Syllabus for AP Environmental Science [email protected] 770-459-5185
Course description
The goal of the AP Environmental Science course it to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the inter-relationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems both natural and man-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving or preventing them. In this course, students are taught to analyze and interpret information, and learn how to identify resolutions, prevention, and sustainability. Environmental Science is interdisciplinary: it embraces a wide variety of topics from different areas of study. Yet there are several major unifying constructs, or themes, that cut across the many topics included in the study of environmental science. The following themes provide a foundation for the structure of the AP Environmental Science course: 1. Science is a process. a. Science is a method of learning more about the world. b. Science constantly changes the way we understand the world. 2. Energy conversions underlie all ecological processes. a. Energy cannot be created, it must come from somewhere b. As energy flows through systems, at each step more of it becomes unstable 3. The Earth itself is one interconnected system. a. Natural systems change over space and time b. Biogeochemical systems vary in ability to recover from disturbances. 4. Humans alter natural systems. a. Humans have had an impact on the environment for millions of years. b. Technology and population growth have enables humans to increase both the rate and scale of their impact on the environment. 5. Environmental problems have a cultural and social context. a. Understanding the roles of cultural, social, and economic factors is vital to the development of solutions 6. Human survival depends on developing practices that will achieve sustainable systems. a. A suitable combination of conservation and development is required. b. Management of common resources is essential.
Long term labs and assignments Students will develop data collecting skills over an extended period of time. They will hone their abilities to take qualitative as well as quantitative measurements. Environmental Journal Students respond to a prompt which corresponds to each chapter covered in their textbook Summer Assignment Math computation practice AAS water testing training “Home” Video with graphic organizer Vocabulary review of common Environmental science terms Case studies Students must be aware of current issues and be able to gather information and be ready to present it. Students will take part in teacher-driven online discussions with their peers over current events. Students will also complete a portfolio of current event articles with personal commentary for each article. Field Experiences Once a month students will conduct water testing on site. Students will get certified in the Adopt-A- Stream protocols right before school starts.
Teacher’s Philosophy / Approach Since this course is a laboratory and field based course, the teaching of it takes advantage of local environments and resources. While West Georgia does not have marine environments, estuaries and coniferous forests, it does have deciduous forests, river systems, and clearly defined watersheds. Therefore, laboratory activities that are conducted outside and are consequently dependent on the weather have to be performed at certain times during the year. Examples of this would be water quality testing, soil analysis, testing ozone levels, and biodiversity to name a few.
The topics in AP Environmental Science do not lend themselves to short term memorization of facts. The emphasis of the course is on the understanding of systems and the processes.
Students should come prepared every day. Lectures and laboratory activities will supplement the required reading and homework assignments. ****We will utilize many resources, including videos. Some of these videos will contain mature content. Since APES is considered to be an introductory college level class, these videos are appropriate for study. There may be coarse language or graphic scenes.
COURSE GRADE ASSESSMENT
Tests-Multiple Choice, Free Response Questions Homework, Chapter Reviews Presentation Lab Reports Field Work Online Journals
Tests and Quizzes: 35% Homework: 25% Class Work and Labs: 40%
AP EXAM PREPARATION I have two main goals in this course. First, I want students to gain a better understanding of their world and their personal footprint on it and to pass the AP exam and earn college credit for the course. This requires work and effort. FEES REQUIRED by August 30
AP registration and test fee of $90 ($45 for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch) You may choose to pay this fee on a monthly payment schedule of: $15 per month (free/reduced lunch fee is $7.50 per month). Either payment in full or first monthly payment is due August 30 (If you choose a monthly payment plan, the payments are divided into 6 equal payments with the final payment due January 30. Lab Fee $15 (mandatory for all students- Due by August 30). This course will prepare students to take the AP Exam. The three hour long exam will be divided equally between a Multiple Choice and a Free Response Section.
