Environmental Science Mission Statement The KOSD s mission is to provide a safe learning environment that prepares critical thinkers to become responsible and productive members of society. Course Overview This course is a semester elective that examines the delicate balance that exists in the ecology of our planet. The class meets five periods per week. Environmental science is a multidisciplinary field that integrates physical, biological, and information sciences to the study of the environment and the solutions to environmental problems. Three major units are studied. Unit one examines basic ecological principles such as population dynamics, food chains and webs, predator/prey interaction, ecological succession, and cycles in nature. Unit two explores the six terrestrial biomes of the world in addition to freshwater and marine ecosystems. Emphasis will be placed on the third unit which identifies problems in human ecology including overpopulation, pollution, nuclear energy, global warming, destruction of rainforests, and endangered species. Environmental Science incorporates the social sciences for understanding human relationships, perceptions and policies towards the environment. Issues such as the understanding of earth processes, evaluating alternative energy systems, pollution control and mitigation, natural resource management, and the effects of global climate change will be examined Content Objectives Each student will be able to: a. define ecology and environmental science and discuss their applications to human life and society. b. define, differentiate, and give an example of a biological population, a community, and an ecosystem. c. explain the four basic nutritional relationships in nature and give an example of each. d. differentiate between a food chain and food web. e. explain the transfer of energy through a food chain and compare it with a food pyramid.
f. given an array of organisms, draw a food chain identifying the mode of nutrition of organisms at each trophic level and identify the greatest and least biomass and energy in it. g. solve problems in population density and population rate of change. h. summarize the effect of nutrient recycling on an ecosystem and identify the major nutrient cycles. i. identify an ecological succession and explain the progression of a primary succession from the pioneer community to a climax community. j. compare and contrast the major characteristics of terrestrial biomes and aquatic ecosystems. k. identify six major terrestrial biomes and describe the major biotic and abiotic factors of each. l. evaluate the effect of a rain shadow (mountain effect) in a biome by describing how and where the rain shadow forms. m. compare and contrast marine and fresh water ecosystems by identifying their major biotic and abiotic factors. n. differentiate between the life zones and the physical zones of fresh water and marine ecosystems. o. evaluate the development and impact of modern human societies upon the ecosystems of the earth. p. compare and contrast an agricultural community with a natural community it replaces by relating the differences to ecological instability. q. evaluate the principle ecological effects and climatic implications of air pollution. r. summarize the sources of water pollution and describe the effects of dumping organic wastes into streams. s. describe the principle methods of solid waste disposal and discuss the relevance of recycling to waste disposal. t. summarize the major sources of air pollution and identify the principle ecological effects of it. u. evaluate the use of solar and nuclear energy as alternative energy sources to fossil fuels. v. relate overpopulation to specific environmental problems and identify ways humans can control their populations. Skill Objectives Each student will be able to: a. generate questions about environmental events, principles, theories, and facts. b. explain or predict generalizations from data collected and from scientific investigations. c. compare and contrast events of environmental processes such as population dynamics, succession, extinctions, and predator-prey interactions. d. evaluate the outcomes of significant environmental events and processes by examination of their causes.
e. analyze scientific data generated from charts, graphs, diagrams, and other laboratory investigations. f. draw relevant conclusions from data collected in scientific investigations. g. interpret the environmental significance of scientific writing of historic and contemporary authors. h. take a position on an environmental issue such as population control, pollution, use of alternative energy sources such as nuclear energy and defend it. i. predict the outcomes or consequences of an environmental event by analyzing the principles or factors governing the event. Procedures for Evaluation Students taking Environmental Science will be evaluated by chapter exams and quizzes composed of objective and essay questions. Lab reports, lab quizzes, drawings, and class projects will be used to determine the final grade in the class. Instructional Methods Instructional methods including lecture-discussion periods, large group discussions, small group interactions, guest speakers, laboratory investigations, field trips and individualization will be use in this course. Supplementary audio-visual materials will include videos, slides, pictures, living and preserved specimens, and models. Computer generated activities utilizing the Internet and educational software in the classroom, the computer lab, and the library will be included in the instruction of the course. Instructional Time Students electing this course will attend five 42 minute periods of classroom instruction per week. The length of the course is one semester consisting of eighteen week. Students who successfully complete the requirements of the course will receive one-half science elective credit towards graduation. Textbook The textbook for this class is: Raven, Berg, & Johnson, (1998), Environment 2 nd Ed. Ft. Worth: Saunders Publishing Company.
