School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Environmental Science 111: Introduction to Environmental Science
Summer Session 2L 2009
Classroom: Mon/Wed 6:00-9:15pm, Room 1804, Murphy Institute
Lab: Sat 9:00am-3:00pm, D-231/235 Science Building, Queens College
Syllabus
Instructor:Kimmy Szeto
Office:Queens College New Science Building D-211
Email:
Office Hours:Mon for 30 minutes after class, Sat 8:30-9:00am and by appointment
Textbook:Required:Stewart, Robert. Environmental Science in the 21st Century. Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas: 2009. Freely available at
Required: Zheng, Yan. Environmental Science 111 Laboratory Manual, 7th ed.Queens College, New York: 2009. Distributed on the first day of classes.
Optional, not required:Botkin, Daniel B. and Keller, Edward A. Environmental Science: Earth as a Living Planet, 7th edition. Wiley, Hoboken, NJ: 2009.
Attendance:Be present and be punctual. Much of the learning takes place in classroom discussions and in the lab. There are no excused absences for any classroom or lab sessions. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to ask your classmates about what you missed. There are no make-ups for labs.
Readings:Reading is your most important homework for this class. Read the chapter and articles indicated in the course schedule before the class meeting, and be prepared to contribute to class discussions. You are responsible for obtaining the reading materials.
Lab Reports:Lab reports are due at the beginning of the next Monday classroom session. A complete lab report should be typed, should address all the questions in the lab manual, and should consist of these sections: purpose, methods, results, and conclusion. Late work will be marked down by 5% per calendar day past the due date.
Quizzes:Quizzes are given at the beginning of each Wednesday classroom session. Questions are based on the week’s reading. There are no make-ups for quizzes.
Exams:The final exam will include all materials covered in the course (classroom and lab).There is no make-up for the final exam. The final exam may be taken early with prior arrangement made at least one week before the scheduled exam date.
Grading:Lab Reports 40%
Quizzes 25%
Final Exam 20%
Participation 15%
School of Earth and Environmental SciencesEnvironmental Science 111: Introduction to Environmental Science
Summer Session 2L 2009
Classroom: Mon/Wed 6:00-9:15pm, Murphy Institute
Lab: Sat 9:00am-3:00pm, D-235 Science Building, Queens College
Course Schedule
Week / Date / Topic / Homework
1 / June 29 / Overview of the scientific method / Lab 1, 2
July 1 / Overview of the earth’s environment / Quiz
Lab 3
Readings for July 1 / Stewart: Earth System Science
Stewart: The Anthropocene
Stewart: Tragedy of the Commons
Hardin: “The Tragedy of the Commons”
July 4 / School closed
2 / July6 / Information literary
Current issues and research / Lab 1, 2, 3 due
Readings for July 1 / Stewart: How to Find Useful Material on the Web
July 8 / Water and the environment / Quiz
Readings for July 8 / Stewart: The Hydrological Cycle
Stewart: Groundwater
Stewart: Groundwater Contamination
Stewart: Groundwater Remediation
USGS: “Sources of nutrients and pesticides”
USGS: “Ground-water Quality”
USGS: “Fertilizers: Sustaining Global Food Supplies”
July 11 / Water quality / Labs 8, 9
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Environmental Science 111: Introduction to Environmental Science
Summer Session 2L 2009
Classroom: Mon/Wed 6:00-9:15pm, Murphy Institute
Lab: Sat 9:00am-3:00pm, D-235 Science Building, Queens College
Course Schedule
Week / Date / Topic / Homework
3 / July 13 / Water and the environment / Labs 8, 9 due
July 15 / The earth’s atmosphere / Quiz
Readings for July 15 / Stewart: Atmospheric Structure and Pollution Sources
Stewart: Atmospheric pollutants
Stewart: Stratospheric Ozone and the Ozone Hole
Stewart: Acid Rain and Acidic Deposition
July 18 / Air quality / Lab 5, 6
4 / July 20 / The ocean, atmosphere and climate / Lab 5, 6 due
Readings for July 20 / Stewart: The Ocean and Climate
Stewart: The Carbon Dioxide Problem
Stewart: What is the Evidence for Global Warming?
Stewart: Earth's Radiation Balance
University Center for Atmospheric Research: “The Greenhouse Effect”
July 22 / Climate change and its consequences / Quiz
Prepare for group discussion
Readings for July 22 / Carnegie Mellon University: “Global Warming and Climate Change”
Stewart: The Carbon Cycle, the Ocean, and the Iron Hypothesis
Stewart: Abrupt Climate Change
Webster: “Feedback Loops”
July 25 / Contamination and health risks / Lab 10, 12
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Environmental Science 111: Introduction to Environmental Science
Summer Session 2L 2009
Classroom: Mon/Wed 6:00-9:15pm, Murphy Institute
Lab: Sat 9:00am-3:00pm, D-235 Science Building, Queens College
Course Schedule
Week / Date / Topic / Homework
5 / July 27 / Climate change / Lab 10, 12 due
Readings for July 27 / Calvin: “The Great Climate Flip-Flop”
Each group chooses one article from the WHOI webpage and lead discussion:
July 29 / Climate change, cont’d / Quiz
Lab 11
Readings for July 29 / Stewart: Modeling the Climate System
Stewart: Climate Change Policy Issues
Dyson: “Heretical Thoughts About Science and Society”
Becker: “An Economist Looks at Global Warming”
Aug 1 / Air quality: radon / Lab 13
6 / Aug 3 / Climate policies / Lab 11, 13 due
Readings for Aug 3 / Hardin: “Extensions of ‘The Tragedy of the Commons’”
Ostrom: “Revisiting the Commons: Local Lessons, Global Challenges”Science 284, 278-282.
Dean: “Sea’s Rise May Prove the Greater in Northeast”
Revkin: “Forum Says Climate Shift Brings Deaths”
MacFarquhar: “Refugees Join List of Climate-Change Issues”
Aug 5 / Final Exam / All outstanding lab reports due
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Environmental Science 111 Summer 2009
Name:Job title/description (if applicable):
School/Year/Major:
I have read and understand the course syllabus and schedule.Yes No
What math and science classes have you taken in high school and college?Which one was your favorite?
List up to five current environmental issues.
If you started taking action today, how many years do you think it will take to resolve each issue?
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