AP Environmental Science Syllabus 3 Overview of AP Environmental Science Class Profile. Course Prerequisites

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1 AP Environmental Science Syllabus 3 Overview of AP Environmental Science Class Profile Section size has ranged from 6 to 13 students. The course meets for the entire academic year, six periods per week four single-class periods and one double lab. Each single class period is 44 minutes and the double lab period is 92 minutes (2 x 44 minutes plus the normal passing time of four minutes between classes, because the students are in the same room for the two periods) for a total of 268 minutes per week. [C11] Course Prerequisites Earth science is offered in the intermediate school, and all of our high school freshmen take a physical science course. The prerequisites for AP Environmental Science include biology (as a sophomore) and chemistry or physics concurrently. Course Overview The course adheres to the objectives set forth in the Course Description for AP Environmental Science, which says it is designed to be the equivalent of a one-semester, introductory college course in environmental science that includes a laboratory and field investigation component. Emphasis is placed on the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems both natural and human-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them. C11 Evidence of The course includes a laboratory and/or field investigation component. A minimum of one class period or its equivalent per week is spent engaged in laboratory and/or field work. All students who are enrolled in AP Environmental Science are required to complete the summer reading assignment and take the summer reading quiz. They must maintain an organized laboratory data notebook, conduct laboratory work according to safety rules, and submit required formal laboratory reports as assigned. They are expected to complete the assigned readings (approximately a chapter a week plus supplemental readings and case studies) with periodic chapter quizzes and major tests covering two to three chapters. Each quarter there is a group project or 1

2 presentation. There is a required midterm exam and an alternate assessment presentation as a final exam in June, since each student is required to take the AP Exam. By the very nature of the topics and their relevance to current events, this course appeals to a wide diversity of students who have interests in the environment and nature, science, engineering, social sciences, law, economics, computers, literature, and drama. This diversity lends itself to lively discussions and interesting presentations of scientific topics, concepts, and data. The implication of empowering a diversity of students with scientific knowledge about the environment at the college level is an exciting prospect and provides hope for a sustainable future. Text Miller, G. Tyler. Living in the Environment: Principles, Connections, and Solutions. 12th ed. Pacific Grove, Calif.: Brooks/Cole, Laboratory Manual Enger, Eldon, and Bradley F. Smith. Field and Laboratory Activities. 6th ed. Dubuque, Iowa: William C. Brown, Accompanies the textbook Environmental Science: A Study of Interrelationships by Eldon Enger and Bradley F. Smith. Course Planner Not all of the weeks represented in this course planner are full weeks due to school holidays and weather-related closings. Weeks 1-3 Summer Reading Quiz Definition of Environmental Science Scientific Method and Critical Thinking [C8] Experimental Design and Analysis (chi-square test and p-values) [C9] Introduction to Environmental Issues Causes and Sustainability, and Environmental History Chapters 1 3 (to page 53) Weeks 4 7 Review of Basic Chemistry [C8] Matter and Energy Relationships (Laws of Thermodynamics) [C8] Ecosystems: Energy Flow and Matter Cycles Evolution and Diversity (Shannon-Weiner Index) [C9] C8 Evidence of Curricular Requirement: The course provides students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world. The curriculum draws upon various scientific disciplines. C9 Evidence of Curricular Requirement: The course includes methods for analyzing and interpreting information and experimental data, including mathematical calculations. 2

