Download advanced environmental earth science

HONORS ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCE
SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT—2014
For Honors Environmental Earth Science, the summer reading book is The
Control of Nature, by John McPhee. As you read, consider the questions in the study
guide that relate to each chapter. You are expected to TYPE answers to those items
that are starred with an asterisk. Your completed study guide will be collected in
class within the first week of school (see rubric, p. 4). You may also wish to take notes
as you read. Focus on the “big ideas” and concepts, rather than on the tiny details or
statistics. (Note: Important technical terms below are in italics.) Much of the science
content in the book will be part of the curriculum for the coming year.

Students are expected to abide by the Lexington High School Honor Code (see
Student-Parent Handbook: online at http://lps.lexingtonma.org/lexingtonhs).
Cheating or any other forms of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated.
Students giving or receiving answers to others, copying homework or labs,
“cutting and pasting” from Internet sources without citing the source, or engaging
in other acts of academic dishonesty will receive a zero for the assignment. While
you will often be asked or encouraged to work with other students, it is expected
that the work you submit for grading will be your own unless you are directed
otherwise. Cooperation and teamwork are effective techniques for learning
important social skills; plagiarism and other forms of cheating are not.
You will encounter a lot of new vocabulary in this book. You will get more out of
your reading if you take a few minutes to look up the definitions of words with which
you are unfamiliar.
When you come to school in the fall, you will be asked to write an essay based on the
book. We will provide details for the assignment, as well as a rubric for the content and
format of your essay. Keep the statements below in mind as you read the book. These
statements are the “Enduring Understandings” for the year, and represent the “big ideas”
that are essential to Earth Science.
1) Earth is a dynamic and constantly changing planet.
2) Earth systems are interconnected to, dependant on, and shaped by life systems.
3) Matter moves through Earth's spheres in cyclical processes, over varying
periods of time, and at different scales.
4) Energy, from the Sun and from Earth's interior, drives all of Earth's cycles and
processes.
5) Earth’s surfaces and processes are altered by human engineering.
Atchafalaya
1. As you begin, go online to http://louisiana.sierraclub.org/atchafalaya.asp to see a
map of the Atchafalaya Basin and to learn about the natural ecosystem of that
region.
2. http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthrivers.html Use this website to learn the basics
about rivers and streams. Note: there are links to many additional pages on
related topics within this website if you are interested.
3. *What are the competing interests between groups of people who depend on the
river for their livelihood?
4. *The long-term engineering of artificial levees along the Mississippi River has
been driven to a great extent by economic forces. What would happen to New
Orleans if (when?) the Atchafalaya River “captures” the Mississippi River?
5. *People often speak of the “law of unintended consequences” (see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unintended_consequences for an explanation). How
does this law apply to the control of flooding events along the Mississippi River?
6. *Louisiana is losing its wetlands to the Gulf of Mexico at a rate of about one
football field every 38 minutes—
(http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080104112955.htm) or 75,000
square kilometers per year. How does the construction of artificial levees
contribute to this growing environmental problem?
7. *How does the loss of wetlands affect the vulnerability of cities such as New
Orleans to damage by severe storms (remember Hurricane Katrina, 2005)?
8. You can watch a video clip of the Old River Control Structure holding back the
Mississippi River on Youtube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIrAB3SdQPk.
9. *What has been gained by engineering the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers?
What has been lost?
10. Last year (2013) saw considerable flooding along the Mississippi River and its
tributaries. Search the Internet for a recent news articles about this event. Print a
copy of the article.
Cooling the Lava
1. To understand the events that took place on Heimaey, you will need some
background in plate tectonics. For a brief review of plate tectonic theory, go to
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html.
2. This is the website for the United States Geological Survey Volcano Hazards
Program. If you’re interested in volcanoes, you can use this link to check out any
volcano on the planet! http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/.
3. *Compare and contrast the volcanic eruptions in Hawaii and Iceland. Your
answer should address the geological differences and/or similarities.
4. *On this website, you’ll find some basic information about Eldfell and Heimaey.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eldfell. What type of plate boundary is represented
by this location? What geologic process is occurring there (what is going on at
this location)?
5. Go to Youtube to watch actual footage of the Eldfell eruption.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghl33n26d44&feature=related
6. *How did the people of Heimaey cope with the onset of volcanic activity?
7.
*What was unique about the location of Heimaey that made it possible for
anyone even to contemplate cooling the lava?
8. *What interventions were required to cool the lava? What consequences related
to the eruption of Eldfell could not be mitigated by human interventions?
9. *How does the outcome of events in this chapter differ from that of the other
two?
10. What has happened in the years since the eruption of 1973? Search the Internet
for recent articles about volcanic activity during 2010 in Iceland. Print a copy of
the article.
Los Angeles Against the Mountains
1. Go online (search Google images for “San Gabriel Mountains alluvial fans” to see
a few aerial photographs of the San Gabriel Mountains and their alluvial fans.
2. For a general description of the San Gabriel Mountains, go to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Gabriel_Mountains.
3. *Describe a debris flow. How fast can a debris flow move downslope? Why are
debris flows so dangerous to humans? How does an alluvial fan form?
4. You can watch a debris flow in action on Youtube. Take a look at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3W-wDIR-Os (Devore, CA),
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yCnQuILmsM (Southern Utah)
and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXtBCR9ySyA (Colorado).
5.
*The theory of plate tectonics provides the key to understanding the San Gabriel
Mountains. Describe the relationship between the San Andreas Fault and the San
Gabriel Mountains. What type of movement is typified by the San Andreas?
6. *Why are the slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains especially prone to debris flow
formation?
7. *What have the people in Los Angeles done to control debris flows at the base of
the San Gabriel Mountains? Have they been successful?
8. *What are the benefits and risks for people who live on the alluvial fans of the
San Gabriel Mountains? What about the people who live higher up, in the
canyons? If you were in their shoes, what would you do—move away, or rebuild?
Explain your reasoning; justify your answer.
9. *The title of this chapter has two interpretations: one geological, the other
anthropological. Interpret the meaning of each point of view.
10. Search the Internet for an article about debris flow (not necessarily in Southern
California) during the last decade. Print a copy of the article.
Appearance and
format of study
guide
Sentences,
spelling and
grammar
Beginning
(2 points)
Needs
Improvement
(4 points)
Proficient
(6 points)
Exemplary
(8 points)
Assignment is not
typed; writing is
sloppy, barely
legible.
Makes grammatical
and spelling errors
that compromise the
meaning; answers are
in “bullet” phrases
only.
Assignment is not typed,
but writing is neat and
legible.
Assignment is typed,
but answers to
questions are not
labeled.
Uses appropriate
grammar and spells
correctly most of the
time; most answers are
written in complete
sentences.
Assignment is neatly
typed; answers to questions
are clearly labeled.
Answers demonstrate
some understanding of
scientific concepts &
include some
supporting details.
Two articles are
submitted.
Answers to questions
demonstrate a firm
understanding of scientific
concepts & include
supporting details.
Three required articles are
included w/ study guide.
Quality of
answers/content
of study guide
Answers read as
though they were
copied from the
book.
Printed articles
No articles are
included w/ study
guide.
Standard late
penalty (without
prior consent of
teacher) of 40%
applies.
Timely
submission of
study guide
Makes grammatical and
spelling errors that
distract but do not
compromise the
meaning; several
answers are not written
in complete sentences.
Answers cursory with
little evidence of
understanding &
supporting details are
lacking.
One article is submitted.
Uses appropriate grammar
and spells correctly
throughout. All answers
are written in complete
sentences.
Completed study guide is
turned in on time.
TOTAL POINTS ______ / 40