Advanced Placement Environmental Science A.P.E.S

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Advanced Placement Environmental ScienceA.P.E.S
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THE GOAL

• The goal of the APES course is to provide
  students with the scientific principles,
  concepts, and methodologies required to
  understand the interrelationships of the natural
  world, to identify and analyze environmental
  problems, both natural and human-made, to
  evaluate the relative risks associated with these
  problems, and to examine alternative solutions
  for resolving and/or preventing them.
  Environmental Science is interdisciplinary it
  embraces a wide variety of topics from different
  areas of study, yet there are several major
  unifying themes that cut across the many topics
  included in the study of environmental science.

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WHAT THE STUDENT NEEDS TO DO TO BE SUCCESSFUL

• Do the assigned reading the textbook is an
  invaluable resource, so to force you to read it,
  there will be a reading quiz every few days. This
  is a college level text and can be difficult to
  read so it is better to keep up with the reading.
  
• Do your homework These are questions in response
  to online articles, videos and practice packets.
• Take notes the more you write things down the
  better chance you have to remember them
• Come to class The number one reason that
  students do poorly in this class is lack of
  attendance. If you are not here you will miss
  important discussions, labs and tests. If you are
  truant you will not be allowed to make these
  things up.
• Refrain from cheating You may think it is
  helping you get ahead, but it is hurting your
  chances of passing the AP exam. Copying someone
  elses work will not help you be successful on
  the course tests.

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LABORATORY and FIELD INVESTIGATIONS

• Laboratory and field investigations are designed
  to complement the lecture portion of the course
  by providing opportunities to learn about the
  environment through firsthand observations, to
  test concepts and principles which have been
  introduced in class, to explore specific issues
  and problems in greater depth, and to gain an
  awareness of the importance of confounding
  variables which exist in the real world.
  Investigations will be diverse and will include
  indoor laboratory activities, outdoor activities,
  as well as field experience outside the confines
  of the campus. The labs are designed to invite
  students to think critically, to observe
  environmental systems, to develop and conduct
  well designed experiments, to utilize appropriate
  techniques and instrumentation, to analyze and
  interpret data, to present data orally and in the
  form of statistical and graphical presentations,
  to apply concepts to the solution of
  environmental problems, to form conclusions and
  to propose further study.

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EXPECTATIONS

• As a student in this advanced course of study you
  are expected to be polite and courteous to those
  around you be prepared for class every day.
  Cheating will not be tolerated and if caught
  cheating on an exam it will be grounds for
  removal from the class. Immature behavior will
  not be tolerated and could be a factor in your
  participation in outdoor investigations and field
  trips. Lastly, to be successful in this course
  your attendance is very important it will be
  very difficult for you make-up laboratory and
  field activities.

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GRADING

• Students will be evaluated through performance on
  chapter exams, announced quizzes on the reading
  assigned as homework, laboratory investigations
  and lab reports, homework, group projects, and
  writing assignments. Letter grades will be
  determined by the traditional scale of 100-90A,
  89-80B, 79-70C, 69-60D and 59 and below is an
  F. Late work will be accepted up to one day after
  the due date, but will only receive half credit.
  If there is a verified absence the work will be
  due on the day of return unless prior
  arrangements have been made. It is the
  responsibility of the student to get all make-up
  work upon return.

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HOW TO CONTACT MR. DALE (Parent/teacher
communication)

• To speak with me directly, call 331-8802. I will
  be available during my planning which is 4th
  period.
• The easiest way to stay in contact with me is
  through e-mail. My address is Jeremy.dale_at_bardstow
  n.kyschools.us

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Topic Break Down

• I. Earth Systems and Resources (1015)
• II. The Living World (1015)
• III. Population (1015)
• IV. Land and Water Use (1015)
• V. Energy Resources and Consumption (1015)
• VI. Pollution (2530)
• VII. Global Change (1015)

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I. Earth Systems and Resources (1015)

• A. Earth Science Concepts
• (Geologic time scale plate tectonics,
  earthquakes, volcanism seasons
• Solar intensity and latitude)
• B. The Atmosphere
• (Composition structure weather and climate
  atmospheric circulation and
• the Coriolis Effect atmosphereocean
  interactions ENSO)
• C. Global Water Resources and Use
• (Freshwater/saltwater ocean circulation
  agricultural, industrial, and domestic
• use surface and groundwater issues global
  problems conservation)
• D. Soil and Soil Dynamics
• (Rock cycle formation composition physical and
  chemical properties main
• soil types erosion and other soil problems soil
  conservation)

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II. The Living World (1015)

• A. Ecosystem Structure
• (Biological populations and communities
  ecological niches interactions
• among species keystone species species
  diversity and edge effects major
• terrestrial and aquatic biomes)
• B. Energy Flow
• (Photosynthesis and cellular respiration food
  webs and trophic levels
• ecological pyramids)
• C. Ecosystem Diversity
• (Biodiversity natural selection evolution
  ecosystem services)
• D. Natural Ecosystem Change
• (Climate shifts species movement ecological
  succession)
• E. Natural Biogeochemical Cycles
• (Carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, water,
  conservation of matter)

