APES Summer Assignments 2016
Ms. Holborow, John P. Stevens
Welcome future AP Environmental Science (APES) students! This is an advanced science course that combines the disciplines of biology, chemistry, geology, and physics to investigate global environmental issues. We will discover how the Earth’s systems function together and how humans have affected our planet. We will also examine our personal consumption and learn ways to be responsible global citizens in the face of serious environmental issues.
Because this is a college level course, you will be responsible for learning a large amount of material on your own. I will help you as we go, but it will be your responsibility to take notes, study, and learn your vocabulary. We also work on the assumption that you have a general science background that includes biology, chemistry, and algebra. The purpose of these summer assignments are to help you prepare for the APES content by getting organized, reviewing some background information, and getting familiar with some basic concepts of environmental science. I’ve added a bit of fun too. Enjoy your summer and do your homework too as you complete the assignments below.
In our effort to be environmentally conscious this year, I will be inviting you to hand in most assignments via email in a digital form (unless I specifically advise otherwise).
Section 1: Electronic Setup
In this course we will be using technology to help you learn basic content and to communicate as scientists do in the 21st century. You must do this ASAP to ensure you get all the information you need for class!
1. Join REMIND for the class so that you can be updated on assignments, field trips, and just general class awesomeness!
2. Email me at and introduce yourself. Please let me know the following information:
a. Your name.
b. Any special hobbies or interests you have.
c. Why you have chosen to take APES.
d. Any concerns you may have for next year.
3. Join the Google Classroom for APES, the sign up code is 8nclh4. When you get there you will see this assignment!
Section 2: Environmental Legislation (Complete Chart- 20 points)
Construct a table like my example (on the next page) that organizes important information regarding environmental legislation for the laws/treaties listed below. Include the following information:
· Name of law or treaty
· Draft year and amendment years
· Is it international or national (just the U.S)
· Describe the function.
· What environmental issues are affected by this legislation?
· Agency/Group responsible for regulation and enforcement (United Nations, Department of Interior, EPA, etc.)
Name / Draft & Amendment Year(s) / International or USA? / Description / Issue(s) Affected /Agency
Clean Air Act / 1963, 1977, 1990 / USA / To monitor and control air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, ozone, lead, carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds, mercury. Meant to protect public welfare and health and to regulate emissions of dangerous air pollutants. / Air pollution, human health / EPA
Table Hints:
· The table must be typed.
· You may find it easier to do this in landscape orientation.
· You can use online textbooks or online SCHOLARLY resources (Wikipedia is not reliable) to find the information. Since these are governmental in nature, .gov sites are best!
· This table we will use all year! Do not take it likely, you are required to know all this material for the APES exam!
· You will have a QUIZ on this material the first/second week of school, so be prepared!
Laws you MUST know and have in your chart:
Agenda 21
Clean Air Act (CAA)
Clean Water Act (CWA)
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation Liability Act (CERCLA)
Consumer Product Safety Act
Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ standards)
Emergency Planning & Community Right-To-Know Act
Endangered Species Act (ESA)
Energy Independence & Security Act
Energy Policy Act
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA, FDCA, or FD&C)
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
Federal Water Pollution Control Act
Fish and Wildlife Act
Food Quality Protection Act
General Mining Act of 1872
Hardrock Mining & Reclamation Act
Healthy Forests Initiative (HFI)
Helsinki Convention
Kyoto Protocol
Lacey Act (1900)
Law of the Sea Convention (UNCLOS)
Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA)
Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA)
Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act
Montreal Protocol
National Energy Act
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
National Park Act
National Wildlife Refuge System Act
Noise Control Act
Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA)
Occupational Safety & Health Act (OSHA)
Ocean Dumping Ban Act
Oil Pollution Act (OPA)
Oil Spill Prevention & Liability Act
Pollution Prevention Act (PPA)
Refuse Act
Resource Conservation & Recovery Act (RCRA)
Safe Drinking Water Act
Soil & Water Conservation Act
Solid Waste Disposal Act
Surface Mining Control & Reclamation Act (SMCRA)
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
Wilderness Act
Section 3: Required Summer Reading Assignment
There is a document in Google Classroom, go to it ASAP! The sooner you go the better choice of a book you get!
Section 4: Current Events (20 points)
1. Find two articles that have been published this year 2016 (from January-August).
2. Each article should be about a different environmental issue. Examples: chemical contamination, climate change, pollution, deforestation, overpopulation, endangered species, invasive species, pesticides, habitat destruction
3. Include a hard copy of each article (either printed out, photocopied, or cut out) OR include the hyperlink to the URL if you found it online.
4. Sources can include scientific publications, journals, newspapers like the NY Times, National Geographic, The Wall Street Journal (aim high- the more scholarly the better). Online news papers or journals or .gov, .edu or .org sites are okay too.
5. Include a Works Cited at the end of your reflections (APA style).
For each article please address the following criteria in at least 1/2 page single-spaced per article.
· Summarize the content of the article in your own words. Focus on the following questions:
1. What is the problem?
2. When did it begin?
3. Do we know who are the responsible parties? If so, who is it? How severe is the environmental impact?
· Reflect on or write your personal reaction to the article. Focus on the following questions:
1. What are your thoughts on the issue?
2. How does it compare to information you have heard or read before?
3. Does it support/refute what you know or thought you knew?
4. What other information would be helpful for you to better understand the environmental impacts?
5. Are there words/concepts you don’t understand?
6. Do you know who to trust in regards to “the facts” presented?
Section 5: Math Practice (Woot woot!)
