AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE – 2012/2013
Instructor: Cindy Egan
(925) 552-3723 or clegan@srvhs.org
Junior/Senior Full-year Elective
Prerequisite: Biology, Algebra I
Text: Environment by Peter Raven & Linda Berg (6th edition)
Course Materials:
 Pencil
 Red pen
 2-inch, 3-ring binder with binder paper (can use spiral bound notebook however pages will have
to be removed at end of semester and placed in binder).
This course is designed to be the equivalent of an introductory college-level semester course in
Environmental Science. Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary field of study, and the goal in this
class is to integrate what you know about Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Hydrology, Math, History,
Sociology, etc. to come to an understanding of the natural world and the forces that affect it. This course
incorporates the curriculum recommended by the College Board, and students are required to take the
AP exam offered by the College Board in May.
Independent work is an expectation of this course, and you will be required to master some content
material on your own so that we have more time for laboratory and fieldwork. In addition, you will be
required to do long-term observations outside of class time. Another important part of the course is data
analysis, measurement, statistics, dimensional analysis and other operations that require mathematical
skills.
There are several major unifying themes for this course that cut across the many topics included in the
study of Environmental Science (from the College Board Course Description):
Science is a process.
o
o
Science is a method of learning more about the world.
Science constantly changes the way we understand the world.
Energy conversions underlie all ecological processes.
o
o
Energy cannot be created; it must come from somewhere.
As energy flows through systems, at each step more of it becomes unusable.
The Earth itself is one interconnected system.
o
o
Natural systems change over time and space.
Biogeochemical systems vary in ability to recover from disturbances.
Humans alter natural systems.
o
o
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.
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Environmental problems have a cultural and social context.
o
Understanding the role of cultural, social, and economic factors is vital to the
development of solutions.
Human survival depends on developing practices that will achieve sustainable systems.
1) OUTLINE OF TOPICS
Attached to this document is an outline of major topics, which defines the scope of the course. The order
of topics in the outline is not necessarily the order in which the topics will be addressed, and many of the
topics will be interwoven repeatedly throughout the course.
There are some rules and procedures that you need to be aware of so that we can all work well together.
These rules apply to ALL students. Please read the following carefully:
2) SAFETY AND BEHAVIOR:
During lab activities, you may be learning to use new equipment and working with energy sources. It’s
important that you approach your work seriously. Use equipment only as it is intended to be used. Do not
touch equipment unless we are using it in lab. NEVER HORSE AROUND! At the end of a lab or activity,
I’ll allow time for everyone to clean up equipment, materials, and work area so that the room will be ready
for the next group of students. Please make sure that all is as you found it. NO CELL PHONES, GUM,
FOOD OR DRINKS ARE ALLOWED IN CLASS. Music is also not allowed except following tests. Loss of
participation points (see below) and possible detentions will be issued for failure to follow these rules.
I have three primary rules that I expect everyone to follow. They are:



Respect yourself
Respect others
Respect your environment
You’re expected to treat me and your fellow students with respect at all time. This means never talking
when someone else (teacher or student) is addressing the class, as well as cooperating in group work.
Harassment: District policy states that harassment in or out of the classroom is not to be tolerated.
Harassment based on race, ethnicity, able-bodiedness, sexuality, perceived sexuality, gender, gender
expression, monetary standing, religion or faith-base, or any other factor will be reported to the
administration and dealt with accordingly. This includes slang such as “that’s so gay” or “that’s retarded.”
Both are considered hate speech. "
3 COMMUNICATION:
School loop: I will be using school loop for assignments and grades. The calendar on school loop will
have all the assignments as well as the class activities. I will also maintain a calendar on my website. I
recommend you check both as there are many things that are on the website that are not easily noted on
School Loop.
Website: I will be using my website to post a calendar for the course as well as other course information.
You should check the calendar regularly so that you have reading guides, lab instructions, handouts, and
other class information for class.
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Grades: Grades will be posted electronically. I will have grades posted within one week of you
submission of an assignment or taking a quiz or test.
Email: I will be communicating with you via email on School Loop whenever there is information I need to
send out to the class or to you personally that does not need to be done in person.