3 Biogeography: Climate and Biomes [C1] Chapter 3 (from page 53) to Chapter 6 Weeks 8 9 Aquatic and Community Ecology Species Interactions [C2] Succession and Sustainability [C2] Wetlands [C4] Chapters 7 8 and Chapter 24 (pages ) C1 Evidence of Earth Systems and Resources C2 Evidence of The Living World C4 Evidence of Land and Water Use During the week around Election Day, Chapter 27, Politics, Environment, and Sustainability, is assigned as an independent study project, which includes multiple-choice questions from the test bank and a short report on one environmental law. (Each student reports on a different law using Internet resources; a summary of major environmental legislation is provided after the reports are collected so students may review them throughout the year.) [C10] Weeks C10 Evidence of The course teaches students how to identify and analyze environmental problems, to evaluate the ecological and human health risks associated with these problems, and to critically examine various solutions for resolving or preventing them. Population Dynamics C3 Evidence of Carrying Capacity [C3] Conservation Biology Chapter 9 Population Weeks Geology Plate Tectonics Earthquakes and Volcanoes Rock Cycle [C1] Soil: Formation, Characteristics and Properties Organisms, Erosion, Degradation, and Conservation [C4] Chapter 10 Weeks Human Population: Growth, Demography (Survivor- Ship Curves and Age Structure Diagrams), Carrying Capacity [C3] Sustainable Cities: Urban Land Use and Management, Zoning and City Planning Urban Problems Chapters 11 and 25 C1 Evidence of Earth Systems and Resources C4 Evidence of Land and Water Use C3 Evidence of Population 3

4 Weeks World Food Resources: Crops, Meat and Fish [C1] Chapter 12 and Chapter 24 (pages ) Weeks Water Resources Surface Water and Groundwater [C1] Water Pollution Water and Wastewater Treatment Water Quality and Drinking Water Standards Clean Water Act [C4] & [C6] Chapters 13 and 19 Week 21 Midterm Exams Weeks Nonrenewable Mineral and Energy Resources [C1] Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy [C5] Chapters Weeks Hazards, Risk and Risk Assessment Toxicology [C6] Human Health Chapter 16 Weeks Air and Air Pollution Air Quality Standards Clean Air Act [C6] Greenhouse Effect Climate Change and Implications Ozone Depletion [C7] Chapters Week 29 Pesticides and Pest Control Effects on Air and Water Quality and Human Health [C10] Pesticide Regulations Alternatives and Integrated Pest Management Chapter 20 C1 Evidence of Earth Systems and Resources C4 Evidence of Land and Water Use C6 Evidence of Pollution C1 Evidence of Earth Systems and Resources C5 Evidence of Energy Resources and Consumption C6 Evidence of Pollution C7 Evidence of Global Change C10 Evidence of The course teaches students how to identify and analyze environmental problems, to evaluate the ecological and human health risks associated with these problems, and to critically examine various solutions for resolving or preventing them. 4

5 Weeks Solid and Hazardous Wastes Chapter 21 During the week around April 15 (Income Taxes!), Chapter 26, Economics, Environment and Sustainability, is assigned as an independent study project, which includes multiple-choice questions from the AP test bank and an AP essay question. Occasionally, this assignment corresponds with Spring Break. [C10] Weeks Sustaining Wild Species Biodiversity and Extinction [C2] Wildlife Management [C10] C10 Evidence of The course teaches students how to identify and analyze environmental problems, to evaluate the ecological and human health risks associated with these problems, and to critically examine various solutions for resolving or preventing them. C2 Evidence of The Living World Chapter 23 Chapter 24 (pages and ) C10 Evidence of The course teaches Weeks Environmental Worldviews Ethics and Sustainability, Review Chapter 28 Weeks AP Exam Ecological Planning Project Week 40 Final Exams Project Presentations Teaching Strategies Summer Reading Assignment and Quiz This assignment consists of excerpts from various environmental readings (e.g., Biodiversity, edited by E. O. Wilson; Betrayal of Science and Reason: How Anti-Environmental Rhetoric Threatens Our Future, by Paul R. and Anne H. Ehrlich; and The Global Citizen, by Donella H. Meadows. Lecture Because this course closely parallels a college course, I usually lecture two times a week. Novice AP Environmental Science teachers often encounter difficulty developing lectures, and I recommend that they use students how to identify and analyze environmental problems, to evaluate the ecological and human health risks associated with these problems, and to critically examine various solutions for resolving or preventing them. 5

