Download PCTA 2016-2017 APES Syllabus .docx

ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Providence Career and Technical Academy
Teacher: Elizabeth Butrick
Course Description: The advanced placement environmental science course is a full-year course with the time equivalent of one-semester. Environmental Science
course will include information from a wide variety of departments, including geology, biology, environmental studies, chemistry, and geography. The course is
designed to provide students with a rigorous science course that includes a strong focus on scientific principles, analysis, and laboratory work. [SC11]
Course goal: The goal of this course is to provide students with scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of
the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems both natural and human-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and
to examine alternate solutions for resolving and/or preventing them. (College Board, Advanced Placement Program). [SC11]
Text
Withgott, Jay and Laposata, Matthew (2014) ​Environment: The Science Behind the Stories
​
AP Edition. 5th Edition. Pearson Education, Inc.
Smil, Vaclav. “Global Population and the Nitrogen Cycle.” ​Scientific American​ July 1997: 76-81
Howarth, Robert W & Townsend, Alan R. “Fixing the Global Nitrogen Problem” ​Scientific American​ February 2010
Vaccari, David A. “Phosphorus: A Looming Crisis.” ​Scientific American​ June 2009: 54-59
Huber, George W., Dale, Bruce E. “Grassoline at the Pump” ​Scientific American​ July 2009 52-59.
Jochem, Eberhard K. “An Efficient Solution.” ​Scientific American​ Sept. 2006 64-67.
Course Schedule
FALL SEMESTER
UNIT
CHAPTERS/ BACKGROUND
READING
UNIT 1:
WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE?
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS &
CAUSES
HISTORY OF RESOURCES USE AND
CONSERVATION [SC2]
Ranking Environmental Challenges [SC12]
Chapter 1​: An Introduction to
Environmental Science
Graphing Activity [SC14]
Tragedy of the Commons activity
Hardin, Garrett “The Tragedy of the
Commons” Science 1968
2 weeks
CRITICAL THINKING/SCIENTIFIC
METHOD AND MODELS
POTENTIAL LABS AND ACTIVITIES
Movie: The Lorax
The Science Behind the Story (Withgott and Laposata): pg 6-7 [SC12]
Chapter 2, 4, 5: E
​ nergy Flow
Ecological Footprint (Withgott and Laposata): pg 20 [SC14]
Central Case Study (Withgott and Laposata): pg 22 [SC16]
MATTER AND FLOW OF ENERGY [SC2]
[SC7]
Assessment: Chapter 1, 2, 4, 5
2 weeks
UNIT 2: AIR AND AIR POLLUTION:[SC9]
[SC10]
CLIMATE CHANGE AND OZONE LOSS:
[SC10]
Chapter 13, 16, 17, 18, and 19​: Air
pollution, relative laws, and the
atmosphere
Lab: Measuring Albedo [SC17]
Chapter 4, 16, and 17:​ Climate
shifts, ozone loss, and the atmosphere
Lab: Testing for Ground Level Ozone
Lab: Vehicle Particulate Collection
Lab: Acid Rain
3 weeks
Chapter, 3, 4, 6, 11, and 18: G
​ lobal
warming
Lab: Global Warming
Potential Videos: El Nino
In Search of Clean Air
The Science Behind the Story (Withgott and Laposata): pg. 466- 467,
470-471, 490-491, 494-495 [SC12]
Central Case Study (Withgott and Laposata): pg. 483 [SC16]
