APES Syllabus

AP Environmental Science
Course Syllabus
School: Roswell High School; Roswell, Georgia Instructor: Heather Rabinowitz
Contact Information
Email: rabinowitzh@fultonschools.org
Website: http://www.teacherweb.com/GA/RoswellHighSchool/SharpeBiology
Phone: 775-552-4500 ext.370
Classroom: H-101
Available Hours: Every Wednesday morning from 7:45-8:25am. I am available most other mornings
between 8:00-8:25am and afternoons until 4:15pm upon giving me 24 hours notice.
Course Description
The AP Environmental Science course is designed to provide students with a learning experience equivalent
to a one-semester college environmental science course taken by the first year of college. The course is
designed for students wanting to major in a variety of science and science related disciplines including
geology, biology, environmental studies, environmental science, chemistry, and geography. In both breadth
and level of detail, the content of the course reflects what is found in many introductory college courses in
environmental science.
The course emphasizes the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the
interrelationships of the natural world, identify and analyze environmental problems, examine and evaluate
relative risks associated with these problems, and examine alternative solutions for resolving or preventing
them. Environmental science is an interdisciplinary course, integrating a wide variety of topics from different
areas of study. Several major unifying themes exist within the content to provide a foundational structure
upon which the course is designed. These themes, which constitute the curricular requirements of the course
include:
• Science is a process
• Energy conversions form the basis of all ecological processes
• The Earth is one interconnected system
• Humans alter natural systems
• Environmental problems have a cultural and social contexts
• Human survival depends on developing practices that will achieve sustainable systems
The course includes laboratory/field investigation components constituting a minimum of 20% of
instructional time. Through a variety of laboratory work and field investigations, students will learn methods
for analyzing and interpreting information, experimental data, and mathematical calculations. Students will
be required to collect data, apply mathematical analysis and interpretation, and data interpretation. Through
their work, students will hone their abilities to take qualitative as well as quantitative measurements. Students
are encouraged to keep copies of their laboratory work for use in determining college credit and/or placement
(http://apcentral.collegeboard.com).
Primary Textbook
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Miller, G. Tyler Jr. Living in the Environment: Principles, Connections, and Solutions; 15 ed., Belmont,
CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole, 2005, www.brookscole.com (cost: $100)
Primary Supplemental Information:
Various news/magazine articles, recordings, films (DVD’s. Videos), case studies, selected URL’s for relevant
sites on the Internet.
Teacher Philosophy / Approach
The content covered in AP Environmental Science does not lend itself to short term memorization of facts.
The emphasis of the course is on the comprehension of the interrelatedness of the natural systems and
processes that keep our planet functioning, and how human activities alter the dynamics of these systems.
Ultimately the underlying focus will always lead to sustainability and better understanding how we can live
with our planet, not just on it.
Since this course is a laboratory and field based course, we will take advantage of local environments and
resources. Laboratory activities that are conducted outside are consequently dependent on the weather have to
be performed at certain times during the year. Examples of this would be water quality testing, soil analysis,
testing ozone levels, and biodiversity to name a few. The metro Atlanta area boasts everything from natural,
urban, suburban and rural settings, and can act as a laboratory to look at environmental impacts in different
settings. Additionally, five major geographic regions exist in Georgia, each with unique ecosystems
including: coastal plains and barrier islands, mountains, ridge and valley, piedmont, and major river systems.
Students are expected to come to class prepared everyday. Lectures, laboratory activities and field
experiences will supplement the required reading and homework assignments.
Course Outline
This course will prepare students to take the AP Environmental Science Exam. The three hour long exam will
be divided equally between a Multiple Choice and a Free Response Section. The multiple choice section
consists of 100 questios and constitutes 60% of the final grade. The free response section emphasizes the
application of the principles to a greater depth and comprises 40% of the exam grade. The units, labs,
activities, etc. detailed below will address all the material addressed in the content outline.
Unit 1: Interdependence of Earth’s Systems - Fundamental Principles and Concepts
Chapter 1: Environmental Problems
• Lecture: Introduction to Environmental Science: Fundamental Principles and Concepts
• Lab: Fishing for the Future: Tragedy of the Commons
o Students will use beans to simulate the problems associated with the tragedy of the commons
• Video/Activity: The Lorax
o Students identify the commonality of environmental problems around the world
• Project: Environmental Timeline -or- Name Droppers
o Students identify key events, people, laws, etc associated with environmental improvement
• Lab / Internet: Ecological Footprint Analysis
o Using a footprint calculator on the internet, students calculate their ecological footprint based
on their lifestyle & determine what changes they can realistically make to improve their
footprint. They will compare their footprint to the U.S. average and the global average.
