AP Environmental Science Syllabus

Transcription

1 AP Envirnmental Science Syllabus Instructr: Miss Adams Phne: Curse Descriptin The AP Envirnmental Science curse is a full year curse designed t be the equivalent f a nesemester, intrductry cllege curse in envirnmental science. Unlike mst ther intrductry level cllege science curses, envirnmental science is ffered frm a wide variety f departments, including gelgy, bilgy, envirnmental studies, envirnmental science, chemistry, and gegraphy. The AP Envirnmental Science curse has been develped t be like a rigrus science curse that stresses scientific principles and analysis. In bth breadth and level f detail, the cntent f the curse reflects what is fund in many intrductry cllege curses in envirnmental science. The gal f the curse is t prvide students with the scientific principles, cncepts, and methdlgies required t understand the interrelatinships f the natural wrld, t identify and analyze the envirnmental prblems bth natural and human made, t evaluate the relative risks assciated with these prblems, t examine alternative slutins fr reslving and/r preventing them, and t develp and fcus their wn plitical perspective. Envirnmental Science is interdisciplinary; it embraces a wide variety f tpics frm different areas f study. Yet there are several majr unifying cnstructs, r themes, that cut acrss the many tpics included in the study f envirnmental science. The fllwing themes prvide a fundatin fr the structure f the AP Envirnmental Science curse: Science is a prcess. Energy cnversins underlie all eclgical prcesses. The Earth itself is ne intercnnected system. Humans alter natural systems. Envirnmental prblems have a cultural and scial cntext. Text Envirnmental Science: Tward a Sustainable Future by Richard T. Wright, 9 th Editin, 2005, Pearsn/Prentice Hall Publishers Other Resurces In additin t the textbk, we will draw infrmatin frm supplemental peridicals, readings/case studies, and the Internet. We will specifically draw readings frm the fllwing envirnmental bks: Silent Spring by Rachel Carsn, 2002, Hughtn Mifflin Harcurt 1

2 Devastatin and Renewal: An Envirnmental Histry f Pittsburgh and Its Regin by Jel A. Tarr, 2003, University f Pittsburgh Press Barrn s AP Envirnmental Science by Gary Thrpe, 3 rd Ed. 2008, Barrn s Educatinal Series, Incrprated The Lrax by Dr. Seuss, 1971 AP Exam Each AP curse has a crrespnding exam that participating schls wrldwide administer in May. The AP Envirnmental Science Exam cntains multiple chice questins and a free respnse sectin (either essay r prblem slving). The multiple chice sectin, which cnstitutes 60 percent f the final grade, cnsists f 100 multiple chice questins that are designed t cver the extensiveness f the students knwledge and understanding f envirnmental science. The free respnse sectin cnstitutes 40 percent f the final grade and includes 1 data set questin, 1 dcument based questin, and 2 synthesis and evaluatin questins. The AP Exam is a culminating assessment in this AP curse and is thus an integral part f the AP Prgram. As a result, students are encuraged, but nt required, t take the crrespnding Envirnmental Science AP Exam in May. Curse Outline Unit 1: Earth Systems and Resurces Chapter 1: Tward a Sustainable Future Glbal Envirnmental Picture Three Strategic Themes: Sustainability, Stewardship, and Sund Science Three Integrative Themes: Ecsystem Capital, Plicy/Plitics, and Glbalizatin **Lab Tragedy f the Cmmns Lab **Lab The Lrax Chapter 2: Ecsystems What They Are Describing the Structure f Ecsystems Bimes The Human Factr **Lab Design a Fdweb Chapter 3: Ecsystems Hw They Wrk Matter, Energy, and Life Energy Flw in Ecsystems The Cycling f Matter in Ecsystems **Lab Primary Cnsumer Energy Flw **Lab Owl Pellet Lab Chapter 4: Ecsystems Hw They Change Natural Ppulatins Ppulatin Equilibrium Species Adaptatins and Respnses t Disturbance Unit 2: The Living Wrld Chapter 10: Wild Species and Bidiversity The Value f Wild Species 2

