AP Environmental Science
Mrs. Jarrett Room 6-214
srjarret@volusia.k12.fl.us
Available: Tuesday and Thursday 2:45-3:30
Monday, Wednesday and Lunch with prior
notice
Textbook:
Cunningham, William and Mary Cunningham. Environmental Science: A Global Concern. New York, NY:
McGraw-Hill.
Other resources from the web, videos, newspapers, journals, and magazines will be used throughout
the year.
Course Description:
The goal of AP Environmental Science is to provide students with the science principles, concepts, and
methodologies required to understand the interrelationships to the natural world, to identify and
analyze environmental problems both natural and man-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated
with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving or preventing them.
AP Environmental Science is a college level, interdisciplinary course; 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. 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 about the world.
 Science constantly changes the way we understand the world.
2. Energy conversions underlie all ecological processes.
 Energy cannot be created; 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.
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Assessment:
Students will be assessed using a variety of methods, including quizzes, unit tests, Free Response
Questions (FRQs), lab write ups (group and individual), presentations, article analysis, case studies,
projects and textbook work. In addition, students will perform three hours of environmentally related
community service and prepare a reflection on the experience that includes photographs (Due May 1st).
Standing homework assignment is to read current unit content in textbook, review notes and other
information given to you nightly, and create flashcards (three sets to include vocabulary, important
people, and laws).
Quarter 1 and 3
Tests/Projects/ FRQs
Labs/Quizzes
Daily Assignments
80%
10%
10%
Possible points earned:
Tests 100 points
Sem Exam
TBD
Projects 100 points
FRQs
10 points
Labs
100 points
Quizzes
varies
Quarter 2 and 4
Tests/Projects/FRQs
Semester/Practice Exam
Labs/Quizzes
Daily Assignments
60%
20%
10%
10%
Major Projects:
Quarter 1 Due: Friday, Oct 12-Biome Project
Quarter 2 Due: Thursday, Dec 13-PSA
Quarter 3 Due: Friday, March 1-Book Reflection
Quarter 4 Due: Friday, May 24-Fieldtrip journal
Planned (Ongoing) Assignments:
Each student will complete an Article Analysis due at the beginning of each month. An article of
students’ choice on the current topic of study should be used. Article should be no older than five years.
Included in paper: Name, due date, class period, title of article, a written description of the claim,
evidence, and students’ response to article. Typed paper will have 1 inch margins, 12 point font, and 1.5
spacing with article attached in back.
Due Dates:
Sept. 4: Unit 1
Oct. 1: Unit 2
Nov. 5: Unit 3
Dec. 3: Unit 4
Feb. 4: Unit 5
Mar. 4: Unit 6
Apr. 1: Unit 7
Earth Systems and Resources
The Living World
Population
Land and Water Use
Energy Resources and Consumption
Pollution
Global Change
Late Work:
Late work will be accepted up to five days late with a 10% reduction each day up to five days.
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Absences:
If you are absent for a test you are expected to take a short answer version the day you are back. Daily
assignments will be accepted the day you return without penalty. Projects, labs and assignments given
in advance will be expected to be turned in on due date. Prior arrangements should be made to turn
these in early if you know you will be out or turn in using email or edmodo. If not turned in on due date
a 10% reduction each day will be assessed up to five days.
Field Investigations:
Lab and field work is an important component of AP Environmental Science. A variety of investigations
will be completed throughout the year both on and off campus. It is important that students are
present and participate in these opportunities. Students will attend all three locations on one of the
days scheduled:
Rose Bay (Salt Marsh) - Monday, December 10 or Friday, December 14
Bicentennial Youth Park (Forest) - Friday, February 15 or Tuesday, February 26
Lyonia Preserve (Scrub) - Monday, April 15 or Tuesday, April 23
Additional trips may include: Utilities Commission Water and Water Treatment Plant, Volusia County
Landfill, an organic farming operation, and/or Smyrna Dunes Park.
Field investigations will include testing soil and water samples, random sampling using quadrats and
transects, collecting tree data (height and dbh), using seine and kick nets, secci disks, sieves, core
samplers, plankton nets, and keys for collection and identification of biological specimens.
Technology:
Some technology that will be used in class includes iPads, CPS Clickers, lab sensors with handheld data
collectors and computers. You will be expected to learn how to use these along with certain websites
(ex. Edmodo) and software (ex. Excel). Much of your projects and other work will be expected to be
done using a computer. If you have regular access to a computer and the internet, that will be helpful
to you. If you don’t, please let me know and plan your time accordingly in order to use the media
center, classroom, or public library computers.
Notebook:
You will be expected to keep a notebook for the year. Staying organized is the first step to
keeping up with your work, learning the content, and ultimately doing well in the class. A
three-ring binder (at least 1.5-2inch) with 7 dividers is required. Each divider represents a unit.
Your syllabus and any general resources and tips will go in front. Within each unit papers will
be placed in order by date with a table of contents in the front of each unit.