• Video: The 11th
Hour
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• Internet: The Wealth Gap
o Using the internet, students examine characteristics (economics, population growth, resource
use, etc) of developed and developing nations
Chapter 2: Science, Systems, Matter & Energy
• Lecture: Basics of Science: Scientific Method and Environmental Science Research Methods
• Problem Sets: Scientific Notation Practice
• Lab: Leaves of Steel
o Using various characteristics of leaves, students propose hypotheses, design and perform
experiments. Given an open ended question, students will design their own experiment
• Case Study: Ivory Billed Woodpecker - The Scientific Process and How it Relates to Everyday Life
o Students identify components of the scientific method and the importance of skepticism in
science
Unit 2: The Living World
Chapter 3: Ecosystems
• Lecture: Ecosystems and Energy Laws
• Problem Sets: Energy Pyramids and Trophic Levels – “Eating at a Lower Trophic Level”
o Students will learn about energy pyramids and how energy moves through trophic levels by
solving problems associated with energy movement.
• Lab: Car Biodiversity
o Students will analyze the biodiversity of cars in the student parking lot using the Shannon-
Wiener Index.
• Lecture: Biogeochemical Cycles and Matter Conservation Laws
• Project: Analyzing the Biogeochemical Cycles
o Students will draw and label each of the biogeochemical cycles as they occur in Georgia;
identify which processes transfer matter between the living & non-living environment, and
identify ways in which humans are impacting the cycles. Groups will then be assigned a cycle
that they must illustrate in a meaningful way & present to the class.
Chapter 4: Evolution and Biodiversity
• Lecture: Evolution and Environment
• Worksheet: Ecological Niches & Species Adaptations
o Students will differentiate between fundamental and realized niches, as well as generalist and
specialist species.
• Case Study: The Galapagos
o Using problem-based learning and role-playing, students analyze the geological origins of the
Galapagos Islands, their colonization, species formation, and threats to their biodiversity in this
story of a graduate student caught between local fishermen and government officials fighting
for control of the islands’ natural resources.
Chapter 5: Biogeograpy
• Lecture: Weather and Biomes
• Webquest: Wind Webquest
o Students will visit various websites to learn about wind and weather
• Project: Biome Project
o Students will be assigned a biome to present to the class in Powerpoint format. Students will
make a detailed food web using parameters set by the instructor for a specific community
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within their biome. Students will label all trophic levels and then analyze the food web for
various components of community ecology..
• Activity: Climatograms
o Students will create climatograms of unknown biomes, and use information from class/internet
to identify which biomes are represented and explain adaptations that would help organisms
survive in that habitat.
Chapter 6: Aquatic Ecology
• Lecture: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
• Lab: EcoColumn (long term lab)
o Students will study ecosystem interdependence and the effects of ecological succession over a
period of several weeks using the EcoColumn. They will engage in qualitative observations of
ecosystem components, quantitative water quality sampling, and ultimately observe the impacts
of eutrophication on an aquatic system. Test kits will be used to measure chemical parameters
(nitrates, phosphates, pH, dissolved oxygen, saturation, etc)
• Case Study: The Fish Kill Mystery
o In this case study, students speculate on what may have caused a major fish kill in an estuary in
North Carolina. In the process, they explore how land runoff and excess nutrients affect aquatic
communities, and learn about the complex life cycle of the dinoflagellate Pfiesteria.
Chapter 7: Community Ecology
• Lecture: Community Interactions
• Reading: Reader’s Digest “Invader”
• Lab: Lionfish Invasion
o Through a simulation, students will analyze the impact on a reef ecosystem of an invasive
lionfish introduction.
• Project: Exotic Species Project
o Students will create a “Wanted” poster for an invasive species
• Lab: EcoColumn
o See description under “Chapter 6”
Unit 3: Population
Chapter 8: Population Ecology
• Lecture: Population Dynamics
• Activity: Lessons from the Kaibab
o Students will graph the Kaibab deer population, determine factors responsible for population
changes, and determine the carrying capacity of the Kaibab Plateau.
• Lab: Mark-Recapture Population Analysis
o Students will use beans to simulate tagging and releasing animals to estimate total population
size. They will then calculate and compare their estimate to the actual population size.
• Lab: Predator – Prey Simulation
o Through a simulation, students will simulate population dynamics of a predator-prey
relationship, then compare their results with real life studies.
Chapter 9: The Human Population and It’s Impact
• Lecture: Human Population and the Environment
• Activity: A Village of 100
o Students will estimate global ratios if the human population was reduced to a village of 100
people.