3 Saving Wild Species Decline and Prtectin f Bidiversity Chapter 11: Ecsystem Capital Use and Restratin Glbal Perspective n Bilgical Systems Cnservatin, Preservatin, and Restratin Bimes and Ecsystems under Pressure Frest Bimes and Frest Management **Lab Explring Bidiversity **Lab Endangered/Threatened Species Brchure & Oral Reprt (2 3 days) **Lab Extic Species Wanted Pster Unit 3: Ppulatin Chapter 5: The Human Ppulatin Human Ppulatin Expansin and Its Cause Cnsequences f Ppulatin Grwth Dynamics f Ppulatin Grwth **Lab The Pwer f the Pyramids Chapter 6: Ppulatin and Develpment Reassessing the Demgraphic Transitin Scial Mdernizatin Prmting Develpment **Lab Ppulatin Grwth in Lemna minr Unit 4: Land and Water Use Chapter 7: Water Hydrlgic Cycle and Human Use Water as a resurce Hydrlgic Cycle and Human Impacts Managing and Cntrlling Water as a Resurce **Lab Explring the Hydrlgic Cycle Game Chapter 8: Sil Fundatin fr Land Ecsystems Sil and Plants Mineral Nutrients and Nutrient hlding Capacity Sil Degradatin Cnserving the Sil Rck Cycle and Plate Tectnics **Lab Sil Frmatin and Prperties **Lab Testing Sil Prductivity **Lab Minerals and Rcks Chapter 9: The Prductin and Distributin f Fd Majr Patterns f Fd Prductin Genetically Mdified Fds Fd Distributin and Trade Unit 5: Energy and Resurce Cnsumptin Chapter 12: Energy frm Fssil Fuels 3

4 Energy Surces and Uses Oil and Other Fssil Fuels Mining f Fssil Fuels Fssil Fuels and Energy Security **Lab Explring Air Pllutin Generated by Fssil Fuel Cmbustin **Lab That s the way the Ckie Crumbles **Lab Fssil Fuels: Hw Much d yu Cnsume? Chapter 13: Energy frm Nuclear Pwer Nuclear Energy in Perspective Hw Nuclear Energy Wrks Hazards and Csts f Nuclear Pwer Facilities Chapter 14: Renewable Energy Slar Energy as a Resurce Renewable Energy fr Transprtatin Additinal Renewable Energy Optins **Lab Alternative Energy Slutin Presentatin Unit 6: Pllutin (30 days) Chapter 17: Water Pllutin and Its Preventin Water Pllutin Eutrphicatin Sewage Management and Public Plicy **Lab Water Quality f Natural Waters Chapter 18: Municipal Slid Waste Dispsal and Recvery The Slid Waste Prblem Slutins t the Slid Waste Prblem Public Plicy and Waste Management **Lab Wastewater Treatment Chapter 19: Hazardus Chemicals Pllutin and Preventin Txiclgy and Chemical Hazards Cleaning up the Mess Managing Current Hazardus Waste Chapter 20: The Atmsphere Climate, Climate Change, and Ozne Depletin Atmsphere, Weather, and Climate Glbal Climate Change Respnse t Climate Change and Ozne Layer Depletin **Lab The Atmsphere Effect and Glbal Warming Chapter 21: Atmspheric Pllutin Air Pllutin Essentials Majr Air Pllutants and Their Surces Impacts f Air Pllutants **Lab Acid Depsitin **Lab The Crilis Effect and Atmspheric Circulatin Unit 7: Glbal Change Chapter 22: Ecnmics, Public Plicy, and the Envirnment 4

5 Ecnmics and Public Plicy Resurces and the Wealth f Natins Pllutin and Public Plicy Chapter 23: Sustainable Cmmunities and Lifestyles Urban Sprawl Urban Blight Mving Tward Sustainable Cmmunities **Lab Land Use Planning Prject Methds/Student Expectatins Instructin cnsists f mstly lectures, discussins, demnstratins, and written assignments including research prjects, in class assignments, and hmewrk. All lab and field wrk will als require a written reprt. Students shuld have successfully cmpleted bth Lab Bilgy and Lab Chemistry by btaining a B r higher as a final verall grade. Students shuld have als shuld have als successfully cmpleted Algebra 2 by btaining an verall grade f B r higher. Students shuld display a true desire t learn abut the envirnment. Students shuld have a slid academic recrd, gd critical thinking ability, and excellent reading skills. Students shuld have the capability t articulate their thughts well rally and in writing. Attendance/Hmewrk In rder t be successful in this curse, regular attendance is abslutely necessary. If class time is missed, it is the student s respnsibility t be sure that all his/her wrk is cmpleted and handed in n time. Yu have as many days as yu were absent t turn in the missed wrk fr full credit. Late assignments will nt be accepted fr credit. Student Evaluatin/Assessment Grading Scale A 92% 100% B 83% 91% C 74% 82% D 65% 73% E Belw 64% Student grades are based n daily participatin, class and hmewrk assignments, lab reprts, quizzes (annunced and unannunced), and exams. Tests will usually be annunced ne week in advance. Each test will mainly cnsist f a multiplechice sectin, free respnse, and essay sectin. Sample AP Exam questins will be incrprated n each f the curse tests. Tests will be graded n a raw pint scale. Mid Term and Final Exams A cumulative mid term and final exam will als be given during the final week f each semester. The mid term will cnsist f apprximately 50 multiple chice questins, 1 data set questin, and 1 synthesis and evaluatin questin (mirrring the AP Exam). The final exam will include 100 5

