Environmental Science Course Syllabus



Environmental Science Course Syllabus

Spain Park High School, 2013-2014

Teacher: Neal Barker, 205-439-1438, nbarker@hoover.k12.al.us

What is Environmental Science?

Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on two main ideas:

(1) how the natural world functions and (2) how humans impact the natural environment.

What will we do in this course?

We will study the ecosystems and resources of our planet, how humans use and manage natural resources and the effects that humans have had on the environment in the past and currently. We will place special emphasis on the study of Alabama, which has extremely high natural biodiversity, as well as many pressing environmental issues stemming from human impact. Our classroom lessons will include PowerPoint lectures and discussions, computer simulations and research, reading and discussion of Silent Spring (by Rachel Carson), group activities, demonstrations, current events, videos and more. Labs will give students the opportunity to conduct experiments and gather data on environmental topics to gain firsthand experience with scientific methodology and procedures. We will go outside as weather permits to gather data in the field on specific topics, such as water quality, ecological succession, air pollution and biodiversity. A leaf collection and an Alabama field guide will be completed during the first nine weeks.

How will I be graded?

Grades will be based on tests, quizzes, projects, labs, homework and class work. Grades are calculated based on total points earned divided by total points possible per nine weeks. Tests will usually cover one or two chapters, and will be announced well in advance. Most of the lab and field work will be completed in class, but students may have to finish some work at home. Homework will be given approximately 2-3 times per week to help students study the material. Information on projects will be provided well in advance of the due dates.

What is expected of me as a student?

All rules of Spain Park High School apply in this class, whether we are indoors or outdoors. It is essential that students maintain mature, responsible, respectful behavior in order for each person to get the most out of this course. Lab and Field Safety Guidelines must be signed and returned. According to school policy, students have three days for every day they have been absent to make up work. Late homework is not accepted. Late projects will be accepted with a point deduction that will be specified with each project.

Academic Honesty: Students are expected to follow the Spain Park High School Honor Code at all times, which means that you will always do your own work and not help anyone else cheat, either. Infractions will be reported to the administration and consequences applied according to the guidelines provided in the Honor Code, which is available online. Students will be encouraged to write the following on all assignments: “As a person of integrity, I have neither given nor received aid on this assignment/test.”

On-campus Field Trips: We will go outside many times during the year to collect data and observe our biologically diverse campus environment. Be prepared by dressing appropriately on the days we will go out. Close-toed shoes are required. Most of the time we will go out on Wed/Thurs extended periods.

Off-campus Field Trips: We are planning to take students on a canoe trip on the Cahaba River in the fall and go to Ruffner Mountain Nature Center in the spring. More information will be provided at a later date.

Edmodo/Website/Google Docs?: I will use some form of media to post assignments, maintain a class calendar, and communicate with students. It is the students’ responsibility to check assignments daily to keep up with class requirements. This can be done on any device connected to the internet, including the ipad.

Materials

• Textbook: Environmental Science by Karen Arms

• Required book you need to purchase: Peterson First Guides: Trees by George A. Petrides (1st nine weeks)

• Required reading you do NOT need to purchase (we will use a class set): Silent Spring by Rachel Carson (3rd nine weeks)

• Requested app for ipads: Noteability

• Other required materials: Three ring binder (doesn’t have to be just for this class, you can use dividers and assign one section for Environmental Science); pens and pencils (you’ll need a pencil for graphing); composition notebook (I have some lightly used free ones) and glue for the Alabama field guide assignment

• Classroom supplies that you can donate: Please donate ONE of the following if at all possible. We use these things throughout the year in the classroom, so please contribute if you can. Supplies: Expo markers, paper towels, Kleenex, liquid soap, hand sanitizer. Thank you!

Course content is on the back of this page (

Environmental Science Course Content:

| |Unit # |Topic |Chapters |Essential questions/examples of activities |

|1st Nine |1 |Introduction to Environmental Science |1-2, 21 |What are the current major environmental issues? |

|Weeks | | | |Ecological footprint calculator |

| | | | |Tragedy of the Commons activity |

| | | | |Begin the “Reduce your Footprint Challenge” |

| | | | |What exactly IS Environmental Science? |

| | | | |Scientific process and data collection |

| | | | |Tools: models, GPS/GIS, topographic maps, math review |

| |2 |Alabama Unit: Physiography, Rivers and Biodiversity |3-4, other |When you walk out your door, what’s out there? |

| | | |sources |Leaf collection of AL tree species |

| | | | |Create your own AL Field Guide (AL physiography, Top 100 Species) |

| |3 |Global Biodiversity |4,10 |What is happening to the earth’s biodiversity? Why is it important to keep it from declining? |

| | | | |Biodiversity “hotspots” |

| | | | |Endangered species mini-project |

| |4 |Ecology |5-7, 8.2 |How do earth’s living organisms interact with each other and their environment? |

| | | | |Ecological studies on campus (ecological succession, diversity, food webs) |

| | | | |Nutrient cycling activities |

|2nd Nine | | | |Lab experiments on ecological principles |

|Weeks | | | |Planet Earth videos: biomes and aquatic ecosystems |

| |5 |Populations: Population Ecology and Human Populations, |8.1,9, 19.2? |How do populations change over time? How has the growth of the human population affected the planet?|

| | |including Infectious Disease | |Measuring population characteristics in the lab and in the field |

| | | | |Human survivorship investigation |

| | | | |Population pyramids/Demographics |

| | | | |Infectious disease mini-project |

|3rd Nine |6 |Water Resources & Pollution (also Health Effects and Toxicology)|11, 19.1? |How are we endangering our water resources which are fundamental for all living things? How can we |

|Weeks | | | |reduce our impact? |

| | | | |Groundwater pollution lab |

| | | | |Labs on eutrophication, oil spills and biomagnification |

| | | | |Water quality testing in the field |

| |7 |Air Pollution & Climate Change (also Health Effects and |12-13, 19.1? |How are human activities affecting the earth’s atmosphere and climate? How can we reduce our impact?|

| | |Toxicology) | |Particulate air pollution on campus |

| | | | |Greenhouse effect and acid rain labs |

| | | | |Lead intake and IQ: an analysis |

| |8 |Land & Food Resources |14,15 |How can we use our terrestrial and aquatic resources in a sustainable way to feed and care for 6.8 |

| | | | |billion people? |

| | | | |Soils studies – lab and field |

| | | | |How your diet impacts the environment |

| | | | |Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, selected chapters |

|4th Nine |9 |Mineral Resources |16 |What are the important mineral resources that humans depend upon? What are the environmental costs |

|Weeks | | | |of extracting and using them? |

| | | | |Cookie mining activity |

| |10 |Energy |17-18 |How do we currently provide for our energy needs, what are the environmental costs of this and how |

| | | | |can we develop a sustainable way to do this? |

| | | | |Labs on renewable and nonrenewable energy sources |

| | | | |Models of solar/wind energy production |

| |11 |Waste Management |20 |What are solid and hazardous wastes and what problems go with them? |

| | | | |Model landfill/compost |

| | | | |Irradiated radish seeds |

| |12 |Summative Project: Being a Green Consumer |ALL |What consumer choices are available that would enable us to be good stewards of the earth’s |

| | | | |resources? |

| | | | |Green Consumer Project |

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