Great Basin College
Humans and the Environment – ENV 100
Course syllabus - Spring 2013
PLEASE READ THIS SYLLABUS CAREFULLY!!
Instructor: Dr. Smriti Bhattarai
Office: Lund 128 F
Office hours: by appointment
Email:
Lecture time: Mondays and Wednesdays 5:30 to 6:45 PM
Lecture location: Lund 102
REQUIRED TEXT:
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE: Toward a Sustainable Future 11ed, Wright and Boorse. Benjamin Cummings.
ISBN: 0-321-59870-9/978-0-321-59870-7
CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
Introduction to the relationship of man and his environment. Current thinking and research concerning the impact of industrialization and urbanization on environmental quality, including the population explosion; the potential decline of the affluent society by the depletion of natural resources; the pollution of air, land surface, and water; and the public agencies and policies designed to solve environmental problems.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
In this course, we will study the components and interactions that make up the natural systems of our planet Earth that is home to humans and other forms of life. The human imprint on the environment is the focus of this course.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Students completing the course are expected to:
· Demonstrate an understanding of the basic components of the natural world, the basic laws of natural systems, and how they interact to produce the natural phenomena of planet Earth.
· Gain an appreciation of the complexity of natural systems and linkages which can complicate human efforts to manage the environment.
· Recognize environmental issues and be able to make informed decisions as you interact with the environment.
· Be able to apply basic scientific concepts such as: hypothesis, experimentation, observation, substantiation, proof, prediction.
METHOD OF INSTRUCTION: Reading assignments from text books each week. Lectures and online enhancements. Important course announcements and documents, including lecture PowerPoints will be made available to you via WebCampus. Please contact GBC Helpdesk for WebCampus accessibility issues. You bear the responsibility for getting the technical aspects of the course to function properly so that you can participate fully.
LEARNING OUTCOMES AND MEASUREMENT:
Learning Outcomes
/ MeasurementRecognize the impact of human population on the environment. / Class discussion, Exams, online homework
Recognize central themes of environmental science such as impact of agriculture on the environment, biodiversity, resource management and urbanization. / Class discussion, Exams, online homework
Recognize the importance of natural resources. / Class discussion, Exams, online homework
Explain principles in ecology and environmental systems. / Class discussion, Exams, online homework
Evaluate the impact of energy and fossil fuels on the environment. / Class discussion, Exams, online homework
Evaluate the climate change controversy / Class discussion, Exams, online homework
Evaluate sustainable solutions to environmental problems / Class discussion, Exams, online homework
GBC E-MAIL:
All Great Basin College students are issued an e-mail account. Instructors often find it convenient or necessary to e-mail individual students, or the class as a whole. Therefore, it is necessary for the students to activate and frequently check their GBC e-mail account to insure receiving messages in a timely fashion.
GBC ID'S:
All students are issued a GBC photo ID card. Please carry this with you, especially during exams, as it will be necessary for instructors to verify each student's identification.
ATTENDANCE AND CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR:
Regular attendance in lecture is crucial to successful completion of this course. Studies have shown that students who attend each class perform far better than those whose attendance is irregular. Many important, interesting and subtle points can be made by instructors which may not be presented in the textbook. Instructor may also make announcements regarding changes in scheduling or material to be covered. Therefore, students are expected to attend every lecture, to arrive on time, and to remain until class is dismissed. Students are responsible for being aware of all information and announcements presented in class, whether or not they are present.
If something is not clear to you, by all means ask questions! A well-timed question can help everyone in class, even the instructor. Students are also expected to be respectful and considerate of one another as well as their instructors. To that end, please listen when someone else is talking, and turn off all cell phones or other noise-makers while in class or lab. If it is necessary to carry on activities that are not directly related to the material being presented in class, please conduct these activities elsewhere. In order to make the most effective use of both students' and instructor's time and energy, disruptive students may be required to leave the classroom.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:
Academic Dishonesty will not be tolerated and may result in a failing grade and/or reporting to GBC Administration. Students are expected to read and adhere to the GBC’s Student Conduct Policy. Ignorance of the Student Conduct Policy is no excuse for infractions thereof. All work done in lecture (exams, assignments, quizzes, etc.) must be the sole work of the student.Any form of academic dishonesty including copying data, falsifying data, cheating on exams and quizzes, failing to credit the work of others will be dealt with most seriously.