6 multiple chice questins and 4 free respnse questins. As per the district s plicy, each exam will cunt fr n mre than 10% f the student s verall semester grade. Summer Assignment Students will be required t cmplete a Summer Assignment which will be due n the first day f the schl year. The students will be required t find ne magazine, jurnal, r newspaper article dealing with an envirnmental tpic each week. The students will be required t btain a cpy f the article. At least fur f the articles must be taken directly frm a newspaper, magazine, r schlarly jurnal NOT btained frm an nline surce. Alng with the article, the student will write a wrd summary/reflectin f the article. The articles and summaries will be kept in a threering binder and handed in upn return frm summer vacatin. Semester Prjects Students cmplete ne research prject fr each semester. First Semester Envirnmental Science Research Paper Students will cmplete a 5 7 page research paper dealing with a current envirnmental issue f their chice. Secnd Semester Envirnmental Science Bk Reprt Chsen frm list f apprved bks dealing with envirnmental science Bk brught t class t answer questins t avid summaries printed n Internet. Upn cmpletin f the AP Exam in May, each student will wrk n a culminating prject where they will draw upn infrmatin learned thrughut the curse f the year t cmplete the task. Academic Dishnesty/Plagiarism Academic dishnesty and/r plagiarism will in n way be tlerated at any time during this curse. As per the student handbk: Plagiarism means presenting wrk dne in whle r in part by smene else as if it were ne s wn. Academic dishnesty includes, but is nt limited t reprducing infrmatin frm the internet, written text withut prper citatin, illegal use f cpyrighted materials, falsificatin f data any frm f text messaging and any frm f cheating n exams, tests, quizzes, labratries, essays, r hmewrk. Students wh allw thers t cpy their wrk are subject t the same penalties Students wh are fund t have engaged in academic dishnesty r plagiarism will receive a zer fr the assignment with n make up privileges. 6

7 Guidelines/Behavir: All students are required and expected t be in their assigned seat befre the bell rings. Students are expected t put frth 100% effrt until the end f class when yur teacher dismisses yu. Classrm disturbances, disrespectfulness t teachers r peers, r any behavir that disrupts the rderly classrm prcedures will nt be tlerated. Treat thers with respect. Substitute teachers shall be treated with the same respect as the regular classrm teacher. Any discipline prblems will result in a referral t the ffice. The dress cde shall be in effect at all times. Vilatins f any kind will be referred t the principal. Fd and drinks will nt be permitted in the classrm. Sleeping will nt be tlerated. Lavatry privileges will be granted befre r at the end f each class. Please d nt interrupt class t use the lavatry unless there is an emergency. Academic Dishnesty is a serius ffense. Wrk hard and respect yurself. Any student caught cheating will earn a zer grade and the parents/legal guardians will be ntified. N bk bags, gym, bags, r purses f any kind shuld remain n students desks. All items f this nature must be either placed underneath the students desks r n the cunter at the back r side r the classrm. Electrnic devices shuld never be visible r heard befre, during, r after class. They must be kept ut f sight, accrding t the discipline cde in yur handbk. Electrnic devices will be cnfiscated. The schl is nt respnsible fr lst r stlen electrnic devices nr are they respnsible fr any unauthrized calls made. Please refer t pages f the student handbk fr additinal infrmatin. Classrll.cm: Every parent/guardian can check n their child s prgress thrughut the year n Classrll ( Assignments fr the week will be available by the first schl day f the week at 7:30 am. Student grades will be updated as sn as pssible depending n the length f the assignment. Please mnitr classrll.cm ften s that yu will be aware f yur grade at any time. If yu have lst yur user ID r passwrd t classrll.cm please cntact the high schl ffice fr a replacement at yur earliest cnvenience. Schl Fusin: Assignments and additinal curse infrmatin will als be available thrugh Miss. Adams website. Please check the website regularly. Navigating yur way t the website: G t Click n the Our Schls link in the left hand tlbar. Click n the Blackhawk High Schl link in the left hand tlbar. Click n the Our Classrms link in the tp tlbar. Scrll dwn until yu find the teacher s name and click the link. 7