Download Class Syllabus - Barren County Schools

Barren County High School
Course Syllabus
Course Title: AP Environmental Science
Instructor: Luke Pniewski
Contact Information: [email protected]
Course Resources: 3” Three ring binder, Pen, Pencil
Course Description:
This course is designed to be the equivalent of a one-semester, introductory college course in environmental science. The
goal of this course is to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies to understand the
interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems and examine alternative solutions for
resolving and/or preventing them. This course includes a laboratory component that is intended to enable students to
undertake, as first-year college students, a more advanced study of topics in environmental science.
Textbook: Miller, G. Tyler and Scott Spoolman. Living in the Environmental: Principles, Connections, and Solutions. 17th
Edition. Belmont, CA: Thompson Brooks/Cole.
Units of Study:
The course provides instruction in each of the following seven content areas outlined in the AP Environmental Science
Course Description: Earth systems and resources, living world, population, land and water use, energy, pollution, and global
change.
Writing Component:
Students will be required to write proper scientific and academic reports. There are at least 3 research based reports that will
be completed throughout this class. Each test will have a writing component on it where students will be given AP style free
response questions. Some of the questions have been released by the College Board to use as resources. There will also be
note taking at various times throughout the class as well as parts of the class where summarizing scientific written material
will be needed.
Classroom Rules:
Rule #1 Be Respectful
Rule #2 Be Prompt
Rule #3 Be Prepared
Rule #4 No Food
Consequences:
Verbal Warning
Teacher /Student Conferences
Parent Contact
Office Referral
The teacher reserves the right to alter this syllabus at any time during the course.
Grading Policy:
Your grades will be based upon the following categories: Class work & Homework 30%, Labs 30%, Tests 30%
and Final Exam 10%. If you are in danger of failing - or if your grades fall below passing, I will contact your
parents. Grades are updated often. Please check your grades so there are no surprises. If you are struggling in class
you should consider ESS.
Attendance Policy:
Students have up to five school days to make up assignments and/ or tests due to an excused absence. Work may
be made up before or after school and must be scheduled with the course instructor. Any work not made-up
within the allowed time period or missed due to an unexcused absence will be assigned a zero. Individuals with
extenuating circumstances need to see me regarding extensions. Students will be required to attend at least 2 of
the review sessions that will be held during the spring semester.
Semester Test Policy:
All students are required to take the final for this class. The AP exam will be completed during the spring
semester.
Plagiarism / Academic Dishonesty Policy:
Plagiarism and academic dishonesty are serious offenses. The academic work of a student is expected to be
his/her own effort. Students must give the author(s) credit for any source material used. To represent ideas or
interpretations taken from a source without giving credit is a flagrant act. To present a borrowed passage after
having changed a few words, even if the source is cited, is also plagiarism. Students who commit any act of
academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade in that portion of the course work. Acts of academic dishonesty
will be reported to the administration.
I have read the course syllabus for ______________ and I understand the
expectations and requirements for this course.
Parent Signature: __________________
Student Signature: __________________
The teacher reserves the right to alter this syllabus at any time during the course.
AP Environmental Science Pacing Guide
Unit 1 (2 week)
Basic Chemistry
General Overview of Class, Background of Environmental Science, Earth Science concepts, Geologic Time Scale, plate
tectonics, Review Basic Chemistry
 Introduction to Environmental Science
 Internet Activity: Calculating Your Ecological Footprint. [C1] In this lab students will calculate their
ecological footprint and compare it to other students in the classroom. They will also compare their ecological
footprint to people in other countries.
 Lab: [C11]
o Acid, Base, Salt, Microchemistry Lab. [C11] This lab serves as a review of basic principles of chemistry,
acids, bases, salts, and pH. Students will investigate the properties of acids and bases through titration in
multiple investigations using indicator solutions and generic acid-base combinations.
 Video: The Lorax
Earths Systems and Resources [C1]
 The atmosphere
o Composition, structure, weather and climate, atmospheric circulation
 Global waters
o Freshwater, saltwater (marine), oceanic ciruclation
 Soil and soil dynamics)
o Rock Cycle, formation, composition, main soil types
 Lab [C11]
o Soil Formation and Properties Kit. Students will learn the main processes that create soil. They will
learn how rocks are weathered to create soil. They will also analyze soil and horizons, as well as
determine the composition of soil and calculate bulk density. This exercise also connects soil
properties to human activities and leads to an investigation on environmental impact.
Unit 2 (2 Weeks)
The Living World [C2]
Ecology and Ecosystems
 The ecosystem Structure, biological populations and communities, niches, interactions, keystone species
 Lab: [C11]
o Stream Ecology Lab: Students will complete a basic inventory of the local stream that runs along the edge
of the campus. The will test the water of the stream pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrates, phosphates, coliform
bacteria, temperature, and turbidity. Students will also complete a preliminary inventory of invertebrates in
the stream.
Major Terrestrial Biomes
 Research Paper: Biomes: Students will receive a topic at random and will be required to compose and formal,
original research paper on one of the earths biomes.
Energy Flow in an Ecosystem

Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration, food chains, food webs, energy pyramids, and trophic levels.