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• Video: History of Human Population (Dots)
• Video: Nova: The Population Paradox –or- The People Bomb –or- National Geographic: 7 Billion
• Lab: Age Structure Diagrams & the Demographic Transition (The Power of the Pyramid)
o Given various population data sets, students will construct age structure diagrams, and analyze
whether the population is growing, stable or declining. Using their analyses they will predict
where in the demographic transition their country is, and whether it is developed or developing.
• Problem Set: Population Calculations
o Students will work problems associated with population density, birth/death rates, population
growth rates, and doubling time (Rule of 70)
Unit 4: Sustaining Biodiversity and Land Use
Chapter 11: Sustaining Biodiversity: The Species Approach
• Lecture: Strategies for Preserving Biodiversity
Chapter 12: Sustaining Aquatic Biodiversity
• Lecture: Aquatic Ecosystems and Fisheries Management
• Video: Ocean Frontiers: The Dawn of a New Era in Ocean Stewardship
(www.greenfireproductions.org) (www.ocean-frontiers.org) –or- Blue Planet: Deep Trouble –or- The
Cove
Chapter 10: Sustaining Biodiversity: The Ecosystem Approach
• Lecture: Land Management and Preserving Ecosystems
• Lab: Timber!
o Students will record, calculate, and graph the supply and demand of a natural resource and
explain the effect on a natural resource when demand exceeds supply.
• Project: Endangered Species
o Students will research an endangered species and develop a strategy to preserve the species.
Unit 6: Earth Science and Land Use
Chapter 15: Geology and Nonrenewable Mineral Resources
• Lecture: Plate Tectonics, Rock Cycle, and Soil Formation, Layers, and Properties
• Internet: Earthquake and Volcanic Activity
o Using data from the USGS, students map sites of recent and past earth quake activity
• Lab: Mechanical and Chemical Weathering
o Students will recreate and study the processes involved in physical and chemical weathering on
different types of rocks.
• Lab: Soil Lab
o Students will collect soil samples from different sites and identify soil texture using both
ribboning/dichotomous key and the soil texture triangle. Students will also test their soil for
other physical and chemical properties (nutrients / water holding capacity, etc).
•
Chapter 13: Food and Soil Conservation
• Lecture: Where does your food come from?
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• Video: Harvest of Fear –or- Food Inc. –or- The Meatrix –or- Store Wars.
• Lab: Salinization Lab
o Students will design an experiment to determine how salinization affects the germination of
seeds.
Unit 6: Pollution
Chapter 14: Water
• Lecture: Water Resources: Availability, Use, and Sustainability
• Lab: Water Use Inventory
o Students will keep a daily log of their personal water usage for a week, calculate their total
water usage, associate this usage with cost, and analyze their impact on the environment. They
will perform associated practice calculations to better understand water conservation practices.
• Lab: EcoColumn
o Students will study the effects of ecological succession over a period of several weeks using the
ecocolumn. They will engage in qualitative and quantitative water quality sampling, and
ultimately observe the impacts of eutrophication on an aquatic system. Test kits will be used to
measure chemical parameters (nitrates, phosphates, pH, dissolved oxygen, hardness, etc)
Chapter 21: Water Pollution
• Lecture: Causes and Consequences of Water Pollution: Freshwater, Groundwater, & Ocean
• Video: Outrage at Valdez –or- Scientists and the Alaskan Oil Spill –or- Pfisteria: Killer Algae
• Lab: The Effects of Oil Spills on Birds
o Students will simulate and assess the impact of an oil spill on feathers and eggs, and relate this
to survival.
Chapter 19: Air Pollution
• Lecture: Structure and Science of the Atmosphere & the Causes and Effects of Polluting It
• Lab: Particulate Pollution
o Students will assess air quality using a particulate detector to collect samples, then analyze and
quantify the particulate pollution at their site.
• Lab: Exhausting Problems
o Based on their calculated annual fuel consumption, students will calculate their annual release
of various pollutants and determine their impact on the environment.
• Internet Lab: Smog City
o Students will manipulate various environmental and human factors to determine how they
impact smog and air quality.
• Lab: Acid Rain Seed Lab
o Students will observe the effects of acid rain on the germination of seeds.
Chapter 20: Climate Change and Ozone Delpetion
• Lecture: The Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming
• Case Study: Investigating Ice Bubbles
o Students will analyze data from ice core samples to determine the relationship between CO2 and
climate change.
• Lab: Greenhouse Gas Investigation
o Students will investigate how greenhouse gases affect air temperature.
• Video: 6° Can Change the World –or- Climate Refugees
• Lecture: Ozone Depletion: Causes and Effects
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• Lab: Air Sampling for Ozone
o Students will create ozone test strips to test for tropospheric ozone over a period of several
months. Analysis will include use of Schoenbein Color Scale and Relative Humidity
Schoenbein Number Chart.
