Download AP Environmental Science syllabus 2013-2014

AP Environmental Science – 2013/2014 Class Syllabus Mrs. Keri Bustamante [email protected] (360) 258 – 1932 Website: https://sites.google.com/site/bustascience/ Congratulations on making a wise choice in your 2013-­‐2014 school year academic schedule. Advanced Placement Environmental Science may be one of the most meaningful courses in your high school career. Environmental Science integrates ecology, geology, physics, chemistry, meteorology, economics and social science. If you have heard about it on the evening news – chances are we’ll talk about it in this class. The goal of this course is to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies to understand the interrelationships of the natural world. You will learn to identify and analyze environmental problems both natural and human-­‐made, to evaluate the risks associated with these problems and examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them. The course has one common theme that runs throughout: sustainable living. Class Profile This is a year-­‐long course. We will meet every day for an average of 4 hours per week. The course will include lectures, discussions, demonstrations and written assignments. Labs are conducted about two times per week and will include hands-­‐on laboratory and/or fieldwork. Course Prerequisites The prerequisites for AP environmental Science include biology, and chemistry or physics concurrently. Text Living in the Environment, 17th Ed., by G. Tyler Miller and Scott E. Spoolman –Your Book should be with you every day! GRADING POLICY 70 % -­‐ Tests, Quizzes, Labs, Projects 20 % -­‐ Homework/ Class work 10% -­‐ Final GRADING SCALE % 97-­‐ 100 Grade A+ 93 -­‐ 96 A 90 -­‐ 92 A-­‐ 87 -­‐ 89 B+ 83 -­‐ 86 B 80 -­‐ 82 B-­‐ 77 – 79 C+ 73 – 76 C 70 – 72 C-­‐ 67 – 69 D+ Laboratory and Fieldwork AP Environmental Science has a significant laboratory and field investigation component. The goal of this component is to complement the classroom portion of the course by allowing students to learn about the environment through firsthand observations. The laboratory and field component will challenge students; abilities to: • Critically observe environmental systems • Develop and conduct well-­‐designed experiments • Analyze and interpret data, including appropriate statistical and graphical presentations • Thinks analytically and apply concepts to the solution of environmental problems • Make conclusions and evaluate their quality and validity • Propose further questions for study and Communicate accurately and meaningfully about observations and conclusions Course Standards 1.
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Demonstrate a working knowledge of lab safety rules and procedures. Apply the steps of the scientific method to laboratory and field investigations. Outline the flow of energy and the cycling of matter within the natural Earth’s system. Explain the relationships among plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanism. Outline the rock cycle and its relationship among organisms in an ecological community. Describe and analyze population growth, including the dynamics of human populations. Explain the factors that lead to the endangering of species and the loss of biodiversity. Describe the problems associated with agriculture and food production in today’s world. Identify renewable and nonrenewable resources, including distribution, ownership, use and degradation. Discuss the state of the atmosphere in terms of weather, climate, air pollution, Ozone, and greenhouse gases. Analyze the environmental quality of air, soil, and water. Explain how usable energy is generated from fossil fuels, nuclear fuels, and alternative sources and the tradeoffs associated with their use. Outline the processes involved in water and sewage treatment. Identify the problems associated with the disposal of solid and toxic wastes. Identify global changes and their consequences. Explain environmental problems in relationship to scientific, social, legal, cultural, and economic factors. Relate course topics to local problems faced by Washington residents. Demonstrate an awareness of careers related to environmental science. Discuss the effects of environmental quality on human health. Recognize your power as an agent of change. Make-­‐up Work Excused Absences: Students are responsible for getting make-­‐up work for their excused absences. Work assigned before a student is absent is due when the student returns to class. Please be sure to check the website for missing work. Students will be given three days to complete make-­‐up work. The work is due at the beginning of the period. If a student is absent on the day of a lab, it is their responsibility to make up the lab exercise within two days of returning to school. Students who are absent on test days must make up their test within two days of their return. If you are absent before a test, but are aware of the test, you will be expected to take the test with the entire class. Long term projects are due on the due date unless other arrangements have been made, even if the student has been absent. Unexcused Absences: Students whose absence is unexcused will receive a ZERO on any assignment, project, lab, quiz, and/or test taken at that time. Tardy Policy: A tardy is defined as not being seated when the music stops playing. Students are also expected to be working on the board problem