CANCELED CLASSES:
If an examination is scheduled for a day on which classes are canceled due to weather or any other reason, the examination will be given during the next scheduled class.
GRADING:
Exams:
To evaluate understanding of lecture material, there will be three non-cumulative regular exams, each worth 100 points. For the lecture exams, students will be required to bring with them one or two sharpened pencils with good erasers and a valid GBC ID card. Scantron form will be provided by the instructor. The use of electronic devices of any type is prohibited during exams.
Online homework:
Thirteen weekly online homework is required for this course, each worth 10 points. Completion of weekly online homework is required for this course. In order to access the online homework system for this class, follow the directions in “more on online homework” below. Assignments will be based on the topics covered in lecture and some additional topics we did not cover in lecture. You will be required to look up the information for this additional subject matter in order to complete the assignments. The first assignment is due the second week of class. You are responsible for having access to a functioning computer and for completing and turning in of the assignments on time. Late work is not accepted.
The online homework system is provided and maintained by the textbook publisher (Benjamin and Cummings). I am only able to set up the assignments – this means that I cannot help with technical issues. You must get help from the publisher if you think that there is something wrong.
More on online homework:
Online homework assignments will be assigned each week. They will be made available on Friday morning and they are due following Thursday (1 week) at 11:00PM. The homework assignments will focus on what we have covered in lecture for the week. Some of the problems will be based on material that we have not covered in lecture. This will require you to read the textbook yourself in order to figure out those problems.
Instructions for access (for those with a brand new book): If you purchased a new book that is shrink-wrapped with an access kit (a small cardboard fold-out), follow the directions in the access kit. When prompted to do so you should enter our course section’s code: BHATTARAIENV100SPRING13. If you do everything correctly you should see a welcome message identifying the course as Bhattarai's Environmental Science Spring 2013 with my name Smriti Bhattarai.
Instructions for access (for those with a used book or book without an access kit): go to the website http://www.masteringenvironmentalscience.com and click on Registerà StudentsàNo, I need to purchase access online now. Select our textbook. Say no to the virtual labs and eText (unless you want to pay extra) à Accept the Privacy statement and EULAà Create a login and pay $55.00 (Credit/Debit Card) for access. When prompted to do so you should enter our course section’s code: BHATTARAIENV100SPRING13. If you do everything correctly you should see a welcome message identifying the course as Bhattarai's Environmental Science Spring 2013 with my name Smriti Bhattarai.
Student Oral Presentation:
Each student will be required to complete an in-class oral presentation worth 20 points. The presentation will be done in subject matter relevant to the course, and will be held toward the end of the semester. You will be required to present the class with a PowerPoint presentation. Students in the class will participate in grading the presentation. Along with the instructor all students in the class will individually evaluate each presentation. Instructor’s evaluation will count for 50% of the presentation grade and the average of all the student evaluations will count for other 50%. We will use five (5) categories for evaluating the presentation – 1 (poor), 2 (fair), 3 (satisfactory), 4 (very good), and 5 (Excellent). You will be required to present the class with a PowerPoint presentation.
COURSE GRADE BREAKDOWN AND CALCULATION
GRADED MATERIAL / POINTSExam1 / 100
Exam2 / 100
Exam 3 / 100
Online homework / 130
Oral presentation / 20
Total / 450
In order to be fair, your lecture grade will be based on the actual highest total number of points earned by a single person, i.e. the class high.