Chapter 22: Solid and Hazardous Waste
• Lecture: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and then Maybe Throw it Away
• Video: Bag It –or- The Story of Stuff –or- Modern Marvels: Garbage
• Lab: Garbology Lab (Personal Garbage Collection and Analysis)
o Students will collect their garbage for one week, and then analyze the contents.
• Case Study: Tuna for Lunch – A Case Study Examining Mercury Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification
o Students will examine data to analyze the impacts of bioaccumulation and biomagnifications,
and their impact on human health
• Presentation: Hazardous Pollutants
o Students will create a Power Point to inform their classmates about one hazardous pollutant
including information such as effect/impact on humans and the environment, as well as any
legislation associated with the pollutant.
• Lab: A Lot of Rot
o Over a period of four weeks, student will examine the decomposition of banana peels and
newspaper under varying conditions
Chapter 13: Pest Management
• Lecture: Pesticides or IPM?
• Reading: Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. “The Other Road”
• Internet: Pests and Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
o Students will identify a pest species that has caused environmental, ecological, economic, or
physical harm and develop their own IPM strategy to control the “pest”
Chapter 18: Environmental Hazards and Human Health
• Lecture: Risk Management, Assessment and Public Health
• Activity: Risk Perception and Risk Reality
• Activity: Estimating Your Personal Radiation Dosage
o Using factors such as location, lifestyle and medical tests, students will estimate their annual
radiation dosage.
• Worksheet: When is Less Really More? - LD50
o Students will familiarize themselves with the concept of LD50.
• Lab: LD50 Lab: Daphnia or Brine Shrimp Assay
o Students will perform a bioassay to determine the toxicity of a chemical on daphnia or brine
shrimp and calculate the LD50.
Unit 7: Energy Resources and Consumption
Chapter 15: Geology and Nonrenewable Mineral Resources
• Lecture: Matter Quality: Mining and the Environment
• Lab: Cookie Mining
o Students will simulate a mining operation, focusing on the economic costs associated with
making mining economically viable. Students will consider land reclamation, and the costs
associated with it.
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Chapter 16: Nonrenewable Energy
• Lecture: Energy Laws & Quality: Nonrenewable Energy Sources and Issues
• Reading: Discover Magazine “Ill Wind Blowing”
• Problem Sets: Dealing with Energy / Radioactive Half-Life
• Lab: Fossil Fuel Usage
o Students will calculate the amount of fossil fuel they use to travel, run appliances, and heat their
homes. They will understand the difference between direct and indirect energy consumption.
• Lab: Personal Energy Use Inventory
o Students will analyze their electric and gas consumption by examining their bills and
calculating energy conversions.
• Lab: The Effects of Radiation on the Germination and Growth of Radish Seeds
o Students will determine the effect of different doses of radiation on germination and growth of
seeds, and relate this to impacts of plants near nuclear reactor incidents.
Chapter 17: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
• Lecture: Improving Energy Efficiency
• Problem Sets: Energy Efficiency / CAFÉ Standards
• Project: Alternative Energy Solution Presentation
o Students will research a specific field in the alternative energy sector and present their findings
to the class. Project will address sources of alternative energy, economics, advantages,
disadvantages, and laws.
• Video: Who Killed the Electric Car?
Unit 8: Global Change *woven as a thread through all topics covered during the year*
Chapter 23: Sustainable Cities
• Lecture: Living More Sustainably: Changing the way we Build
• Lab: Micrometerology
o Students will analyze the differences between microclimates, and use this as a comparison to
localized climate differences (urban heat islands).
• Project: Land Planning (After AP Test – Culminating Project)
o Given certain parameters, students will use their knowledge of human needs and land planning
to plan an environmentally friendly county with a population of 154,800 people.
Chapter 24: Economics and the Environment
Chapter 25: Politics, Environment, and Sustainability
Chapter 26: Environmental Worldviews, Ethics, and Sustainability
• Project: APES in the News Scrapbook Project
o Students will collect, read, and evaluate newspaper and news magazine articles related to
environmental science.
• Project: Name Droppers
o Students will present an individual to the class who had a significant impact on environmental
science or on environmental awareness.
Other Assignments & Post-AP Testing
• Summer Assignment:
o http://www.roswellhigh.org/images/docs/ap_env_science_summer12.doc
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• Vocabulary: 145 Ways to go APE
o Students will create flashcards each week to ultimately to define 145 essential vocabulary terms
/ environmental legislation / important people.
• Project: 10 Things to Know About…
o Students will be assigned major content areas form the course and must determine the ten most
important things to know about each topic. Their lists will be typed and disseminated to the
class as a final review for the AP Exam.
