Ø AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE SYLLABUS 2014-2015
Ø Introduction to Global Environmental Politics and Concerns
Ø (Sociology, Geography, Basic Biology, Psychology, Demography)
Ø Objectives:
o Define Environment and identify concerns
o Describe Environmental dilemmas
o Understand division between wealthy and poor nations and degradation
o Introduce Ozone and Green house gases
Ø Activities
o The Lorax (video)- Introduces environmental greed and consequences
o Life boat ethics-who will survive? Group work-must decide carrying capacity of boat and relate to industrialized nations
o Begin Global Summit
Ø Lab #1
o How to write a lab handout-expectations
o Radish seeds and saline-Explore scientific method
Ø Quiz testing basic knowledge from biology
Ø Vocab words assigned to journal.
Ø Journal entry #1 and #2 Articles of interest –ozone and green house gases
Ø Videos on Ozone and Green house gases political Reflections (journal #3)
Ø Unit 1
Ø Introduction to the Rock Cycle and Plate tectonics
Ø Environmental Geology
Ø Chapters 16 and 17
Ø Objectives:
o Understand plate tectonics
o Explain the rock cycle
o Summarize Ecological and economic strategic minerals
o Discuss effects of mining
o Recognize hazards of volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis etc
o Analyze global climate change
o Explain jet streams, wind patterns, fronts, clouds and weather consequences
o Comprehend el nino and la nina
Ø Video Lecture series on rock cycle
Ø Journal #4 vocabulary
Ø Lab #2 Rock cycle
Ø Video Lecture series Plate tectonics
Ø Lab #3 Volcanoes and Mt Ranges
Ø Quiz/ Test
Ø Unit 2
Ø Matter, Energy and Life-Biological Communities and Species Interactions
Ø Chapters 3 and 4
Ø Objectives:
o Describe matter, atoms, molecules
o Understand 1st and 2nd Laws of Thermodynamics
o Know photosynthesis and respiration
o Define species, population, community and ecosystem
o Discuss food webs, chains and trophic levels
o Compare and contrast biogeochemical cycles
o Discuss resilience, diversity and stability
o Explain succession
o Distinguish inter specific and intra specific competion
Ø Journal #5 and #6 2 separate articles on INTER specific competition and INTRA
Ø Class discussion Gleason vs. Lovelock from textbook(choose a side and debate with class)
Ø Lab#4
o Biomagnification- Model for class.
Ø Expect POP quizzes from Lecture
Ø Lab #5 CO2 levels lab 1-6
Ø Journal #7 Vocabulary
Ø Test Unit 2
Ø Unit 3
Ø Biomes, Restoration, Management and Biodiversity
Ø Chapters 4 and 13
Ø Objectives:
o Recognize characteristics of Aquatic and terrestrial biomes
o Describe how humans disrupt biomes
o Explain ecosystem management
o Evaluate the pros and cons of restoration
o Define biodiversity
o Report total number of species on earth
o Explain captive breeding and recovery programs
o Observe Endangered Species Act
Ø Lab #7 Shannon Weiner Index
o Calculate the Index of biodiversity for a parking lot near our school
Ø Journal #8 Vocabulary
Ø Test Unit 3
Ø Projected END OF FIRST 9 WEEKS
Ø Projected START OF 2ND 9 WEEKS
Ø Unit 4
Ø Population Dynamics
Ø Chapters 6 and 7
Ø Objectives:
o Define exponential growth
o Describe logistic growth and Thomas Malthus
o Compare and contrast density dependent and independent limiting factors
o Explain fecundity, birthrates, k-selected and r-selected
o Evaluate family planning
o Trace human population growth
Ø Activities
o Personal opinion journal #9“what is the world’s greatest problem?”
o Journal #10 Watch (The People Bomb)-3 countries reflection
o Watch (the dots video) 5 minutes illustrating exponential growth
o Lab #8
o Fish population simulation (tag and release method)
o Library -Trace your countries population
Ø Journal # 11 vocabulary
Ø Test Unit 4
Ø Unit 5
Ø Environmental Health and Toxicology
Ø Chapters 9 and 12
Ø Objectives:
o Define Health and disease and environmental factors
o Identify infectious organisms and hazardous agents
o Distinguish between toxic and hazardous chemicals
o Compare and contrast chronic and acute toxicity
o Evaluate environmental risks
Ø Journal # 12 Vocabulary
Ø Lab #9 HIV simulation
Ø Unit 5 test
Ø Unit 6
Ø Food and Agriculture and Sustainable Land use
Ø Chapters 11 and 14
Ø Objectives:
o Describe world food supplies
o Explain nutritional requirements
o Analyze genetic Engineering
o Sketch soil pyramid
o Differentiate erosion, Salinization, and water logging
o Recognize potential for sustainable living
o World Land use
o Understand issues of forest in developed countries
Ø Lab #10
o Characteristics of soil- cations, ph, salinity -2days
o Soil texture
o Soil Layers
Ø Journal #13
Ø Homework chapter 11-12 -13 questions vocab quiz to follow
Ø Project
o Feed 100 people for a year on minimum land with only 7 different crops making diet nutritional
Ø Test Unit 6
Ø Note before Holiday break we are hoping to get through 13 journals entries at LEAST and 10 labs at most.
Ø The first week after break we will review for midterm and work free response questions til January 15.
Ø Starting January 21st
Ø The next 3 units will be AIR- WATER- ENERGY
o Depending on time, these units will vary. We will begin preparing for the AP test the end of March.
Ø Unit 8
Ø Air pollution
Ø Objective:
o Describe categories of sources of air pollution
o Distinguish criteria vs. non criteria air pollutants
o Analyze indoor air pollutants
o Evaluate ozone in troposphere and stratosphere
o Compare approaches to pollution control
o Judge air quality around the world (historically)
Ø Activities
o Journal enty #14 China video: 1 page essays explaining source, solutions, and consequences of human behavior and global warming.
o Lab
o Air quality-CO, CO2, Hydrocarbons, and flow rate of our cars
o Air pollution and Air planes
o CO2 Simulation
Ø Homework Ch 18 questions and quiz
Ø Test Unit 8
Ø Unit 9
Ø Water and Water Pollution
Ø Chapters 19 and 20
Ø Objectives:
o Summarize hydrolic cycle
o Contrast volume and residence time of water
o Define causes and consequences of water shortages
o Debate water management
o Define water pollution and sources
o Discuss status of water quality
o Suggest ways to protect groundwater
o Judge the impact of legislation on water
Ø Activities
o Water wars-reading and questions and essays
Ø Lab
o Local water testing Chromium, chloride, hardness, copper, iron, ammonia, pH, nitrates, BOD and DO
o Acid Rain
Ø Homework question s chapter 19-20 vocab quiz to follow
Ø
Ø Test Unit 9
Ø Unit 10
Ø Conventional and Sustainable Energy
Ø Chapters 21 and 22
Ø Objectives:
o Summarize current energy sources
o Compare U.S. consumption with other countries
o Analyze resources and reserves for fossil fuels
o Evaluate cost and benefits of coal, oil and natural gas
o Discuss nuclear reactors
o Understand passive and active energy systems
o Explain hydropower, wind, and geothermal energy
o Compare and contrast options for storing electrical energy
o Define renewable and non renewable resources
Ø Homework chapter questions 21-22 Quiz to follow
Ø Project
o Alternative energy source- establish cost, source, effectiveness, duration, and output (emissions etc)
Ø Unit 11
Ø Solid Waste Management and Recycling
Ø Chapter 23
Ø Objectives:
o Identify components of U.S. waste
o Explain dumps and landfills