within the first minute of class. Assignments: Assignments are due at the beginning of the period of the day after they are assigned (unless otherwise told) and should be completed in pencil. Incomplete assignments will not be accepted and result in a zero. Every problem must be attempted and must show all steps in order to receive credit. The first step includes coping the problem directly down from the textbook or worksheet. In order to receive an A on an assignment, the assignment must be 100% complete, correct, and on time. Your notebook and spiral notebook should be neat and current at all times. Please be ready for a “surprise” spiral notebook check. In order to earn points for you spiral notebook check you must have all notes labeled and pasted into your spiral, if they are note pasted in, you will receive a zero. *Keep ALL of your work until the end of the year. NO MAKE-­‐UP WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED THE LAST 2 WEEKS OF THE SEMESTER That includes finals week and the week before finals. Study Habits The quantity of material presented in this course is immense. Unlike chemistry and physics, which build on each topic, environmental science lends itself to a complicated web of concepts that are all interconnected. Each topic by itself may appear simple, but the ability to draw concepts together to relate a much larger picture is a difficult skill to master. The student should: 1. Read each chapter, take notes, and answer all assigned questions at the end of a chapter. 2. Take notes over all video footage shown in class AND RELATE IT TO THE TEXT. 3. Organize your notes into a more logical fashion and attempt to cut out overlap of material between chapter sections: graphic organizers, tables (issues, pros/cons, examples, etc.), terms, and figures should all be used in simplifying notes, and as few words as possible should be used. 4. Use the website when preparing for exams, to look over concept animations, review chapter summaries, textbook Power Points. 5. Expect to spend 1 hour many nights reading and answering questions and more time completing formal lab write-­‐ups. Students can save a lot of time by forming study groups on their own to complete questions at the end of the text and to review for tests. Course Overview First Six Weeks Unit 1: Humans and Sustainability: An Overview Chapter 1: Environmental Problems, Their Causes and Sustainability • Population growth, economic growth and economic development • Environmental problems: causes and connections • Cultural Changes and the Environment • Sustainability and Environmental Worldviews Lab: Exponential Growth Lab: Wealth Gap Lab: Tragedy of the Commons Chapter 2: Science, Matter, Energy, and Systems • The Nature of Science • Models and Behavior of Systems • Energy Lab: Effects of Radiation on Seed Germination and Growth Unit 2: Ecology and Sustainability Chapter 3: Ecosystems: What Are They and How Do They Work? • Ecosystem Components • Biodiversity • Energy Flow and Matter Cycling in Ecosystems • Ecological Pyramids and Primary Production Lab: Primary Productivity Lab: Owl Pellet Survey Chapter 4: Biodiversity and Evolution • Evolution, Natural Selection and Adaptation • Geologic Processes, Climate Change, Catastrophes, and Evolution • Ecological Niches and Adaptation • Speciation, Extinction and Biodiversity Lab: Simulation of Natural Selection Lab: Island Biogeography and Evolution Chapter 7 and 8: Climate and l Biodiversity / • Biogeography • Climate • Biomes Biome Project •
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Aquatic Biodiversity Aquatic Environments Saltwater Life Zones Freshwater Life Zones Second Six Weeks Unit 3: Community Structure and Population Dynamics Chapter 5: Population Ecology • Population Characteristics and Carrying Capacity • Reproductive Patterns (r-­‐ and k-­‐ strategists) • Biotic potential and environmental resistance • Conservation Biology • Community Structure and Species Diversity • Nonnative or exotic species • Species Interactions • Ecological Succession • Ecological Stability and Sustainability • Lab: Estimating Population Size Lab: Population Growth Lab Lab: Biodiversity Lab: Inter-­‐ and Intraspecific Competition Lab: Oh Deer! Lab: Invasive Species Lab: Succession in a Winogradsky Column Unit 4: Human Population and Sustaining Human Societies Chapter 6: The Human Population and Its Impact • Human Population Growth, Demography and Carrying Capacity • Factors affecting human population size • Fertility and Death Rates • Population Age Structure • Human Impacts on Natural Systems Lab: Power of the Pyramids Chapter 22: Cities and Sustainability • Urbanization and Urban Growth • Urban Resource and Environmental Problems • Transportation and Urban Development • Urban Land Use Planning and Control Lab: Sustainable Island Third Sixth Weeks Unit 4: Sustaining Key Resources Chapter 14: Geology and Nonrenewable Mineral Resources • Geologic Processes (plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes) • Minerals, Rocks, and the Rock Cycle • Environmental Effects of Using Mineral Resources • Using Mineral Resources More Sustainably Lab: Cookie Mining Chapter 15: Nonrenewable Energy • Types of Energy Resources • Fossil Fuels • Nuclear Energy Lab: Fossil Fuels Lab: Home Energy Audit Chapter 16: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy • Reducing Energy Waste and Improving Energy Efficiency • Solar Energy • Hydroelectric Energy • Wind Energy • Biomass • Geothermal Energy • Hydrogen • A Sustainable Energy Strategy Lab: Alternative Energy Project Lab: If You Were in Charge of the World – the pros and cons of renewable and nonrenewable energy resources Fourth Six Weeks Chapter 12: Food, Soil Conservation, and Pest Management • Food Security and Nutrition • Food Production • Structure of Soil • Soil Erosion and Degradation • Sustainable Agriculture through Soil Conservation • Genetically Modified Foods Lab: Soil Labs Chapter 13: Water • Water Resources (surface water and groundwater) • Water’s Importance, Availability and Renewal • Using Water more Sustainability Lab: Dissolved Oxygen Lab: Desalinization Unit 5: Sustaining Environmental Quality Chapter 18: Air Pollution • Structure and Science of the Atmosphere • Air pollution (outdoor and indoor air pollution) • Acid Deposition • Health Effects of Air Pollution • Clean Air Act and Air Quality Standards • Preventing and Reducing Air Pollution Lab: Monitoring Air Quality Lab: Acid Deposition Chapter 19: Climate Change and Ozone Depletion • Natural Greenhouse Effect • Global Climate Change • Causes and Solutions • Ozone Depletion Lab: CO2 emissions Chapter 20: Water Pollution • Water pollution: Sources, Types, and Effects Pollution of Freshwater Streams • Pollution of Freshwater Lakes, Ground water and oceans • Clean Water Act • Preventing and Reducing Surface Water Pollution • Waste Water Treatment • Drinking Water Quality Lab: Watershed Assessment Fifth Six Weeks Chapter 17: Environmental Hazards and Human Health • Environmental Risks and Hazards • Chemical Hazards • Toxicology • Risk Assessment Lab: Toxicity LD50 Chapter 21: Solid and Hazardous Waste • Integrated Waste Management Unit 6: Conservation Chapter 9: Sustaining Terrestrial Biodiversity: The Species Approach • Species Extinction • Habitat Loss, Degradation, and Fragmentation • Invasive Species • Overexploitation • Wildlife Management Lab: Invasive Species Chapter 10: Sustaining Terrestrial Biodiversity: The Ecosystem Approach • Human Impact on Terrestrial Biodiversity • Managing and Sustaining Forests/Grasslands • National Parks/Nature Reserves • Ecological Restoration Chapter 11: Sustaining Aquatic Biodiversity • Aquatic Biodiversity • Human Impacts on Aquatic Biodiversity • Managing, Protecting and Sustaining Aquatic resources Lab: Do You Know What Fish You’re Eating? Lab: Fishing for the Future Sixth Six Weeks Unit 6: Sustaining Human Societies Chapter 23: Economics, Environment, and Sustainability Chapter 24: Politics, Environment, and Sustainability Lab: Land Use: Past and Present Chapter 25: Environmental Worldviews, Ethics and Sustainability **** Please note that this schedule may be rearranged to combine some chapters with related themes. th
AP EXAM – MONDAY MAY 5 , 2014 Morning Session All students are highly encouraged to take the AP test and this class is taught in a manner that assumes all students are planning to take the AP test. In order to be prepared for the test, complete all aspects of the class to a high quality as well as take initiative to learn material deeply and thoroughly. The AP Environmental Science Exam is three hours long and is divided equally in time between a multiple-­‐choice section and a free-­‐response section. The multiple-­‐choice section, which constitutes 60 percent of the final grade, consists of 100 multiple-­‐
choice questions that are designed to cover the breadth of the students’ knowledge and understanding of environmental science. Thought-­‐provoking problems and questions based on fundamental ideas from environmental science are included along with questions based on the recall of basic facts and major concepts. The free response section emphasizes the application of principles in greater depth. In this section, students must organize answers to broad questions, thereby demonstrating reasoning and analytical skills, as well as the ability to synthesize material from several sources into cogent and coherent essays. Four free-­‐response questions are included in this section, which constitutes 40 percent of the final grade. What do you need I need for AP Environmental Science (A.P.E.S.)?
APES is a fun and interactive course that will require a few things to be successful. Please try to get the items on the list as soon
as you can and please let me know if you have any questions. We may need other supplies throughout the year for special
projects. I will inform you of what we need as soon as possible. Thank you for your help and support!
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Textbook, you need to bring yours everyday
3 Ring Binder for APES only where you can keep ALL class materials, at least 1 ½ “
Spiral Notebook, where you will keep all of your notes
Tape, to tape your notes into your spiral notebook
Lined paper
Writing utensil: Pencil, Pen black or blue but please no colored ink on assignments
Occasionally we will use colored markers and colored pencils. If you want ones that are nice/ unused, you may
want to bring your own J
We will do projects where other materials may be needed. Students will be informed of needed materials as
soon as possible. If a student is unable to get them, I will work with them to make sure they have what they
need.
Please tear this page off, sign, and return to Mrs. Bustamante by the first Friday of the school year.
Parent/Guardian Contact Information
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