Download Unit: Introduction

AP Environmental Science Course Syllabus
Course Objectives: This course is designed as the equivalent of a 1-semester college
course. Students will be introduced to the fields (biology, geography, sociology,
economics, natural resource management, chemistry, geology, law, and politics) used in
understanding both the workings of and human interactions with our environment.
Topics include: human population growth, energy resources, land and food resources,
water resources, air pollution, global climate change, and human health and toxicology,
as well as a review of ecology and species diversity. Sustainability is a unifying theme
throughout the course, as is an understanding of the linkages between ecosystems. This
understanding will give students a greater appreciation for and better stewardship of the
world in which they live.
Texts:
1. Environmental Science, 13th Ed., Miller & Spoolman, Thomson/Brooks/Cole,
2011. (ISBN-10 – 0495560162; ISBN-13 – 978-0495560166 (paperback))
2. AP Environmental Science Supplement (online).
a. This is a collection of all homework, lab, and additional reading
assignments created by our team of AP Environmental Science teachers.
3. Song for the Blue Ocean, Carl Safina. 1999. Holt. (ISBN-10 – 0805061223;
ISBN-13 – 978-0805061222)
Grading:
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Tests
Lab and Homework Quizzes
Textbook Reading quizzes
Projects (journal write-ups, presentations, final book report, etc.)
Trimester Exams
Tests will consist of approximately 30 multiple choice questions and written response
questions and will be 45 – 60 minutes long. The multiple choice section should take
approximately 2/3 of the test time and the written response section 1/3 of the test time.
Homework Assignments are expected to take 30 – 45 minutes per night. These include:
assigned readings, worksheets, labwork, project preparation, and studying for tests and
quizzes.
Labs – We devote a least one class period per week to lab and/or field work.
Lab and Homework Quizzes will be given in class towards the end of each unit. The
teacher may allow students to use their work in an open-book format and/or may collect
the work as well. If students haven’t completed the homework and labs thoughtfully
ahead of time, they won’t be of any use on the quiz, given the nature of the questions.
Textbook Reading Quizzes are intended to reinforce key concepts in the textbook
readings. They are open book, but students must complete the quizzes by themselves.
Projects include: oral presentations, poster presentations, a book report, and
current/relevant event ongoing Media Journal Entries. The Media Journal Entries consist
of brief analyses of both classic environmental writings and current event topics.
Because the Entries vary, specifics for each will be explained by the teacher as needed.
Book Report will be due two weeks after the AP exam in the spring. Carl Safina’s Song
for the Blue Ocean is a beautifully written study of the state of our world’s oceans.
Students will choose one of the book’s three sections to read, and will refer to a series of
prompts that ask them to analyze Safina’s viewpoint and put the information presented in
this book into the context of what we learned throughout the year. We choose to read this
book in an effort to address a topic which unfortunately gets short shrift in our textbook.
Trimesters One & Two Exams are similar in format (multiple choice and essay) to the
tests except that they are longer and makes an attempt to codify and unite multiple
themes and concepts covered throughout the first two-thirds of the course.
There is no Extra Credit in AP Environmental Science.
Proposed Environmental Science Unit Schedule
2011 – 2012
Introduction & Matter, Energy, Ecosystems Unit (14 days)
Ecological Concepts Unit (15 days)
Human Population Unit (11 days)
Sustaining Biodiversity Unit (16 days)
Risk, Human Health, Toxicology Unit (10 days)
Food, Soil, Pesticide Unit (6 days)
Water Unit (14 days)
Geology and Waste Unit (16 days)
Energy Unit (17 days)
Air Pollution and Climate Change Unit (14 days)
Unit: Introduction & Matter, Energy, and Ecosystems
Reading:
Chapter 1 Text
Section 1-1 through 1-6
Chapter 2 Text
Section 2-1 through 2-4
Chapter 3 Text
Section 3-1 through 3-6
Johannesburg Summit 2002, Global Challenge Global Opportunity- This provides a
very concise introduction to the status if the environment worldwide. It’s a
good introduction to the study.
