Download Advanced Placement Environmental Science

Advanced Placement Environmental Science
Shane London
Glasgow High School
[email protected]
Course Description
The Advanced Placement Environmental Science (APES) course is designed to be the equivalent of a onesemester, introductory college course in environmental science. APES encompasses a number of different fields,
including geology, biology, meteorology, oceanography, physics, chemistry, and geography. It is a rigorous
laboratory science course that stresses scientific methodology, principles, analysis, and discussion of the various
topics and issues in environmental science and examines alternative solutions for the prevention, mitigation, or
remediation of those issues.
By the very nature of the topics and their relevance to current events, this course lends itself to lively discussions,
empowering students with scientific knowledge about the environment and encouraging them to believe that one
person truly can make a difference.
Course Prerequisites
The course is designed for students who have successfully completed an Earth Science credit.
Classroom Policies
All school rules and regulations will be enforced according to the policies of Glasgow High School. Students
are responsible for knowing these policies – ignorance is not an excuse.
Students are not required to agree with everything that is said in class, but they are required to acknowledge that
other people have the right to say it without persecution. However, derogatory, discriminating, or offensive
language will NOT be tolerated. There are better, more intelligent ways to express oneself.
It is expected that students will be in their seat, ready to work, when the bell rings. Remember, learning is not a
spectator sport, active participation is essential for success.
Students arriving to class after the bell rings will be marked as tardy.
Required Text & Readings:
Students will be issued a copy of Living in the Environment 17th edition by G. Tyler Miller. Students are
financially responsible for this textbook, and it should be returned at the end of the school year in the
same condition that it was issued (aside from reasonable wear and tear). If the textbook is lost or
damaged, the student will be responsible for the cost of replacing the book ($135) or for the cost of
repairs. If a textbook is lost during the year, a replacement will not be issued until
payment is made. It is also suggested, but not required, that students get one of the various AP Exam
review books. Each has advantages and drawbacks, but there are only a few bad ones out there. Students
should look through the different books and choose one that best fits their learning style.
Late Work Policy
For any excused absence, the following will apply:
 If the student is absent on the due date, BUT was present when it was assigned, the assignment is
due when the student returns to class.
 If absent is absent on the due date AND when it was assigned, the student will have one week
from their return to submit.
 If absent on the date it was assigned, but present the date it is due, no extension will be offered
unless arrangements in advance.
Assignments that are submitted late, but before the unit exam will receive a maximum 70% of earned
credit. Submissions after the exam, but before the quarter ends will receive a maximum 50% of earned
credit. No credit will be given for any assignments submitted after the quarter ends.
Extra Credit
No extra credit will be given. Please do not ask. The desire for extra credit is generated, usually, by a
student's inability or unwillingness to meet assignment deadlines. This tends to discriminate against
those students who have met those deadlines. Therefore, there is absolutely no desire, or obligation, for
extra credit to be offered.
Classroom Safety
It is extremely important that the classroom be a safe place for everyone to work and learn. Any activity
or action that risks the safety of anyone will result in the loss of credit for that activity. If serious enough,
that student will be referred to administration. Laboratory-specific safety concerns will be reviewed at
the beginning of each lab activity.
Grading Policy
Unless otherwise specified, all assignments will be due at the beginning of class and will receive credit
for all parts that are legible. Those assignments submitted without a name will not be recorded, and time
will not be wasted tracking down the owner.
Reported grades will be based upon the district's grading scale (90%-100% = A). A.P. Curve will apply.
Grades will be posted about every weeks. Both students and parents can create an account, allowing
them to check grades via internet any time. It is the student's responsibility to keep up on their
assignments, as students will not be chased down to submit missing work.
Assignment Descriptions
Homework – For each unit of study, students should outline, define all vocabulary (boldface and
italicized), and answer the study questions at the end of each chapter. These should be done in advance
of the unit test, and reviewed daily.
Tests - There will be approximately three to four tests per quarter. Each of these are announced in
advance. The tests will cover readings, homework, lab activities, and other class activities. Tests will be
a combination of multiple choice and free response (essay) questions similar in rigor to the AP Exam
students will take in May. Corrections or retakes of tests will be offered.
Quizzes - Quizzes are often administered at the beginning of the period and they should rarely take more
than five minutes. Quizzes can either be announced or unannounced. Students should spend some time
every night reviewing APES materials in preparation.
Classwork - Investigations are diverse and will include indoor activities, outdoor activities, as well as
field experience outside the confines of the school campus. The labs are designed to encourage students
to think critically, observe environmental systems, develop and conduct well designed experiments,
utilize appropriate techniques and instrumentation, analyze and interpret data, present data orally and in
the form of statistical and graphical presentations, apply concepts to the solution of environmental
problems, form conclusions, and propose further study. In some cases, the submission of a formal lab
report will be required. Guidelines for those lab reports will be covered in more detail as they are
assigned. There will be a variety of learning activities that will be done in class, but may require
completion out of class. These include, but are not limited to: video response questions, problem sets,
surveys, additional readings, & computer applications.
ResearchProjects - Students will be required to do multiple research projects each quarter. These
include, but are not limited to, research papers, long-term projects, and presentations. Information and
clarification about these will be provided at the time of their assignment.
Grading Breakdown
Quarter grades will be weighted according to the following categories:
Tests
55%
Quizes and Labs
35%
Homework
10%
Academic Integrity
A school cannot provide a world-class education if the achievements of its students are fabricated. The
Academic Integrity Policy set by the school district should be read carefully to ensure everyone
understands the definitions and information contained within. Academic integrity violations will not be
tolerated, and appropriate actions will be taken. Keep in mind, students who plagiarize or cheat while
attending college have been expelled and their academic files permanently marked.
