logarithmic, polynomial, rational, square root, cube root, and trigonometric functions. Quantitative literacy is developed by weaving data sets, contextual scenarios, and mathematical modeling throughout the course.
Pre-AP is meant to prepare students for AP.
Areas of Focus
The Pre-AP mathematics areas of focus are vertically aligned to the mathematical practices that are fundamental to the discipline of mathematics in high school, AP courses, and beyond. This gives students multiple opportunities to think and work like mathematicians as they develop and strengthen these disciplinary reasoning skills throughout their education:
Connections among multiple representations: Students represent mathematical concepts in a variety of forms and move fluently among the forms.
Greater authenticity of applications and modeling: Students create and use mathematical models to understand and explain authentic scenarios.
Engagement in mathematical argumentation: Students use evidence to craft mathematical conjectures and prove or disprove them.
Unit Foundations
These big ideas are addressed across units:
Functions
Operations with Functions
Inverse Functions
Course at a Glance
Pre-AP Algebra 2 has four main units, with two options for Unit 4. Their key topics and recommended length are outlined here:
Unit 1: Modeling with Function (~3 Lessons)
Unit 2: Algebra of Functions (~4 Lessons)
Unit 3: Function Families (~6 Lessons)
Unit 4T: Trigonometric Functions (~5 Lessons)
This course will be using the flipped classroom approach, as such videos and assignments will be assigned to be completed outside of the class sessions. During meeting times, we will focus on a question and answer format to best utilize the brief period of time collectively together. We will be meeting via Zoom.
The content, assignments, and assessments will be based upon the Pre-AP Course and Exam Description (CED) available in the Pre-AP Classroom website or here.
Please note that this is a combined class. Students who have not yet reached an Algebra II level will be placed in Pre-AP Algebra I.
Class Date: Thursdays - January 7, 2027 - April 29, 2027
Class Time: 5:45 PM - 8:00 PM on Thursday
No class on March Break (Mar 18)
Pre-AP Biology has four main units. Their key topics and recommended length are outlined here: Unit 1: Ecological Systems (~5 lessons) Unit 2: Evolution (~4 lessons) Unit 3: Cellular Systems (~4 lessons) Unit 4: Genetics (~3 lessons)
In Pre-AP Biology, students engage in real-world data analysis and problem solving that sparks critical thinking about our living world. As students engage in grade-level content, they utilize the kind of scientific reasoning skills needed to analyze the natural world—and to succeed in future science and social science courses in high school and university.
This course prepares students for AP Biology.
The Pre-AP science areas of focus are vertically aligned to the science practices embedded in high school and college courses, including AP. This gives students multiple opportunities to think and work like scientists as they develop and strengthen these disciplinary reasoning skills throughout their education in the sciences:
Emphasis on analytical reading and writing: Students engage in analytical reading and writing to gain, retain, and apply scientific knowledge and to carry out scientific argumentation.
Strategic use of mathematics: Students use mathematics strategically in order to understand and express quantitative aspects of biology, to record and interpret experimental data, and to solve problems.
Attention to modeling: Students go beyond labeling diagrams to creating, revising, and using models to explain key patterns, interactions, and relationships in biological systems.
Unit Foundations
These four big ideas are addressed across all units:
The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life.
Growth and reproduction in biological systems are dependent upon the cycling of matter and the transformation of energy.
Biological systems, occurring at various scales, respond and adapt to stimuli in order to maintain dynamic homeostasis.
Genetic mechanisms are essential to maintaining biological systems.
This course will be using the flipped classroom approach, as such videos and assignments will be assigned to be completed outside of the class sessions. During meeting times, we will focus on a question and answer format to best utilize the brief period of time collectively together. We will be meeting via Zoom.
The content, assignments, and assessments will be based upon the Pre-AP Course and Exam Description (CED) available in the Pre-AP Classroom website or here.
Class Date: Sundays - January 10, 2027 - May 2, 2027
Class Time: 1:00 PM - 3:15 PM on Sunday
No class on March Break (Mar 14), Easter Weekend (Mar 28)
Pre-AP Chemistry has four main units. Their key topics and recommended length are outlined here: Unit 1: Structure and Properties of Matter (~4 lessons) Unit 2: Chemical Bonding and Interactions (~5 lessons) Unit 3: Chemical Quantities (~3 lessons) Unit 4: Chemical Transformations (~4 lessons)
In Pre-AP Chemistry, students develop a deep conceptual understanding of matter and energy at the molecular level as they learn to explain their macroscopic observations using particulate-level reasoning. As students engage in grade-level content, they utilize scientific reasoning skills needed to analyze the natural world—and to succeed in future science and social science courses in high school and college.
Pre-AP is meant to prepare students for AP.
The Pre-AP science areas of focus are vertically aligned to the science practices embedded in high school and college courses, including AP. This gives students multiple opportunities to think and work like scientists as they develop and strengthen these disciplinary reasoning skills throughout their education in the sciences.
Attention to modeling: Students develop and refine models to connect macroscopic observations to structure, motion, and interactions occurring at the atomic scale.
Strategic use of mathematics: Students integrate mathematics with conceptual understanding to model chemical phenomena.
Emphasis on analytical reading and writing: Students engage in analytical reading and writing to gain, retain, and apply scientific knowledge and to carry out scientific argumentation.
Unit Foundations
These big ideas are addressed across all units:
Structure and Properties: All matter is composed of particles that are in constant motion and interact with one another. This movement and interaction is responsible for the observable properties of matter. Observed properties can be used to infer the number and types of particles in a sample of matter.
Energy: Energy is transferred in all physical and chemical processes. During these processes, energy is either redistributed within the system or between systems.
Transformations: At its heart, chemistry is about rearrangements of matter. These rearrangements, or transformations, involve the breaking and forming of intermolecular forces or chemical bonds. Macroscopic observations can be used to quantify and describe these rearrangements at the atomic scale.
This course will be using the flipped classroom approach, as such videos and assignments will be assigned to be completed outside of the class sessions. During meeting times, we will focus on a question and answer format to best utilize the brief period of time collectively together. We will be meeting via Zoom.
The content, assignments, and assessments will be based upon the Pre-AP Course and Exam Description (CED) available in the Pre-AP Classroom website or here.
From Pre-AP to AP
Pre-AP is designed to help students build the foundation they may need before progressing to AP-level study.
Pre-AP
Build foundational knowledge and academic skills
↓
AP Courses
Study university-level content while in high school
↓
AP Exams
Demonstrate subject knowledge through College Board AP examinations
Why Take Pre-AP at Toronto STEM School?
Stronger Academic Foundation
Students reinforce important concepts while learning how to approach more advanced problems.
Preparation for AP
Pre-AP helps students become familiar with the level of reasoning, analysis, and independence expected in future AP courses.
Small-Class Learning
Students have more opportunities to ask questions, receive feedback, and work through challenging concepts with their instructor.
Skill Development
The program supports skills that are useful across many subjects, including critical thinking, organization, communication, and problem solving.
A Smoother Transition
Students can gradually build confidence before moving into more demanding senior high school or AP coursework.