4) ATTENDANCE AND DEADLINES:
When the bell rings, I expect you to be in your seat, with all materials necessary for class at hand. This
means your lecture printed out from the calendar or a notebook to take notes in and writing utensil should
be on your desk, not in your backpack. Backpacks will be on the floor. If there is an assignment due or a
quiz, test, or lab to go over, this should be readily available. I don’t wish to spend precious class time for a
materials search. Everything should be at your fingertips. Lateness demonstrates a lack of concern and
respect for me, your fellow students, and your own grasp of the material being studied. Again, you are
considered late if you are not in your seat and ready to be a member of the class when the bell rings.
Being in the classroom but not in your seat does not count - you will be considered late. If you are late on
3 occasions, you’ll receive a lunch detention. Additional lateness will result in a morning-school detention.
A seventh lateness will result in more serious consequences. Lateness’s accumulate throughout the year,
and are not wiped out by the beginning of a new quarter. Cutting of a class will result in a Saturday
detention on the first occasion. Subsequent cutting will result in more serious consequences.
Attendance and grades are strongly correlated, especially in an AP course. The intensive nature and
pace of the course make every instructional day crucial to your performance in the class and on the
exam. Additionally, we work in groups and teams frequently. If one or more members are often absent,
this hurts the performance and learning of the whole group. If you must be absent, discuss it with me in
advance whenever possible. All students must get a planned absence form signed at least a week in
advance.
Assignments are due at the BEGINNING OF CLASS unless I tell you otherwise. If it is not turned in at that
time on the due date, it will be considered late, and your grade will be reduced by 5% for each day late
(whether class meets or not, including weekends and vacation days).
If you’re absent, it is your responsibility to get the assignment and any missed notes from a classmate. It
is also your responsibility to come see me within two days after your return so that I can give you
an appropriate due date for missed material. If you missed a scheduled quiz or test, then you must
make sure that you make up that quiz or test. I will not chase after you to do so, and you will receive a
zero if that quiz or test is not made up within a week of your return to school. If you’re absent on the day
of a test or announced quiz, but have attended all classes covering the material on the test, you’ll be
expected to take the test the day you return to school, unless you have a written note from a parent or
your advisor. If there are extenuating circumstances, it is your responsibility to make sure that I am aware
of them. I'm always willing to work with you if you have a problem.
5) CONFERENCES AND HELP:
Even the most bright and eager students have questions and confusion. Please don’t hesitate to come in
for help. If you need help, stop after class and arrange a time for us to meet, or feel free to drop by room
S3. I can’t emphasize enough how coming to see me when you have a question can clear things up and
make the class easier and more enjoyable. It may be for 5 minutes or for 70 minutes, but taking that
initiative will serve you well in the long run.
You may also contact me in the following ways:
voice-mail
Call 925-552-3723 and leave a voice
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mail message. I check my voice mail
once a week.
clegan@srvhs.org I prefer using email
for most correspondence and will check
my email account frequently.
e-mail
6) GRADING AND EVALUATION:
You’ll be graded, approximately, according to the following schedule:
Grading Policy
100-97 A+ ; 96.99-92 A
91.99-90 A-
Grade Percents:
Homework/projects: approx.35%.
89.99-87 B+; 86.99 – 82 B
79.99-77 C+; 76.99 – 72 C
69.99-67 D+; 66.99 – 62 D
Labs: approx. 20%
Tests/quizzes: approx. 25%
Final: approx. 15%
Participation: approx. 5%
81.99-80 B71.99-70 C61.99-60 D59.99> F
a) Tests – 100 points per unit test.
b) Quizzes - will range from 5-20 points, depending on the difficulty. Difficult concepts will not be included
on quizzes until they have been discussed in class, but I do expect you to learn vocabulary and
straightforward ideas independently when reading your assignments, so you should expect occasional
quizzes on reading assignments at the beginning of class.
c) Labs - You will conduct approximately 10 labs during this course. The majority of the labs will be
formal lab reports. I will give you careful instructions as to the format and point value of these
assignments. Most of the labs will be group projects with a group lab report assigned. If you miss a lab,
you must see me immediately to arrange a make-up or alternative assignment. Even if you miss a lab,
you are responsible for knowing the procedure, results, and conclusions of that
experiment.