Formatting of Assignments, Papers, and Labs
All typed or electronically submitted assignments must be double-spaced, using 12-point, Times New
Roman font with 1-inch margins. Documents that do not conform to this requirement will be returned to
the student for correction and will be subject to the late work policy outlined in this syllabus. Attempts
to artificially inflate documents by adjusting these settings will be considered a violation of academic
integrity.
ALL research must be cited using in-text parenthetical formatting that conforms to the most recent
version of the Modern Language Association (MLA). Work that is not appropriately cited will be
considered plagiarized, and no credit will be given. And, even though a source may be cited correctly,
does not mean copied and pasted information is permissible. Read for understanding, summarize,
paraphrase, and cite your sources!
For all calculations, students must be able to clearly show how the answer was derived. This requires
showing the proper setup and appropriate units for full credit. Students will not be allowed access to
calculators during tests, quizzes, or the AP exam in May.
Assignments can be submitted electronically as an email ([email protected]) and
must contain name and assignment title in the subject line. Please check that your email address is
appropriate for school, otherwise it could be filtered out and blocked. Verification of receipt will not be
given, and it is strongly encouraged that students keep a copy of all submitted work and sent emails for
their own records.
Electronic Devices
Technology truly is a wonderful thing. That being said, it can also be a distraction. The school's network
and equipment are to be used for school-related activities only.
The use of cell phones are also prohibited in the classroom. This includes text messaging and web
browsing.
Laptop computers will be allowed in class only if they are registered with the school's technology
department. Laptop privileges will be revoked if the device is being used inappropriately.
The AP Exam
The AP Exam has been prepared by environmental scientists and educators in both breadth and level of
detail, to reflect the content of what is found in many introductory college courses in environmental
science, and is considered appropriate for measurement of the skills and knowledge in environmental
science. Students enrolled in the course are required to take the AP Exam Monday, May 5th, 2013.
After the AP Exam
The scores that you will earn on the AP Exam will not be released until late July, making it impossible to
give class credit. Although the AP Exam is a major culminating goal of the class, it is not the only one.
There will be lab work, research, readings and field investigations that will be assigned and completed
after the exam, as well as a final exam. Keep in mind that the course ends in May, not after the AP exam.
Topic Outline
The following outline of major topics serves to describe the scope of the APES course and exam.
I. Earth Systems (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).
II. The Living World (10-15%)
A. Ecosystem Structure: (Biological population 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, phosphorus, sulfur, water).
III. Population (10-15%)
A. Population Biology Concepts: (Population ecology; carrying capacity; reproductive strategies;
survivorship).
B. Human Population:
i. Human population dynamics: (Historical population sizes; distribution; fertility rates; growth rates
and doubling times; demographic transition; age-structure diagrams).
ii. Population size: (Strategies for sustainability; case studies; national policies).
iii. Impacts of population growth: (Hunger; disease; economic effects; resource use; habitat
destruction).
IV. Land and Water Use (10-15%)
A. Agriculture:
i. Feeding a growing population: (Human nutritional requirements; types of agriculture; Green
Revolution; genetic engineering and crop production; deforestations; irrigation; sustainable
agriculture).
ii. Controlling pests: (Types of pesticides; costs and benefits of pesticide use; integrated pest
management; relevant laws).
B. 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:
i. Urban land development: (Planned development; suburban sprawl; urbanization).
ii. Transportation infrastructure: (Federal highway system; canals and channels; road-less areas;
ecosystem impacts)
iii. Public and federal lands: (Management; wilderness areas; national parks; wildlife refuges;
forests; wetlands).
Land conservation options: (Preservation; remediation; mitigation;
restoration). v. Sustainable land use strategies
iv.
v.
E. Mining: (Mineral formation; extraction; global reserves; relevant laws and treaties).
Fishing: (Fishing techniques; over-fishing; aquaculture; relevant laws and treaties).
vi.
G. Global Economics: (Globalization; World Bank; Tragedy of the Commons; relevant
laws and treaties).
V. Energy Resources (10-15%)
A. Energy Concepts: (Energy forms; power; units; conversions; Laws of Thermodynamics). B.
Energy Consumption:
i. History: (Industrial Revolutions; exponential growth; energy crisis). ii.
Present global energy use.
iii. 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:
i. 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).
ii. Noise pollution: (Sources; effects; control measures).
iii. 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).
iv. Solid waste: (Types; disposal; reduction).
B. Impacts on the Environment and Human Health
C. Hazards to human health: (Environmental risk analysis; acute and chronic effects; dose-response
relationships; air pollutants; smoking and other risks).
D. Hazardous chemicals in the environment: (Types of hazardous waste; treatment/disposal of
hazardous waste; cleanup of contaminated sites; biomagnification; relevant laws).
E. 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:
i. Habitat loss; overuse; pollution; introduced species; endangered and extinct species. ii.
Maintenance through conservation.
iii.
Relevant laws and treaties.
Advanced Placement Environmental Science
Shane London
Glasgow High School
[email protected]
As a student, I have read and understand the A.P.E.S. Syllabus. Furthermore, I understand these rules are
in place to promote a positive learning environment where all students can be successful. I, to the best of
my ability, agree to following.
Date:
Student Name:
Student Signature:
As a parent/guardian, I have read and understand the A.P.E.S. Syllabus. Furthermore, I agree to hold my
student accountable for following the rules and regulations. I understand these rules are in place to promote
a positive learning environment where all students can be successful.
Date:
Guardian Signature:
Guardian Name: