AP Environmental Science --- 2009/2010 Course Description and
Syllabus
Class Profile
AP Environmental Science is a year long course offered to Juniors
and Seniors with a maximum class size of 20 students. The class meets Monday through
Friday for 45 minutes each day. There is at least one Saturday meeting per
trimester for extended field labs. The prerequisites for APES include a year of
biology and chemistry with at least 90 or above in each course. Exceptions can
be made with the permission of the instructor.
General Course Objectives
Demonstrate the interdisciplinary nature of
environmental issues through numerous case studies.
Stay abreast of current events that pertain to
course topics through the use of periodicals and various news media outlets.
Provide opportunities for students to apply
knowledge and to think critically through group discussion and debate.
Allow students to do science as well as learn about
it through various activities and experimental laboratories. Activities and lab
exercises occur at least one period per week.
Require that students formally write up experiments
using a standard scientific writing format (Lab Report format outlined in
Molnar, 2005)
Give each student the chance to present and teach complex
ideas to his peers using current technology.
Required Texts
Botkin, Daniel B., and Edward A. Keller. Environmental Science: Earth as a Living Planet. Fifth
Edition.
Princeton Review. Cracking the AP Environmental Science Exam. 2009 Edition. Random House. Available in January 2010.
COURSE
OVERVIEW
Advanced Placement Environmental Science is a lab
science course that focuses on the interactions between mankind and the natural
environment. This course explores the scientific factors behind many current
environmental problems and the ways in which our current lifestyles have been,
or can be, altered to make improvements. Throughout the course, the connections
between our quality of life and the health of natural systems are emphasized.
Unlike many science courses, APES combines rigorous laboratory work with a
round table discussion class format. Current periodicals are often used to
explore examples of course material. At least two Student Symposia, which
involve pairs of students teaching various course topics, will be held during
the fall and winter trimester.
The course material for APES has been organized
into units and the depth of coverage is consistent with the College Board’s
Advanced Placement Environmental Science course
outline. An approximate timeframe
for each unit is provided below, however, I have tried to leave at least 1 week
each trimester for review, coverage of current events, and unforeseen delays.
Activities and readings may be added or subtracted occasionally. Tests will be
given on Tuesday or Friday only.
Fall Trimester
Unit 1. Science and the
Environment---2 weeks
Main Topics:
1.1- General
Overview of Course Concepts
1.2- Recurring
Themes (sustainability, population, global perspective, science vs. values,
urbanization)
1.3- Science
as a process
1.4- Earth
as an ecological system
Text
assignment and Supplemental
Botkin and Keller, Chapters 1-3
Excerpt from “The Mountains of
Excerpt from “A Sand
The Life of Mammals: Food for Thought (video)
Labs and Activities
Activity: Ecological
Footprints and Sustainability, Wagner and
Stanford http://www.footprintnetwork.org/index.php
Activity: Introduction to Experimental Design—Student
groups are given the background on physical deformities commonly found in
tadpoles living in coal fly ash basins.
They are then asked to devise a hypothesis and an experiment to test
their hypothesis. A peer-reviewed journal article on the issue is then
introduced and student experimental designs are evaluated alongside a published
design. The process of determining cause and effect (versus correlation) in
science is discussed.
Test over text Chapters 1-3 and
supplemental materials
Unit 2. HUMAN POPULATION
and the Global Ecosystem ---3 weeks
Main Topics:
2.1
– Population Dynamics and Demography
2.2
– Human Population and the Concept of Demographic Transition
2.3
– Biogeochemical Cycling
2.4
– Human Influences on Nutrient Cycling
2.5
– Ecosystems and the Sound Management Strategies
Text
assignment and Supplemental
Botkin and Keller, Chapters 4-6
World in Balance (video excerpts)
Blue Planet: Seas of Life (video excerpt)
Labs and Activities
Lab: Stream Monitoring – Part One. Begin monitoring water quality at a large
creek across the street from the school throughout the year. The water quality
assessment follows the guidelines presented in Molnar (2005). Initial emphasis
is how development can influence the cycling of macronutrients in aquatic
systems. Launch remote temperature loggers (Onset, Hobo Loggers) in the stream
to assess seasonal changes. Introduce chemical tests and logger software. Water
testing and logger downloads will be done by student teams periodically
throughout the year on the weekends. Student teams work in conjunction with
Environmental Awareness Club on campus as well as local River Keeper
organization (Coosa River Basin Initiative).