A ≥ 90% of the class high
B 80-89.99% of the class high
C 70-79.99 of the class high
D 60-69.99% of the class high
F less than 60% of the class high
Final course grades are usually available via MyGBC Self-Service Center within 48 hours of the final exam. If you wish to have additional information regarding your grade, please see me in person after the grading period. Exam or final course grades will not be emailed!!
EXTRA CREDIT: There is no extra credit given in this course.
LECTURE EXAM MAKEUP POLICY: In order to be fair to students taking the exams on the assigned days, no make-up exams will be given to any student under any circumstances, except if you present a written approved excuse for an unavoidable emergency before the next time the class meets. Please read the previous statement once more – it applies to YOU. You must take the makeup exam before the exam is passed back to the rest of the class, which is usually the next class meeting.
Environmental Science 100
Spring 2013
Lecture Schedule*
Date / Lecture Topic / Chapters in TextJan 22-24 / Introduction, Syllabus, Science and the Environment / 1
Jan 29-31 / Basic needs of living things / 3
Feb 5-7 / Human Population / 8
Feb 12 / Energy: Fossil Fuel / 14
Feb 14 / Energy: Nuclear Power / 15
Feb 19 / Energy: Renewable Energy / 16
Feb 21 / Catch up and review
Feb 26 / Exam 1
Feb 28 / Wild species and Biodiversity / 6
Mar 5-7 / Water pollution and its prevention / 20
Mar 12 / Soil: The foundation for Land Ecosystems / 11
Mar 14 / Pest and Pest Control / 13
Mar 19-21 / Atmospheric Pollution / 19
Mar 25-31 / Spring Break
Apr 2 / Catch up and review
Apr 4 / Exam 2
Apr 9 / Environmental Hazards and Human Health / 17
Apr 11-16 / Municipal Solid Waste: Disposal and Recovery
Hazardous waste / 21,22
Apr 18 / Global Climate Change – Green house effect / 18
Apr 23 / The Use and Restoration of Ecosystems / 7
Apr 25-30 / Economics, Politics, and Public Policy / 2
May 2 / Catch up and review
May 7-9 / Oral Presentations
May 14 / Final Exam
* This schedule is tentative for the semester. It will be followed as closely as possible. However, unforeseen circumstances such as inclement weather or school closings may necessitate changing the schedule. Students are responsible for being aware of all date changes.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) STATEMENT: Great Basin College is committed to providing equal educational opportunities to qualified students with disabilities in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. A qualified student must furnish current verification of disability. The Director of Services for Students with Disabilities (Julie G. Byrnes) will assist qualified students with disabilities in securing the appropriate and reasonable accommodations, auxiliary aids and services. For more information or further assistance, please call 775.753.2271.
WHERE TO GET HELP:
If you encounter any difficulties in this course, first see your instructor, immediately! Do not wait until the end of the semester to ask for help in understanding the material in order to improve your grade - by then, it may be too late! Know your instructor's names, office hours, and e-mail addresses; then use them! Do not "be afraid" to ask your instructor for help - that is our job! Make use of the many rich academic and personal opportunities available at GBC!
GENERAL EDUCATION OBJECTIVES:
Objective 1: Communication Skills
Communication skills are very important in this course, which studies structure and function of living organisms.
Learning outcomes / MeasurementsUnderstanding the diversity of life, including plants and animals / Class discussion, exam scores, oral presentation of relevant subject matter
Recognize major organ systems in mammals and describe their role in homeostasis / Class discussion, exam scores, oral presentation of relevant subject matter
Objective 2: Critical Thinking
There will be a strong emphasis on reasoning, independent thought, scientific methods
Learner outcomes / MeasurementsUse reasoning and independent thought to identify current issues in biology and ecology / Assigned readings, class discussion, complete laboratory experiments, answer exam questions, independent research and oral presentation of current issues
Comprehend workings of biological and ecological systems and the process by which the scientific knowledge is discovered / Assigned readings, class discussion, exam scores, complete lab experiments and assignments, independent research and oral presentation of relevant subject matter
Objective 3: Personal and cultural awareness