Advanced Placement Environmental Science (APES)
2015-2016 Syllabus
Instructor: Ms. Deena Dina, Room 406
Email: deenadina@mooreschools.com
Textbook: Living in the Environment, 14th Edition, Tyler Miller & Scott Spoolman 18th (AP
Edition)
Welcome to the APES course!
Advanced Placement Environmental Science is referred to by the acronym APES. 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 constructs, or themes, that cut
across the many topics included in the study of environmental science. The following themes
provide a foundation for the structure of the AP Environmental Science course.
1. Science is a process
a. Science is a method of learning more about the world.
b. Science constantly changes the way we understand the world.
2. Energy conversions underlie all ecological processes.
a. Energy cannot be created; it must come from somewhere.
b. As energy flows through systems, at each step more of it becomes unusable.
3. The Earth itself is one interconnected system.
a. Natural systems change over time and space.
b. Biogeochemical systems vary in ability to recover from disturbances.
4. Humans alter natural systems.
a. Humans have had an impact on the environment for millions of years.
b. 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.
a. 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. A suitable combination of conservation and development is required.
b. Management of common resources is essential.
About the APES exam:
The 2016 APES exam will be given in May. The exam is three hours in length and
consists of two parts: a multiple–choice selection comprised of 100 questions and forming
60% of the grade, and a free-response section comprised of four questions and forming 40%
of the grade. The number of multiple-choice questions taken from each major topic area is
reflected in the percentage of the course as designated in the outline of topics.
The free-response section emphasizes the application of principles in greater depth;
you will need to organize answers to broad questions, demonstrating reasoning and analytical
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skills, as well as the ability to synthesize material from several sources into cogent and
coherent essays. There are three types of free-response questions; data-analysis, documentbased, and synthesis and evaluation
In addition to the required academic material we will spend a considerable amount of
time discussing the exam, its format, what to expect and preparation. While you are not
required to take the exam, you should be aware that I fully expect each student that completes
my class successfully to be capable of passing the exam with a 3 or better.
APES Topic Outline
The following is an outline of the topics will be covered during this course. The
percentages indicate the approximate emphasis that will be placed on that topic area
both in this course and on the APES exam in May. The sequence of topics is
approximate.
 Earth Systems and Resources (10-15%)
 Earth Science concepts
 The Atmosphere
 Global Water Resources and Use
 Soil and Soil dynamics
 The Living World (10-15%)
 Ecosystem Structure
 Energy Flow
 Ecosystem Diversity
 Natural Ecosystem Change
 Natural Biogeochemical Cycles
 Population (10 – 15%)
 Population Biology
 Human Population
 History, Birth Rate, Death Rate, Demographic Transition, age-structure
diagrams
 Population size and impact of population growth
 Land and Water Use (10 – 15%)
 Food and Agriculture
 Forestry
 Rangelands
 Other Land Use (Urban development, transportation infrastructure, Public and
Federal lands, Land conservation)
 Mining
 Fishing
 Global Economics
 Energy Resources and Consumption (10-15%)
 Energy concepts
 Laws of Thermodynamics, Conversions, Units, Energy Quality
 Energy Consumption: Past, Present, and Future
 Fossil Fuel Resources and use
 Nuclear Energy
 Hydroelectric Power
 Energy conservation
 Renewable Energy
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 Global Change (10-15%)
 Stratospheric Ozone
 Global Warming
 Loss of Biodiversity
 Pollution (25-30%)
 Impacts Human Health and Toxicology
 Pollution types
 Air, Noise, Water, Solid and Toxic waste
 Economic Impacts
APES Policies and Procedures
Materials:
 3-Ring Binders: 1.5-2 inches.
 2 Composition Notebooks
 6 Dividers -one for each of the major topic areas of the notebook.
 Colored Pencils
 Pencils, pens, and notebook paper.
 800 3 x 5 note cards. Students will be using these to develop study guides for testing.
Grading: There are four weighted categories for determining overall grade.
 Semester grades will be determined by a weighted mean as described below.
 Each grading category will have a percentage based on points received divided by
points possible. This percentage is multiplied by the weighted value then all
categories are added.
 A(.35) + B(.15) + C(.35) + D(.15) = Your grade
 (A) Daily Work, Lab Reports, Essays, and Notebook (35%)
 (B)Quizzes (15%)
 Announced quizzes will be given every chapter and will cover vocabulary as well as
have multiple choice questions.
 Pop quizzes will occur frequently and test your knowledge of assigned reading.
 (C) Exams (35%):
 Each exam will cover several chapters and be worth 150 points. They will have
50-65 Multiple Choice Questions (100 points) and one - two free response essay
questions (50 points). All exams will be comprehensive. Approximately 15% of
the multiple choice questions will come from previous chapters.
 (D)Final Exam (15%)
 The final will be comprehensive over all topics covered up to the time of the
exam. It will consist of 100 Multiple Choice Questions and three - four free
response essay questions.
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Late Work:
Late work will only be accepted from students with an excused absence. It is school policy
that unexcused absences are not entitled to make up work. If you are have an excused
absence then you will have two days from the absence to make up the work.
 According to school policy school activity absences must turn work in early or the day
that the student returns.
 Projects assigned at the beginning of the semester will not be accepted later than the
assigned date. If you must be gone, due to illness or school activity, turn your
work in early or have someone turn it in for you. Unavoidable emergencies will
be excused with appropriate documentation. In the case of an emergency the
assignment will be due on the day you return to school. You will not be provided
extra time to complete the assignment.
Notebook Organization: Students should have a notebook dedicated to APES. It is
recommended that it be at least 2 inches. Notebooks will be graded several times during the
semester. They must be organized in a 3-ring binder with labeled dividers. Notebooks that
are not organized will receive zero points. Points will be deducted from notebooks that
are missing material. All papers must be kept for the entire year because we will refer back
to your notebook when we review for the finals and the AP test. All notes, assignments,
quizzes and exams should be organized by chapter and placed in the corresponding unit.
The syllabus and safety contract should be in the front of your notebook. The dividers should
be labeled according to the unit names listed below. Use construction paper to divide
chapters within a unit.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
Humans and Sustainability: An Overview
a. Chapter 1
Science, Ecological Principles and Sustainability
a. Chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8
Sustaining Biodiversity
a. Chapters 9, 10 and 11
Sustaining Natural Resources
a. Chapters 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16
Sustaining Environmental Quality
a. Chapters 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22
Sustaining Human Societies
a. Chapters 23, 24 and 25
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