Labs:
Sun vs. Shade Leaf Lab – Experimental Design and Analysis (2 class periods)
Ecological Impacts of Rice Farming Lab – Matter Cycling and Agriculture (1 period)
Homework:
Decomposition of Oak Leaves Worksheet – Matter Cycling and Energy Flows
Projects:
1st Media Journal Entry – Reading and Reviewing a “Peer Reviewed” Publication
Matter, Energy, and Ecosystems Terms to Know
Matter
 Forms and Quality
 Law of Conservation
 Matter Cycling
Energy
 Forms and Quality
 Law of Conservation
 1st and 2nd Laws of Thermodynamics
 Energy Flow
Ecosystems
 Nutrient Cycles (Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Water)
 Producers vs. Consumers
 Photoautotrophs vs. Chemoautotrophs
 Organism, Species, Population, Community, Ecosystem, Ecosphere
 Three Types of Biodiversity
 Ecological Pyramids
 Trophic Levels
 Herbivores, Carnivores, Omnivores, Scavengers, Detritivores, Decomposers
 Food Chains and Webs
 Limiting Factor (what are some)
 Range of Tolerance
 Specialist vs. Generalist
 Habitat vs. Niche
 Gross vs. Net Primary Productivity
 Relative productivities of different ecosystems
Labs and Homework
 Lessons from Sun vs. Shade Leaf Lab
 Lessons from Rice Lab
 Scientific Method
 Experimental Design
Unit: Ecological Concepts
Reading:
Chapter 4 Text
Section 4-1 through 4-4 (this should be review)
Chapter 5 Text
Section 5-1 through 5-7
Chapter 6 Text
Section 6-1 through 6-6
Labs:
Seed Germination and Range of Tolerance Lab – Experimental Design and Range of
Tolerance (3 periods)
Homework:
Top of the Food Chain Worksheet – Ecosystem Interactions
Capture-Recapture Worksheet – Measuring Population and Analyzing Data
Projects:
2nd Media Journal Entry – Daniel Chiras, The Frontier Ethic
Biome PowerPoint Presentation – Explaining Earth Systems (biotic and abiotic
factors)
Ecological Concepts Terms to Know
Evolution
 Habitat vs. Niche
 Specialist vs. Generalist
 Evolution, Natural Selection, Variation, Mutation
 Stabilizing vs. Directional vs. Disruptive/Diversifying Selection
 Speciation (Geographic vs. Reproductive Isolation)
 Adaptive Radiation
Climate and Biomes
 Weather vs. Climate
 El Niño vs. La Niña vs. Normal Conditions
 Seasons
 Rainshadow Effect
 Global Convection Currents
 Biomes (precipitation, temperature, sunlight patterns and important necessary
adaptations)
Aquatic Systems
 Productivity of Coastal Zone vs. Open Ocean
 Ecological and Economic Services of Marine and Freshwater Systems
 Aquaculture (Pros and Cons)
 Euphotic vs Bathyal vs. Abyssal zones of Oceans
 Littoral vs. Limnetic vs. Profundal zones of Lakes
 Oligotrophic vs. Eutrophic Lakes
 Summer vs. Winter Stratification of Lakes (Thermocline)
Population Dynamics
 Abiotic and Biotic Factors Influencing Population Size and Growth Rate
 Biotic Potential
 Exponential vs. Logistic Growth
 Carrying Capacity
 Density-Dependent vs. Density-Independent Population Controls
 Predator-Prey Population Cycles
 r-selected vs. K-selected species (Opportunists vs. Competitors)
 Three Types of Survivorship Curves
Species Interactions
 Native vs. Non-Native vs. Indicator vs. Keystone Species
 Intraspecific vs. Interspecific Competition
 Competitive Exclusion Principle
 Resource Partitioning
 Character Displacement
 Fundamental vs. Realized Niches
 Predation
 Prey Adaptations
 Parasitism vs. Mutualism vs. Commensalism
Lessons From Chiras Article
Unit: Human Population
Reading:
Chapter 7 Text
Section 7-1 through 7-5 and 7-7 through 7-8
Labs:
Human Population Growth Computer Lab – This is a virtual lab exercise that uses
census data and Excel graphing programs to study human population
dynamics and demographics. (2 periods)
Homework:
Population Pyramid Internet Assignment – An online data resource that allows
students to explore population dynamics using population age structure
pyramids. (2 periods)
Population Calculation Worksheet – practice problems using common population
calculation equations.
