Download APES Syllabus 2015-Student

ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Exam Date: Monday May 4th 8am
Miss Erin Sornberger
Work: (914) 967-6100 ext.1245
Email: [email protected]
Rye High School
September 2015
The Advanced Placement Environmental Science (APES) course is a rigorous science course that
stresses scientific principles and analyses. The goal of APES is to provide students with the scientific
principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to
identify and analyze individual problems, to evaluate relative risks associated with these problems, and to
examine alternative solutions for resolving or preventing them.
Environmental science is the study of the natural sciences in an interdisciplinary context that always
includes consideration of people and how they have influenced the systems under examination. It includes
many aspects of biology, earth and atmospheric sciences, fundamental principles of chemistry and physics,
human population dynamics, and an appreciation for biological and natural resources. (Andrew A. Friedland,
Chair, 1997-1998 APES Development Committee) The following themes provide the foundation for the
structure of AP Environmental Science:
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Science is a process
Energy conversions underlie all ecological processes
The Earth itself is one interconnected system
Humans alter natural systems
Environmental problems have a cultural and social context
Human survival depends on developing practices that will achieve sustainable systems
TEXT:
Living in the Environment, 16th edition. 2011. G. Tyler Miller and Scott. E.
Spoolman. Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning, New York.
CURRICULUM:
Basic Cell Biology, Immunology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Ecology
College Board AP Environmental Science Curriculum (outline attached)
PREREQUESITES:
You are expected to have a B or better in Living Environment and Physical
Setting Chemistry including both regents examinations and
recommendation of the current science teacher.
REQUIREMENTS:
1. The following items are essential and must be brought to class each day:
 A notebook for class notes…your choice of style but keep in mind that I will
be collecting homework etc. so if you have a spiral notebook you will have to
tear out pages and you will need a folder in which to keep work that will be
returned to you.
 A pen and a pencil.
 A folder to keep handouts and work that is returned to you.
 A scientific calculator for class. However, it is important to know that
calculators are NOT used on the AP Examination.
Failure to have any of these on a given day is considered unprepared and
may cause you to lose class participation points.
2. There will be homework every evening, no exceptions. If written homework is not
assigned, you are expected to review your notes or to do the assigned reading. Expect
quizzes at any time-announced or unannounced based on problems or reading.
3. This class has a laboratory component.
 The lab is a required part of this course and is to be taken seriously.
 You are responsible for handing in ALL labs. Absences will require a
make-up. You have one week to make up a missed lab and it is your
responsibility to obtain the missed work or schedule a make-up date. The
equipment will be available for that time only. Any missed lab work not made
up within that time will result in a zero.
4. Grades
Tests
70%
Quizzes
20%
Class Participation 10%

Please familiarize yourself with the District Wide Student Attendance Policy
and Code of Conduct
5. In class assessments
 This is a cumulative course ending in an Advanced Placement Exam. Any
information covered, whether current or from past chapters, can be present on
any and all assessments.
 Assessments will include AP style questions and/or essays. AP style
questions often require the student to find the BEST answer from the options
and synthesize multiple concepts simultaneously.
 MAKE-UP ASSESSMENTS. Exams are assigned well in advance. If you
are absent on the day of an exam you will be expected to make it up on the day
you return. If you are out for more than 1 day, you must see me to schedule a
make-up exam.
 I do not give re-tests. ALWAYS BE PREPARED
6. Each student is responsible to hand in his or her own work and keep track of what is
due. If there is ever a question, please ask.
7. Extra help will be available after school during X period. Feel free to make
appointments to see me at other times.
8. THERE IS NO EXTRA-CREDIT. This is a college course and therefore, no
extra credit assignments will be offered at anytime. It will be at my discretion,
however, to offer a bonus question on any assessment.
WHAT I EXPECT OF YOU:
 I expect that you want to do well in this class.
 I expect you to be courteous and respectful at all times so each student has an equal opportunity to do
his/her best in this class.
 I expect that there will be no eating in class. The classroom is a laboratory and there are ALWAYS
chemicals about.
 I expect that all garbage will be deposited in the waste paper basket on the way out of class.
 I expect 100% of your effort all year. This is a difficult class and I cannot stress enough that your
success will depend on review and practice. You will find yourself having to think and study in a
new way. The homework assigned must be completed to give proper practice.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT OF ME:
 You can expect me to do my best to help you in any way that I can.
 You can expect that I will be available for extra help at a time convenient for both of us however
often you request it.
 You can expect that I will do my best to help you to be the best that you can be.
 You can expect me to utilize practical life experiences to assist you in understanding the course
material.
THE APES EXAM:
The 100 multiple-choice questions included in Section I are designed to cover the breadth of students'
knowledge and understanding of environmental science (90 minutes). The four free-response questions in
Section II consist of one data-set question, which requires students to analyze and interpret given sets of data;
one document-based question in which students answer questions related to a given document (such as a
pamphlet, advertisement, or newspaper article) and apply their knowledge of environmental science to contexts
that are current, relevant, and authentic; and two synthesis questions, which are in-depth, often multi-part essays
(90 minutes). CALCULATORS ARE NOT PERMITTED ON THE AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
EXAM.