Ecosystem diversity, biologic diversity (biodiversity), natural selection, evolution

Lab: [C11]
o
Peppered Moth simulation lab. This lab demonstrates genetic drift and how environmental factors can
impact the natural genetic flow in population. This also serves as a good introduction to human impact on
natural systems.
Natural Biogeochemical Cycles
 Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Sulfur, Hydrologic, Rock/Geologic
The teacher reserves the right to alter this syllabus at any time during the course.
Unit 3: Population (3 weeks) [C3]
Population and Community Ecology
 Population Biology concepts (human population, population ecology, carrying capacity, reproductive strategies,
survivorships)
 Lab:[C11]
o

Predator/Prey Population. This lab will model interactions between populations of owls and mice. It will
also demonstrate how predation affects the entire community, not just the species involved. Students will
also generate an original graph from the data that is generated from this lab.
Case Study:
o
Chinas New Affluent Consumers. Students will read an excerpt from the book about the increase in
affluence in China, and how the increase in population and affluence combined puts pressure on the Earth’s
renewable and non-renewable resources.
o
Human Population
 Dynamics (growing rates and doubling size), age structure diagrams, population size, Impacts of
population growth

Labs:[C11]
o
World Population Lab. This lab will serve as a statistical analysis for the world human population.
Students will analyze different aspects of human population in different counties, such as birth rate, death
rate, and other factors that impact the human population in different countries. Students will then construct
an age structure diagram for an assigned country, then, they will compare data with other counties’.
o
Population Ecology Exercise. Students will graph the human population and determine the time it takes to
double the Earth’s population. Students will then determine the population of the Earth at various intervals
in the future, assuming the population will continue to increase. Students will then connect the human
population, affluence, natural resources, and pollution.
Unit 4 (4 weeks)
Land and Water Use [C4]
Introduction to soil formation, dynamics, and characteristics

Project: Students will receive a water diversion project at random and complete a research paper on the topic that
they receive.

Lab [C11]
o

Testing Soil Productivity Kit. Students will determine the composition of soils samples; quantify ion
exchange capacity and macronutrient content of different soils. This will also serve as an exploration of
how soil interacts with water and explain how the soil qualities will impact plant growth and agricultural
practices.
Agriculture, feeding the population (human nutritional requirements, types of agriculture)
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Controlling pests (types of pesticides, costs and benefits, genetic engineering.)
Lab [C11]
o Soil Porosity and Permeability Kit. Students will perform side-by-side, quantitative comparisons of water
movement through soils. The various soil samples will show the relationships between particle size, shape,
and uniformity with porosity and permeability.
Forestry (tree plantations, old-growth forests, forest fires, forest management)
Rangelands (over grazing, deforestation, desertification, management, federal rangelands)
The teacher reserves the right to alter this syllabus at any time during the course.

Lab [C11]
o The Lesson of the Kaibab Population and Carrying Capacity Lab. This lab will teach students the
concept of population and carrying capacity and how the two are related. It will allow students to determine
the factors that are responsible for changing populations and factors that will determine the carrying
capacity of an area. It will also serve as a data analysis of the Kaibab deer population of Arizona from 1905
to 1939.