6 a reference text with an approach that is different from the text their class is using. By outlining parallel chapters in the reference text, the basis of a lecture emerges, with the same concepts but different examples and usually a different perspective. I occasionally project my lecture notes on overheads (or PowerPoint presentations) to assist the weaker students in their note-taking skills. Small-Group Activities Problem solving, design projects, and Internet research are the basis for small-group activities, which provide the opportunity for brainstorming, application, and synthesis of material from lectures and reading assignments. The groups must also present their findings to the rest of the class. Occasionally role-playing activities are employed to emphasize the many viewpoints and professional opinions involved in making environmental decisions. [C9] Field Trips Typically I have one field trip to the municipal sewage treatment plant; I also make use of virtual field trips on the Internet. Last year we began competing in the New Jersey State Envirothon. This involves a field trip to the New Jersey Resource Education Center in Jackson for an outdoor training session in addition to a trip to the competition, which is held at a different location in the state each year. State Envirothon Approximately half of the students in our AP Environmental Science classes have participated in this very worthwhile competition; the other half would, but have commitments that conflict with the Saturday competition. In New Jersey it is held the Saturday before the AP Environmental Science Exam, and participating students have found the program very helpful. As a team, we meet after school weekly starting in January and then daily the week before the competition. Materials provided by the Envirothon enhance the AP Environmental Science program and the students respond positively to the outdoor, competitive atmosphere. Videos All videos are used in conjunction with a video quiz or a specific assignment, either a case study or a problem-solving exercise. C9 Evidence of Curricular Requirement: The course includes methods for analyzing and interpreting information and experimental data, including mathematical calculations. 6

7 Final Exam Because all students are required to take the AP Exam, I do not require a written final exam, but an alternate assessment project is assigned. I invite the city planner to be a guest speaker. She explains the master plan and zoning ordinances and also brings a full set of architectural prints for a recent construction project. Using the resources in Planning for Change, by James A. Lahde, students spend the next few weeks involved in activities that demonstrate the role of ecological principles in land-use planning. Their final exam project involves locating a vacant property within the township, developing a proposal for its development that is environmentally sound and consistent with the local zoning ordinances, and identifying the environmental impacts of their development. Following guidelines in Planning for Change, students organize their project and present it during their exam time block. Depending on the size of the class, students may work alone or in groups of two or three. Presentations average about 15 minutes each; the exam block is two hours. Presentations may be in PowerPoint, video, poster, 3- D model, slides, photograph, or transparency formats. [C10] Lab Component Laboratory experiences include experiments from lab manuals, data sets, fieldwork (fall and spring, as weather permits), and student-designed experiments. Students typically work in lab groups of two to four, depending on the nature of the activity. Student Activity How to Market Energy in an Energy- Challenged Age Part 1 [C5] In this part of the activity, students are required to write a three- to fivepage paper on a specific topic related to energy efficiency, energy conservation, or energy alternatives. The specific topics are placed on folded file cards in a large beaker and each student draws a card, thereby selecting their topic. Suggested topics include natural gas home, solar heating system, energy conservation service, microwave cooking, electric car, hybrid car, bicycle, carpooling, and mass transit. C10 Evidence of The course teaches students how to identify and analyze environmental problems, to evaluate the ecological and human health risks associated with these problems, and to critically examine various solutions for resolving or preventing them. C5 Evidence of Energy Resources and Consumption Students are to research the following questions. 1. What sources of energy are required? How abundant are the supplies? What impact will this have on the cost of the energy supply? 7

