Miss Harris

Ready to go APES? The AP Environmental Science class is designed to incorporate various sides of science with social science.

Classroom Please Do’s and Please Don’ts

Please Do:

Follow ALL school rules

Come to class on time

Show RESPECT for everyone

Save private conversations for after class

Stay in your seat while you are in the classroom

Turn in work on time

Come to class prepared

ASK QUESTIONS

Come to me if you are struggling

Put in your best effort

Have fun!

Please Don’t:

Use your cell phone

Listen to your MP3 players

Talk out of turn

Sleep

Bring food or drinks into the classroom (other than water)

Wander around the class

Wait until the end of the term to start working

Leave the room without permission

Act like you are in a lesser grade

Be scared of me or the class

Contacting Me

If you or your parents have any problems at all with the class, or would just like to talk about how you’re doing in the class, please let me know. I would be more than happy to stay after school, or help during my plan period! 

My Phone Number…………………………………………………………………270 586 3273 EX 142

My Email……………………………………………………………

My Webpage ……………………

Grading

Daily work

Labs

Projects/Papers

Exams

Practice AP exams

Attendance of AP events

Materials

Please bring a three ring binder to class, it will help tremendously.

Please bring pencil and paper every day to class.

You will also need a lab notebook, preferably with grid pages.

Text Book- Friedland and Relyea Environmental Science for AP*

Oh… and a calculator.

Please bring a good attitude! 

About APES:

The AP Environmental Science course is 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 science, chemistry, and geography. Depending on the department offering the course, different emphases are placed on various topics. Some of these courses are rigorous science courses that stress scientific principles and analysis and that often include a laboratory component; other courses emphasize the study of environmental issues from a sociological or political perspective rather than a scientific one. The AP Environmental Science course is intended to enable students to undertake a more advanced study of topics in environmental science or to fulfill a basic requirement for a laboratory science and free time for taking other courses.

The role of the teacher is one of facilitator. It is their responsibility to open the world up to students and help them in deciphering it as they explore it- to help students interpret their textbook, explore and experience the topics of study, draw connections to other topics and resolve any misconceptions- not to outline the textbook material for the students. Our class focuses open discussions and exploration discovery. The student takes on responsibility of note-making. Class time is best spent accomplishing things the students have not yet been trained to perform on their own such as integrating the material, applying concepts to other areas of science, and utilizing outside resources to schedule laboratory experiences, field trips and visits from guest speakers.

There are routine elements (such as the warm-up, pre-lab quizzes and chapter quizzes) that foster accountability and there are elements such as plays, puzzles, and trips of the imagination that will make the students wonder where they will be lead next. With such diversity, students are highly motivated to come to class prepared so that they can participate in whatever the day may bring.

Students are required to read chapters on each topic, watch videos, and conduct laboratory and/or field investigations.

Topics

At the beginning of each unit, you will be given a more detailed outline of what we will be doing- including due dates, exam dates, and lab dates.

Week 1:

Introduction of APES

The Lorax

Your Ecological Footprint

Review math skills

Week 2-5:

Energy Resources and Consumption (Ch. 2 (pages 36-46), Ch12 and 13)

Energy- renewable and nonrenewable

Coal

Fossil Fuels

Nuclear

Hydroelectric Power

Wind

Geothermal

Solar Power

Week 6-8:

Earth Systems (Ch 1-4, 8, 9)

Geologic Time

Fossils

Rocks and Minerals

Plate Tectonics

Earthquakes and Volcanoes

Soils

Week 9-12:

The Living World (Ch 3-6)

Biospheres/Biomes

Ecosystems

Ecosystem Diversity

Communities

Foodweb/Chains

Energy Flow/Trophic Levels

Energy in the Living World

Endangered/Invasive Species

Natural Ecosystem Change and Mechanisms

Week 13-16:

Global Change (Ch 15, 18, 19)

Biomes and Climate Change

Cycles and Feedback Loops

Carbon, Nitrogen, Water, Phosphorus Cycles

Nutrient Systems

Climate

Week 17-19:

Population (Ch 6, 7)

Population Growth

Impacts on Population

Population Math and Graphs

Week 20-24:

Land and Water Use (Ch 8, 10, 11, 20)

Land Use

Water Cycle

Water Use

Agriculture

Forestry

Beaches/Tidal

Marshes

Rangeland

Aquatic

Hunting/Fishing

Sustainability

Water Sheds

Water Laws

Week 25-27:

Atmosphere and Air Pollution (Ch 14-17)

Air Pollution

Ozone

Greenhouse Gases

Layers of the Atmosphere

Week 28-31:

Pollution

Land Pollution

Water Pollution

Landfills

Hazardous Waste

Water/Sewer Treatment Plants

Waste Management

Pest Control

Week 32-35:

Global Policy and Toxicity

Toxicity

Biomagnification

Bioaccumulation

Chemical Formation and Impacts

Government

Week 36:

Review

APES EXAM: MONDAY MAY 6 8:00 AM

Week 37-38:

Sweet Freedom