AP Environmental Science (APES)Syllabus and Course Outline

Instructor: Mrs. Tina Sullivan

Room:DO204

Email:

Phone: 512-529-2117

Pre-requisites: Biology and/or Chemistry (a strong background in both will be needed)

What is Environmental Science?

“Environmental science is the study of the natural sciences in an interdisciplinary context that always includes consideration of people and how they have influenced the systems under examination. It includes many aspects of biology, earth and atmospheric sciences, fundamental principles of chemistry and physics, population dynamics, and an appreciation for biological and natural resources."

Brief Course Description

The Advanced Placement Environmental Science course is designed to be the equivalent of aone-semester introductory college course in environmental science. Environmental Science isinterdisciplinary, and embraces a wide variety of topics from different areas of study such as Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Earth Science and Social Science. This course will providestudents with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand theinterrelationships of the natural world; to identify and analyze environmental problems bothnatural and human-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and toexamine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them.

Weekly laboratory and field investigations are designed to complement the textbook and lectureportion of the class. Students will experience confounding variables that exist in the natural worldwhile developing data collection, sampling and analysis procedures. Students will use appropriatemathematical calculations to analyze and present data.

Textbook

Author:Miller, Tyler

Title: Living in the Environment – 14th Ed.

Publisher:Brooks/Cole Thomson Learning; 2005

In addition to this text, the students also have access to:

Author:Miller, Tyler

Title: Living in the Environment – 17th Ed.

Publisher:Brooks/Cole Thomson Learning; 2012

Author:Botkin, Daniel

Title: Environmental Science; Earth as a Living Planet – 9th Ed.

Publisher: Wiley; 2014

Other Course Materials

World on the Edge(2011), Lester Brown. Students will begin the course by reading, analyzing, and summarizing this selection to better understand current crises in Environmental Science (summer).

Internet/Newspaper/Magazine - Current events are used to reinforce concepts and analyze emerging research in the field of environmental science. Digital, newspaper and magazine articles help make the subject meaningful to students and help them think more broadly about the subject matter.

Laboratory investigations from various sources (see listing in syllabus body)

Video List (seelisting in syllabus body) – students will have opportunities to see materials presented in various ways to help with understanding material.

Outline of Topics

You may visit for an outline of topics as well as a course description and a course overview.The order of topics in the outline is not necessarily the order in which the topics will be addressed, and many of the topics will be interwoven repeatedly throughout the course.

Course Content Overview (Chapters refer to the 17th edition)