• Project: Land Planning
o Given certain parameters, students will use their knowledge of human needs and land planning
to plan an environmentally friendly county with a population of 154,800 people.
• Project: APES T-Shirt Design
o Students will create a unique t-shirt design related to any content covered during the class. T-
shirt must fit the student, and content must fill the entire shirt.
Content Outline
Note: In the outline below, the letters and numbers listed in the Proficiencies column refer to the Curricular
Requirements as outlined in the Syllabus Development Guide. Unifying themes for the course are also
defined.
Topic Details of Topic
Related APES
Proficiencies
Preliminary Summer
Assignment
Experience and reflect upon the natural world Science as a process
Humans effect on natural
systems
Human survival and
sustainability
Tragedy of the Commons – read and analyze
Examine current events related to environmental science
Personal ecological assessment – ecological footprint, carbon
footprint, water usage
Review of mathematics / dimensional analysis
Thinking globally – reading a selected book or watching three
environmental documentaries
Earth Systems & Resources
(10-15%)
A. Earth Science Concepts
1. Geological processes
2. Plate tectonics &
Earthquakes
4. Erosion and weathering
5. Rocks, minerals, The Rock
Cycle
Science as a process
Energy conservation as the
basis of ecological processes
The earth as one
interconnected system
systems
Environmental problems in
cultural and social contexts
Human survival and
sustainability
Scoring Components:
C1: Earth Systems
C2: Earth Resources
C5: Land Use (soil)
C11: Interrelationships
B. The Atmosphere
1. Composition / Structure
2. Weather & climate
3. Atmospheric circulation
(Coriolis Effect)
4. Atmosphere/Ocean
interactions
5. ENSO / El Nino / La Nina
C. Global Water Resources
and Use
1. Saltwater & ocean
circulation
2. Freshwater & water
shortages
3. Surface and groundwater
issues
4. Uses
- fresh: agricultural,
industrial, domestic
- salt: fisheries, industrial
5. Damming, transfer, &
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desalinization
6. Conservation of water C12, C13, C14, C17:
Related laboratory activities
as outlined in Course Outline
(outline of units & chapters)
D. Soil and Soil Dynamics
1. Soil formation & profiles
2. Soil types / composition
(soil triangle)
3. Physical & chemical
properties
4. Soil problems
- erosion, desertification,
salinization
5. Soil conservation
The Living World
(10-15%)
A. Ecosystem Structure
1. Ecological Services
2. Major terrestrial & aquatic
biomes
3. Eutrophication
4. Community ecology
5. Species interactions
- symbiotic relationships
- competition & predation
Types of species
- keystone, indicator,
invasive, etc
Science is a process
The earth as one
systems
Scoring Components:
C1: Earth Systems (nutrient
cycling)
C2: Earth Resources
(biodiversity)
C3: The Living World
C4: Population (biological)
C12, C13, C14, C17:
B. Energy flow
1. Photosynthesis & cellular
respiration
2. Food chains, webs &
trophic levels
3. Ecological pyramids &
productivity
4. Laws of Thermodynamics
C. Ecosystem Diversity
2. Biodiversity
2. Ecological niches
3. Natural selection &
adaptation
4. Micro & Macroevolution
5. Threatened & endangered
Species
6. CITES and Endangered
Species Act
D. Natural Ecosystem
Change
1. Ecological succession
2. Species Movement
3. Climate shifts
E. Natural Biogeochemical
Cycles
1. Carbon
2. Water
3. Major Nutrients
- Nitrogen
- Phosphorus
4. Differences between
cycling of major and trace
elements
5. Conservation of Matter
Population
(10-15%)
A. Population Biology
Concepts
1. Population ecology
2. Carrying Capacity
- biotic potential
- ecological resistance
3. Reproductive strategies
4. Survivorship curves
The earth as one interconnected
system
Humans effect on natural systems
Environmental problems in cultural
and social contexts
B. Human Population 1. Human Population
Dynamics (population
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size, growth rates, Rule of
70; doubling time
distribution,
demographics, age
structure diagrams,
demographic transitions)
2. Population size
(sustainability, carrying
capacity & national
policies)
3. Cultural and economic
influences
4. Impact of population
growth (hunger, disease,
economic effects, resource
use & habitat destruction)
Human survival and sustainability
Scoring Components:
C2: Earth Resources
C3: Living World
C4: Population
C5: Land Use
C6: Water Use
C9: Pollution
C10: Global Change
C15: ID & Analyze Environ.
Probs.