d) Homework - If the assignment is reading, it is EXTREMELY important that you read carefully, as you
may be quizzed on your reading, and I will base our class activities on the assumption that you have read
the assignment. You will be given a reading guide for each chapter which will be graded. When written
homework is assigned, it will be checked and graded.
e) Class work - will be graded from time to time, and points awarded will depend on the difficulty of the
task.
f) Projects - Projects will be assigned and will vary in scope. The value of each project will be set
according to the difficulty of the task and the time involved.
g) Class participation - 50 points per SEMESTER. A good grade will be achieved if I see the following:
-Pays attention and is not doing homework or other activities
-Behaves in a manner that promotes learning for all in the class.
-Respects the right of others to speak and answer questions.
-Works in a cooperative manner in groups.
-Helps members of the group to learn.
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Participation points will also be deducted. For example: you can lose the points in the following ways:









Reading other materials or doing other homework during this class: 2 points
Cell phone/texting: 5 points
Talking that disrupts class: 2 points
Eating, gum or drinking in class: 2 points
Not taking notes during lectures: 2 points
Tardy: 2 points and a point per minute after 5 minutes tardy
Cut: 20 points
Dirty lab bench 10 points
Academic dishonesty: loss of credit for assignment with no opportunity to
makeup points (see below).
h) Final exam, fall semester - worth 15% of your fall semester grade.
i) Final exam, spring semester – worth 15% of your spring semester grade. Spring final exam will be
given prior to the AP exam as preparation.
Extra credit assignments will be offered, and primarily involves conducting volunteer activities outside the
classroom.
At the end of the grading period, I add up all the points you could have possibly received, and those you
actually received. I divide the actual points by the possible points to get a percentage, and this will be
your grade.
7) ACADEMIC RESPONSIBILITY/CHEATING POLICY:
Defined as cheating of any kind, including misrepresenting one's own work, copying any or all of your
work from the internet without crediting the website, taking credit for the work of others without crediting
them and without appropriate authorization, and the fabrication of information.
Common examples of academically dishonest behavior include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Cheating - intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials to improve one's grade;
copying from another student's work; copying text from the internet and not citing it with a reference,
submitting same work for an assignment in more than one class without prior permission of both
instructors; representing material prepared by another as one's own work; inappropriate test taking
conduct; violating rules of academic conduct relating to this course. THIS INCLUDES THE USE OF CELL
PHONES DURING ANY QUIZ OR TEST- USE OF A CELL PHONE AT ALL FOR ANY REASON WILL
RESULT IN ZERO POINTS FOR THE QUIZ OR TEST.
2. Fabrication - intentional and unauthorized falsification or invention of any data, information, or citation
in an academic exercise.
3. Plagiarism - intentionally representing the words, ideas, or sequences of ideas of another, as one's
own in any academic exercise; failure to attribute any of the following: quotations, paraphrases, or
borrowed information. This includes material from the internet. Any fact you state in a report must include
a citation of where you got that information.
4. Falsification and forgery - knowingly making a false statement, concealing material information or
forging another's signature.
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5. Facilitating academic dishonesty - intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another to
commit an act of academic dishonesty. This includes emailing your homework to others so that they can
use it. Both the person who did the work and the person that copied will not get credit.
6. Use of cellular phones, text messaging- use of this current technological advance during an exam will
result in a zero test score.
Any of the infractions mentioned in this section will result in a discipline notice to the appropriate assistant
principal. This will be entered on the student's discipline screen. Student will be dropped from a course
with an "F" on the second academic dishonesty violation which takes place in any class during the school
year.
All rules and policies in the San Ramon Valley High School Student Handbook 2007/2008 will apply if not
addressed in this class policy.
8) AP EXAM INFORMATION:
The AP Environmental Science Exam is three hours long and divided into two sections: multiple-choice
and free-response. The exam will be given on May 6, 2013, and every student in the course is strongly
encouraged to take it. If you chose not to take the AP exam, you will be assigned a 10 page research
paper on an environmental topic.