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Course Outline: Subject to change
Unit 1
Earth
Systems
Resources
4 weeks
Unit 2
The Living World
5 weeks
Unit 3
Population
4 weeks
Concepts
and
 Introduction to Environmental Science
 Scientific Process
 Earth Science (geologic time, plate tectonics,
earthquakes, volcanism, seasons)
 Atmospheric composition, structure, weather
and climate, circulation and ocean interactions
 Soil Dynamics (formation, composition,
properties, erosion, and conservation)
Labs/Activities
 Cats of Borneo
 Ecological footprint
 Soil analysis
Videos
 Endangered Planet
 Planet in Peril
 The Blue Planet: Currents
 Plate Tectonics: The Puzzle of the Continents ?
Concepts
 Biological populations and communities,
niches, interactions, and biomes
 Energy flow through trophic levels,
photosynthesis and cellular respiration
 Ecosystem diversity and evolution, succession
species movement
 Biogeochemical cycles (carbon, nitrogen,
phosphorus, water, sulfur)
Labs/Activities
 Biodiversity assessment (insect collection)
 Ecology in a bottle
Videos
 Earth
Concepts
 Population ecology, carrying capacity,
reproductive strategies and survivorship
 Human population dynamics, sizes, impacts of
growth
Labs/Activities
 Parking Lot Diversity
 Duckweed population Lab
 Catch, Tag, Release: Fish population Lab
 M&M Random Sampling Lab
Videos
 World in Balance: Populations
Chapters
1, 2, 14, 15
Chapters
3, 4, 5, 11
Chapters
6, 7
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Unit 4
Land and Water Use
4 weeks
End of Semester
1 week
Unit 5
Energy Resources and
Consumption
4 weeks
Concepts
 Agriculture (Feeding the population, pests)
 Forestry (Tree plantations, old growth forests,
fires, management and national forest
 Rangelands (overgrazing, deforestation,
desertification, management, and federal
rangelands)
 Urban development, Transportation
infrastructure, public and federal lands, land
conservation, sustainable use
 Mining (mineral formation, extraction, global
reserves, law and treaties)
 Fishing (techniques, overfishing, aquaculture,
laws and treaties
 Global Economics (globalization, world bank,
laws and treaties)
Labs/Activities
 Field Investigations at Rose Bay
 Cookie Mining Lab
Videos
 The Lorax
 Tapped
 Food, Inc.
Review Units 1-4
AP Practice Exam
Concepts
 Energy concepts (forms, power, units ,
conversions, laws of thermodynamics)
 Energy Consumption (history, industrial
revolution, exponential growth, crisis, global
energy use, future needs)
 Fossil fuel resources and use (formation,
extraction/purification methods, world
reserves and demand, synfuels, environmental
advantages/disadvantages of sources
 Nuclear energy (nuclear fission process,
nuclear fuel, electricity production, nuclear
reactor types, environmental
advantages/disadvantages, safety and human
health, radioactive wastes, nuclear fusion)
 Hydroelectric Power (dams, flood control,
salmon, silting and other impacts)
 Energy conservation (efficiency, CAFÉ
standards, hybrid electric vehicles, mass transit
 Renewable energy (solar energy, solar
electricity, hydrogen fuel cells, biomass, wind
Chapters
9, 10, 12, 13,
17, 23
Chapters
19, 20
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Unit 6
Pollution
8 weeks
Unit 7
Global Change
3 weeks
Review for AP Exam
2 weeks
energy, ocean waves and tidal energy,
geothermal and environmental
advantages/disadvantages
Labs/Activities
 TBA
Videos
 TBA
Concepts
 Pollution types (air, noise, water, solid waste)
 Impacts on environment and human health
(hazards to human health, hazardous
chemicals in environment, contamination
cleanup, biomagnifications, laws)
 Economic impacts (cost-benefit analysis,
externalities, marginal costs, sustainability)
Labs/Activities
 Lichen Lab
 Groundwater contamination on well sites
 LD50 on daphnia
 Field Investigations at Bicentennial Youth Park
Videos
 TBA
Concepts
 Stratospheric ozone (formation, ultraviolet
radiation, causes and effects of ozone
depletion, strategies for reducing ozone
depletion, laws and treaties)
 Global warming (Greenhouse gases and the
greenhouse effect, impacts and consequences
of global warming, reducing climate change,
laws and treaties)
 Loss of biodiversity (habitat loss, overuse,
pollution, introduced species, endangered and
extinct species, maintenance through
conservation. Laws and treaties)
Labs/Activities
 Field Investigations at Lyonia Preserve
Videos
 Cool It
 An Inconvenient Truth
 Cane Toad
Review Units 5-7
AP Practice Exam
Chapters
8, 16, 18, 21,
23
Chapters
12, 13, 22,
24, 25
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Mrs. Jarrett
AP Environmental Science
PARENTS: Please use Pinnacle to view and keep track of your student’s progress in class. For
help with login and password issues, contact custserv@volusia.k12.fl.us or call
386.734.7190 x20000.
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course of the class.
Student’s signature: _________________________________________ Date: ___________________
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Please tear off and return by Friday, August 24th to Mrs. Jarrett, Room 6-214
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