C16: Examine Solutions
C12, C13, C14, C17: Related
laboratory activities as outlined in
Course Outline (outline of units &
chapters)
Land and Water Use
(10-15%)
A. Agriculture
1. Feeding a growing
population
2. Controlling pests
3. Effects of fertilizers
4. Irrigation
5. GMO crops
6. Technology related to:
- food preservation,
nutrition, storage,
packing & transport
The earth as one
systems
Human survival and
sustainability
Scoring Components:
C1: Earth Systems
C2: Earth Resources
C5: Land Use
C6: Water Use
C9: Pollution
C10: Global Change
Problems
C12, C13, C14, C17:
B. Forestry
1. Tree harvesting
(homogenous vs.
biodiverse)
2. Deforestation
3. Forest fires
4. Forest management
5. National Forests
6. Ecological restoration
C. Rangelands
1. Overgrazing
2. Deforestation
3. Desertification
4. Rangeland management
5. Federal Rangelands
D. Other Land Use
1. Urban land development
2. Transportation
infrastructure
3. Public & federal lands
4. Recreational & wilderness
5. Land conservation options
6. Sustainable land use
E. Mining
1. Mineral formation
2. Extraction methods
3. Global reserves
4. Relevant Laws & Treaties
F. Fishing
1. Techniques
2. Overfishing
3. Aquiculture
G. Global Economics
*woven as a thread through all
1. Developed vs. Developing
- GDP / GPP / etc
2. Globalization
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topics covered during the year*
3. Tragedy of the Commons
- Economics, Politics,
World Views &
Sustainability
Energy Resources and
Consumption
(10-15%)
A. Energy Concepts
1. Forms and quality of
Energy
2. Sources and sinks
(conversions)
2. Power
3. Units & Measurement
4. Conservation
5. Laws of Thermodynamics
The earth as one
systems
Human survival and
sustainability
Scoring Components:
C1: Earth Systems
C2: Earth Resources
C5: Land Use
C6: Water Use
C7: Energy Resources
C8: Energy Consumption
C9: Pollution
C10: Global Change
Problems
C12, C13, C14, C17:
B. Energy Consumption
1. History
2. Present global energy use
3. Future energy use
C. Fossil Fuel Resources and
Use
1. Types, formation of,
extraction & purification
2. Reserves & global demand
3. Evaluating energy
resources
4. Advantages &
disadvantages of the
different fossil fuels
- coal, oil, natural gas
D. Nuclear Energy
1. Fission & fusion process
2. Nuclear fuel
3. Electricity production
4. Reactor types
5. Environmental
advantages, disadvantages
& safety
6. Radiation, radioactive
wastes, effect & human
health
E. Hydroelectric Power
1. Dams
2. Flood control
3. Ecological impacts
(salmon, silting, etc)
F. Energy Conservation
1. Efficiency & Improvement
2. CAFÉ Standards
3. Hybrid & electric vehicles
4. Mass transit
G. Renewable Energy
1. Solar energy, electricity,
positioning
2. Hydrogen fuel
3. Biomass
4. Wind
5. Ocean wave & tidal
6. Geothermal
7. Environmental advantages
& disadvantages
Pollution
(25-30%)
A. Pollution Types 1. Air Pollution
- sources (point &
nonpoint – domestic,
industrial, agricultural)
- pollutant types (SO2,
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NOx, pesticides, etc)
- measurements (ppm, pH,
micrograms)
- smog
- acid deposition
- heat island &
temperature inversions
- indoor air
- remediation
- Clean Air Act, Toxic
Release Inventory &
other relevant laws
2. Water Pollution
- water quality
- types & how measured
- sources (point/nonpoint)
- causes & effects
- cultural eutrophication
- ground water pollution
- ocean pollution
- wastewater treatment
- Oxygen Sag Curves
- maintenance
- purification
- Clean Water Act & other
laws
3. Solid Waste
- types, sources, amounts
- disposal methods & their
limitations
- reduction / alternatives
4. Noise & Light Pollution
- sources
- causes & effects
- control measures
The earth as one
systems
Human survival and
sustainability
Scoring Components:
C1: Earth Systems
C2: Earth Resources
C4: Population
C5: Land Use
C6: Water Use
C9: Pollution
C10: Global Change
Problems
C12, C13, C14, C17:
B. Impacts on the
Environment and Human
Health
1. Effects of Pollutants on:
aquatic systems,
vegetation, natural
features, buildings &
structures, wildlife
2. Hazardous chemicals in
the environment
- types
- treatment & disposal
- cleanup sites
- biomagnifications
- Relevant laws (RCRA /
EPA / CERCLA –
Superfund)
3. Hazards to human health
- agents: chemical &
biological
- risk analysis & response
- effects: acute & chronic
- dose-response
relationships
- smoking & other air
pollutants
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C. Economic Impacts
1. Cost & cost benefit
analysis
2. Externalities
3. Reduction, remediation &
control
3. Sustainability
Global Change
(10-15%)
A. Stratospheric Ozone
1. Formation
2. Ultraviolet radiation
3. Ozone depletion
- causes & effects
4. Strategies for reduction &
relevant laws (Montreal
& Copenhagen Protocols)
