UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN COLORADO

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1 UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN COLORADO Office of Extended Studies College of Natural and Health Sciences ENST Advanced Placement Environmental Science Syllabus Summer 2009 Faculty: Dr. Richard Jurin, Richard.Jurin@unco.edu Course Credits: 2 semester hours Prerequisites: None Disability Support Services Students who believe they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the Disability Support Services (970) and inform the instructor as soon as possible to better ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. Catalog Description: Topics in the content and pedagogy related to teaching and maintaining an Advance Placement Environmental Sciences program. S/U graded. Unlimited repeatability. Required Course text/packet Readings: You will be provided a copy of Living in the Environment by G. Tyler Miller, Jr. 15 th edition, courtesy of Thomson/Brooks Cole Publishers. The reading packet for this course has been sent to you by electronic mail you should acquaint yourself with the contents prior to attending the APES workshop. The information in this packet is just the start of the workshop material. Throughout the week, you will have the opportunity to develop your course, work on activities that you students can do during the year and finally share your experiences in teaching and the environment that will make you a great teacher for Advanced Placement Environmental Science. APES is more than just teaching our students about the environment. We need to understand that what we say and do in our classrooms might change how they will perceive their role in the environment. We have a chance to change the environment one student at a time. Course Goals (Objectives) 1) Have workshop participants understand how to help students learn about the environment and environmental issues and their role in the environment, 2) Have workshop participants help prepare students for College 3) Have workshop participants help prepare the students for the AP Exam. Course Description: Advanced Placement Environmental Science (APES) is a multiple disciplined subject not only in science but also looking at historical and cultural, and governmental and economic issues in regards to human influences on the environment. That is how humans have altered the earth.

2 APES is unlike almost any other AP courses offered by the College Board in that it does not directly reflect the college courses offered at most universities. Most universities offer a one semester lecture based course where the students are tested on their knowledge from the lectures and the textbooks. The AP course at most high schools, is a full year course that uses lectures, textbook assignments and most importantly hands-on activities and projects to prepare them for the text in May. Thus APES offers more than most introductory college courses. Students, who score high on the AP Exam in May, may receive college credit depending on the college. Most colleges that give credit are giving credit for a 3 unit semester lecture class, many colleges are now only giving credit for 4 s and 5 s (AP exam scores). The APES class is unique among AP courses in that it has had an influence on the structure of the introduction level Environmental Science class; many colleges have added a lab component to their course. APES was designed to include lecture and a lab/activity component to help the student better understand human influence on their environment. APES is more than just teaching our students about the environment. We need to understand that what we say and do in our classrooms might change how they will perceive their role in the environment. We have a chance to change the environment one student at a time. Cell Phones and other Portable Electronic Devices Please extend courtesy to your instructor and fellow students by turning off your portable electronic devices such as: cell phones, pagers, and ipods. Although not an audio issue, textmessaging is a distraction to other students and prevents you from full participation in class. You should keep your portable electronic devices in your backpack or purse during the workshop. Your personal electronic devices should not be on your desks. If you know that you may need to accept an emergency phone call during class or if you have children in childcare or school, please let the instructor know. If you need to take a phone call during class, please step out of the classroom while you complete your call. Thank you for your cooperation. Method of Grading: S/U Course Evaluation: In order to achieve a grade of S, the participant must: 1. Participation in class discussions 2. Participation in laboratory activities 3. Attend all class sessions

3 SYLLABUS All times are approximate and subject to change there will be a short morning and afternoon break each day, and 45 minutes for lunch. MONDAY, JUNE 22, :00 AM Presentation: Power Point: What is AP Environmental Science? Introductions Gorilla Gazette Review Day s Agenda First Activity: Tragedy of the Commons 10:00 AM Break 10:15 AM Second Activity: Monitoring Air Quality using Petroleum Jelly, set-up Video: The Lorax by Dr. Seuss Review APES Content from Acorn Book Review Syllabi National Syllabi My Syllabus and Audit Syllabus o Changes for , teaching in a 4 x 4 block. o Chapter Readings Developing your Syllabus Recruitment of Students Prerequisites Equity and Access 12:00 PM Lunch 1:00 PM Second Activity: Salinization, set-up Review Textbooks Different Sources of Activities: Kits on a Budget CD at the end of the course discuss what will be on the CD how to use the CD can use USB drive 3:00 PM Break 3:15 PM The Exam Multiple Choice Exam 1998 and 2003 released exam Free Response Questions 1998 (hard copy only) 1999 Present (electronic copies available) How to prepare for the Exam Student Work Book Look at the questions, discuss trends, discuss rubrics, where to get the exams 4:45 PM Review the day