Projects:
3rd Media Journal Entry – Noel Perrin, A Non-Bearing Account- An interesting
perspective on reducing population growth.
Human Population Terms to Know
Population Statistics
 Crude birth rate
 Crude death rate
 Natural rate of increase/growth
 Replacement-level fertility
 Total fertility rate (TFR)
 Factors that affect birth and fertility rates
 Factors that affect death rates
 Historical changes in U.S. fertility rates
 Doubling Time (Rule of 70)
 Life expectancy and Infant mortality rates in developed vs. developing
countries
Urban Population Issues
 Urban environmental problems
 Characteristics of sustainable “eco” cities
 Migration/urbanization patterns in U.S.
 Negative impacts of urban sprawl
 Heat island effect
Population Dynamics
 Tragedy of the commons
 Age structure diagrams
 Four stages of demographic transition
 Strategies to control human growth rate
 Population policies of India vs. China vs. Thailand
 Influence of growth rates on I=PAT
 Effect of baby boomers in U.S.
 Population declines from reduced fertility vs. increased death
 Trends of population distribution in U.S. and world
Homework and Articles
 Population Worksheet Problems
 Lessons from Perrin Article
Unit: Sustaining Biodiversity
Reading:
Chapter 8 Text
Section 8-1 through 8-9
Chapter 9 Text
Section 9-1 through 9-5
Labs:
Biodiversity of Leaf Litter Invertebrates – Collecting micro-invertebrates in different
leaf litter samples and comparing biodiversity using the Shannon Diversity
Index (3 periods)
Hubbard Brook Activity – This is a virtual lab where students use data available
online to study the effects of deforestation on runoff, stream flow, and forest
succession. (2 periods)
Homework:
Backyard Biodiversity Exercise – Students conduct a biodiversity study of the
animals in their yard/park.
Projects:
4th Media Journal Entry – Popular Media Article
Invasive Species “Wanted Poster” – Students create a “wanted” poster for an
invasive species after researching the topic online.
Sustaining Biodiversity Terms to Know
Land Use
 Private vs. Public Land
 Land Management Agencies
 Major types of U.S. public lands (Multiple-Use, Moderately Restricted-Use,
Restricted Use)
 Environmentalist view of how public lands should be managed
 Ideas about Wilderness
Grazing and Ranchlands
 Potential uses of grasslands
 Potential threats to grasslands from grazing
 Proper range management
 Ways grazing can be beneficial to grassland health and biodiversity
 Pros and cons to predator control on rangeland
Deforestation
 Tropical vs. Temperate, Dry vs. Rain Forests
 Old-growth vs. Secondary Forests
 Tree Plantations
 Benefits and Costs of Logging
 Effects of Logging Roads
 Types of Cutting (Clear vs. Strip, Selective – Seed Tree, Shelterwood)
 Ways to Log Sustainably
 Alternatives to Logging
Endangered Species
 Differences between strategies and tactics of Ecosystem vs. Species approach
 Endangered vs. Threatened vs. Rare Species
 Instrumental vs. Intrinsic Value of Species
 Uses of Species for Humans
 Ecological Priorities
 Hot Spots
 Local vs. Ecological vs. Biological Extinction
 Characteristics that make species vulnerable
 Direct and underlying causes of premature extinction of wild species
o Esp. Habitat Loss and Fragmentation, Introduced Species,
Hunting/Poaching
 Legal Solutions for Vulnerable Species (Endangered Species Act, Lacey Act,
CITES)
 Other approaches (Sanctuaries, Grassroots, Economic)
Homework and Labs
 Lessons from Leaf Litter Invertebrate Lab
 Lessons from Hubbard Brook Activity
 Lessons from The Wilderness Idea video (Muir vs. Pinchot)
Unit: Risk, Toxicology, and Human Health
Reading:
Chapter 14 Text
Section 14-1 through 14-5
Labs:
Serial Dilution Lab – learning how to conduct a serial dilution (1 period)
LD50 Lab – Determining the LD50 of brine shrimp in herbal tea. Students create
serial dilutions and test survivorship of brine shrimp in the various
concentrations or brine herbal tea.(3 periods)
Homework:
Risk Perception and Risk Reality Survey – students examine how people evaluate
risks in society.