Activity: Plate
Tectonics, My GIS
Activity: Population
Pyramids and Demographic Transition, Population
Education Training
Test over text Chapters 4-6 and
supplemental materials
Unit 3. Biodiversity and
Biogeography---2 weeks
Main Topics:
3.1
– Evolution and the Process of Natural Selection
3.2
– Biodiversity
3.3
– Ecological Niches
3.4
– Genetic Engineering
3.5 –
Biomes and Biodiversity Hotspots
3.6
– Island Biogeography and Implications for Conservation
Text
assignment and Supplemental
Botkin and Keller, Chapters 7-8
Labs and Activities
Lab: Assessing
Biodiversity Using a Berlese Funnel. In small groups,
the students are taken on a tour of various forest types (different ages,
exposures, compositions, etc) in our
wooded campus and are asked to design an experiment that addresses the issue of
how invertebrate biodiversity correlates with habitat type. Students are given
the design and materials for Berlese funnels, a field
guide to soil invertebrates, and a description of the Shannon-Weiner Diversity
Index. Data collection, simple statistical analyses, interpretation of
experimental results, and formal report writing are introduced.
Unit 4. Bioenergetics and
Ecological Succession---2 weeks
Main Topics:
4.1
– Gross and Primary Productivity
4.2
– The Laws of Thermodynamics
4.3
– Energy Flow and the Interactions of Trophic Levels
4.4
– Comparing Ecosystems Based on Energy Flow
4.5
– Succession and the Importance of Disturbance
4.6
– Ecological Restoration: Theory and
Practice
4.7
– Global Food Supply and the Ecological Limits of Agriculture
Textbook
Botkin and Keller, Chapters 9,10 ,11
Labs and Activities
Activity: Eating at
a Lower Trophic Level, Molnar.
Student Presentations:
Non-Native Species Profiles
Lab: Stages of
Succession Walk. Students catalog abiotic features
(temperature, % shade, etc), leaf litter, and plant diversity present in three
distinct stages of succession in the campus forest.
Winter Trimester
Unit 5. Agriculture,
Parks and Wilderness---2.5 weeks
Main Topics:
5.2
– Modern Agricultural Techinques
5.3 – Environmental Consequences of Agriculture (Pesticides, Erosion, Monocultures)
5.4 –
Landscape Ecology
5.5
– General Forestry Practices
5.6
– Designing Reserves and the Preservation of Wilderness
Textbook
Botkin and Keller, Chapters 1 2-13
Unit 6. Atmospheric
Science, Air Pollution and Climate Change ---3 weeks
Main Topics:
6.1
– Earth’s Atmosphere and Earth-Ocean Interactions (ENSO)
6.2
– Weather and Climate
6.3
– Greenhouse Gases and Global Warming
6.4
– Major Air Pollutants
6.5
– Urban Air Pollution
6.6
– Identifying and Controlling Air Pollution
6.7
– Indoor Air Pollution (Student
Symposium)
6.8
– Ozone Depletion
Textbook
Botkin and Keller, Chapter 22, 23, 24, 25
An Inconvenient truth (video)
Labs and Activities
Lab: Particulate Air Pollution, Molnar.
Students collect particulate samples from various points on campus using
Vaseline and Petri dishes. Calculations of particulate pollution are completed
on the data collected.
Activity: CO2 Emissions from Fossil Fuel Burning
(Quantitative Exercise), Molnar. Students
use carbon dioxide concentrations collected at
Activity: Inconvenient Truth movie reviews. Students
play the role of a representative for an assigned stakeholder group (agribusiness,
fossil fuel development, climatologist, ecologist, urban planner, average
American) and review the science and politics presented in the movie. After
presenting their reviews to the class, the class has a round table discussion
of the science and the pseudoscience behind the film.
Test over text Chapters 22-25 and
supplemental materials
Lecture Slides for Chapters 23-25
Unit 7. ForestrY and
Wildlife Ecology FROM A LANDSCAPE pERSPECTIVE---2 weeks
Main Topics:
7.4
– The Evolution of Species Protection: A
Look at North American Case Studies
7.5
– The Endangered Species Act
7.6
– GIS and Modern Conservation Efforts
Textbook
Botkin and Keller, Chapter 13 and 14
Various
current events on endangered species
Labs and Activities
Activity: Invasive
Species Presentations (Microsoft PowerPoint). Students construct 10 minute
presentations on the effects of a specific invasive species in the
Test over text Chapters 13-14 and
supplemental materials
Unit 8. Environmental
Health, Pollution, and Toxicology---2 weeks
Main Topics:
8.1
– A Survey of Significant Pollutants (A Review of Major Case Studies)
8.2
– Risk Assessment and the Precautionary Principle
Textbook
Botkin and Keller, Chapter 15
The American Experience: Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (video excerpt)
Labs and Activities
Lab: Bioassay Experiment, Molnar. A controlled
experiment is used to assess the effects of salinity on plant growth. The
results are used to address current environmental problems.
Activity: Students research a toxicological case study
and write a magazine article presenting the science and the politics of their
issue.
