Download Rockwood Sample Syllabus AP Environmental Science

Rockwood Sample Syllabus
AP Environmental Science
Note: This is not a required syllabus for the four high schools in the Rockwood School District.
College Board requires each AP Science teacher to submit a syllabus which is approved through
College Board. This sample simply reflects collaborative discussions between our district AP
Environmental Science teachers and is a sample syllabus representative of the expectations set forth
by College Board.
Course Overview:
AP Environmental Science is a college level lab-based science course to prepare students for indepth study in Environmental Sciences. The goal of this course is to integrate scientific principles,
concepts, and methodologies from the field of environmental science. Using these principles and
disciplines, students will be able to understand interrelationships of the natural world, analyze and
identify environmental problems, and evaluate those problems to determine solutions for resolving
those natural and human induced problems.
Instructional Context:
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AP Environmental Science is offered as a junior or senior-level blocked science course.
AP Environmental Science requires a Zero Hour component.
Students must have successfully completed a biology course and College Board recommends
that students complete two years of high school laboratory science—one year of life science
and one year of physical science (i.e., biology and chemistry).
Instructional Resources:
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Miller, T. and Spoolman. (2014). Living in the environment. Cengage Learning.
MindTap Course Mode with Fast Track 5 AP Exam Prep
AP Fast Track, Living in the Environment
Methods:
Instruction involves a variety of techniques to ensure that every student is reached. This includes
lecture, Socratic seminars, discussions, debates, demonstrations, and homework. In-class discussion
will encourage and teach students to identify and analyze environmental problems. Hands-on student
activities include research projects, homework, fieldwork, and weekly laboratory work.
Unifying Course Themes:
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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.
Topic Outline:
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VII.
Earth Systems and Resources
The Living World
Population
Land and Water Use
Energy Resources and Consumption
Pollution
Global Change
Laboratory and Fieldwork:
The laboratory and field investigation component of the AP Environmental Science course should
challenge the students’ abilities 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
Tests:
This is an Advanced Placement course that prepares the student to take the Advanced Placement
Exam. Students are expected (although not required) to take the Advanced Placement Exam in May.
This course may involve some zero hour work.
AP Environmental Science Sample Course Outline: The course description and outline is
provided in the Environmental Science Course Description Guide provided through College Board.
Chapter 1: Environmental Problems, Their Causes and
Sustainability
Chapter 2: Science, Systems, Matter & Energy
• Energy concepts: forms, power, units, conversions, Laws of
Thermodynamics
• Energy flow: photosynthesis and cellular respiration, food webs
and trophic levels, ecological pyramids
Unit 1
Introduction
to
Environmental Activities:
• (ACTIVITY) Tragedy of the Commons
Science
• (ACTIVITY) The Lorax
• (PROJECT) Carbon Budget
5 days
Unit 2 Earth
Systems and
Resources
Unit 3
Ecology
Chapter 14: Geology and Nonrenewable Mineral Resources
Chapter 7: Climate & Biodiversity
Chapter 8: Aquatic Biodiversity
• Earth Science Concepts (Geologic time scale; plate tectonics,
earthquakes, volcanism; seasons; solar intensity and latitude)
• The Atmosphere (Composition; structure; weather and
climate; atmospheric circulation and the Coriolis effect;
atmosphere-ocean interactions; ENSO)
• Natural Biogeochemical Cycles: carbon, nitrogen,
phosphorus, sulfur, water, conservation of matter
Activities:
• (PROJECT) Plate Tectonics, Molnar
• (DEMO) Tectonics Model
• (LAB) Volcanic Ash Lab
• (LAB) Alaskan Earthquake Activity and Quake! Activity
• (LAB) Specific Heat and Climate, Molnar
• (PROJECT) Formation of Deserts, Molnar
• (PROJECT) Moon and Tides, Molnar
• (VIRTUAL LAB) Climate in the Troposphere
• (VIRTUAL LAB) IRIS Earthquake Browser
Chapter 3: Ecosystems: What are they and how do they work?
Chapter 4: Evolution and Biodiversity
Chapter 5: Biodiversity, Species Interactions, and Population
Control
• Ecosystem Structure (Biological populations and communities;
ecological niches; interactions among species; keystone species;
species diversity and edge effects; major terrestrial and aquatic
biomes)
• Energy Flow (Photosynthesis and cellular respiration; food webs
and trophic levels; ecological pyramids)
• Ecosystem Diversity (Biodiversity; natural selection; evolution;
ecosystem services)
• Natural Ecosystem Change (Climate shifts; species movement;
ecological succession)
Activities:
• (QUANTITATIVE) Eating at a Lower Tropic Level, Molnar
• (PROJECT) Endangered and Extinct Species
• (VIDEO) Cane Toads
• (VIDEO) Planet In Peril
• (RESEARCH) Hot Spots!
