COURSE OUTLINE

A: Unit Code and Suggested Course Title: 0645/ PH 121 Lab for PH 120 (Environmental Science)

B: Curriculum/Program: Liberal Arts /Science - Physics

C. Catalog Description: Thisis a lab science elective course that satisfies the lab science course requirement for non-science majors. It is a required course for both the Environmental Science and the Environmental Technology degree programs.
Concurrent Registration: PH 120
F/S (N, S)

D. Duration of Instructional Period: 100 minutes, 1 class meeting per week, 15 weeks

E. Academic Credit Hours: 1.00 credit hour

Lab

2.00 contact Hours

(Lecture hrs-Lab hrs-credit hrs): 0-2-1

F. Suggested Text/Course Materials:

·  Printed instructions prepared by the instructor and distributed to class.

·  VHS and DVDs in the library collection and the physics department

·  This is a web-assisted course. A list of recommended websites are available on the course’s website via college’s software system (Blackboard).

G. Course Outcomes: Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1.  Model flow of matter and energy in ecosystems and identify the ecological principles of human interactions with the environment.

2.  Use simple arithmetic to carry out calculations such as carrying capacity, growth rate, doubling time of population samples, etc, and give examples of how humans impact the environment with population growth, energy use and pollution, comparing both industrial and developing societies.

3.  Apply the scientific principles, identify the technologies and determine their efficiency and its impact on environmental problems.

4.  Explain how the choices and tradeoffs posed by environmental challenges are connected to an individual's personal decisions.

H. Program Competencies:

1. To understand and utilize the methods scientists employ to explore natural phenomena including: observation, hypothesis development, measurement and data collection, experimentation, evaluation of evidence, and employment of mathematical analysis.

2. To collect scientific data, and utilize concepts and models employed in one of the natural sciences.

I.  SUNY General Education Ten Knowledge Areas: Natural Science (as H item above)

J. ECC Learning Outcomes (LO). This course satisfies Level 2 ECC Learning Outcomes:

4  Scientific Reasoning (1, 3, 4)

5.  Quantitative Reasoning (2)

K. Student Learning:

K1. Evaluation of Student Learning: Achievement of the course objectives will be measured by:

(a) individually written and submitted lab reports (70%). Lab reports will be collected and graded after the completion of an experiment. The report with the lowest grade will be dropped. Lab reports for missed labs not accepted. Each lab report will be graded according to the following criteria:

·  Clarity of experimental procedure and organization of data (clearly labeled tables with all variables identified)

·  Accuracy of data (measurements/observations)

·  Analysis (Graphs/Calculations)

·  Discussion / Answers to all questions

·  Conclusion / Overall Presentation

(b) participation in all scheduled class activities (30%). Participation is tracked by maintaining posted attendance log by instructor:

·  Daily pick up of waste materials from school cafeteria for composting

·  Restored grounds and garden maintenance

·  Recycling bin

K2. Assessment of Student Learning: Course will be assessed using tests, projects and rubrics described on the program assessment plan as submitted to the College Assessment Committee.

L.  Library Resources: DVD and VHS media owned by the physics unit (such as the series “ Race to Save the Planet”).and several links posted on courses’s Blackboard website.

M.  Topical Outline:

Weekly Experiment / Lecture Unit
1.  Introduction
2.  Modeling Systems-Matter Flow in Carbon Cycle
3.  Sunlight becomes you – Your food intake and solar energy transfer
4.  Fossil Fuels and You: Calculate your Carbon footprint
5.  Design a Forest and calculate its Carrying Capacity
6.  Landfills, Recycling and the Environment
7.  Invited Speaker Event / I.
Principles of Ecosystems - Matter and Energy Flow
8.  Global Warming and the Greenhouse effect
9.  Physical Models of Lake Stratification
10.  Soil Analysis Test 1* - Sampling
11.  Soil Analysis Test 2 - Analysis / II.
Soil, Water, Atmosphere
12.  Know your backyard 1 *
13.  Know your backyard 2 *
14.  Stream Ecology * 1
15.  Stream Ecology 2
/ III .
Biodiversity in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems

* Field trips

N. Proposal Prepared by:

Ethel Petrou, PhD, Physics-South 15 Feb. 2015

Date last updated: 2/15/2015