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AP® Environmental Science
2013-2014
[email protected]
Course Description
The AP® Environmental Science course is a full-year course designed to be the equivalent of a one-semester,
introductory college course in environmental science. Unlike most other introductory-level college science courses,
environmental science is offered from a wide variety of departments, including geology, biology, environmental studies,
environmental studies, environmental science, chemistry, and geography. The AP Environmental Science course has been
developed to be like a rigorous science course that stresses scientific principles and analysis and includes a laboratory
component; as such, it is intended to enable students to undertake, as first-year college students, a more advanced study of
topics in environmental science or, alternatively, to fulfill a basic requirement for a laboratory science and thus free time
for taking other courses. Students learn methods for analyzing and interpreting experimental data. In both breadth and
level of detail, the content of the course reflects what is found in many introductory college courses in environmental
science.
The goal of the course is to provide students with the 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, to examine alternative solutions for resolving
and/or preventing them, and to develop and focus their own political perspective. Environmental science is
interdisciplinary; it embraces a wide variety of topics from different areas of study. Yet there are several major unifying
constructs, or themes, that cut across the many topics included in the study of environmental science.
Text
Environment by Peter Raven and Linda Berg, 4th edition, 2004, John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
Other Resources
In addition to the textbook, we will draw information from supplemental environmental science textbooks, lab manuals,
periodicals, and readings/case studies.
The following themes provide a foundation for the structure of the AP
Environmental Science course:
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Science is a process.
o Science is a method of learning more about the world.
o Science constantly changes the way we understand the world
Energy conversions underlie all ecological processes.
o Energy cannot be created; it must come from somewhere.
o As energy flows through systems, at each step more of it becomes unusable
The Earth itself is one interconnected system.
o Natural systems change over time and space.
o Biogeochemical systems vary in ability to recover from disturbances
Humans alter natural systems.
o Humans have had an impact on the environment for millions of years.
o Technology and population growth have enabled humans to increase both the
rate and scale of their impact on the environment.
Environmental problems have a cultural and social context.
o Understanding the role of cultural, social, and economic factors is vital to the
development of solutions.
Human survival depends on developing practices that will achieve sustainable systems.
o A suitable combination of conservation and development is required.
o Management of common resources is essential.
Homework
May include but not be limited to:
 reading the textbook
 printing out and reviewing lecture notes (from Power Points)
 reading and preparing for an upcoming lab
Assessments
Tests given in class will reflect the type of questions and format of the AP test in May. This includes multiple choice (3060) and free response (1 or 2) questions.
Using Graphs and Charts
Students are tested on their understanding of quantitative data at regular intervals on tests and quizzes. Practice
assignments and assessments will be given prior to formal testing.
Academic Honesty Policy
Cases involving academic dishonesty in this course will result in failure for the assignment/test/project/exam. I am
strongly committed to the promotion of high ethical standards. Such standards are best accomplished in an environment
where honesty and integrity are practiced. Academic dishonesty includes, cheating, plagiarism or other improper
appropriation of another’s work as one’s own and/or falsifying records to advance one’s academic standing.
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Cheating includes but is not limited to copying answers, stealing and/or disseminating
tests or answer keys, or using
someone else’s data in preparation of reports or assignments and assisting others in such practices.
Plagiarism involves the presentation of another person’s words, ideas or work as one’s own. It includes but is not limited to
copying material (written and non-written) without proper acknowledgement of its source and paraphrasing another’s work
or ideas without proper acknowledgement.
Laboratory work
Experiences both in the laboratory and in the field provide students with important opportunities to test concepts and
principles that are introduced in the classroom, explore specific problems with a depth not easily achieved otherwise, and
gain an awareness of the importance of confounding variables that exist in the “real world.” All laboratory/fieldwork
includes an analysis and an interpretation component. Students are taught methods for analyzing and interpreting
information; a variety of laboratories include data collection, the application of mathematical analysis by the student and
data interpretation. The lab component includes identification and analysis of environmental problems.
Laboratory/fieldwork will constitute approximately one class period each week.
The laboratory and field investigation component of the AP Environmental Science course challenges the students’
abilities to:
• 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
AP exam
The exam is May 5, 2014. (The first exam) The AP Environmental Science Exam is 3 hours long and is
divided equally in time between a multiple-choice section (90 minutes) and a free-response section (90 minutes).
Multiple choice
Free-response
100 questions (90 min)
4 (90 min)
60 % of grade
40 % of grade
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: 1 data-set question, 1 document-based question, and 2 synthesis
and evaluation questions.
Teaching strategies
The course is divided between lecture and Socratic seminar. Students are responsible for keeping up with the reading and
events in the news which will be used as a springboard for connections to the lessons.