Parts per Million (PPM) Visualization Worksheet – This helps students understand
how we measure small concentrations of toxins and how to convert these
values to more tangible terms.
LD50 Worksheet – Using hypothetical data, students determine LD50 for different
toxins.
Projects:
5th Media Journal Entry – Students find and evaluate a current study of
environmental risk factors from a peer reviewed source.
Risk, Health, and Toxicology Terms to Know
Risk and Assessment
 Risk vs. Probability
 Risk Assessment vs. Risk Management (options to consider)
 Precautionary principle
 Types of studies (in vivo, in vitro, epidemiological, case studies)
 Ways to determine if risk is acceptable
 Lessons from Asbestos
 Cost-Benefit Analysis
 Environmental vs. Economical costs and benefits (graph)
 Marginal costs
Toxicology
 Factors affecting response to toxic substances
 Chronic vs. Acute Effects
 Chemical Interactions (positive and negative types)
 Definition of Poison
 LD50 vs. LC50
 Threshold vs. Non-threshold response
 Linear vs. Non-linear response
Hazards
 4 Types of Hazards
 Mutagens
 Teratogens
 Carcinogens
 Hormonally active agents
 Transmissible vs. Non-transmissible diseases
 Pathogens vs. Vectors
 Malarial pathway
Activities
 Lessons from Brine Shrimp Lab (incl. serial dilution)
 Lessons from Risk Survey
Unit: Food, Soil and Pest Management
Reading:
Chapter 10 Text
Section 10-1 through 10-7, review 3-5
Labs:
Soil Lab – Studies soil profiles, texture, pH, and composition of various ecosystems
(2 periods)
Homework:
Pesticide Spraying Worksheet – Explores the effects of pesticides on non-target
organisms and begins to explain biomagnification
Projects:
6th Media Journal Entry – Jared Diamond, The Worst Mistake in the History of the
Human Race – A challenging examination of the Neolithic Revolution and its social
and environmental effects.
Food, Soil, and Pesticides Terms to Know
Soil and Erosion
 Soil composition
 Soil horizons (O, A, B, C)
 Humus
 Loam
 Regolith vs. Bedrock
 Pedalfers vs. Pedocals vs. Laterites
 Leaching
 Salinization
 Waterlogging
 Desertification
 Sources of and Solutions to Soil Erosion
 Sheet vs. Rill vs. Gully Erosion
 Soil differences between biomes
 Soil Permeability/Water Retention
Agriculture and Food Production
 Conventional vs. Conservation Tillage
 Cropping Methods (Contour planting, Alley cropping, Terracing, Windbreaks)
 Crop Rotation
 Organic vs. Inorganic Fertilizer
 Traditional vs. Industrial Agriculture
 Types of pesticides (specific examples)
 Malnutrition vs. Undernutrition
Pesticides
 Benefits of pesticides
 Disadvantages of pesticides (resistance, human harm, treadmill, biomagnification,
ecosystem disruption, runoff, spray drift, hormone disruption)
 Alternative pest control (new cultivation methods, genetically engineered crops,
biological control, sterilization, insect hormones, pheromones)
 Integrated Pest Management
 Pesticide Treadmill
Homework and Articles
 Lessons from Soil Lab
Unit: Water
Reading:
Chapter 11 Text
Section 11-1 through 11-9
Labs:
Dissolved Oxygen, Productivity, and B.O.D. Lab – Using various water samples
from around campus and town, we evaluate the quality of water using
dissolved oxygen probes. (2 periods)
Water Quality Lab – Using LaMotte test kits we test for a variety of water
contaminates. We test, pH, nitrates, phosphates, and fecal coliform, and
turbidity. (2 periods)
Homework:
Water Use Survey – How much water does each student use per day/year?
Projects:
7th Media Journal Entry – Research and review a specific water pollutant.