I will be assigning practice questions (both multiple-choice and free-response) throughout the year within
the context of homework, tests, class activities, etc. If you take a conscientious approach to this class,
you will be prepared to take the AP exam. I do not, however, consider the primary goal of this course to
be exam preparation. Much of what we will be doing is designed to give you an appreciation for the
practice of Environmental Science and the natural world.
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Course Policy
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Signature Required – please sign and return
My parents (or guardians) have read the class policy, class syllabus, and academic responsibility policy
for Mrs. Egan’s AP Environmental Science course
Please print clearly.
Parent Name and Signature __________________________________Date ________ (if this sheet is
emailed your typed name serves as an electronic signature)
Parent Email Address: ___________________________ (Please print clearly)
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ATTACHMENT
COURSE OUTLINE OF TOPICS
Following is an outline of major topics, which defines the scope of the course. The order of topics in the
outline is not necessarily the order in which the topics will be addressed, and many of the topics will be
interwoven repeatedly throughout the course.
From the College Board Course Description:
I.
II.
Ecology
A.
Main Components of Ecosystems
1. Biotic
2. Abiotic
B.
Energy Flow
1. Light/Chemical/Heat
2. Photosynthesis and Respiration
3. Producers/Consumers
C.
The Cycling of Matter
1. Carbon
2. Nitrogen
3. Phosphorous
4. Water
D.
The Solid Earth
1. Earth History
2. Earth Dynamics
E.
The Atmosphere
1. Layers of the Atmosphere
2. Weather & Climate
3. Interactions with Geophysical Realm
F.
The Liquid Earth
1. Interactions with the Solid Earth and the Atmosphere
2. Water Types
3. Marine
4. Freshwater
Scientific Analysis
A.
Observations and Hypothesis Development
B.
Collecting Samples and Data
1. Sample and Data Types
2. Use of Transects
3. Grids
4. Compass and Orienteering
5. Map Making and Reading
6. Radiometry
7. Indirect Measurement Collection
C.
Modeling
1. Model Types
D.
Data Interpretation and Presentation
1. Data Compilation
2. Graphing
3. Interpretation
4. Data Presentation
5. Data Management
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III.
IV.
V.
Population Dynamics
A.
General Population Dynamics
1. Exponential Growth
2. J & S Shaped Curves
3. Carrying Capacity
4. Competition Intra- and Extra species
B.
Biosphere
1. Population/Communities/Ecosystems/Biosphere
2. Habitat & Niches
3. Biomes
C.
Human Population
1. Distribution
2. Demographics
3. Resource Utilization
4. Cultural and Economic Influences
D.
Sustainability
Environmental Quality
A.
Water
1. Freshwater
a.
Distribution
b.
Quality
c.
Use
2. Estuarine and Marine
a.
Distribution
b.
Quality
c.
Use
B.
Soil
1. Distribution
2. Use
3. Quality
4. Major Pollutants
5. Regulation
C.
Air
1. Components
2. Major Pollutants
3. Regulation
D.
Solid Waste
1. Municipal and Industrial
2. Reuse and Recycling
3. Regulation
Resources
A.
Definition and Types
1. Definition
2. Types
B.
Water
1. Current Status of Resource
2. As Drinking Water
3. As Ecosystem
C.
D.
Land
1. Current Status of Resource
2. Agricultural
3. Recreational
4. Wilderness
E.
Biodiversity
F.
Mining and Mineral Resources
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VI.
VII.
1. Types
2. Current Status of Resource
3. Strategic Reserves
G.
Forests
1. Current Status of Resource
2. Logging Practices
3. Forest Management
H.
Energy
1. Current Energy Use
2. Types
Environment & Society
A.
Impacts on Humans and the Environment
1. Types of Impacts
2. Toxicology
3. Regulations
4. Compliance
B.
Economic Forces
1. Cost-Benefit Analysis
2. Risk Assessment
3. Decision Analysis
C.
Cultural and Aesthetic Considerations
1. Social Implications
2. Development and Use of commons
D.
Environmental Ethics
E.
Environmental Laws and Regulations
F.
Managing for the Future
1. Conservation
2. Resource Allocation
3. Sustainability and Trade-offs
Environmental Careers
A.
Academic/Research
B.
Government
C.
Industrial & Consulting
D.
Legal
E.
Education and Training Requirements
F.
Job Shadowing and/or Internships
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