8 2. What energy conversions must occur for your system to operate? How does the system work? What are the relationships among the various components of the system? What is its capacity? What is its life expectancy? 3. How does your system compare to a more conventional one (heating, cooking, and traveling)? Include cost in your comparison. 4. What kind of maintenance is required? 5. What kinds and levels of emissions (pollution) result? Students are required to conduct their research on the Internet and document their sources. How to Market Energy in an Energy- Challenged Age Part 2 [C5] In the second phase of the activity, students are required to develop a short (not more than three minutes) advertisement for their energy product. The advertisement can take the form of a PowerPoint presentation, poster, magazine ad, or video. In order to do this, students must first consider the consumer impacts of their product, such as increased or decreased costs or savings; convenience, comfort, or quality of life; abundant or declining energy supplies; renewable versus nonrenewable energy sources; reliability; performance; and environmental impact. Next, students design their advertisement to appeal to a particular target audience. As was done for topic selection, target audiences are written on folded file cards and placed in a large beaker. Each student draws a card, thereby selecting the target audience they are to reach with their ad. C5 Evidence of Energy Resources and Consumption Each student receives a copy of the following target audiences and descriptions, which come from page 48 in Helen Carey s Playing with Energy. Status Seeker. Wants to be associated with the latest in things. Wears only name-brand clothing and will buy anything new or different, particularly if sold in limited editions. Has never shopped in a chain store. Wild and Crazy. Considers everything a joke and life is for fun. Spends money freely and resists having serious thoughts. Travels in large groups and cannot stand to be alone for more than 30 minutes. 8

9 Nostalgia Buff. Longs for the good old days and does not trust anything new unless it relates to something from the past. Loves old movies, old houses, old clothing. Frequently shops in secondhand stores. Engineering Nut. Spends time taking things apart and analyzing how they work. Buys furniture and appliances in kit form and puts them together at home. Impressed by data, charts, and graphs, and spends hours using calculators and home computers. Money Conscious. Interested in the bottom line and bargains. Will spend hours searching for coupons and store sales and will double-check the waiter s bill when out for dinner. Eco-Freak. Interested in preserving the world as a wilderness area. Wears only denim shirts and hiking boots. Most comfortable in the outdoors and sleeping in a tent. Intense recycler and always asking, What s the environmental impact? Social Butterfly. Wants to know where the next party is and buys items in quantity and for convenience. Just Plain Folks. Blends into any crowd with indistinctive clothes, cars, and houses. Very family and home centered. Students may not share their topic or target audience with other members of the class because the class will be asked to identify each product and each target audience from the presentations. Students can practice identifying these target audiences from magazine ads. This is best done by holding up ads and having the class guess the target audience, with discussion if there is no consensus. In addition to tallying the product and target audience votes, the following questions are a useful guide for class discussion. 1. How did you recognize the target audience? Are you ever part of this audience? 2. What action does the advertisement require of the audience? 9

10 3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this product? 4. What, if any, important information was left out of the advertisement? 5. Did you respond to the product or the attitude or feeling that was being promoted? 6. How can advertisements be used to promote environmentally friendly products and services? The resource for the basis of this activity is Playing with Energy, edited by Helen Carey (Washington, DC: National Science Teachers Association, 1981). Student Evaluation Each of the four marking period grades is determined in the following manner. A Formal Lab Report with background research is required each marking period and counts as one test grade. A Lab Data Notebook (a bound notebook, not a loose-leaf) is maintained for all laboratory work. It is collected weekly or biweekly and checked. Point deductions are totaled and a grade is assigned at the end of the marking period. It counts as one test grade. One Project or Group Project/Presentation is completed each marking period and counts as one test grade. Classwork and Homework are collected and graded as assigned; these are averaged together and count as one test grade. Quizzes are administered throughout the discussion of a topic or reading assignment. It is important that students review material regularly and keep current with their assignments. Video quizzes are administered during the viewing of each part of the Race to Save the Planet series. All quizzes are averaged together and count as one test grade. 10

11 Major Tests are administered after each major unit (two or more chapters). The tests consist of 45 to 60 multiple-choice questions taken directly or modified from the author s test bank. Students are also given three to five essay questions the week before the test. They have a week to research, formulate, and organize their answers. On the day of the test, one student (a different student for each test) draws a number from a beaker of folded papers numbered from one to five. The number they draw is the only essay the class will answer without their notes, of course! The procedure is repeated for each section and for makeup tests. At the end of the marking period, all test grades are averaged to calculate the marking period grade. As per school policy, each marking period counts as 20 percent of the final course grade, the midterm exam counts as 10 percent, and the final exam also counts as 10 percent of the final grade. 11