HONORS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Mr. Strogen
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Welcome to Environmental Science! I hope that this course will be a great learning experience for you, a challenge to your notions of your role in the environment, and a starting point for what you can do to improve your planet.
Environmental Science is a course that is truly interdisciplinary. We will be learning ideas from the physical sciences (biology, chemistry, ecology, and physics), the social sciences (economics, history, and politics), and philosophy (ethics and morality). This interdisciplinary approach will allow us to understand the causes and connections between many of our pressing environmental and resource problems.
One critique of other environmental science courses is that they are either “doom gloom” courses that stressed all that is wrong with the environment or that they are “tree hugger” courses that were weak on the scientific background of environmental problems. This course will try to present a balanced view, one that presents the problems that we have, but also highlights the successes that have occurred. Most importantly, this course will help you to develop a list of principles, concepts, and rules that will serve you in making and revising decisions throughout your life.
RESOURCES
· Textbook: Hassenzahl, Hager, and Berg’s Visualizing Environmental Science
· Class Website: http://tesd.net//Domain/330 (teacher page)
EXPECTATIONS
· Please be prepared for class every day. This includes bringing your notebook, a pen or pencil, and homework.
· Proper class conduct and behavior are expected and required; failure to comply will result in teacher detentions, parent contact, and/or disciplinary referrals.
· Entering class after the bell has rung will not be tolerated. Failure to be seated and ready at the start of class will result in teacher detentions and/or disciplinary referrals.
· Electronic devices are ONLY permitted when instructed to use them.
· Food and drinks are NOT permitted in the science lab area.
GRADES
· The grading system for the course will be based on total point accumulation.
· Your marking period grade will be based on a combination of tests, quizzes, labs, activities, and several current event articles. Your participation in the discussion and ability to work with others in the labs and activities may also be factored into the grade. We will perform several labs and activities throughout the year. Some will be short term, lasting only a few days, while others will last most of the school year.
· Each marking period will contribute 20% to your final course grade, with the mid-term and final exam each contributing 10%.
· Cheating of any kind will not be tolerated, in accordance with Conestoga High School policy. Failure to oblige by these guidelines will result in a zero, a discipline referral, and/or parent contact.
· Only under special circumstances will late homework, labs, or other activities be accepted.
· In addition to viewing your own grade records on Pinnacle, I encourage you to contact me at any time to review your grade and progress in the course. Progress reports will be distributed at the request of any student or parent.
ATTENDANCE
· Regular attendance in the classroom is essential to learning the material. Missed work or tests due to an excused absence must be made up according to school policy. Failure to complete items within the designated timeframe will result in a zero. Quizzes, tests, and homework are assigned with prior notice, so students are expected to be prepared for such events upon their return to school. Exceptions will be made only if material was missed during an absence that is relevant to the test or quiz. Unexcused absences (class cuts) will be dealt with according to the school’s Code of Student Conduct.
***Topics and Time Frame Subject to Change at Teacher Discretion***
Chapter / Topics Covered /1. The Environmental Challenges We Face / · Human Impacts on the Environment
· Sustainability and the Environment
· Environmental Science
· How We Handle Environmental Problems
2. Sustainability and Human Values / · Human Use of the Earth
· Human Values and Environmental Problems
· Environmental Justice
· An Overall Plan for Sustainable Living
4. Risk Analysis and Environmental Health Hazards / · A Perspective on Risks
· Environmental Health Hazards
· Movement and Fate of Toxicants
· Determining Health Effects of Pollutants
· The Precautionary Principal
5. How Ecosystems Work / · What is Ecology?
· The Flow of Energy Through Ecosystems
· The Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems
· Ecological Niches
· Interactions Among Organisms
6. Ecosystems and Evolution / · Earth's Major Biomes
· Aquatic Ecosystems
· Population Responses to Changing Conditions over Time: Evolution
· Community Responses to Changing Conditions over Time: Succession
MID-TERM / · Review
· Exam
7. Human Population Change and the Environment / · Population Ecology
· Human Population Patterns
· Demographics of Countries
· Stabilizing World Populations
· Population and Urbanization
8. Air and Air Pollution / · The Atmosphere
· Types and Sources of Air Pollution
· Effects of Air Pollution
· Controlling Air Pollutants
· Indoor Air Pollution
9. Global Atmospheric Changes / · The Atmosphere and Climate
· Global Climate Change
· Ozone Depletion in the Stratosphere
· Acid Deposition
14. Agriculture and Food Resources / · World Food Problems
· The Principal Types of Agriculture
· Challenges of Agriculture
· Solutions to Agricultural Problems
· Controlling Agricultural Pests
17. Nonrenewable Energy Resources / · Energy Consumption
· Coal
· Oil and Natural Gas
· Nuclear Energy
18. Renewable Energy Resources / · Direct Solar Energy
· Indirect Solar Energy
· Other Renewable Energy Sources
· Energy Solutions: Conservation and Efficiency
FINAL EXAM / · Review
· Exam