Assessment
UNIT 3:
EVOLUTION AND BIODIVERSITY: [SC3]
ENERGY FLOW IN ECOSYSTEMS,
ECOSYSTEM AND GLOBAL
BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES: [SC3]
Lab: Grocery Story Biodiversity or parking lot biodiversity [SC17]
Chapter 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, and 16:
Ecosystem structure, diversity, loss
of biodiversity, maintenance, relevant
laws and treaties
Project: Biomes
Lab: Interspecific and Intraspecific Competition
Activity: Natural Selection simulation [SC12]
Lab: Biodiversity in Leaf Litter
Chapter 2, 4, 5, and 18: E
​ nergy
flow, natural biogeochemical cycles
(Calcium, Sulfur, Carbon, Nitrogen,
and Phosphorus)
Potential Videos: Sonoran Desert
Case Studies: Peppered Moths and Isle Royale [SC16]
COMMUNITY ECOLOGY [SC3]
Case Study (Withgott and Laposata): pg. 48
3 weeks
Science Behind the Story (Withgott and Laposata): pg. 56, 64, 86, and
90 [SC12]
Assessment
UNIT 4: SUSTAINING WILD SPECIES:
[SC3]
Chapter 3, 4, 6, 11, 12, 22, and 23​:
Ecosystems, land conservation
options,
Activity: Endangered Animal Gallery Walk [SC12]
Potential Videos: The Miracle of the Scarlet Salmon
The Beaches are Moving
TERRESTRIAL DIVERSITY & AQUATIC
DIVERSITY: [SC6] [SC3]
Chapter 9, 10, 12, 13, 16 and 19:
Forestry, rangelands, other land use,
fishing and public and federal lands.
Endangered Species
Potential Field Trip: Zoo trip [SC15]
3 weeks
Assessment
UNIT 5:
Lab: Power of the Pyramids (Earth Matters #3) [SC17]
POPULATION DYNAMICS: [SC4]
4 weeks
Chapter 1, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12:
population biology concepts, human
population, population size, and
impacts of population growth
Activity: Something’s Fishy
Video: World in The Balance (Nova)
Case Study (Withgott and Laposata): pg. 189 [SC16]
The Science Behind the Story (Withgott and Laposata): pg. 194 and
204 [SC12]
Assessment
SPRING SEMESTER
UNIT 6:
RISK, TOXICOLOGY, AND HUMAN
HEALTH: [SC9]
PESTICIDES AND PEST CONTROL [SC5]
[SC9]
Activity: Disease Reports/Gallery Walk
Chapter 1, 6, 7, 14, 17, 22, and 24:
Hazards to human health, hazardous
chemicals in the environment, and
economic impacts
Chapter 10 and 14: C
​ ontrolling
pests
Activity: Risk Perception and Risk Reality
Potential video: Ebola/Outbreak (Nova)
Lab: Pesticides [SC17]
Case Study (Withgott and Laposata): pg. 359 [SC16]
The Science Behind the Story (Withgott and Laposata): pg. 362 and
378 [SC12]
2 weeks
Assessment
UNIT 7:
GEOLOGY AND SOIL [SC1] [SC2]
Chapter 2, 9, 17 and Appendix E:
Earth science concepts and soil and
soil dynamics
3 weeks
Activity: Plate Tectonics Project
Lab: Soil Lab- Chemical and Physical [SC17]
Activity: Cookie Mining [SC16]
Potential Video: Southern Appalachians- A changing World
Case study (withgott and laposata): pg. 215 [SC16]
Science Behind the Story (Withgott and Laposata): pg. 230 and 234
[SC12]
Assessment
UNIT 8:
FOOD RESOURCES AND URBAN LAND
USE [SC5]
Activity: Counting Calories [SC14]
Chapter 3, 6, 11, 12, 13, 15, and 19:
Urban land development,
transportation infrastructure, public
and federal lands and feeding a
growing population.
