COURSE SYLLABUS: Environmental Science 1

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COURSE SYLLABUS: Environmental Science 1

COURSE SYLLABUS: Environmental Science 1 ENVRS 1 Spring 2015 Section 30262 Instructor: Professor Wranic Office: D350 (LAC campus) E mail: [email protected] Office Hours: by appointment Web site: http://www.wranic.com A. Course Outcomes 1. Distinguish between science and technology, and show how the difference can impact environmental problems. 2. Categorize perpetual, renewable, and nonrenewable earth resources, and assess factors that affect their sustainability. 3. Evaluate the relative merits—pros and cons—of different energy sources. 4. Assess an environmental issue in depth, and develop reasoned conclusions regarding its solution. B. Course objectives 1. Demonstrate knowledge of general science concepts in environmental science, biology, and chemistry; 2. Describe and consider the relationships between our environment and humans 3. Work cooperatively in groups. 4. Explain the definition and scope of environmental science. 5. Describe a range of serious environmental issues facing mankind 6. Define sustainable living. 7. Apply principles that govern matter and energy to environmental aspects of energy consumption. 8. Use the periodic table to categorize chemical properties and behavior of different elements. 9. Explain the uses of radioactive processes, and hazards associated with these processes. Describe the geological occurrence, extraction, refining, uses, amounts, distribution, and costs of coal, oil, and natural gas. 10. Recognize the environmental impact of conventional industrial development in developing nations. 11. Contrast ozone depletion and global warming in terms of their causes, effects, and actions being taken to overcome them. 12. Identify potential renewable energy sources for the future. 13. Compare socially and economically acceptable versus unacceptable solutions to environmental problems. C. Disclaimers To be successful in this class you need to attend class, study for the exams, do the activities, and read the chapters. Feel free to contact me via e mail. I do check my E mail regularly and it is probably the easiest method of contact. Please enter the hour of your class and course title under the subject heading when writing an E mail. By enrolling in this class you are implicitly accepting that for the convenience of all students in the class I will post at the class website grades after each exam sorted by a randomized number in addition, when I hand back exams or assignments I will pass them back from the front of the row so other students may view your grades. If you have any concerns about this in terms of your privacy, you need to give me your name after class on a signed note with your name also clearly printed on it requesting that I not return your assignments or tests in this fashion or that I not post your course grade at the class website. D. Required Text and Materials: Living in the Environment 17th edition(cougar cover) ISBN: 978-0-538-73534-6 or 18th edition (Made specifically for Long Beach City College) At the Cengage Learning site you can buy individual electronic chapters for $7. I also have the book (15th edition?) posted in the library where you can check it out for 3 hours. If you use this edition you will need to pay particular attention to chapters as they change. Activities by Angela Wranic: You should print out or download the activities word file from the website at www.wranic.com It is important that you have these. Although it does take some paper these are activities that we use the entire semester. Also at the website review sheet are also available. You should download these or print them out since they aide you tremendously in studying for the exam. I recommend if you have trouble taking notes to visit my website indicated above and print the notes out. It should help you a great deal. I recommend that you purchase a simple calculator. Please bring these items with you to each class. Exam materials: 3 scantrons 882 E (multiple choice with letters i.e. a,b,c,d,e). E. Grading policy: A total of approximately 710 points are available: 510 for the exams and 200 for in class and homework assignments and quizzes. The grading format is outlined below. The exams may include any of the following: multiple choice questions, true/false, short essay questions. The exams nor final grades will not be marked to a curve. 3 exams  exam 1 180 pts.  exam 2 180 pts.  exam 3 150 pts. Exam total 510 pts.

In class and homework assignments This category contains a total of approximately 200 points. Each in class assignment will be worth between 10-20 points. More information on these specific assignments will be given as we progress. There will be one larger group project worth 55 points. This group project will be broken into several categories, i.e. 10 points for research articles due for your topic, 5 points for group cooperation, 10 points for outline of the presentation, and 20 points for the oral presentation. This project will be discussed more in depth as we progress. Some class time will be given to work on this project.