Other land use
o
Urban Land Development (planned development, smart growth, urbanization, urban sprawl)
o
Transportation infrastructure (highways, canals, channels, and biological impact)
o
Public and federal lands (management, wilderness areas, national parks, refuges, forest, wetlands.
o
Land Conservation options (preservation, remediation, mitigatin, restoration)
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Mining
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Lab [C11]
 Fire ecology demonstration. Students will explore the impacts of fire on a habitat,
including fire dependent habitats. Students will observe the impacts of fire on various
habitats, and chart the current wildfires.
Sustainable use strategies
Minerals, extraction, global reserves
Fishing
o
Lab: [C11]
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
Tragedy of the Commons Simulation. Students will explore how resources are used when they
are available to multiple parties. This will demonstrate how overfishing can happen easily in the
worlds fisheries. Also, students will also formulate how to avoid depletion of a limited resource as
well as attempting to solve global environmental problems.
Global Economics
o
Lab; [C11]
 Cookie Mining Lab. This lab serves as an introduction to the economics of mining. Students will
observe the risk factor in obtaining land, the importance of utilizing proper equipment, and the
cost of reclamation of land.
Unit 5 (1 week)
Energy Resources and Consumption [C5]
o Energy Concepts, energy forms, power, units, conversions, Law of Thermodynamics
o Energy Consumption, Present global energy use, Future energy needs
 Sustainable living Reaction. Students will read “Limits to Caring”, a sustainable living article by
John G. Robinson, and write an original reaction piece to the article.
o History, Industrial Revolution
 Lab [C11]
 Nonrenewable resource depletion inventory. Students will look at the ever increasing
population of the world and resources that are consumed by the more affluent population and
compare the amount resources to the resources available to the population. Students will also
estimate the rate at which resources are consumed, and determine when those resources will
be depleted.
o
Fossil fuel resources (coal, oil, natural gas), extraction/purification methods, World reserves and global demand
The teacher reserves the right to alter this syllabus at any time during the course.
o
o
o
o
Nuclear Energy
o Fission process, electricity production, reactor types, environmental advantages/disadvantages
Hydroelectric Power
o Dams, flood control, salmon, silting, other impacts
Energy Conservation
o Efficiency, CAFÉ standards, hybrid electric vehicles
Renewable energy
o Solar Energy, Solar Electricity, Hydrogen fuel cells, biomass, wind energy, small scale hydro, ocean waves and
tidal energy, geothermal
o Environmental advantages and disadvantages
o Lab [C11]
 Measuring Energy Efficiency. Students will use a simple calorimeter and the law of conservation of
energy to calculate how much electrical energy a light bulb converts into light and how much is lost as
heat. Students will practice the use of controls in experiments and analyze how much energy is lost in
heat transfers.
Unit 6 (4 weeks)
Pollution [C6] and Toxicology
Toxicology
 Lab: [C11]
o
Pollution [C6]
o Types
o
o
o
Introduction to Toxicology Kit. Students will be introduced to drug screening and how drugs enter the
body and the effects of those drugs on the body. Thin-layer chromatography will be used to demonstrate
drug screening techniques.
Air Pollution
 Sources (primary/secondary), major air pollutants, measurement units, smog, acid deposition
(causes and effects), heat islands and temperature inversions, indoor air pollution, Clean Air Act
 Lab [C11] Simple Air Pollution Lab. Students will investigate exhaust emissions of
various vehicles that are found in the parking lot at our school. Students will also compile
and analyze data of the cars sampled, and will estimate the ecological impact of the
vehicles that are used to transport students to and from school.
Noise Pollution
 Sources, effects, control measures
Water Pollution
 Types, sources, causes and effects, cultural eutrophication, ground water pollution, maintaining
water quality, purification, sewage treatment/septic systems, Clean water act and other relevant
laws
 Labs [C11]
 Fred the Fish. Students will study the impacts of various pollutants and their sources on
stream ecology and aquatic life, mainly the fish species. Students
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o
Solid Waste
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Who’s Killing Crystal Creek? Students will examine types and sources of water
pollution and establish a process and plan for testing and identifying possible watershed
contaminants and sources. Students will also outline community issues and concerns
surrounding a major pollution event through role playing.
Types, disposal, reduction, recycling
Impacts on Environment and Human Health
o
Hazards, environmental risk analysis, acute and chronic effects, done-response relationships, air pollutants,
smoking and other risks

Lab [C11] Water Pollution and Wastewater Treatment Lab. Students will learn the
importance of effective water treatment methods. Students will pollute a water sample and treat
The teacher reserves the right to alter this syllabus at any time during the course.
the water using various methods. The “pollutants” are common household items that are safe for
students to use, such as detergents, bleach, and baking soda.
o
Hazardous chemicals in the environment, types of hazardous waste, treatment/disposal of hazardous waste,
cleanup of contaminated sites, biomagnification.
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o
Lab [C11] Bacterial Examination of Drinking Water: Students will perform tests to study the
quality of various sources of water. They will use the same methods used by the health
departments.
Relevant Laws.
Unit 7 (2 weeks)
Global Change [C7]
Stratospheric ozone
o Formation, UV radiation, causes of ozone depletion, effects of ozone depletion, strategies to reduce ozone depletion.
o Relevant Laws and treaties
Global Warming
o Greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect, impacts and consequences of global warming, reducing climate
change.
o Relevant Laws and treaties
Loss of Biodiversity
o Habitat loss, overuse, pollution, introduced species, endangered species
o Project: Endangered Species. Students will research an endangered species of their choice, pending teacher
approval and complete and original scientific piece.
o
o
o
Lab [C11]
 Owl Pellet Lab: Students will dissect owl pellets and compare the diets of the Northwest and
Southeast Owl. This will also serve as a comparison of adaptations, anatomy, and biodiversity of
the organisms that comprise the diets of the owls.
Maintenance through conservation
Relevant Laws and treaties
Succession and Sustainability Biodiversity and Evolution
 Biological diversity, natural selection, evolution, ecosystem services, natural ecosystem change (climate shifts,
species movement, ecological succession)

Lab: [C11]
o
Build a Prairie Lab: Students will investigate the components of primary and secondary succession.
Students will also study the impact of various species on the biological community and the physical
environment of an area, and be able to explain the role of a disturbance and its relationship to succession,
along with real world examples. This will also serve as an introduction to invasive species.
The teacher reserves the right to alter this syllabus at any time during the course.