Attendance and Participation
Attendance in this class is mandatory as required by Florida Statutes 1001.41, 1003.24, 1003.436. Any student missing
more than 9 days during the semester will be required to pass a comprehensive competency exam. The competency exam
will consist of a mock AP examination. Any student, who takes the competency examination and does not pass, will fail
the semester regardless of his/her grade average. Please read and familiarize yourself with the school’s attendance policy.
Participation in class is emphasized both formally and informally. Students must read the materials and be prepared to
discuss them in a classroom setting. Not all of the required reading can be discussed in class, but is considered testable
material. Questions and comments about the readings, lectures, and current environmental issues are encouraged and
welcomed.
Grading
Each semester is worth 50 percent of the final grade. There will be a cumulative semester exam (20% of semester grade)
and a cumulative final exam (20% of 2nd semester grade). Both exams will be a mock AP exam.
Expectations
1.
Attendance and punctuality.
2.
Compliance with the Code of Conduct and Dress Code
3.
Cell phones silenced and out of sight.
4.
Prepared for class. (textbook, paper, assignments, etc.)
5.
To earn credit lost due to an absence, the absence must be excused through the attendance office within 72 hours
of your return to school. Tests will be made up one day following your return to school. It will not be the same
test as your classmates.
6.
Late work is accepted but loses 50% of its value.
*You may not postpone taking a test due to your absence the day before the scheduled test date.
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APES outline
The percentage after each major topic heading shows the approximate proportion of multiple-choice questions on
the exam that pertain to that heading.
The free-response portion of the examination will test students in some combination of the seven major categories
outlined below.
The outline is a guide and is not an exhaustive list of topics or the preferred order of topics.
I. Earth Systems and Resources…………………………………………………………………….. (10–15%)
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 populations 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, conservation of matter)
III. Population……………………………………………………………………………………… (10–15%)
A.
Population Biology Concepts
(Population ecology; carrying capacity; reproductive strategies; survivorship)
B.
Human Population
1.
Human population dynamics
(Historical population sizes; distribution; fertility rates; growth rates and doubling times; demographic
transition; age-structure diagrams)
2.
Population size
(Strategies for sustainability; case studies; national policies)
3.
Impacts of population growth
(Hunger; disease; economic effects; resource use; habitat destruction)
IV. Land and Water Use…………………………………………………………………………….. (10–15%)
A.
Agriculture
1.
Feeding a growing population
(Human nutritional requirements; types of agriculture; Green Revolution; genetic engineering and
crop production; deforestation; irrigation; sustainable agriculture)
2.
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
1.
2.
3.
4.
E.
F.
G.
Urban land development
(Planned development; suburban sprawl; urbanization)
Transportation infrastructure
(Federal highway system; canals and channels; roadless areas; ecosystem impacts)
Public and federal lands
(Management; wilderness areas; national parks; wildlife refuges; forests;
wetlands)
Land conservation options
(Preservation; remediation; mitigation; restoration)
Sustainable land-use strategies
5.
Mining
(Mineral formation; extraction; global reserves; relevant laws and treaties)
Fishing
(Fishing techniques; overfishing; aquaculture; relevant laws and treaties)
Global Economics
(Globalization; World Bank; Tragedy of the Commons; relevant laws and treaties)
V. Energy Resources and Consumption…………………………………………………………… (10–15%)
A.
Energy Concepts
(Energy forms; power; units; conversions; Laws of Thermodynamics)
B.
Energy Consumption
1.
History
(Industrial Revolution; exponential growth; energy crisis)
2.
Present global energy use
3.
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
1.
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)
2.
Noise pollution
(Sources; effects; control measures)
3.
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)
4.
Solid waste
(Types; disposal; reduction)
B.
Impacts on the Environment and Human Health
1.
Hazards to human health
(Environmental risk analysis; acute and chronic effects; dose-response relationships; air pollutants;
smoking and other risks)
2.
Hazardous chemicals in the environment
C.
(Types of hazardous waste; treatment/disposal of hazardous waste; cleanup of contaminated sites;
biomagnification; relevant laws)
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
1.
Habitat loss; overuse; pollution; introduced species; endangered and extinct species
2.
Maintenance through conservation
3.
Relevant laws and treaties
Topics, Reading Assignments, Labs, & Tentative Test Schedule
Unit I: Introduction and The Living World
Week 1
Ch. 1: Our Changing Environment
Lab/Activity: Tragedy of the Commons simulation
p.2
Week 2
Ch. 2: Using Science to Address Environmental Problems
p.22
Unit Ia TEST (ch. 1,2)
Week 3
Ch.4: Ecosystems and Energy
p. 63
Lab/Activity: Sampling and identification of local lake plankton or water testing of local lakes.