Content and Instructional Time There are three instructional units to this course. The order of study will be the basic principles of ecology and the environment, terrestrial biomes and aquatic ecosystems, and human ecology. Unit 1. The Basic Principles of Ecology and Environmental (8 weeks) In this unit students will examine the major principles that direct the study of ecology. Students will investigate in detail ecological organization, population dynamics, competition in nature, nutritional lifestyles, food chains and food webs, nutrient cycling, and ecological succession. 1. Introduction to Ecology and Environmental Science Each student will define ecology and discuss its applications to human life and society. 2. Ecological Organization Each student will define, differentiate, and give an example of a biological population, a community, and an ecosystem. 3. Nutritional Relationships Each student will explain the four basic nutritional relationships in nature and give an example of each. 4. Food Chains and Webs Each student will differentiate between a food chain and a food web. 5. Food Chains and Pyramids Each student will explain the transfer of energy through a food chain and compare it with a food pyramid. Each student will compare and contrast an energy pyramid with a pyramid of mass. Given an array of organisms, each student will draw a food chain identifying the mode of nutrition of each organism at each trophic level and identify the greatest and least biomass and energy it. 6. Population Density Each student will solve problems in population density and population rate of change. 7. Cycles in Nature Each student will summarize the effect of nutrient recycling on an ecosystem and identify the major nutrient cycles.
8. Ecological Succession Each student will identify an ecological succession and explain the progression of a primary succession from the pioneer community to a climax community. Unit II. Terrestrial and Aquatic Biomes (6 weeks) In this unit students will differentiate between the terrestrial and aquatic biomes of the world. A detailed investigation of the tundra, coniferous forest, deciduous forest, tropical rain forest, desert, and grasslands will be made through classroom and laboratory activities. Students will select one of the six terrestrial biomes and in a group, research the biotic and abiotic factors that make up each biome and construct a mini biome model of that biome. They will also study freshwater and marine biomes, along with ecological estuaries. 1. Characteristics of Terrestrial and Aquatic Biomes Each student will compare and contrast the major characteristics of terrestrial and aquatic biomes. 2. Terrestrial Biomes Each student will identify the six major terrestrial biomes and describe the major characteristics of each. 3. Aquatic Biomes Each student will compare and contrast marine and freshwater biomes by identifying their major characteristics. Unit III. Human Ecology and Environmental Science (4 weeks) In this unit student will describe the effect of that humans have had on the biosphere. They will investigate natural and agricultural communities, pesticides and their effect on living organisms, solid waste pollution, water pollution, and air pollution. Students will identify overpopulation as the major source of ecological problems and examine effects such as extinction, the Greenhouse Effect, global warming, and the problems associated with fossil fuels and alternative energy sources. 1. Humans and the Biosphere Each student will evaluate the development and impact of modern human societies upon the ecosystems of the earth. Each student will compare and contrast an agricultural community with a natural community it replaces by relating the differences to ecological instability. 2. Land, Water, and Air Pollution
Each student will evaluate the principle ecological effects and climatic implications of air pollution. Each student will summarize the sources of water pollution and describe the effects of dumping organic wastes into water systems. Each student will describe the principle methods of solid waste disposal and discuss the relevance of recycling to waste disposal. Each student will summarize the major sources of air pollution and identify the principal ecological effects of it. 3. Alternative Energy Sources Each student will evaluate the use of solar energy and nuclear energy as alternative energy sources to fossil fuels. 4. Overpopulation Each student will relate overpopulation to specific environmental problems and identify ways humans can control their populations.