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III. Population (1015)

• A. Population Biology Concepts
• (Population ecology carrying capacity
  reproductive strategies survivorship)
• B. Human Population
• 1. Human population dynamics
• (Historical population sizes distribution
  fertility rates growth rates and
• doubling times demographic transition
  age-structure diagrams)
• 2. Population size
• (Strategies for sustainability case studies
  national policies)
• 3. Impacts of population growth
• (Hunger disease economic effects resource use
  habitat destruction)

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IV. Land and Water Use (1015)

• A. Agriculture
• 1. Feeding a growing population
• (Human nutritional requirements types of
  agriculture Green Revolution
• genetic engineering and crop production
  deforestation irrigation
• sustainable agriculture)
• 2. Controlling pests
• (Types of pesticides costs and benefits of
  pesticide use integrated pest
• management relevant laws)
• B. Forestry
• (Tree plantations old growth forests forest
  fires forest management
• national forests)
• C. Rangelands
• (Overgrazing deforestation desertification
  rangeland management federal
• rangelands)

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• D. Other Land Use
• 1. Urban land development
• (Planned development suburban sprawl
  urbanization)
• 2. Transportation infrastructure
• (Federal highway system canals and channels
  roadless areas ecosystem
• impacts)
• 3. Public and federal lands
• (Management wilderness areas national parks
  wildlife refuges forests
• wetlands)
• 4. Land conservation options
• (Preservation remediation mitigation
  restoration)
• 5. Sustainable land-use strategies
• E. Mining
• (Mineral formation extraction global reserves
  relevant laws and treaties)
• F. Fishing
• (Fishing techniques overfishing aquaculture
  relevant laws and treaties)
• G. Global Economics
• (Globalization World Bank Tragedy of the
  Commons relevant laws and
• treaties)

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V. Energy Resources and Consumption (1015)

• A. Energy Concepts
• (Energy forms power units conversions Laws of
  Thermodynamics)
• B. Energy Consumption
• 1. History
• (Industrial Revolution exponential growth
  energy crisis)
• 2. Present global energy use
• 3. Future energy needs
• C. Fossil Fuel Resources and Use
• (Formation of coal, oil, and natural gas
  extraction/purification methods
• world reserves and global demand synfuels
  environmental advantages/
• disadvantages of sources)
• D. Nuclear Energy
• (Nuclear fission process nuclear fuel
  electricity production nuclear reactor
• types environmental advantages/disadvantages
  safety issues radiation and
• human health radioactive wastes nuclear fusion)
• E. Hydroelectric Power
• (Dams flood control salmon silting other
  impacts)
• F. Energy Conservation
• (Energy efficiency CAFE standards hybrid
  electric vehicles mass transit)

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VI. Pollution (2530)

• A. Pollution Types
• 1. Air pollution
• (Sourcesprimary and secondary major air
  pollutants measurement
• units smog acid depositioncauses and effects
  heat islands and
• temperature inversions indoor air pollution
  remediation and reduction
• strategies Clean Air Act and other relevant
  laws)
• 2. Noise pollution
• (Sources effects control measures)
• 3. Water pollution
• (Types sources, causes, and effects cultural
  eutrophication groundwater
• pollution maintaining water quality water
  purification sewage
• treatment/septic systems Clean Water Act and
  other relevant laws)
• 4. Solid waste
• (Types disposal reduction)

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• B. Impacts on the Environment and Human Health
• 1. Hazards to human health
• (Environmental risk analysis acute and chronic
  effects dose-response
• relationships air pollutants smoking and other
  risks)
• 2. Hazardous chemicals in the environment
• (Types of hazardous waste treatment/disposal of
  hazardous waste
• cleanup of contaminated sites biomagnification
  relevant laws)
• C. Economic Impacts
• (Cost-benefit analysis externalities marginal
  costs sustainability)

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VII. Global Change (1015)

• (Formation of stratospheric ozone ultraviolet
  radiation causes of ozone
• depletion effects of ozone depletion strategies
  for reducing ozone
• depletion relevant laws and treaties)
• B. Global Warming
• (Greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect
  impacts and consequences of
• global warming reducing climate change relevant
  laws and treaties)
• C. Loss of Biodiversity
• 1. _Habitat loss overuse pollution introduced
  species endangered and
• extinct species
• 2. Maintenance through conservation
• 3. Relevant laws and treaties

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VII. Global Change (1015)

• (Formation of stratospheric ozone ultraviolet
  radiation causes of ozone
• depletion effects of ozone depletion strategies
  for reducing ozone
• depletion relevant laws and treaties)
• B. Global Warming
• (Greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect
  impacts and consequences of
• global warming reducing climate change relevant
  laws and treaties)
• C. Loss of Biodiversity
• 1. _Habitat loss overuse pollution introduced
  species endangered and
• extinct species
• 2. Maintenance through conservation
• 3. Relevant laws and treaties

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Summary

• I. Earth Systems and Resources (1015)
• II. The Living World (1015)
• III. Population (1015)
• IV. Land and Water Use (1015)
• V. Energy Resources and Consumption (1015)
• VI. Pollution (2530)
• VII. Global Change (1015)