ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

THE A.P. EDITION

SPRING 2009

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:

Paula Hogan

Room 1305

Email:

Website: Accessible through the LebanonHigh School webpage

Office Hours: M-Th 6:45 am-7:15 am; 1st & 2nd period; M,T, Th 2:45-3:30pm

What is APES?

AP Environmental Science is an opportunity to take in-depth look at the complex environmental interactions that occur in the world around us and prepare you as a decision-making citizen in a complex world. We will investigate how ecological principles and issues shape the world around us. We will also assess how the multiple facets of human society (science, politics, ethics, culture, etc.) impact the planet. Big picture: After taking this course (if we’ve both done our jobs right), you will never look at the world, or your place in it, the same way again. Furthermore, we will spend considerable time and effort in preparing for the AP Environmental Science Exam in May.

What will we be doing?

Through experimentation, discussion, and research, we will be exploring the structure and function of complex ecosystems how this knowledge has affected our society and vice versa. Typically, the content we will explore in this course would be covered in 1-2 semesters (3-6 credits) of college, so expect an intense, fast-paced experience. In our explorations, we will be focusing on several key concepts:

  • Cultures and worldviews
  • Ecosystem and Community Ecology
  • Population Ecology
  • Resource Management
  • Biodiversity
  • Sustainability

How will my grade be determined?

Assessment will come in a variety of forms and will fall into any one of the following categories:

Assessment / Approximate % of grade
Tests/Quizzes / 20-30%
Lab Work & Reports / 15-20%
Projects / 20%
Homework, essays, etc. / 20%
Classwork, Hot Topic Discussion Sessions, etc. / 15-20%

Specific details about these assessments will be provided throughout the semester. All assessments will be graded using a rubric system (see attached).

What are the expectations of the students?

It’s simple, you get what you give. Remember: school is not just about a grade on a report card, but also the knowledge and learning that will stay with you for a lifetime. Your success in this course will largely depend on your work ethic and your commitment to learning. Work ethic is generally reflected in three ways by my students:

  • Attendance: Regular attendance is key to succeeding in any course, but especially this one. This includes being on time and prepared for class. Being tardy or missing a day or two can quickly put you and your teammates behind. It is your responsibility to request assignments and to turn in any work that was missed due to your absence. Since many of our experiences will consist of lab work, expect to come in before and/or after school to make up missed assignments.
  • Timely Completion: If I assign it…it’s worth doing. All students are expected to complete all assignments.I do not assign “busy work”, so each assignment will further your learning. If an assignment (no matter how big or small) were to be turned in after the announced and posted due date, 1 letter grade will be deducted from that assignment for each day that it is late. The maximum deduction will be 35% (D/high F) as long as the assignment gets turned inwithin a week of its due date. If an assignment is more than a week late, you will have earned a 0 (zero) for that assignment and will not have opportunities to make it up.
  • Collegiality: Y’all are adults…I expect you to conduct yourselves as adults. Collegiality means you respect your colleagues in this course by behaving appropriately, respecting their viewpoints, and cooperating with them to get the learning accomplished. Everyone will work with each other in here. We have one common goal, and that is to learn.
  • Pride: A job worth doing, is a job worth doing well. I expect your best on every task…whether it is a group task or individual. There will be significant amounts of reading, writing, and data analysis, much of which will need to be done outside of class. Failing to do your part affects the learning of the whole class. Pride also means that you do your own work, and not rely on others to carry you through this course. As a result, plagiarism of any kind will not be tolerated and will result in a 0 (zero) for the plagiarized assignment. Please see the LebanonHigh School code of conduct for details regarding plagiarism.

What materials will I need?

  • Nothing fancy here…a binder with notebook paper and tab dividers will help you organize notes, assignments, handouts, readings, papers, etc.
  • Writing utensil (seems obvious…but you’d be surprised how many students forget this one)
  • Journal/Comp book for all of your lab work.
  • FLASH DRIVE! For turning in assignments…no paper. If this is a monetary or access issue for you, see me.

Where’s all the paper? DUH! It’s an environmental science course, so we will be doing as much as possible electronically in order to reduce our ecological footprint in this class. Handouts and readings (when possible) are posted as Word or PDF documents on my webpage. Likewise, you will turn manyof your assignmentsin on flash drives.

Approximate Syllabus

THEME* / READINGS**Miller L.I.T.E.
Culture and Worldviews / Ch. 1,2, 28
Ecosystem & Community Ecology / Ch.4,5, 6, 7, 8
Population Ecology / Ch. 9, 11
Resource Management / Ch.10,12-21
Biodiversity & Sustainability / Ch. 22-27

* The sequence and timing of these themes may change due to time, weather and materials constraints

**These chapters may be used whole or in part; additional readings will come from news articles, other books, primary literature, etc.

Five-Point Rubric

ADAPTED FROM:

A: Exemplary; complete understanding

  • Work at a very high level of proficiency.
  • Clear, insightful, thorough, discerning and demonstrates an in-depth understanding.
  • An original, creative work that establishes relevant connections.
  • Polished, refined and consistently well-crafted.
  • Contains a great variety and a considerable amount of illustrative material that is supportive and well-chosen.
  • Contains no significant factual errors and all components thoroughly addressed.
  • Each assertion is supported by multiple lines of appropriate, relevant scientific evidence

B: Thoughtful; clear understanding

  • Work at an above average competency level.
  • It is perceptive, shows keen insight and judgment, thorough and perceptive.
  • Work shows thoughtful grasp of the content studied.
  • Demonstrates some connections with and among sources.
  • Most assertions supported by appropriate, relevant, scientific evidence.
  • Contains no more than 1 significant factual error and/or some components ambiguously addressed.
  • Work is crafted, polished, rehearsed.
  • Most assertions supported by appropriate, relevant scientific evidence

C: Developing; literal

  • Work at an average competency level.
  • Demonstrates a grasp of the whole, but is simplistic or literal.
  • Makes superficial and unexamined connections.
  • No risks taken and rarely challenges sources.
  • Some effort evident, yet it does not meet all specifications of the task.
  • Contains some illustrative material that is supportive, though that material may be marred by inaccuracies.
  • Contains some factual errors that represent a flawed understanding of the topic and/or missing a significant component.
  • Some assertions supported by appropriate, relevant scientific evidence

D: Limited; barely acceptable

  • Work fails to meet the basic requirements of the task.
  • It lacks clarity and is carried out with little commitment to precision and excellence.
  • Work shows minimal understanding of the content's key ideas.
  • Few or no connections.
  • Does little to hold audience's attention or contribute to understanding of concepts being presented.
  • Contains some illustrative material, but much of that material is inaccurate or inappropriate.
  • Contains significant factual errors and/or missing multiple significant components.
  • Few assertions supported by appropriate, relevant scientific evidence

D-/F: Minimal; unacceptable

  • Work at a very low competency level.
  • Appears rushed or careless.
  • Little or no understanding of the challenge or the task.
  • Disjointed and unorganized.
  • Contains no illustrative material, or contains a small amount of illustrative material that is inaccurate and inappropriate.
  • Contains many significant factual errors.
  • Assertions lack appropriate, relevant scientific evidence

0: Assignment not submitted or is so poorly done that it does not resemble what was assigned.