AP Environmental Science
AP Environmental Science (APES)
2016-17
Ms. Megan Ramstrom
George Washington Carver Center for the Arts and Technology
Room 3107
Office: 3103 (A1, B1)
Email: mramstrom@
APES Philosophy
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 both natural and human-caused and to evaluate the risks associated with these problems and examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them. (AP College Board)
APES Course Description
This course is designed to be the equivalent of a one-semester, introductory college course in environmental science. All students must have completed a year of biology and a year of chemistry. Instruction consists of lecture, discussion, demonstration, written assignments (including research papers), homework, labs and field experience. Labs are conducted on average one period per week. This course requires proficiency in math without a calculator.
This is my 2nd year teaching APES and I enjoy teaching it very much. I learn just as much as you all do in the course of the year. APES will be rigorous and the level of intellectual growth, excitement and accomplishment you attain will be directly related to the amount of effort you exert. Enrollment in this class does not guarantee a passing grade on the AP exam.
The AP Environmental Science Exam is scheduled for Monday May 1st, 2017
Required Texts
Living in the Environment, 12th Edition by G. Tyler Miller
We will also be using additional reading resources, including newspaper and magazine articles and other online resources
Suggested Texts
Cracking the AP Environmental Science Exam, 2016 Edition by the Princeton Review
Class Schedule
Class meets two to three times per week for 90 minutes per class session. 1-2 class periods will be focused on lab work. It is critical that some work is completed outside of the classroom; about 1-2 hours of work outside the classroom per class period.
Unit 1
Chapter 1
Topic: Environmental Issues, Their Causes and Sustainability
• A general overview of the topics covered throughout the year
• Ecological Footprint
• Sustainability and Resources Free Response
• Summer Assignment Due Sept 6(A), 7(B) 2016
• APES in the News Assignment – continues throughout the year.
(Due Dates TBA)
Chapter 2
Topic: Environmental History
A. How humans have adapted to and modified the environment.
B. Environmental history of the United States.
• Environmental History Timeline – Students apply their knowledge of environmental history to design a timeline that incorporates major pieces of legislation, important people, and significant environmental events.
Days Spent on Unit: 4-5
Test: Chapter 1 and 2
Unit 2
Chapter 3
Topic: Science Systems, Matter and Energy
A. The scientific method - Students test the myth, “is your forearm the same size as your foot,” by conducting a study of the class utilizing the scientific method.
B. Review of basic chemistry (including stoichiometry, dimensional analysis)
C. Different forms of energy & environmental science.
D. Laws of matter and energy
Chapter 4
Topic: Ecosystems: Components, food chains and webs.
A. Populations, communities, food chains and webs
B. Ecological pyramids and productivity
• Lab: Bioassay Experiment – 1 week to complete
C. Biogeochemical cycles - Students investigate and teach the class about an assigned cycle.
• Cycles studied include: hydrologic, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur cycles.
D. Ecological Pyramids Free Response
Chapter 5
Topic: Evolution and Biodiversity: Origins, Niches and Adaptation
A. Micro and Macroevolution
B. Niches – fundamental and realized, generalists and specialists, keystone species
Days Spent on Unit: 7
Test: Chapter 3-5
Unit 3
Chapter 6
Topic: Biogeography, Climate, Biomes and Terrestrial Biodiversity
A. Weather and climate
B. Biomes
• Group presentations on biomes
• Climatograms – Students learn how to create and understand climatograms. They then utilize unknown data and information obtained from their biome investigation to match climatograms to the appropriate biomes.
C. Biomes and Climatograms Free Response
Chapter 7
Topic: Aquatic Ecology: Biodiversity in Aquatic Ecosystems
A. Saltwater life zones
B. Freshwater life zones:
• Limnology, eutrophication and overturn
C. Field Activity: Field Trip: Days Cove Wetland – Students examine wetland ecology through a hike and canoe excursion of a local wetland. (tba)
Days Spent on Unit: 5 days
Test: Chapters 6, 7
Unit 4
Chapter 9
Topic: Population Dynamics, Carrying Capacity and Conservation Biology
A. Exponential vs logistic growth
B. Biotic potential and environmental resistance
C. r-strategists vs K-strategists
D. Survivorship curves
Chapter 11
Topic: The Human Population: Growth, Demography and Carrying Capacity
A. Zero population growth
B. Fertility and death rates
C. Age structure histograms
• Lab: Population Distribution and Survivorship – (1-2 class periods).
D. Factors affecting population size
• Material World: LDC vs. HDC
E. Demographic transition
Days Spent on Unit: 5 days
Test: Chapters 9 and 11
Unit 5
Chapter 10
Topic: Geology: Processes, Hazards and Soils
A. Geologic processes and plate tectonics
• Lab: Plate Tectonics
B. Erosion and weathering
C. Rocks, minerals and the rock cycle
D. Soil formation, characteristics and soil profiles
E. Soil erosion, desertification and salinization
• Lab: Soil Analysis – 1-2 class periods
Chapter 12
Topic: Food Resources
A. Food production and nutrition
• Project: Your Piece of the Sun – an extended project to show how much land, water, and energy students are using to produce the food they eat for a week (Length of food unit).
B. Increasing crop productivity
• GMOs, irrigation
• Philosophical Chairs: Pro GMO vs. Non-GMO (1 class period).
C. Meat production
D. Harvesting fish and shellfish
E. US and international laws
Days Spent on Unit: 6-7 days
Test: Chapters 10 and 12
Unit 6
Chapter 13
Topic: Water Resources
A. Properties of water
B. Types of fresh water
C. Water shortages
• Lab: Water Loss Drop by Drop
D. Damming and transfer of water
• Dam Persuasive Essay (Out of class assignment) – Students will explain the pros and cons of dams, linking specifically to Three Gorges Dam and Aswan High Dam.