Paper Due on Toxicological Case Study (Equivalent to a Unit Test Grade)
Unit 9. Conventional and
Alternative Energy Sources---3 weeks
Main Topics:
9.1
– The Basics of Energy
9.2
– Energy Sources Throughout the World
9.3
– A Survey of Fossil Fuels and Consumption Levels
9.4
– Improving Efficiency and Finding Energy Alternatives (Student Symposium)
9.5
– Nuclear Power Generation: Costs and
Benefits
Textbook
Botkin and Keller, Chapters 16, 17, 18, 19
Labs and Activities
Lab: Personal Energy Use Audit, Molnar. Students calculate the
quantity of energy they use each day and look for ways to conserve.
Activity: Students research an alternative energy
source (solar, biofuels, nuclear fission,
hydroelectric, etc) and present a
summary of the power production techniques to the class. A demonstration using
household materials is required.
Test over text Chapters 16-19 and supplemental materials
Unit 10. Minerals and the
environment ---1 week
Main Topics:
10.1
– Major Rock Types and Geological Processes
10.2
– Strategic Minerals
10.3
– Mining and Reclamation
Textbook
Botkin and Keller, Chapters 26
Labs and Activities
Lab: Depositional Environments and Stratigraphy lab (Ward’s Scientific). Students learn how
various sedimentary rocks are formed and use stratigraphy
to find deposits of important mineral resources.
Winter Trimester Final Exam: 10 March
Spring Holidays (1 Week)
sPRING Trimester
Unit 11. management of the
water cycle---3 weeks
Main Topics:
11.1
– Water Above and Below the Ground
11.2
– Water as a Resource: Its Use and Abuse Across the
World
11.3
– Sustainable Water Management
11.4
– Major Sources of Water Pollution
11.5
– Wastewater Treatment
Textbook
Botkin and Keller, Chapters 20 and 21
Labs and Activities
Labs: Campus Stream Water Quality Assessment: Macroinvertebrate Analysis. At the end of Unit 11, the
students will combine their invertebrate data with the chemistry data from the
previous year’s worth of observations to write a final water quality report.
The final product is a report on water quality following the protocol in Molnar
(2005).
Stormwater Mapping on campus. Students trace the flow of stormwater,
map the system of pipes and drainage ditches, and relate their findings to
water quality results from the previous trimester. The goal is to identify
problem areas (erosion, point sources of pollution) and make management
recommendations for improvement of water quality.
Activity: Water Diversions Research
(Aral Sea, Colorado River, Salton Sea)
Test over text Chapters 20-21 and supplemental materials
Unit 12. Waste Management
and the Economics of sustainability---1 week
Main Topics:
12.1
– Landfills and other Forms of Waste Disposal
12.2
– The Science and the Economics of “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle”
12.3
– Hazardous Waste Management: A Review
of Major Case Studies
Textbook
Botkin and Keller, Chapter 27 and 29
Labs and Activities
Activity: Energy and Recycling. Molnar. Students calculate the costs and benefits of
recycling various household items.
Test over text Chapters 27-28 and supplemental materials
AP Examination
Review---3 weeks
Textbook
Botkin and Keller
The
Advanced Placement Exam: 5
May
Student
Evaluation
Final
Grades each trimester are based mostly on Unit Tests and Major Lab Reports
(60%). Class Participation makes up a small part of the course average (15%),
along with Final Exams given at the close of each trimester (25%). Unit Tests are primarily multiple-choice with
one or two free response questions. Before each test, students are given
approximately eight free response questions and are asked to prepare answers
for each of the questions. The free response questions on the test are chosen
by the instructor out of the eight provided. The Class Participation grade is
assigned according to a student’s contribution to class activities, overall
performance on reading quizzes, and participation in class discussion. Also,
students are expected to outline text chapters and create questions as the
reading material is assigned. Notebooks are checked at the close of each
grading period (4, 8, ~12 weeks). Notebook grades will be assigned according to
the organization and completeness of reading notes and related activities. The
notebook grade is a standard 100 point test grade that is updated each grading
period.
Teacher Resources
Texts and Supplemental Books
Botkin, Daniel B., and Edward A. Keller. Environmental Science: Earth as a Living Planet. Fifth
Edition.
Molnar, William. Laboratory Investigations in AP
Environmental Science.
Johnson, Robyn L., Scott Holman, and Dan Holmquist. Water Quality with Calculators.
Roa, Michael L.. Environmental Science
Activities Kit. West
Films
The
American Experience: Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring.” Produced by Neil Goodwin.
PBS, 1993. 60 minutes.
Cane
Toads: An Unnatural History. Written and directed by Mark Lewis.
The
Life of Mammals: Food for Thought. Produced by Mark Linfield et al. BBC, 2003.
World
in Balance: The Population Paradox. Produced by Linda Harrar. WGBH Boston. 2004.
Evolution:
Evolutionary Arms Race. Produced by BBC Video, 1997.
Blue Planet – Seas of Life: Beaches. Produced by Alastair Fothergill. BBC Video, 2002.
An Inconvenient Truth. Produced by