4 Daily Evaluation Homework: Read Commons Article and write a brief review of the Lorax, include environmental topics. 5:00 PM Sustainability talk by Richard Jurin 6:00PM First Day Ends TUESDAY, JUNE 23, :00 AM Presentation: Power Point: Biome Power Point Review Day s Agenda Third Activity: Collect Data Fourth Activity: Oil Spill Lab 10:00 AM Break 10:15 AM Fifth Activity: Gather Your Food 12:00 PM Lunch 1:00 PM Consultant Projects: Introducing participants to APES projects - some of these projects are fairly unique to my class, while others I have a different process to complete the projects A to Z Project: during the year, students have studied many concepts; this project has been designed to bring the concepts into the local community. Biogeochemical Cycle Project: students will understand how the various biogeochemical or other global cyclic activities function. Biome Project: students will develop a power presentation one of the 15 biomes as described with their textbook. Endangered Species Project: to identify threatened or endangered animal and plant species in the United States and throughout the world. Invasive Species Project: the problem of invasive species is one of the most critical environmental management issues of our time. This has been designed to identify and understand invasive species in our state. Land Use Project: students use the information provided to draw a map, answer the questions provided and present the findings to the class. Not included when this book was posted. National Park Project: students conduct research one of the 389 National Park Service areas and develop a power point to present to the class. Web Design: students research a topic and develop a website to be posted on my environmental science website. This is new for 2007 and not completed when this syllabus was posted. Other 2:00 PM Grading the Free Response Questions (FRQs) We will begin by looking at the 2007 questions. If time permits, we will also look at other years FRQs questions. 3:00 PM Break 3:15 PM Continue Grading the FRQs 4:45 PM Review the day Daily Evaluation Homework: Assign Point Values the FRQs

5 5:00 PM Second Day Ends WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2008 Organizing and executing effective Field Study Sessions (FSS) - Today will be a travel event day; we will look at water quality studies, land use and other local environmental issues. We will leave early and return late. Homework: Write a brief summary on how you can use the activities we did in the field in your class, include what problems you may have to overcome. 7:00AM Drive up to Rocky Mountain National Park meet with park ranger (set up several months in advance). 9:00AM First Activity: Using Transects to study changes in the natural flora of an area. 12:00PM Lunch and discussion about organizing and setting up FSS with parks and nature centers. 1:30PM Effective data collection and organizing students groups (Water testing, interpreting the environment in this case the mountain from valley meadow through the Montane to Tundra). 4:00PM Return to campus - Homework: List three things you feel you will need the most help with this coming school year. THURSDAY, JUNE 25, :00 AM Presentation: Power Point: National Park Sixth Activity: Collect Data Seventh Activity: LC50 (sometimes referred to as LD50) Briefly discuss LC and LD, explain the differences, similarities and other issues. 10:00 AM Break 10:15 AM Eigth Activity: Monitoring Air Quality (collect cards at break) 12:00 PM Lunch 1:00 PM My Class Syllabus Course Work o Projects: (see separate discussion yesterday) o Labs/Activities: (see separate discussion tomorrow) o Chapter Assignments o Case Studies o Exams Study Groups My website: The Green Path ( The Labs Review different lab sources AP Central, Carolina Biological, Wards, Others My Labs Eco-columns

6 Ecological Footprint Salinization Tragedy of the Commons Worm Farms Special Focus Material 2:00 PM The Exam Multiple Choice Exam 1998 and 2003 released exam Other sources of Multiple Choice Questions Free Response Questions 1998 (hard copy only) 1999 Present (electronic copies available) How can you use the exams to help your students prepare for the exam? 3:00 PM Break 3:15 PM Continue looking at the FRQs 3:45 PM Presentation: Power Point: Special Presentation Ninth Activity: Collect Data, analyze, graph - Computer Lab Tenth Activity: Your Ecological Footprint AP Central Other Resources The Last Chapter of Genesis Final Evaluations Closing comments 5:00 PM Fourth Day Ends - depart for home