The multiple choice section consists of 100 questions and constitutes 60% of the final grade. The free response section includes 4 essays which emphasize the application of the principles to a greater depth and comprises 40% of the exam grade. I. Interdependence of Earth’s systems: Fundamental (1, 2, 3) Principles and concepts Background: General Overview of the Course
Environmental Issues, their causes and sustainability
Environmental History: An Overview
Science, Systems, Matter, and Energy
II Earth System and Resources (7, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19)
A. Earth Systems and Resources Earth Science Concepts (Geologic time scale; plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanism; seasons; solar intensity and latitude) The Atmosphere (Composition; structure; weather and climate; atmospheric circulation and the Coriolis Effect; Global Water Resources and Use (Freshwater/saltwater; ocean circulation; agricultural, industrial, and domestic use; surface and groundwater issues; global problems; conservation) Soil and Soil Dynamics (Rock cycle; formation; composition; physical and chemical properties; main soil types; erosion and other soil problems; soil conservation) III The Living World (3, 4, 7, 10)
Ecosystem Structure (Biological populations and communities; ecological niches; interactions among species; keystone species; species diversity and edge effects; major terrestrial and aquatic biomes)
Energy Flow (Photosynthesis and cellular respiration; food webs and trophic levels; ecological pyramids)
Ecosystem Diversity (Biodiversity; natural selection; evolution; ecosystem services)
Natural Ecosystem Change (Climate shifts; species movement; ecological succession)
Natural Biogeochemical Cycles (Carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, water, conservation of matter) IV Population (10, 11, 12, 14, 22) 1. Population Biology Concepts (Population ecology; carrying capacity; reproductive strategies; survivorship) 2. Human Population 1. Human Population Dynamics (Historical population sizes; distribution; fertility rates; growth rates and doubling times; demographic transition; age-structure diagrams) 2. Population size (Strategies for sustainability; case studies; national policies) 3. Impacts of population growth (Hunger; disease; economic effects; resource use; habitat destruction) V. Land and Water Use (10, 11, 14, 22) 1. Agriculture 1. Feeding a growing population (Human nutritional requirements; types of agriculture; Green Revolution; genetic engineering and crop production; deforestation; irrigation; sustainable agriculture) 1.1. Controlling pests (Types of pesticides; costs and benefits of pesticide use; integrated pest management; relevant laws) 1.2. Forestry (Tree plantations; old growth forests; forest fires; forest management; national forests) 2. Rangelands (Overgrazing; deforestation; desertification; rangeland management; federal rangelands) 3. Other Land Use 1. Urban land development (Planned development; suburban sprawl; urbanization) 2. Transportation infrastructure (Federal highway system; canals and channels; roadless areas; ecosystem impacts) 3. Public and federal lands (Management; wilderness areas; national parks; wildlife refuges; forests; wetlands) 4. Land conservation options (Preservation; remediation; mitigation; restoration) 5. Sustainable land-use strategies 4. Mining (Mineral formation; extraction; global reserves; relevant laws and treaties) 1. Fishing (Fishing techniques; overfishing; aquaculture; relevant laws and treaties) 2. Global Economics (Globalization; World Bank; Tragedy of the Commons; relevant laws and treaties VI Energy Resources and Consumption (14, 15, 16) 1. Energy Concepts (Energy forms; power; units; conversions; Laws of Thermodynamics)
2. Energy Consumption 1.1. History (Industrial Revolution; exponential growth; energy crisis) 1.2. Present global energy use 1.3. Future energy needs 2. Fossil Fuel Resources and Use (Formation of coal, oil, and natural gas; extraction/purification methods; world reserves and global demand; synfuels; environmental advantages/disadvantages of sources) 3. Nuclear Energy (Nuclear fission process; nuclear fuel; electricity production; nuclear reactor types; environmental advantages/disadvantages; safety issues; radiation and human health; radioactive wastes; nuclear fusion) 4. Hydroelectric Power (Dams; flood control; salmon; silting; other impacts) 5. Energy Conservation (Energy efficiency; CAFE standards; hybrid electric vehicles; mass transit) 6. Renewable Energy (Solar energy; solar electricity; hydrogen fuel cells; biomass; wind energy; small-scale hydroelectric; ocean waves and tidal energy; geothermal; environmental advantages/disadvantage VII Pollution ( 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 30) 1. Pollution Types 1. Air pollution (Sources-primary and secondary; major air pollutants; measurement units; smog; acid deposition-causes and effects; heat islands and temperature inversions; indoor air pollution; remediation and reduction strategies; Clean Air Act and other relevant laws) 2. Noise pollution (Sources; effects; control measures) 3. Water pollution (Types; sources, causes, and effects; cultural eutrophication; groundwater pollution; maintaining water quality; water purification; sewage treatment/septic systems; Clean Water Act and other relevant laws) 4. Solid waste (Types; disposal; reduction)
1. Impacts on the Environment and Human Health 1. Hazards to human health (Environmental risk analysis; acute and chronic effects; dose response relationships; air pollutants; smoking and other risks) 2. Hazardous chemicals in the environment (Types of hazardous waste; treatment/disposal of hazardous waste; cleanup of contaminated sites; biomagnification; relevant laws) 2. Economic Impacts (Cost-benefit analysis; externalities; marginal costs; sustainability) VIII Global Change (18, 19) 1. Stratospheric Ozone (Formation of stratospheric ozone; ultraviolet radiation; causes of ozone depletion; effects of ozone depletion; strategies for reducing ozone depletion; relevant laws and treaties) 2. Global Warming (Greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect; impacts and consequences of global warming; reducing climate change; relevant laws and treaties) 3. Loss of Biodiversity 1. Habitat loss; overuse; pollution; introduced species; endangered and extinct species 2. Maintenance through conservation 3. Relevant laws and treaties Dear Parent, I look forward to teaching AP Environmental Science (APES) this year. I think this class will expand your child’s world view and help them become better environmental stewards. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions. Email works best for me, but I am flexible.
Here are important points to keep in mind:
1. Students are expected to turn in all work on time. LATE WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED 2. We will cover several controversial topics. Some of the videos we watch may contain minimal coarse language. Students are also expected to be mature and courteous in their responses to each other. 3. Please let me know of any allergies or medical conditions. We will go outside and handle chemicals 4. Students may correct their tests for quarter credit. This must be done within one week of the test. 5. Students will work together on some labs, but turn in separate formal lab reports. Some colleges require students to keep their lab reports for AP science classes to show their professors. It is STRONGLY recommended that students keep all their work for this class. 6. Students are expected to take the AP exam for this course. The fee for the test is $90. Students may Pay in advance or make payments monthly.
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