AP Environmental Syllabus & Pacing Chart

Submitted by Fred Shubert, Pendleton School

[fshubert@pendletonschool.org]

 

The following information is from: AP Environmental Science Teacher’s Guide.  

Copyright 2003 by the College Entrance Examination Board.  Reprinted with

permission.  All rights reserved.

 

THE COURSE

 

The AP Environmental Science course is designed to be the equivalent of a

one-semester, introductory college course in environmental science.  The goal of

the AP Environmental Science 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 or

preventing them.  The following themes provide a foundation for the structure of

the AP Environmental Science course.

 

1.  Science is a process.

. Science is a method of learning more about the world.

. Science constantly changes the way we understand the world.

 

2.  Energy conversions underlie all ecological processes.

. Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it must come from somewhere.

. As energy flows through systems, at each step more of it becomes unusable.

 

3.  The Earth itself is one interconnected system.

. Natural systems change over time and space.

. Biogeochemical systems vary in ability to recover from disturbances.

 

4. Humans alter natural systems.

. Humans have had an impact on the environment for millions of years.

. Technology and population growth have enabled humans to increase both the rate

and scale of their impact on the environment.

 

5.  Environmental problems have a cultural and social context.

. Understanding the role of cultural, social, and economic factors is vital to

the development of solutions.

 

6. Human survival depends on developing practices that will achieve sustainable

systems.    

. A suitable combination of conservation and development is required.

. Management of common resources is essential.

 

LABORATORY AND FIELD INVESTIGATION

 

The laboratory and field investigation component of the AP Environmental Science

course will challenge the students’ abilities to:

 

. critically observe environmental systems

. develop and conduct well-designed experiments

. utilize appropriate techniques and instrumentation

. analyze & interpret data, including appropriate statistical & graphical

presentations

 

. think analytically and apply concepts to the solutions of environmental

problems

. make conclusions and evaluate their quality and validity

. propose further questions for study

. communicate accurately and meaningfully about observations and conclusions

. present results of experiment to class as a group

All lab experiments will start at the beginning of each new Part and will be presented to the group.

 

Field Trips:

Florida Power and Light – Energy Resources.  Date: TBD

Manatee County Water Reclamation – Date: TBD

Myakka River State Park – Canopy Trail – Biodiversity - Date: TBD

Coquina Beach – Water Pollution – Date: TBD

Mote Marine – Red Tide – Date: TBD

THE EXAM

 

The AP Environmental Science Exam is two periods long ( 2 hrs. 40 min.) and is divided equally in time between a multiple-choice section and a free-response section. 

The multiple-choice section, which constitutes 60 percent of the final grade,

consists of 100 multiple-choice questions that are designed to cover the breadth

of the students’ knowledge and understanding of environmental science. 

Thought-provoking problems and questions based on fundamental ideas from

environmental science are included along with questions based on the recall of

basic facts and major concepts.  The number of multiple-choice questions taken

from each major topic is reflected in the percentage of the course as designated

in the topic outline. This will require one full period so be on time.

 

The free response section emphasizes the application of principles in greater

depth.  In this section, students must organize answers to broad questions,

thereby demonstrating reasoning and analytical skills, as well as the ability to

synthesize material from several sources into cogent and coherent essays.  Four

free-response questions are included in this section, which constitutes 40

percent of the final grade: 1 data-set question, 1 document-based question, and

2 synthesis and evaluation questions. Again this requires one full period, so be on time.

 

The use of calculators is not allowed on either section of the exam.

 

                             ==============

 

A-B Schedule:

Class meets Monday and Wednesday, one period each day, and Friday on alternating weeks.

Class meets Tuesday, Thursday, one period each day, and Friday on alternating weeks.

Class size – 10-15 students

 

Primary Textbook: Richard T. Wright.  Environmental Science: Toward a Sustainable Future 10^th. Ed.; Prentice Hall

Laboratory Investigations: Wm. Molnar AP Environmental Science (2005) Peoples Education , Saddle Brook, NJ

Supplementary:

Lab UCCP Virtual Lab http://www.ucopenaccess.org/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Class Grade Calculation:

 

            30%     Tests

            20        Labs

            10        Activities/Projects

            10        Quizzes

            10        Homework

            20        Participation

 

Expect weekly quizzes, both announced and unannounced.

 

Since the use of calculators is not permitted on the AP Exam, it is also not

permitted on class quizzes and tests.  You may use calculators for lab reports.

 

Extra help:  Tuesday, Room 135, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

COURSE OUTLINE Semester One and two

Chapters 1-11 will cover Earth Science Concepts by studying the interactions of the population with the individual ecosystems (biomes) that have evolved through the history of our planet (Population in this sense includes all life that inhabit this planet). This will include the travels of life forms throughout the world and how plate tectonics have changed the oceans and rivers in the world itself and how it continues to change each day.

At the same time, we will study how man has used or misused land to improve the food supply to the population of the world and has affected the world’s water supply as well as its oceans with the run off from the immense farms in each country.

Chapters 12-23 will study the use of non-renewable energy sources and what humankind must do to prepare for the eventuality of running out of these resources. How is man preparing for renewable resources and is it sufficient to supply the whole world? How is man changing the way we are destroying these non-renewable resources? The greatest of these is our atmosphere for without it, mankind can not survive.     

 August 25 :

Chapter 1

Introduction: Toward a sustainable future

(Chapter 1- Section 1.1-1.4)

 Part One

Ecosystems: basic units of the natural world.

Lab UCCP Virtual Lab http://www.ucopenaccess.org/

Earth’s systems-Flow of energy, Atmosphere, Biosphere

To be presented Sept. 25-26

 

Sept. 2:

Chapter 2 Ecosystems: What they are.