Project: Land Use Planning
Case study (Withgott and Laposata): pg. 244 and pg. 336 [SC16]
Science Behind the Story (Withgott and Laposata): pg. 258, 266, and
352 [SC12]
2 weeks
Assessment
UNIT 9:
AQUATIC ECOLOGY [SC6]
Chapter 3, 4, 5, 6, and 11:
Ecosystem and ecosystem diversity
Lab: Effect of Salinization on Seeds [SC17]
Lab: Chemical Testing for Water Quality [SC13]
Lab: Specific Heat [SC14] [SC13]
WATER RESOURCES [SC6]
Chapter 15 and 16: G
​ lobal water
resources and use
Activity: Deadly Water (Aquatic Wild)
Potential Video: Cadillac Desert
WATER POLLUTION [SC6] [SC9]
3 weeks
Chapter 5, 7, 15, 16, and 19: W
​ ater
pollution
Case Study (Withgott and Laposata): pg. 389 and 420 [SC16]
Science Behind the Stories (Withgott and Laposata): pg. 400, 410,
428, and 434 [SC12]
Potential Field Trip: Water treatment plant, wastewater treatment
plant, landfill, and recycling plant
Assessment
UNIT 10:
ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND
RENEWABLE ENERGY [SC7] [SC8]
Chapter 2, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 24​:
Energy concepts, energy
consumption, fossil fuel resources
and use, nuclear energy, hydroelectric
power, energy conservation, and
renewable energy
Lab: Personal Energy Consumption [SC13] [SC14] [SC17]
Activity: Recycle City
Project: Building a Sustainable Community [SC12]
Project: How to Market Energy in an Energy- Challenged Age [SC16]
Potential video: Minutes to Meltdown
SOLID WASTE [SC9]
2 weeks
Chapter 22:​ Solid Waste
Case Study (Withgott and Laposata): pg. 553, 581, 609, and 654
[SC16]
Science Behind the Stories (Withgott and Laposata): pg. 562, 572,
586, 592, 620, and 628 [SC12]
Assessment
AP EXAM: MAY 1, 2017
Teacher: Elizabeth Butrick
Email: ​[email protected]
Course Size and Scheduling: ​The class size will be about 22 students. The class periods are 74 minutes long four days a week and 47 minutes for the last day of
the week. A lab period is schedule during one of the 74 minute blocks each week. [SC17] Each semester consists of 90 days, but students will be in class
(seat-time) for only half of these days due to the school’s week-about schedule.
Field work/ Field Trips: ​We will be doing activities outside on school grounds or on field trips. Please wear appropriate clothes for outside activities.
Guest Speakers: ​We have a wealth of knowledge in our community. ​ ​Bringing in experts and first hand experience is an important part of learning. Whenever
possible, we will have guest speakers to share their expertise.
Attendance: ​A significant portion of the information in this class is learned through doing labs and class activities. Be in class every day. If you know you are
going to be absent on a given day, please let me know in advance. If possible, even if you must miss class, complete the classwork and homework on time so that
you can benefit fully from the class activities when you return. Since this is a college level class, you will be expected to make up work missed without my having
to remind you.
Tardies:​ Class will start on time. If you come in late, please be considerate and enter the room quietly with minimal disruption of other students. If tardies occur
repeatedly, we will need to find a way to solve the problem.
Make-up Work:​ All work missed must be made up and you must make arrangements to complete make-up work. Labs and work can be made up before or after
school.
Grading: ​Grades are based on demonstration of mastery of the environmental science standards and course content. The percentages for each letter grade are as
follows: 90 - 100% = A; 80 - 89% = B; 70 - 79% = C; 60 - 69% = D; 59-50% =E and below 50% = F.
1. Exams:​ 35%
2. Laboratory and field work reports/write-ups:​ 20%
3. Final exam/project​: 15%
4. Quizzes/APES Reports/ Projects/Graded Discussions ​15%
5. In class activities/ Debates/Oral reports ​10%
6. Practice and Preparation​: 5%
Participation​: Ask questions, take part in every aspect of the course, listen, be attentive, make relevant comments, show initiative and interest, work well with all
students in the class, show good lab technique, help others, be polite -- all of these are indicative of preparedness and desire to learn, improve and excel.
Homework: ​Since this is a college level course, much of the work will need to be done outside of class. This course requires a substantial amount of reading and
writing.
Quality of Work:​ All work must be neat, legible and of high quality.