It is the responsibility of each student to turn in required assignments on the due date. Be sure to keep in mind that your answers MAY NOT be exactly the same even though we are working in groups. Please show your own work. It is also the responsibility of each student to rely on their partners to find out what they missed or to contact the instructor. I will take 1 point for each class period your assignment is late. Exceptions will be made to this rule in extreme cases. In class assignments must be made up within 3 class periods or they will not be accepted.

I will collect assignments, and grade your papers but I will not record the grade. YOU will save your assignments until I collect all the assignments as a packet when we have an exam. It is important that you do not throw away or lose your assignments before I collect them as a packet. You will not be given credit for missing assignments. This is your responsibility and I have used this procedure with a freshman high school class. If they can do it you can do it. Your grade is determined by adding the points earned during the course of the semester. The grading scale is: A=90-100% B=89-80% C=79-70 D 69-60% F=59% and below If your grade is on the borderline between two letter grades, I will determine your grade based on attendance. If you are cheating on an exam you will be given an automatic F, for that exam. Make up exams are given. I expect you to have a good reason for missing an exam ( a doctors note, or person in authority note, or a very compelling reason.) if not you will take a Comprehensive Final Exam following the regularly scheduled Exam 3. I will determine if your reason is a good reason. It is best not to miss exams. If you miss an exam make sure that you discuss it with me. The grade received on the Comprehensive Final Exam will be the grade used for the missed exam. If you miss 2 exams you will be dropped from the class. F. Collegiate Environment I will be taking attendance this semester. If you miss twenty percent of the total class hours you will automatically be dropped from the class. Your grade is based on class participation therefore too many absences can also affect your grade. Please remain in the classroom during the entire class time. Take care of all personal matters before or after class. Of course if there is an emergency or dire need you may excuse yourself. Do not bring any food or drinks besides water into the classroom. Please put your cell phones into a quiet mode so as not to disturb the class. Also please do not surf the web for material that does not pertain to our course content. If at sometime during the semester you wish to drop the class, you must do so through the Admissions and Records office. If you are dropping do so before the deadline in November or you may receive an F for the class. I insist on courteous, mature behavior from each student at all times. If you are acting immaturely (talking while I lecture, swearing) I will give you one warning then I will insist that you leave the class without the option of making up the assignment we will be working on for that class session. Please be on time to class. It is very rude to be late. If you are more than 10 minutes late for 1.5 hour class (15 minutes for a 3 hour class) you will not be allowed to enter the classroom. Since we will be working on activities during this semester I require that we all clean up after ourselves Also see the Schedule of classes for further information on collegiate behavior. Tentative Course Outline, Lecture Reading Assignments, and important dates Please note we do chapters out of order so make sure you are reading the correct chapter!! Test dates are the exact date of exam. No class March 10th and week of April 6th Tu,Th 1:00-2:25 Room: D333

Important Dates Topic Reading Feb.10(week 1) Syllabus and Environmental Problems Chapter 1 17(W2) Science,Systems, Matter Chapter 2 24(W3) Ecosystem Chapter 3 March 5th(W4) Exam 1 Chapters 1,2,3 (Thursday) 12th(W5) Human population and Its Impact Chapter 6 19(W6) biome posters Chapter 7 26(W7) Water Resources Chapter 13 April 02(W8) Water Pollution Chapter 20 April 06 Spring Break 14(W9) Global warming Chapter 19 Exam 2 chapters 6,7,13, 19, 20 and April 23(W10) global warming (Thursday) 28(W11) Air pollution Chapter 18 May 5(W12) Nonrenewable Energy Chapter 15 12&19(W13&14) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Chapter 16 May 29,June 2 and June 4th Presentations Final Exam chapters 15,16,18 June 9th (Tuesday)

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