Sections 2.1-2.4

 

Sept. 8:

Chapter 3 Ecosystems How they work.

Sections 3.1-3.4

 

Sept. 15:

Chapter 4 Ecosystems: How they change

Sections 4.1-4.4

 

Sept. 22:

Chapter 4 Ecosystems

Finish Chapter 4 Review )

 

Sept. 25:

Group Presentations Begin Sept.25^th –26^th.

 

Sept. 29-30

Test 1 Ecosystems 1hr. 20 min.

Multiple choice

 

Oct. 1 

Chapter 5 Human Population

Lab UCCP Virtual Lab http://www.ucopenaccess.org/

Human Population - History and Global Distribution; Cultural and Economic Influences

Group Presentations begin Oct. 13-14

 

 

Part Two

Molnar: World Population Growth-quantitative Lab 19

Dynamics of population growth and its causes

Sections 5.1-5.4

 

Oct. 6:

Chapter 6 Population and its development

Sections 6.1-6.4

Molnar: Doubling Time in Exponential growth Lab 20

 

Oct. 13 – 14th: Group presentations

 

Oct. 15-16

TEST

QUARTERLY EXAM

 

Oct. 20^.

Chapter 7 Renewable Resources

Part Three 

Human use of Water and its Hydrological cycle

Sections 7.1-7.4

Molnar: National and Local Water Use Lab. 11

 

Oct. 27:

Chapter 8 Foundations for Land Ecosystems

Sections 8.1-8.3

Lab UCCP Virtual Lab http://www.ucopenaccess.org/

Unit 3: Natural Resources

Water :Simulation Lab

Biological:Simulation Lab

Land:Standard Lab

 

TEST Nov. 5-6.

Multiple Choice

 

 

Nov. 7:

Chapter 9 Production and distribution of Food

Sections 9.1-9.4

Molnar: Eating at Lower Trophic Level

 

Nov. 17:

Chapter 10 Wild species and Biodiversity

Sections 10.1-10.4

Molnar: Predator-Prey Simulation Lab.

 

Nov. 24:

Chapter 11 Ecosystem Capital

Sections 11.1-11.4

 

Dec. 4:

Ecosystem capital: Sections 11.1-11.2

 

 

 

 

 

Dec. 15:

Biomes and ecosystems under pressure:

Sections 11.3-11.4

Group presentations

Lab UCCP Virtual Lab http://www.ucopenaccess.org/

Unit 2: Human Population Dynamics

History and Global Distribution

Simulation Lab

Carrying Capacity

Simulation Lab

 

Jan. 5–6

Review

 

Jan. 7-9

MID TERM EXAM

 

 

 

 

 

COURSE OUTLINE Semester Two

 

Jan. 12: Chapter 12

Group presentations

Lab UCCP Virtual Lab http://www.ucopenaccess.org/

Group Presentations Feb. 4-5

Part 4 Energy – Fossil Fuels

Nonrenewable energy

Sections 12.1-12.4

 

Jan. 19: Chapter 13

Energy – Nuclear Power

Sections 13.1-13.5

 

Jan. 26: Chapter 14

Renewable Energy

Sections 14.1-14.5

Lab UCCP Virtual Lab http://www.ucopenaccess.org/

Unit 3: Natural Resources

Non-renewable

Standard Lab

Renewable

Standard Lab

Molnar: Energy and recycling Lab 8.

 

Feb. 4-5:

Group Presentations-Energy

Lab UCCP Virtual Lab http://www.ucopenaccess.org/

Flow of Energy

Simulation Lab

The Atmosphere

Simulation Lab

The Biosphere

Simulation Lab

 

 

 

TEST Feb. 9-10

 

 

 

Feb. 11: Chapter 15

Part 5 – Pollution and Prevention

Group presentations Mar 25-26

 

Environmental Hazards and Human health

Sections 15.1-15.3

 

Feb. 23: Chapter 16

Pest and Pest Control

Sections 16.1-16.5

 

TEST Mar. 4-5

QUARTERLY EXAM

 

 

Mar. 6: Chapter 17

Water Pollution and its Prevention

Sections 17.1 - 17.4

Molnar: Acid Rain Lab. 28

 

Mar. 16: Chapter 18

Municipal Solid Waste

Disposal and Recovery

Sections 18.1-18.3

Molnar: Solid Waste Collection Lab 30

 

Mar. 23: Chapter 19 

Hazardous Chemicals

Pollution and Prevention

Sections 19-1 – 19.4

Molnar: Auto and Truck Tires and the Environment Lab 31

 

Mar. 25-26

Group Presentations-Pollution

Group presentations

Lab UCCP Virtual Lab http://www.ucopenaccess.org/

 

Air, Water, and Soil

Simulation Lab

Human Health

Simulation Lab

 

Mar. 30: Chapter 20

The Atmosphere: Climate, Climate Change, and

Ozone Depletion.

Sections 20.1-20.5

Molnar: Global Climate Change Lab 33

 

Spring Break April 6 - 17

 

 

 

Apr. 20: Chapter 21

Atmospheric Pollution

Sections 21.1-21.5

Molnar: CO₂ Emissions from Fossil-Fuel Burning Lab 24

May 4: Part Six

Toward a Sustainable Future

Economics, Public Policy, and the Environment

Chapter 22

Sections 22.1-22.5

 

Group Presentations-Economics

Group presentations

Lab UCCP Virtual Lab http://www.ucopenaccess.org/

 

 

Economic Forces

Simulation Lab

 

 

TEST

 

 

May 7:

 

May 14:

AP Exam Review

 

May 15:

AP Exam