ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

COURSE DESCRIPTION

“The goal of the AP Environmental Science 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 man-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems and to examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them.”

- AP Environmental Science Course Description - The College Board

Welcome to the Advanced Placement Environmental Science course (APES). We hope that this year’s college level course will be a great learning experience for you, a challenge to your notions of your role in the environment, and a starting point for learning what you can do to improve your environment.

Environmental Science is a course that is truly interdisciplinary. We will be learning concepts from the life sciences (biology and ecology), the physical sciences (chemistry, earth science, and physics), the social sciences (economics, history, and politics), and philosophy (ethics and morality). This interdisciplinary approach will allow us to understand the causes and connections between many of our pressing environmental and resource problems.

One critique of other environmental science courses is that they were either “doom and gloom” courses that stressed all that is wrong with the environment; or they were “tree hugger” courses that were weak on the scientific background of environmental problems. This course will try to present a balanced view, one that presents the problems that we have but also highlights the successes that have occurred. Most importantly, this course will help you to develop a list of principles, concepts and rules that will serve you in making and revising decisions through out your life.

THE COURSE

We will be using a new book for this year: Environmental Science for AP* by A. Friedland and R. Relyea. Dr. Friedland has chaired the Environmental Science department at Dartmouth College and is a nationally known environmental science educator.

At the beginning of each chapter you will get a set of learning objectives. These will be used to guide our discussion and to serve as a starting point for some independent work. Not every objective will be covered in the class discussion; however, the tests and quizzes will cover all the objectives, as well as material presented in the text (though it may not be covered in class). Course content will be available to you on Synergy (http://swapps.tesd.schoolwires.net).

We will be doing several laboratories exercises throughout the year. Some will be short-term, lasting a few days, others will take several months to complete.

As you are aware, the aim of the Advanced Placement program is to provide high school students with a college level course experience. We will help you prepare for this experience by conducting this class as close to the college model as possible.

GRADES

Your marking period grade will be based on a combination of in-class tests and quizzes, laboratory reports, and several position papers. Chapter tests will be given approximately every two weeks. Your participation in the discussion and ability to work with others in the laboratory exercises may also be factored into the grade. We will have both a mid-term and final exam. We will closely adhere to the Conestoga’s policy on cheating and class cuts.

If you miss a chapter test you will be given a one-cycle (6 school days) window to make-up the test will no penalty. After this window, you will be penalized 5% each day that the test is not taken.

ATTENDANCE

Regular attendance in the classroom is essential to learning the material. Missed work or tests due to an excused absence must be made up according to school policy. Failure to complete items within the designated timeframe will result in a zero. Tests, Current Events, and homework are assigned with prior notice, so students are expected to be prepared for such events upon their return to school. Exceptions will be made only if material was missed during an absence that is relevant to the test.

THE AP EXAMINATION

Your commitment to this course is also a commitment to the AP Examination. It is important that you should take the A P Examination for two reasons: first, you will have an excellent opportunity to demonstrate what you have learned to colleges and universities in which you are interested; secondly, the exam is excellent practice for other high stakes tests you will be taking during your academic career.

The AP Examination is scheduled for May 6, 2013. We are scheduled to finish the course material one week before that, so the last few days will be available for a review of the course material.

EXTRA HELP

I am available almost every day after school for extra help. I would be very glad to help you succeed in any way that I can – I only ask that you take the first step and contact me. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me:

Email:

Voicemail: (610) 240-2349

Office: Room 160

COURSE TIMELINE

WEEK / CONTENT
35. Sept. 3-7 / Chap. 1 – Study of Earth M.P. 1
34. Sept. 10-14 / Chap. 2 – Systems
33. Sept. 17-21 / Chap. 3 – Ecosystems
32. Sept. 24-28 / Chap. 3
31. Oct. 1-5 / Chap. 4 – Climates & Biomes
30. Oct. 8-12 / Chap. 4
29. Oct. 15-19 / Chap. 8 – Earth Systems
28. Oct. 22-26 / Chap. 8
27. Oct. 29-Nov. 2 / Chap. 9 – Water Resources
26. Nov. 5-9 / Chap. 9 M.P. 2
25. Nov. 12-16 / Chap.12 – Nonrenewable Energy
24. Nov. 19-23 / 2 SCHOOL DAYS
23. Nov. 26-30 / Chap. 12
22. Dec. 3-7 / Chap. 13 – Renewable Energy
21. Dec. 10-14 / Chap. 13
20. Dec. 17-21 / Chap. 14 – Water Pollution
19. Dec. 24-28 / NO SCHOOL
18. Dec. 31-Jan. 4 / Chap. 14
17. Jan. 7-11 / Chap. 15 – Air Pollution
16. Jan. 14-18 / Chap. 15
15. Jan. 21-25 / Chap. 19 – Global Climate Change M.P. 3
14. Jan. 28-Feb.1 / Chap. 19
13. Feb. 4-8 / Chap. 16 – Solid Waste
12. Feb. 11-15 / Chap. 17 – Risk
11. Feb. 18-22 / Chap. 6 – Population Ecology
10. Feb. 25-Mar. 1 / Chap. 6
9. Mar. 4-8 / Chap. 7 – Human Populations
8. Mar. 11-15 / Chap. 7
7. Mar. 18-22 / Chap. 5 – Evolution
6. Mar. 25-29 / NO SCHOOL
5. Apr. 1-5 / Chap. 10 – Land Use M.P. 4
4. Apr. 8-12 / Chap. 11 – Food Supply
3. Apr. 15-19 / Chap. 18 – Conservation
2. Apr. 22-25 / Chap. 20 – Sustainability
1. Apr. 29-May 3 / Review
May 6, 2013 / APES EXAM