The following suggestions were provided by the Chief Faculty Consultant for AP Environmental Science after the 2000 and
2001 AP Readings:
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Use current events
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Give students problems that help them increase their facility with calculations. Students will be
better able to tackle these problems if they are comfortable with scientific notation.
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Encourage students to explain technical terms when they use them in an answer. Just dropping
terms without demonstrating an understanding of the term will not earn any credit.
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Give students more practice in marshaling good arguments in favor of, or against, a particular
position on an environmental issue. Make sure students understand that restating the question is a
waste of time in a timed test, and doing so will never earn any points.
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Give students the experience of designing a laboratory or field experiment, making sure they
understand the components of such an investigation. They should practice formulating hypotheses
and deciding whether a particular experimental design will test a stated hypothesis.
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Give students practice in carefully reading questions and responding appropriately. When
questions ask the student to describe, discuss, or explain, they should go beyond listing and identifying.
I.
II.
III.
TOPIC OUTLINE
Earth Systems and Resources (10-15%)
A.
Earth Science Concepts
(Geologic time scale; plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanism; seasons; solar intensity
and latitude)
B.
The Atmosphere
(Composition; structure; weather and climate; atmospheric circulation and the Coriolis
effect; atmosphere-ocean interactions; ENSO)
C.
Global Water Resources and Use
(Freshwater/saltwater; ocean circulation; agricultural, industrial, and domestic use;
surface and groundwater issues; global problems; conservation)
D.
Soil and Soil Dynamics
(Rock cycle; formation; composition; physical and chemical properties; main soil types;
erosion and other soil problems; soil conservation)
The Living World (10-15%)
A.
Ecosystem Structure
(Biological populations and communities; ecological niches; interactions among species;
keystone species; species diversity and edge effects; major terrestrial and aquatic biomes)
B.
Energy Flow
(Photosynthesis and cellular respiration; food webs and trophic levels; ecological
pyramids)
C.
Ecosystem Diversity
(Biodiversity; natural selection; evolution; ecosystem services)
D.
Natural Ecosystem Change
(Climate shifts; species movement; ecological succession)
E.
Natural Biogeochemical Cycles
(Carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, sulfur, water, conservation of matter)
Population (10-15%)
A.
Population biology concepts
(Population ecology; carrying capacity; reproductive strategies; survivorship)
B.
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.
IV.
Impacts of population growth
(Hunger; disease; economic effects; resource use; habitat destruction)
Land and Water Use (10-15%)
A.
B.
V.
Agriculture
1.
Feeding a growing population
(Human nutritional requirements; types of agriculture; Green Revolution; genetic
engineering and crop production; deforestation; irrigation; sustainable agriculture)
2.
Controlling pests
(Types of pesticides; costs and benefits of pesticide use; integrated pest
management; relevant laws)
Forestry
(Tree plantations; old growth forests; forest fires; forest management; national forests)
C.
Rangelands
(Overgrazing; deforestation; desertification; rangeland management; federal
rangelands)
D.
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
E.
Mining
(Mineral formation; extraction; global reserves; relevant laws and treaties)
F.
Fishing
(Fishing techniques; overfishing; aquaculture; relevant laws and treaties)
G.
Global Economics
(Globalization; World Bank; Tragedy of the Commons: relevant laws and treaties)
Energy Resources and Consumption (10-15%)
A.
Energy Concepts
(Energy forms; power units; conversions; Laws of Thermodynamics)
B.
Energy Consumption
1.
History
(Industrial Revolution; exponential growth; energy crisis)
2.
Present global energy use
3.
Future energy needs
C.
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)
D.
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)
E.
Hydroelectric Power
(Dams; flood control; salmon; silting; other impacts)
F.
Energy Conservation
(Energy efficiency; CAFE standards; hybrid electric vehicles; mass transit)
G.
Renewable Energy
(Solar energy; solar electricity; hydrogen fuel cells; biomass; wind energy; small-scale
hydroelectric; ocean waves and tidal energy; geothermal; environmental
advantages/disadvantages)
VI. Pollution (25-30%)
A.
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)
B.
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.
C.
Hazardous chemicals in the environment
(Types of hazardous waste; treatment/disposal of hazardous waste; cleanup of
contaminated sites; biomagnification; relevant laws)
Economic Impacts
(Cost-benefit analysis; externalities; marginal costs; sustainability)
VII.
Global Change (10-15%)
A.
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)
B.
Global Warming
(Greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect; impacts and consequences of global
warming; reducing climate change; relevant laws and treaties)
C.
Loss of Biodiversity
1.
Habitat loss; overuse; pollution; introduced species; endangered and extinct
species
2.
Maintenance through conservation
3.
Relevant laws and treaties
The laboratory component will challenge the students’ ability to:
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Critically observe environmental systems
Develop and conduct well-designed experiments
Utilize appropriate techniques and instrumentation
Analyze and interpret data, including appropriate statistical and graphical presentations
Think analytically and apply concepts to the solution of environmental problems
Make conclusions and evaluate their quality and validity
Propose further questions for study
Communicate accurately and meaningfully about observations and conclusions
IMPORTANT NOTE: Many of you are seniors and are concerned about grades and transcripts. It is
essential that you do your very best in this class from the very beginning. Everything that you do will
count! ONCE AGAIN – THERE IS NO EXTRA CREDIT !!