• (LONG TERM RESEARCH) Winogradsky Column
5 days
10 days
Unit 4
Population
Dynamics
Chapter 5: Biodiversity, Species Interactions, and Population
Control
Chapter 9: Sustaining Biodiversity: The Species Approach
• Population Biology Concepts (Population ecology; carrying
capacity; reproductive strategies; survivorship)
• Loss of Biodiversity
o Habitat loss; overuse; pollution; introduced species;
endangered and extinct species
o Maintenance through conservation
o Relevant laws and treaties
6 days
Activities:
• (LAB) Population Distribution and Survivorship, Molnar
• (LAB) Shannon-Weiner Diversity Index, Molnar
• (LAB) Duckweed Population Growth
• (PROJECT) Research Land Management Agencies
• (FIELD RESEARCH) Quadrat Sampling
• (LAB) Rocky Mountain Elk Management Plan, Miller
Unit 5
Human
Population
Chapter 6: The Human Population and Its Impact
Chapter 17: Environmental Hazards and Human Health
• Human Population
o Human population dynamics (Historical population sizes;
distribution; fertility rates; growth rates and doubling times;
demographic transition; age-structure diagrams)
o Population size (Strategies for sustainability; case studies;
national policies)
o Impacts of population growth (Hunger; disease; economic
effects; resource use; habitat destruction
• Impacts on the Environment and Human Health
o Hazards to human health (Environmental risk analysis; acute
and chronic effects; dose-response relationships; air
pollutants; smoking and other risks)
Activities:
• (QUANTITATIVE)World Population Growth, Molnar
• (PROJECT) Global Population Trends, Molnar
• (LAB) Toxicity Lab, Miller
• (RESEARCH) Population Issues in China and India
• (LAB) Risk Assessment Survey
• (VIDEO) NOVA: Population Paradox
• (TED TALK) Hans Rosling
13 days
Unit 6
Water
Chapter 8: Aquatic Biodiversity
Chapter 13: Water Resources
Chapter 20: Water Pollution
• Global Water Resources and Use (Freshwater/saltwater; ocean
circulation; agricultural, industrial, and domestic use; surface and
groundwater issues; global problems; conservation)
• Water pollution (Types; sources, causes, and effects; cultural
eutrophication; ground-water pollution; maintaining water quality;
water purification; sewage treatment/septic systems; Clean Water
Act and other relevant laws)
9 days
Activities:
• (LONG TERM LAB) Water Quality Survey, Vernier Lab Probes
• (LONG TERM LAB) Eco Columns
• (LAB) Dissolved Oxygen/Waste Lab
• (ACTIVITY) Mapping Analysis (Groundwater Pollutant)
Unit 7
Soil and
Land Use
Chapter 12: Food, Soil, and Pest Management
Chapter 10: Sustaining Terrestrial Biodiversity: The Ecosystem
Approach
• Soil and Soil dynamics: rock cycle, formation, composition,
physical and
• chemical properties, main soil types, erosion and other soil
problems, soil conservation
• Agriculture: Feeding a Growing Population (nutritional
requirements,
• Green Revolution, genetic engineering, deforestation, sustainable
agriculture) and Controlling Pests (pesticides, cost and benefits,
IPM, laws)
• Forestry: tree plantings, old growth, fires, management, national
forests
• Rangelands overgrazing, deforestation, desertification, federal
rangelands
• Other Use (Urban land development: planned, suburban sprawl,
urbanization; Transportation infrastructure: federal highway
system, canals
• Public and Federal Lands: management, national parks, wildlife
refuges,
forests, wetlands; Land conservation options: preservation,
remediation, mitigation, restoration; Sustainable Land-Use
strategies)
Activities:
• (LAB) Soil Survey, Vernier Lab Probes
• (LAB) Toxicity of Pesticides
• (PROJECT) Research National Park
• (RESEARCH) Grocery Store Scavenger Hunt
• (LAB) Organic Food Taste Test
10 days
Unit 8
Air
Unit 9
Energy
Chapter 18: Air Pollution
Chapter 19: Climate Change and Ozone Depletion
• The atmosphere: composition, structure, weather and climate,
atmospheric circulation and Coriolis Effect, ENSO
• Air Pollution: primary and secondary, pollutants, units, smog, acid
deposition, heat islands, laws
• Noise Pollution: sources, effects, control measures
• Stratospheric Ozone: formation, UV radiation, causes and effects,
reducing depletion, laws and treaties
• Global Warming: greenhouse effect and gases, impacts and
consequences, reducing, laws and treaties
Activities:
• (LAB) Air Pollution Lab Activity
• (VIDEO) Inconvenient Truth
• (VIDEO) Strange Days On Planet Earth: One Degree Factor
• (RESEARCH) Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
• (ACTIVITY) Lifestyles: The Carbon Dioxide Diet
• (LAB) Ozone Detection
• (ACTIVITY) Graphing the Atmosphere
• (ACTIVITY) Weather Map Analysis
Chapter 14: Geology and Nonrenewable Mineral Resources
Chapter 15: Nonrenewable Energy
Chapter 16: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
• Mineral formation: extraction, global reserves, laws and treaties
• Energy Consumption: history, present use, future energy needs
• Fossil Fuel Resources and Use: formation of FFs,
extraction/purification,
demand, advantages/disadvantages
• Nuclear energy: fission, fuel, electricity, reactors,
advantages/disadvantages, wastes, radiation and human health
• Hydroelectric power: dams, flood control, salmon, silting
• Energy Conservation: efficiency, CAFE standards, hybrid
• Renewable Energy: solar, hydrogen fuel cells, biomass, wind
energy,
hydroelectric, ocean and tidal energy, geothermal,
advantages/disadvantages
Activities:
• (LAB) Energy Audit
• (LAB) Rock and Mineral Lab
• (ACTIVITY) Solar Oven
• (LAB) Specific Heat (Molnar)
• (RESEARCH) Photostory Alternative Research
14 days
13 days
Unit 10
Waste
Chapter 21: Solid and Hazardous Waste
• Solid Waste: types, disposal, reduction
• Hazardous chemicals: types, treatment/disposal, cleanup,
biomagnifications, laws
• Economic Impacts: cost-benefit analysis, externalities, marginal
costs,
sustainability
Activities:
• (LAB) Personal Solid Waste Inventory, Miller
Chapter 23: Economics, Environment, and Sustainability Chapter
24:
Chapter 24: Politics, Environment, and Sustainability
Chapter 25: Environmental World Views, Ethics and Sustainability
• Global Economics: Globalization, World Bank, Tragedy of the
Unit 11
Commons, laws/treaties
Sustainability
Activities:
• (LAB) Green City Design, Miller
5 days
5 days