5. Stratospheric vs.
Tropospheric Ozone
The earth as one
systems
Human survival and
sustainability
Scoring Components:
C1: Earth Systems
C2: Earth Resources
C4: Population
C9: Pollution
C10: Global Change
C15: ID & Analyze
Environ. Problems
C12, C13, C14, C17:
B. Global Warming
1. Greenhouse gases &
effects (CO2, CH4, H2O)
2. Impacts & consequences
- Oceans: surface
temperatures, currents,
sea level, weather – el
nino)
3. Strategies for reduction &
relevant laws (IPCC,
Kyoto Protocol)
C. Loss of Biodiversity
1. Habitat loss
- overuse
- pollution
- endangered / extinct
- introduced species
2. Maintenance through
conservation
3. Relevant laws & treaties
(CITES and Endangered
Species Act)
D. Environment & Society:
Trade Offs & Decision
Making
*woven as a thread through all
topics covered during the year*
1. Economic forces
- cost-benefit analysis
- marginal costs
- ownership &
externalized costs
2. Cultural & Aesthetic
Considerations
3. Environmental Ethics
4. Environmental Laws &
Regulations
5. Issues and Options
- conservation,
preservation, restoration,
remediation,
sustainability, mitigation
Prerequisites
For a student to be registered to take AP Environmental Science, the student must:
• Have completed, at a minimum, biology and chemistry courses at the high school level.
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o Providing background in scientific method, proper laboratory/field skills, and understanding of
scientific notation and dimensional analysis.
• Have completed a high school algebra course.
• Have received a teacher recommendation in order to enroll in the class.
• Be willing to accept the challenge of a very rigorous academic curriculum.
Time Requirement of Course
• Students will attend the class Monday thru Friday for approximately 55 minute periods
• A minimum of one double period or equivalent per week for serious laboratory work (not including
demonstrations)
• Students should spend a minimum of 5 hours a week in individual study of the textbook and any
supplementary materials provided outside of the classroom.
School Resource Requirements
• A college-level environmental science textbook for the teacher and each student.
• Access to materials, equipment, and time adequate to conduct college-level environmental science
laboratory and field investigations detailed in the course outline.
Course Assessment Methods
• Tests / Quizzes
o Tests consist of timed multiple choice and free response questions to be given at the conclusion
of each unit. (approx. 50 minutes for multiple choice; 20 minutes per free response questions)
o Quizzes will be given periodically to asses understanding and address misconceptions.
• Laboratory / Field Reports & Case Studies
o To include both short and long term labs. Lab assignments will be turned in for credit either as
a formal written lab report or informally as a lab handout at the discretion of the instructor.
• Projects / Presentations
o To supplement and extend content covered in class, students will work on group and individual
projects that may take forms such as PowerPoints, posters, brochures, models, skits, etc.
• Homework / Class work
o Chapter Reviews, practice mathematical calculations, and various assignments as deemed
necessary by the instructor. Homework and class work will be assigned daily.
o Chapter Reviews are a comprehensive means of guiding students through a text selection.
Strategies include:
 Experience-Based Questions – asked to engage prior knowledge, stimulate interest, or
guide students through a section (what do you know after reading the text?).
 Concept Focus Questions – establish a purpose for reading and focus on key concepts
 Higher Order Questions – require students to extend and apply their knowledge of the
content
Fulton County Grading Scale
A = 90-100
B = 80-89
C = 70-79
F = 0-69
Grade Determination (Weights)
Homework 10%
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Labs / Quizzes 35%
Tests / Projects 40%
Midterm / Final Exam 15%
Grading Schedule
The school year is divided into two semesters. During each semester, students will receive two
progress reports (6-week and 12-week) and a final report card at 18 weeks. Report card grades are
used to configure GPA averages.
Classroom Management Policy
The instructor has the primary responsibility for control of classroom behavior and maintenance of academic
integrity, and can order the removal or exclusion from the classroom of any student engaging in disruptive
conduct in violation of the general rules and regulations of the school. Additionally, all material outlined in
the Safety Contract must be followed at all times during laboratory and field work. Any students found to be
willfully neglecting safety protocol or endangering the safety of their classmates or instructor will be removed
from the laboratory and receive a zero for the lab activity. Disciplinary action in the form of referral to an
administrator may also be taken at the discretion of the instructor.