Week 4
Ch. 5: Ecosystems and Living Organisms
p. 81
Lab/Activity: Census and identification of invertebrates from high grass
Lab/Activity: Endangered Species project
Unit Ib TEST (ch. 4,5)
Week 5
Ch. 6: The Cycling of Materials within Ecosystems
Lab/Activity: Nitrogen Cycle Game
p. 104-112
Week 6
Ch. 7: Major Ecosystems of the World
Lab/Activity: Adaptations of biomes
p. 131
Unit Ic TEST
(ch. 6 (half),7)
Unit II: Population
Week 7
Ch. 8: Understanding Population Change
p. 161
Lab/Activity: Toss of the Dice: A population simulation
Lab/Activity: carrying capacity lab: calculating carrying capacity of an acorn producing forest
Week 8
Ch. 9: Facing the Problems of Overpopulation
p. 183
Lab/Activity: Human population growth lab: using current data to predict the population growth of humans
and the consequences thereof.
Unit II TEST (ch.8,9)
Unit III: Earth Systems and Resources
Week 9
Ch. 6: Ecosystems and the Physical Environment
Lab/Activity: Testing for Tropospheric Ozone Pollution
p. 113-115, 121-126
Week 10-11
Ch. 6: Ecosystems and the Physical Environment
p. 112-119
Ch. 13: Water: A Fragile Resource
p. 279
Lab/Activity: Investigating the Earth's crustal plates by studying earthquakes and volcanoes.
Unit III TEST (ch. 6 (half), 13)
Unit IV: Land and Water Use
Week 12
Ch. 14: Soils and Their Preservation
Lab/Activity: Students gather data on local soil
p. 308
Week 13
Ch. 18: Food Resources: A Challenge for Agriculture
p. 408
Week 14
Ch. 22: The Pesticide Dilemma
p. 516
Lab/Activity: Toxicology and plants: students determine the toxic dose of salt that will inhibit seed
germination (salinization lab)
Unit IVa TEST(ch.14,18,22)
Week 15
Ch. 17: Land Resources and Conservation
Lab/Activity: Guest speaker (local and organic gardens) (tentative)
p. 379
Week 16-17
Ch. 15: Minerals: A nonrenewable Resource
Lab/Activity: Cooking mining lab
p. 331
Unit IVb TEST (ch. 15,17) (tentative)
Week 18
Ch. 16: Preserving Earth’s Biological Diversity
p. 352
Lab/Activity: Biodiversity in leaf litter: using an exhauster to collect and identify organisms.
Lab/Activity: Calculate density of invertebrates in tree crowns of different biotopes
Week 19
SEMESTER EXAM (MOCK AP TEST)
SECOND SEMESTER
Unit V: Energy Resources and Consumption
Week 20
Ch. 10: Fossil Fuels
p. 208
Lab/Activity: Energy Activity 1: Research the energy and cost efficiency of a given energy related topic.
Lab/Activity: Home Energy Audit (enviroliteracy.org)
Week 21
Ch. 11: Nuclear Energy
Lab/Activity: Energy Activity 1
p. 234
Unit Va TEST(ch. 10,11)
Week 22
Ch. 12: Renewable Energy and Conservation
p. 254
Unit Vb TEST (ch. 12)
Unit VI: Pollution AND Global Change
Week 23-24
Ch. 19: Air Pollution (including noise pollution)
p. 436
Lab/Activity: student designed air quality lab: collect/analyze data from air of school grounds (part I) and
discuss risks to human health
Week 25-26
Ch. 20: Regional and Global Atmospheric Changes
Lab/Activity: Measure and analyze pH of local precipitation
Lab/Activity: CO2 audit (your contribution to global warming
and what you can do about it)
p. 460
Unit VIa TEST (ch.19, 20)
Week 27-28
Ch. 21: Water and Soil Pollution
p. 487
Lab/Activity: Dissolved Oxygen lab: students interpret data to understand the effect of biodegradable
pollutants on water quality.
Lab/Activity: Water quality testing lab–water data taken from different lakes/ponds
Unit VIb TEST (ch. 21)
Week 29
Ch. 23: Solid and Hazardous Wastes
p. 543
Lab/Activity: Risk Perception and Risk Reality: students analyze the risk of ecological problems to human
health
Week 30:
Ch. 3: Environmental History, Legislation, and Economics
Unit VIC TEST (ch. 23,3)
Week 31:
Review for AP EXAM
Week 32
Review for AP EXAM and Final Exam (AP MOCK EXAM)
Week 33
Review for AP EXAM
AP EXAM MAY 5, 2014!!!
Contact information:
Please contact me at [email protected] any time.
p. 41