Units and Related Text / Additional Resources / Activities and Assessments
Unit 1: Humans and Sustainability
Humans and Sustainability: An Overview (Chapter 1) / What is a Scientist?
For the AP Student, Reading / Tragedy of the Commons Lab
Environmental Footprint Analysis
Ecological Footprint
Unit 1Quiz
Unit 2: Natural Systems and Ecosystem Introduction
Science, Matter, Energy, and Systems (Chapter 2)
Ecosystems: What Are They and How Do They Work? (Chapter 3) / Writing a Lab Report Instructions / Melt Away Mint Lab Chapter 3 Interactive Review CD
Eating at Lower Trophic Levels Activity
Biogeochemical cycle vocab review
Unit 2 Test Biodiversity – Using the Shannon Index
Quiz Unit 2
Biodiversity – Comparing Diversity Lab
Unit 3: Human and Natural Populations
Biodiversity and Evolution (Chapter 4)
Biodiversity, Species Interactions and Population Control (Chapter 5)
The Human Population and Its Impact (Chapter 6) / Case Study: Why Should We Protect Sharks
Forestry Guest Speaker
Crash Course Video: Human Impacts on the Environment
World in the Balance Video / A Simulation of Natural Selection
Finding a Niche in a New Environment
Guest Speaker Survey
Countries Category Activity (need to find)
Population Analysis
Chapter 4,5,6 Vocab Quiz
The Power of the Pyramids
Unit 3 Test
Unit 4: Biomes and Biodiversity
Climate and Biodiversity (Chapter 7)
Aquatic Biodiversity (Chapter 8) / Biomes Video
Why Poor Places are More Diverse
An Eden for Sharks Reading
Which Came First, the Rain or the Rainforest?
How Big is the Ocean?
Mangroves Reading
Coral Reef Adventure
Stream Quality Index
Crash: A Tale of Two Species
Guest Speaker – (Ex) Dr. Larry Niles- Habitat Restoration Horseshoe Crabs and the Red Knots
Wastewater Treatment Plant
Ocean Confetti / Birds, Bioaccumulation, and the Bay
Coral Reef Adventure
Stream Survey
Guest Speaker Survey
Chapter 7,8 Quiz
DO in Lakes
Wastewater Treatment Plant Tour
Test Unit 4
Unit 5: Sustaining Biodiversity
Sustaining Biodiversity: The Species Approach (Chapter 9)
Sustaining Terrestrial Biodiversity: The Ecosystem Approach (Chapter 10)
Sustaining Aquatic Biodiversity (Chapter 11) / Reading: Polar Bears and Climate Change
Scientific American: Our Evolving Present
Data Analysis Chapter 9
How to Keep Elephants and Wolves Out of Your Yard
Back to the Wild
The Super Trees
The Age of Megafires
Virtual Fishing Link
The Big One That Got Away
Big Fish Stories, Getting Littler
Bluefin Tuna / Living with Tigers
Cane Toad Essay
For the Siberian Tiger
Wolf Wars
Biodiversity Interactive
Biodiversity Activity
Quiz Chapter 9/10
Under Fire reading
Seed Fishing Lab
Planet Seed Tragedy of the Commons
Unit 5 Test
Unit 6: Sustaining Natural Resources
Food, Soil and Pest Management (Chapter 12)
Water Resources (Chapter 13)
Water Pollution (Chapter 20) (Field Trip- Wastewater Treatment Plant) / GM Foods Video
Reading: The Meat Guzzler
The Meatrix
A Teacher Growing Green in the South Bronx
Wastewater Treatment Plant Trip
Wastewater Treatment Video
Creek Biological Testing
Video: Stream Flow
Video: Gardens of the Queen
Review Site / Eyes of Nye GM Foods
Rethinking the Meat Guzzler
Soil Triangle Activity
Soil Calculations
Soil Surveys and You
Pesticide Spraying
Water Loss Drop By Drop
Water Use Survey
Watershed Worksheets
Determining Groundwater Contamination
Wastewater Treatment Plant
Chapter 12,13,20 Quiz
CD Water Review
National Geographic: The Chesapeake Bay
How the Market Can Keep Streams Flowing
Unit 6 Test
Unit 7: Resources- Non-Renewable and Renewable
Geology and Nonrenewable Mineral Resources (Chapter 14)
Nonrenewable Energy (Chapter 15)
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (Chapter 16) (Field Trip- Green Building) / Rare Earth Elements
Reading: The Energizer
Modern Marvels Renewable Energy
Field Trip Vertical Screens
TED Energy Review Video
Elon Musk / Light Bulb Comparison
Surface Mining Simulation Lab
Fossil Fuel Activity
Selling Energy
Modern Marvels Renewable Energy
Vertical Screens
Vocab Quiz
Unit 7 Test
Unit 8: Atmosphere and Climate
Environmental Hazards and Human Health (Chapter 17)
Air Pollution (Chapter 18)
Climate Disruption and Ozone Depletion (Chapter 19) / Accidental Poisoning at Dartmouth
Case Study: Tuna for Lunch
What Fish to Eat
Air Pollution PPT
Video: Acid Rain
Reading: Sick Building Syndrome
Video: Chasing Ice
13 Misconceptions About Climate Change
TED Reverse Climate Change? / Toxicity Lab
Risk Assessment Activity
LD50 and MSDS
Smog in a Jar
Chapter 17 Quiz
Air Pollution Lab
Writing a Lab Report
CD Review Chapter 18-19
Quiz Chapter 18-19
Unit 8 Test
Unit 9: Pollution
Solid and Hazardous Waste (Chapter 21) (Field Trip- Landfill)
Cities and Sustainability (Chapter 22) / The Garbage Game
Garbage Doesn’t Lie
Landfill Field Trip
K-Cup Horror Film
CBS The Electronic Wasteland
Recycle City
Video: The Eye of Nye: Transportation
TED Evolution of Cities
The New Suburb
Reading: Up on the Roof
Urban Footprint Cool Climate Maps
TED Urban Sustainable Future
TED Retrofitting Suburbia / Landfill Worksheet
Energy and Recycling
Urban Transportation
Kahoot Review Chapter 21
Unit 9 Test
Unit 10: Sustaining Human Societies
Economics, Environment and Sustainability (Chapter 23)
Politics, Environment and Sustainability (Chapter 24)
Environmental Worldviews, Ethics and Sustainability (Chapter 25) / Independent Study / Unit 10 Test

Grading: The established science department guidelines for this course are:

Summative (i.e., tests, major projects, lab reports): 70%

Formative (i.e., minor projects, classwork, graded HW): 20%

HW compliance: 10%

Final Exam: 10% of overall course grade

Late summative assignments will receive a 10% penalty per day late.Late formative assignments will not be accepted. Grades will be updated on PowerSchool. Please be sure to check your grade regularly.

I look forward to working with you this year. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns before they escalate. I am available for help most days after school or other times by appointment. Please email me to set an appointment.

Mrs. Tina Sullivan (215) 529-2117 QCSHS Room DO204