E. Desalinization
F. Irrigation
Chapter 19
Topic: Water Pollution
A. Types of water pollutants and measurement
• Lab: Water Quality Index (formal lab report) – 1 class period
B. Point and non-point pollution
C. Stream pollution and oxygen-sag curves
• Lab: Macroinvertebrate Lab (add to formal lab report) – 1 class period
D. Groundwater pollution
E. Ocean pollution
F. Wastewater treatment
• Field Trip – Baltimore Wastewater Treatment Plant (tba)
Days Spent on Unit: 6-7 days
Test: Chapters 13, 19
Unit 7
Chapter 14
Topic: Geologic Resources: Nonrenewable Mineral and Energy Resources
A. Identifying, locating and removing nonrenewable mineral resources
• Types of mining
o Lab: Cookie Mining (1 class period)
• Environmental impacts
B. Oil extraction, refining and use
C. Natural Gas
D. Coal
E. Nuclear
Chapter 15
Topic: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
A. Energy efficiency
• Lab: Personal Energy Use Audit
• Field Trip: Wheelabrator (tba)
B. Solar (passive and active)
C. Hydropower
D. Wind
E. Biomass
F. Hydrogen
G. Geothermal
H. Student presentations on renewable energy source
Days Spent on Unit: 6-7 days
Test: Chapters 14 and 15
Unit 8
Chapter 17
Topic: Air and Air Pollution
A. Outdoor air pollution
• Photochemical and industrial smog
• Inversions and acid precipitation/deposition
B. Indoor air pollution
• Types and sources
• Effects on human health
• Lab: Particulate Air Pollution – 2 class periods
Chapter 18
Topic: Climate Change and Ozone Loss
A. Natural greenhouse effect
• Lab: CO2 Emissions from Fossil-Fuel Burning – 1 class period
B. Global climate change
C. Possible solutions
D. Ozone depletion
• Cause and chemical reactions
• Effects on human health
Days Spent on Unit: 6 days
Test: Chapters 17 and 18
Unit 9
Chapter 16
Topic: Risk, Toxicology and Human Health
A. Risks and hazards
B. Toxicology
• Bioaccumulation and biomagnification
• Poisons
C. Chemical hazards
D. Transmissible diseases
E. Risk analysis
Chapter 20
Topic: Pesticides and Pest Control
A. Types of pesticides
B. Pro and cons
C. Pesticide treadmill and circle of poison
D. Pesticide regulation in US
E. Alternatives
F. IPM (integrated pest management)
Days Spent on Unit: 4 days
Test: Chapters 16, 20
Review for AP Environmental Science Exam (5 days)
AP Environmental Science Exam (May 1st, 2017)
Final Exam
Materials
Textbook
Environmental Science Student Lab Notebook: Carbonless and Spiral-bound- Made by Hayden McNeil
Notebook or Binder
Pens
Pencils #2
Laptops and/or Smart Phones are welcome in class as we will frequently conduct research. However, they are to be used only when appropriate and approved.
Expectations
1. APES students are usually juniors and seniors, many of who have already taken an AP level class. As such I would expect that they are mature enough to exhibit appropriate academic and social behavior in class. This should include arriving to class on time, focused on APES and ready to work every day.
2. Students are expected to take class notes daily.
3. Students should plan on spending at least 8 hours a week outside of class reading and completing assignments.
4. Reading assignments should be completed or on-going before coming to class in
order to facilitate meaningful classroom discussion and learning.
Exams and Quizzes
All exams will be announced in advance and will consist of selected response
questions and constructed response questions (data-set, document based and
synthesis and evaluation) that mirror the AP exam format.
Unannounced quizzes will be given frequently so I strongly advise you to keep up with the reading.
Grading Policy:
Changes will be implemented to the grading procedures in science classes for the 2016-17 school year in accordance with BCPS grading procedures and policy #5120 which went into effect in July 2016.
Grading Scale:
Students will be grade on a 100 point scale:
A 100 to 90
B 89.9 to 80
C 79.9 to 70
D 69.9 to 60
E 59.9 or lower
Gradebook Categories:
Not Graded – this section of the gradebook contains assignments that are used for practice, and preparation to any summative projects, labs, or assessments.
Graded: Redoable – this section of the gradebook contains assignments that are graded, and students are able to redo/retake this assignment. This section will include, but is not limited to, quizzes, lab analysis, and graded projects. Students will have one opportunity to re-do/re-take assignment. Students will be given the opportunity to redo or retake an assignment or assessment only after they have completed additional work and/or remediation. Retaken assessments will be scored, returned with feedback, and recorded for a quarter grade. The highest score earned will be recorded for the final grade. Students must complete a ‘Redo/Retake Reflection’ form for an assessment within 7 calendar days of receiving their original score.
Graded: Non-redoable – this section of the gradebook contains assignments/assessments that are graded, and students are unable to redo/retake the assignment. This section will include all summative assignments, or work that shows their mastery level of the content.
Student’s grades will be based on a body of evidence which can include, but is not limited to any of the following:
• Discussions
• Verbal responses
• Performances
• Presentations
• Observations
• Labs (data collection and/or analysis)
• Videos
• Quizzes
• Unit assessments
• Project-based assessments
• Essays
• Culminating Events
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to turn in assignments, quizzes and tests that represent their own work.
Cheating is…….
• copying someone else’s work either word for word or in concept.
• “helping each other” or “working together” on independent assignments. This includes lab reports. Anything that has your name on it alone should be your work.
• copying from the textbook or internet without using quotation marks and documentation.
• allowing someone else to copy your work. Do not give answers to anyone.
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