Student Attendance and Participation
Responsibility for acquiring information disseminated during the course is the core responsibility of the
student. Students are expected to treat their teacher and cohorts with respect at all times. Students are
expected to be seated, quiet, and ready to begin class when it is time for class to begin. Students are
encouraged to network with their cohorts to obtain information lost due to an absence. Class policy
concerning absent or tardy students shall parallel that outlined by the school regulations. Participation in class
is essential to student performance and therefore will be reflected in the grade achieved.
Make-Up Work Policy
Students must be prepared to make up tests and or turn in assignments the day upon returning from an
absence. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain and keep up with work missed due to absences. If
students are absent they are expected to either email the instructor or network with a classmate to find out
what they have missed so that assignments may be turned in on time. Upon returning from an absence,
students can pick up assignments, notes, etc. from the crate in the front of the class, and then see the instructor
for clarification on assignments. If a student has missed a test/quiz/etc, they will arrange a time to make-up
the assignment. If students fail to attend the arranged make-up session, they will forfeit their grade for the
test/quiz and will not be allowed to make it up. Make-up tests/quizzes may be different from the original
test/quiz. Students should make every effort to be present on test dates.
Late Work Policy
In most cases, late work will not be accepted for credit. Assignments that will not be accepted for credit
include but are not limited to: homework, class work, labs, assignments for which answers have been
provided in class, assignments used as a teaching tool in class, and other assignments at the discretion of the
instructor. For projects and formal lab reports, students will receive a deduction of 10% for each day past the
original due date of the assignment (ex: 2 days late = 20% deduction). If students are not prepared to present
a project/lab on the date assigned, they will lose any presentation points possible in addition to the late
deduction. Individual exceptions to this policy may be obtained by a written doctor’s note or through the
teacher’s discretion.
16

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
All students are expected to abide by the Roswell High School Academic Integrity Policy as outlined in the
student handbook.
Plagiarism is considered a violation of the RHS Honor Code and will not be tolerated. Students must cite all
informational resources and pictures used in all presentations/projects. Any information used must be put into
the students own words. Plagiarism in any form will result in a ZERO for the assignment, and a referral
to the administration in accordance with the RHS Honor Code.
Additional Resources for Classroom Use
Conten-Basedt Resources
Clements, Richard K. Instructor’s Manual with Test Items for Miller’s Living in the Environment:
Principles, Connections, and Solutions; 12 ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole, 2002
Miller, G. Tyler Jr. and Spoolman, Scott E. Living in the Environment: Principles, Connections,
and Solutions; 17 ed., Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole CENGAGE Learning, 2012/2009
Botkin, Daniel B. and Keller, Edward A. Environmental Science: Earth as a Living Planet; 8 ed.,
Danvers, MA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2011
Friedland, Andrew, Relyea, Rick, and Courard-Hauri, David Environmental Science for AP*;
New York, NY: W.H. Freeman and Company, 2012
Withgott, Jay and Brennan, Scott Environment: The Science Behind the Stories; 4 ed., San
Francisco, CA: Pearson Education, Inc., 2011
Morgan, Myra Pearson Education: AP* Test Prep Series: AP Environmental Science; San
Francisco, CA: Pearson Education, Inc., 2011
Powell, Corey S. (Editor in Chief) Discover Magazine; Kalmbach Publishing Co.
Gonick, Larry and Alice Outwater The Cartoon Guide to the Environment; New York, NY:
HarperCollins, 1996
Laboratory and Activity Manuals / Resources
Holt Environmental Science: Laboratory Guide; Austin, TX: Holt, Rinehart and Winston
Holt Field Activities and Projects Guide: Environmental Science; Austin, TX: Holt, Rinehart and
Winston
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Project Learning Tree: Environmental Education Activity Guide; Washington, DC: American Forest
Foundation, 2003
Project WILD: K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide; Houston, TX: Council for Environmental
Education, 2001
Project WILD Aquatic: K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide; Houston, TX: Council for Environmental
Education, 2001
Project Wet: K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide; Bozeman, MO: The Watercourse, Houston, TX:
Council for Environmental Education, 1995
The Leopold Education Project: Lessons in a Land Ethic; St.Paul, MN: Pheasants Forever and
Leopold Education Project
McNaught, Scott General Ecology: Field and Laboratory Methods; Mt.Pleasant, MI: 2006
Case Studies
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science; Buffalo, NY: University of Buffalo, 1999-
2012
Large case study library focused on Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Investigative Case-Based
Learning (ICBL). Fully complete cases including teaching notes, answer keys, and commentary.
Students will have to be aware of current issues and analyze / interpret current data related to these
issues. Through provided materials students must be able to gather information, analyze and interpret
data, and be ready to present it.
Summer Assignment
http://www.roswellhigh.org/images/docs/ap_env_science_summer12.doc
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