Water Terms to Know
Water Resources
 water’s unique properties
 hydrologic cycle
 drainage basins/watersheds
 confined vs. unconfined aquifers
 water table
 uses for water resources in U.S.
 domestic water uses
 reasons for water shortages
 solutions for water shortages
 use of dams/reservoirs
 use of groundwater (benefits and drawbacks)
 desalination (Methods, pros and cons)
 water transfer (projects, pros and cons)
 ways to use water more efficiently
 methods of efficient irrigation
 case studies of water use gone awry (Owens Lake, Mono Lake, Aral Sea)
 floods (causes, effects)
Water Pollution
 pollution types and sources
 point vs. nonpoint sources
 oxygen sag curve
 differences in stream vs. lake pollution
 eutrophication process
 biological oxygen demand (what is it, why would it change?)
 groundwater pollution (sources, rates, prevention)
 sources of ocean pollution (ex. oil spills, Chesapeake Bay)
 methods of reducing surface water pollution
 methods of treating sewage (basic, advanced, using wetlands)
Wetlands
 where are they
 what are the types
 what roles do they serve
 what threatens them
 how are they protected and what are the difficulties
Unit: Geology and Waste
Reading:
Chapter 12 Text
Section 12-1 through 12-6
Chapter 17 Text
Section 17-1 through 17-9
Labs:
Cookie Mining Lab – Using chocolate chip cookies as a metaphor for ore bodies, we
study the implications of different mining techniques and their commensurate
clean-up costs. (1 period)
Homework:
Plate Tectonics Worksheet – practice identifying tectonic feature and phenomena.
Solid Waste Inventory – How much trash does each student produce in a day?
Toxic Waste Research Questions – Studying and explaining specific toxic wastes
Projects:
8th Media Journal Entry – Toxic and Hazardous Waste remediation and mitigation
issues
Geology and Waste Terms to Know
Geological History
 Four major eras of earth
 Stromatolites and Oxygen revolution
 Ages of trilobites, dinosaurs, and mammals
 Human history
Plate Tectonics
 Layers of earth
 Lithosphere vs. asthenosphere
 Theory of Continental Drift
 Theory of Seafloor Spreading and Plate Tectonics
 Convergent vs. Divergent vs. Transform Boundaries
 Oceanic/Oceanic vs. Oceanic/Continental vs. Continental/Continental Convergence
 Subduction zones
 Distribution of volcanoes and earthquakes
Minerals, Rocks, and Mining
 Rock cycle
 Igneous vs. Sedimentary vs. Metamorphic rocks
 Ores
 Principle of Diminishing Returns
 Mining and PurificationTechniques
 Placer deposits
 Coal
 Per capita mining levels in US
 Mining Laws and Regulations (RCRA, CERCLA/Superfund, Mining Law of 1872)
Solid Waste
 Types, percentages, and amounts of solid waste
 Options for dealing with solid waste (incineration, landfills, recycling) – pros and cons
 How to construct landfills
 What we throw away in MSW
Recycling
 What are the 4 R’s
 How recycling can help (relate to other units this year)
 Benefits of reuse
 Primary (closed loop) vs. Secondary (open loop)
 Pre-consumer vs. Post-consumer waste
 What makes a material easy to recycle
Hazardous Waste
 What makes waste hazardous
 What can we do with it
 Dangers of toxic waste dumps (ex. Love Canal)
 How can we clean it up
 Superfund Act (what is it, how does it work, how useful is it)
 Yucca Mountain
o Why is it important
o What might be stored there
o Pros and cons
o Desirable characteristics
Unit: Energy
Reading:
Chapter 13 Text
Section 13-1 through 13-8
Labs:
Light Bulb Lab – Measuring the efficiency of different light bulbs. (1 period)
Measuring the Efficiency of Photovoltaic Cells Lab (1 period)
Homework:
Unit Fraction Method Worksheet – Practicing elaborate calculations and conversions
Household Electricity Use Worksheet – How much electricity does a student use?
Energy Efficiency Worksheet – Exploring the energy savings of different appliances
Swimming Pool Energy Worksheet – How much energy does it take to heat our
school pool?
R- Value Worksheet – Calculating insulation efficiencies.