No calculators are allowed on the AP Environmental Exam. As crazy as this sounds, it is TRUE! This means that you need to be able to do the math required for this course using only paper and pencil. This part of the summer assignment is designed to get you in gear for what is ahead. By reviewing the math skills needed for APES, you will be well on your way to a successful year. The AP Environmental Science Math Prep assignment will go over these math concepts with you then give you the opportunity to practice some problems on your own.
· 2 documents are needed to complete this assignment: AP Environmental Summer Math Assignment—this document will come in handy for you throughout the year to keep your math skills at the ready, and the AP Environmental Math Answer Sheet.
· Use the Primer to review and go over the concepts and then use the Answer Sheet to work out the practice problems at the end of each section of the Primer.
· All work for this assignment must be done neatly in PENCIL and in your own handwriting.
· This completed assignment will be due on the first day of class.
Section 6: Chemistry Review
Chemistry is a big part of environmental science. Chemistry is a prerequisite before registering for the course. In order to review some of the basic chemistry concepts, you will need to complete the following on a clean sheet of paper. This may be typed or handwritten.
· For each of the following, write out the chemical name that goes with the symbol.
CO2 / CO / C6H12O6 / CH4 / H2N2 / NO2 / NO3 / NH3 / NH4
O2 / O3 / P / PO43- / S
SO2 / SO3 / H2SO4 / NaCl / Pb
U / Rn / Hg / Cl / H2O
Write at least a paragraph that explains the following:
· What is the pH scale? What does it measure?
· How do the numbers on the pH scale compare? Example – is a pH of 4 twice as strong as a pH of 2? Hint – the pH scale is not linear!
· What are the average pH ratings of the following common substances in the environment?
1. Blood
2. Rain
3. Freshwater (lake or river)
4. Ocean water
Section 7: Stewards of Nature Walk
Visit a natural area, go for a walk, sit in your backyard, go to a park or the beach or anywhere outside (get the point?) and make some observations!
· Record the date, time, duration, and location of your outing.
· Record observations on the following things:
o Flora (plants)
o Fauna (animals, fungi, etc.)
o Geology (rocks, soil, etc.)
o Weather (today)/Climate (throughout the seasons)
You don’t need to know specific species names for all of the plants and animals and types of rocks and soil that you see, but describe them. What color are they? How big are they? What are they doing? How are they interacting with each other, with other types of organisms? This part of the assignment can just be a running list of things you see, can use bullet points, and doesn’t need to be in complete sentences. You can also include selfies of what you see if you are so inclined! Yessssssss selfies!
Now write a paragraph (complete sentences, etc.) reflecting on the following questions:
· What did you encounter?
· What questions did you wonder as you observed everything?
· How much and what kinds of human impacts did you notice in that area?
· How did you enjoy the activity?
APES Summer Math Assignment 2016-17
On the AP Environmental Science exam, you will be required to use basic math skills without the use of a calculator. Sounds crazy, right? It may be crazy, but it’s also TRUE. So as you work through this packet, do it without the aid of a calculator. It will be so hard not to cheat, but believe me, getting dust off of your brain now will save you throughout the year in class because...no calculators allowed in class either.
Basic Math Calculations:
Practice: Remember to show all your work, include units if given, and NO CALCULATORS! All work and answers go on your answer sheet. Complete the following mathematical functions. You must show ALL work!
1. 10023 + 562 =
2. 567.23 + 765.231 =
3. 987–342=
4. 5048 – 3799 =
5. 45x61=
6. 350x1.5=
7. 550÷2=
8. 426÷4=
9. 3465÷2.2=
Scientific Notation:
Scientific notation is a shorthand way to express large or tiny numbers. Since you will need to do calculations throughout the year WITHOUT A CALCULATOR, we will consider anything over 1000 to be a large number. Writing these numbers in scientific notation will help you do your calculations much quicker and easier and will help prevent mistakes in conversions from one unit to another. Like the metric system, scientific notation is based on factors of 10. A large number written in scientific notation looks like this:
1.23 x 1011
The number before the x (1.23) is called the coefficient. The coefficient must be greater than 1 and less than 10. The number after the x is the base number and is always 10. The number in superscript (11) is the exponent.
Writing Numbers in Scientific Notation
To write a large number in scientific notation, put a decimal after the first digit. Count the number of digits after the decimal you just wrote in. This will be the exponent. Drop any zeros so that the coefficient contains as few digits as possible.
Example: 123,000,000,000
Step 1: Place a decimal after the first digit. 1.23000000000
Step 2: Count the digits after the decimal...there are 11.
Step 3: Drop the zeros and write in the exponent. 1.23 x 1011
Writing tiny numbers in scientific notation is similar. The only difference is the decimal is moved to the left and the exponent is a negative. A tiny number written in scientific notation looks like this:
4.26 x 10-8
To write a tiny number in scientific notation, move the decimal after the first digit that is not a zero. Count the number of digits before the decimal you just wrote in. This will be the exponent as a negative. Drop any zeros before or after the decimal.
Example: .0000000426
Step 1: 00000004.26
Step 2: Count the digits before the decimal...there are 8.
Step 3: Drop the zeros and write in the exponent as a negative. 4.26 x 10-8
Practice: Remember to show all your work, include units if given, and NO CALCULATORS! All work and answers go on your answer sheet. Convert the following numbers into scientific notation or from scientific notation to regular notation.
10. 16,502
11. 0.0067 =
12. 0.015 =
13. 600 =
14. 3950 =
15. 0.22=
16. 3.46 x 10-5
17. 2.54 x 104
18. 9.1 x 10-2
19. 5.0 x 10-3
20. 9.444 x 102
21. 6.96 x 103
Adding or subtracting numbers using Scientific Notation