Energy Review Problems Worksheet – More energy conversion calculations and
conversions
Projects:
9th Media Journal Entry – Current Events Media Article
Alternative Energy PowerPoint Presentations – Oral presentations of alternative
Energy resources. Each group evaluates a different option and has 10
minutes to present.
Energy Terms to Know
Energy
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Laws of Thermodynamics
Efficiency equation
Net useful Energy Yield
Relative efficiencies and energy yields for common resources/mechanisms
How an electric generator and turbine work
Cogeneration
Units of energy
o Calorie
o BTU
o Kilowatt-Hour
o Joule
Non-Renewable Energy Resources
 Fossil Fuels (Petroleum, Natural Gas, Coal)
o Pros and Cons
o How they’re formed and mined
 Relative CO2 Emissions
 Types of Coal
 Fraction Distillation Method for Petroleum
 Oil Shale and Tar Sands
Renewable Energy Resources
 Advantages and Disadvantages of all resources
 Hydropower
 Wind
 Geothermal
 Biomass
 How they work:
o Tidal and Wave power plant
o Freshwater and Salt Water solar ponds
o Ocean Thermal power plant
 Automotive alternatives
o Hybrid
o Hydrogen Fuel Cell
 Solar
o Passive and Active
o Uses (cooking, PVC, insulation coefficient - R)
Nuclear Power
 How a nuclear reaction works
 Major components and functioning of a nuclear reactor
 Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power
 Three Mile Island and Chernobyl
 Yucca Mountain
 Nuclear Fusion
Energy Calculations
o Energy Efficiency, Swimming Pool, energy costs, conversion factors, light bulb lab, Rvalue
Unit: Air Pollution and Climate Change
Reading:
Chapter 15 Text
Section 15-1 through 15-7
Chapter 16 Text
Section 16-1 through 16-7
Labs:
Examining Evidence for Climate Change Lab – This uses online data sets to compare
global temperature changes and carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere over
time. (2 periods)
Ozone Lab – Measures ozone levels throughout the day using a Zikua ozone meter.
(2 periods)
Homework:
Carbon Dioxide Diet Exercise – How much CO2 does a student produce per day and
year?
Kyoto Protocol Questions – Taking a close look at the Kyoto Protocol. Why hasn’t
the U.S. signed it?
Global Warming and Sea Level Worksheet – This explores the possible effects of
warming oceans on sea level and human habitation.
Projects:
10th Media Journal Entry – Julian Simon, Life on Earth is Getting Better, Not Worse.
Air Pollution and Climate Change Terms to Know
Global Warming
 Greenhouse Effect (how does it work)
 Greenhouse Gases (what are they, how are they produced)
 Types of Evidence
 Possible Causes
 Possible Consequences
 Sources and Sinks for CO2
 Relative Temperature Increases throughout History
 Thermohaline Circulation
 Possible Responses by Humans
Air Pollution
 Sources (Natural and Anthropogenic)
 Types of Pollutants (Primary and Secondary)
 NOx Reactions
 Factors Which Increase Air Pollution
 Thermal Inversions
 Photochemical vs. Gray (Industrial) Smog
 LA and Smog
 Acid Deposition (what is it, why is it a problem, what are the longterm effects)
Ozone and CFC’s
 Types and Locations of Ozone (what is its purpose)
 Natural Formation and Destruction
 CFC’s (the good, the bad, the ugly, what are they, how are they used)
 Effects of Thinning Ozone
 Details of Ozone “Hole” (characteristics, location, changes)
 Government Regulations of CFC’s (Montreal, London)
Skin Cancer
 Keratoses
 Carcinomas
 Melanomas
 ABCD’s of Melanoma
Indoor Air Pollution
 Comparison with Outdoor Air Pollution
 Top Three Indoor Air Pollutants
 Where Indoor Air Pollutants can Lurk
 What to do about Indoor Air Pollution
Air Pollution Prevention
 Control vs.Prevention Solutions
 Industrial Control Options
 Catalytic Converters (and other options to reduce automobile emissions)
 Control of Acid Deposition
 Government Regulations of Pollution (Energy Policy Conservation Act, Clean Air Act)
Homework and Articles
 Lessons from CO2 Diet and Global Warming Problems