COURSE OUTLINE ENVIRONMENTAL LIFE SCIENCE ABIO 106 FALL 2010 Instructor: Office: Office hours: Phone: e-mail: Dr. Michele Harmon SBDG 221 By appointment (803) 641-3607 micheleh@usca.edu Lecture: Credits: Lab: 10:50 am - 12:05 pm, TTh in SBDG 327 4 Sect 001: T 1:40PM- 4:20PM, SBDG 107 (Dr. Harmon) Sect 002: TH 1:40PM- 4:20PM, SBDG 107 (Mr. Reinhart) Required textbooks: 1. Principles of Environmental Science: Inquiry and Applications, 5th Edition, by William P. Cunningham and Mary Ann Cunningham. ISBN-13 9780077270643 Note: This book is available in the bookstore; however, there is a more economical and environmentally-friendly online version that you can purchase through the following website: http://www.coursesmart.com/givecoursesmartatry?xmlid=0077280644&__instructor=1284733 2. Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Environmental Issues, 13th Edition, Expanded, by Thomas A. Easton, ISBN-13 9780073514451 3. Lab Packet: SimBioVirtual Labs available in the Bookstore. Course Objectives: The course will provide students with an understanding and appreciation of the complex interactions between man and the environment. The course will specifically address the importance of natural resources, human population growth, depletion/degradation of the earth’s resources, types of pollution, pollution reduction and prevention, and strategies for sustainability. Methods of Presentation and Evaluation: Information will be presented through lectures along with appropriate visual aids. Traditional exams will be used to evaluate student progress in the class. These exams will include multiple choice, terms/definitions, and short answer. Students should bring a pencil and a long-form Scantron to each exam. There will be several unannounced quizzes and in-class assignments during the semester. Students are expected to have reviewed the material from the previous lecture in preparation. These will be administered during the first 10 minutes of class, and there will be no make-up opportunities for absence or late arrival. However, the lowest quiz grade will be dropped at the end of the semester. The student will be required to complete several written research assignments and participate in an oral debate/presentation on a current environmental topic. Full details will be handed out in class. The final course grade will be based on the following: 3 Lecture exams @ 100 pts. each 1 Final exam @ 200 pts. On-line and in-class quizzes / assignments Election Research Assignment Taking Sides assignment Laboratory quizzes, reports, and participation 300 200 50 50 100 250 950 total pts. available GRADING SCALE: A (90-100%), B (80-89), C (70-79), D (60-69), F (0-59) ATTENDANCE POLICY: The instructor may impose a penalty for absences in excess of 25% of regularly scheduled class meetings (lectures and labs) by assigning an “F” in the course. Absences, neither excused nor unexcused, absolve the student from meeting class assignments. Lecture exam dates are clearly stated in the syllabus, and all students are expected to take the exam at the regularly scheduled time. Make-up lecture exams will be considered only for a documented, excusable reason. If there is an illness or emergency, you are expected to contact the instructor immediately. Be prepared to show documentation (doctor’s excuse, etc.). Failure to contact the instructor within 24 hours will forfeit any chance of making up the test, and the student will be assigned a zero. Attending lecture and taking notes is the sole responsibility of the student. Under no circumstance will the instructor provide copies of lecture notes or slides for students. 1 LABORATORY ATTENDANCE: Because of their nature, laboratory investigations cannot be made up. You are expected to attend every laboratory session and participate for the entire period to get full credit. If you miss a laboratory investigation, you will not be allowed to take any associated quizzes or lab reports. This also applies if you come in late, leave early, or do not participate fully. You cannot write a report on a laboratory investigation that you did not do. Schedule for ABIO 106, Fall 2010 Date Topic Aug. 19 Introduction Aug. 24 Environmental Science and Sustainability Aug. 26 Energy and Ecosystems Aug. 31 Energy and Ecosystems Discuss election assignment Sep. 2 Evolution and Terrestrial Ecosystems Sep. 7 Aquatic Ecosystems Sep. 9 Exam 1 Sep. 14 Species Interaction and Succession Sep. 16 Population Dynamics Sep. 21 Human Populations: Size and Distribution Sep. 23 Urbanization Sep. 28 Water Resources Sep. 30 Energy Oct. 5 Energy Oct. 7 Energy use at USCA Oct. 12 Exam 2 Oct. 14 Fall Break - no class Oct. 19 Food Production, Soil, GM Crops, and Pesticides Oct. 21 Food Production, Soil, GM Crops, and Pesticides Oct. 26 Toxicology and Risk Oct. 28 Biohazards and Infectious Disease Election assignment due Nov. 2 Election Day - no class Nov. 4 Air Pollution Nov. 9 No class today Nov. 11 Climate Change and Ozone Depletion Nov. 16 Climate Change and Ozone Depletion Nov. 18 Exam 3 Nov. 23 Water Pollution Nov. 25 Thanksgiving Holiday Nov. 30 Solid and Hazardous Waste Dec. 2 Restoration Ecology Comprehensive Final Exam: Dec. 7 at 11:00 am Chapter 1 2 2 3, 5 5 3, 5 3 4 14 10 12 12 7 7 8 8 9 9 9 10 13 6 CHANGES: The instructor reserves the right to make changes in the lecture or laboratory schedule, the number of quizzes and exams given, and the content of each exam as deemed necessary. ELECTRONIC DEVICES: Electronic Devices and Classroom Behavior: It is the instructor’s right to remove from the classroom any student who disrupts or disturbs the proceeding of the class. Disruption of the class includes, but is not limited to, the use of any portable electronic devices (cell phones, MP3 players, iPods, etc.) unless prior approval has been given to a student or unless required for the course. In extreme cases, the faculty member can request assistance from University Police. If the student who has been ejected causes similar disturbances in subsequent meetings of the class, he/she may be denied admittance to the class for the remainder of the semester and assigned a grade of F. Therefore, plan to be out of touch and to have your cell phone stored out of sight during lecture and lab time. This includes leaving the room to answer silent rings or using the phone for text messages. COMPUTER USE AND EMAIL: All laboratory sessions will require the use of a computer. You must be able to log on to the USCA computer system in order to accomplish these laboratory exercises. If you do not know how to sign on to the USCA computer system, you should contact the CSD HELP desk as soon as possible. All official email communications, including class announcements, are made to USCA email accounts. Students should check their 2 USCA email account on a regular basis and use this account for communication with the instructor. In order to protect the privacy of the student, the instructor will not reply to emails sent from non-USCA accounts (e.g., Hotmail, Yahoo, etc.). DISABILITY STATEMENT: If you have a physical, psychological, and/or learning disability which might affect your performance in this class, please contact the Office of Disability Services, 126A B&E, (803) 641-3609, as soon as possible. The Disability Services Office will determine appropriate accommodations based on medical documentation. Date Aug. 24 Aug. 31 Sept. 7 Sept. 14 Sept. 21 Sept 28 Oct. 5 Oct. 12 Oct. 19 Oct. 26 Nov. 2 Nov. 9 Nov. 16 Nov. 23 Nov. 30 Laboratory Schedule for BIO 106, Fall 2010 Thursday Labs Tuesday Labs Topic Date Topic Your Ecological Footprint and Discuss Taking Aug. 26 Your Ecological Footprint and Discuss Taking Sides assignment Sides assignment Keystone Predator Exercise and Taking Sides Sept. 2 Keystone Predator Exercise and Taking Sides Issue Issue Selection Selection Keystone Predator Lab Report Sept. 9 Keystone Predator Lab Report Isle Royale Exercise Sept. 16 Isle Royale Exercise *Taking Sides 5-min overviews 1, 2 and 3 *Taking Sides 5-min overviews 1, 2 and 3 Isle Royale Lab Report Sept. 23 Isle Royale Lab Report *Taking Sides 5-min overviews 4, 5 and 6 *Taking Sides 5-min overviews 4, 5 and 6 Pesticide Toxicity Research Sept. 30 Pesticide Toxicity Research *Taking Sides 5-min overviews 7, 8 and 9 *Taking Sides 5-min overviews 7, 8 and 9 Pesticide Toxicity Research Oct. 7 Pesticide Toxicity Research *Taking Sides 5-min overviews 10, 11 & 12 *Taking Sides 5-min overviews 10, 11 and 12 Nutrient Pollution Exercise Oct. 14 Fall Break Local Environmental Issues Oct. 21 Nutrient Pollution Exercise Local Environmental Issues Oct. 28 Local Environmental Issues Election Day Nov. 4 Local Environmental Issues Taking Sides PowerPoint preparation with Nov. 10 Taking Sides PowerPoint preparation with partner partner Oral reports from Taking Sides* Nov. 18 Oral reports from Taking Sides* Thanksgiving Nov. 25 Thanksgiving Oral reports from Taking Sides* Dec. 2 Oral reports from Taking Sides* *Taking Sides reports will be in two parts. First, each pair of students will present the two sides of one of the issues in the first part of lab each week. This will take no more than 5 minutes and then we will have a few minutes for discussion. Student teams will be assigned a date (Nov. 16/18 or Nov. 30/Dec. 2) for a PowerPoint presentation on each side of the issue. This will be followed by a discussion session with the class. All students are expected to attend and participate during BOTH days of presentation. The final portion of this assignment is a one-page summary of the topic from each student. The summary is due during the final lab period. A full description of this assignment will be handed out and discussed during the first lab meeting on November 30 or December 2. 3 ELECTION RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT In November, U.S. citizens will go to the polls to vote for a number of important offices. In South Carolina, these offices include Governor, Lieutenant Governor, one U.S. Senator, and several members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Your assignment is to research the main candidates for each of these four offices and write a brief report on each candidate’s stance on one very important issue: the future of energy. Each candidate has a website that discusses the issues that are important to them. If you do not find direct information on energy, then use the website’s contact information to ask your specific questions via email or telephone. Be sure to keep a record of your attempts to contact the candidates and report this along with the results of your research. There are numerous websites with a list of candidates, but I found http://www.politics1.com/sc.htm to be the most comprehensive list, and it contains links to almost all of the candidates’ websites. The four offices: 1. Governor. There are three main candidates for this office: Nikki Haley, Vincent Sheheen, and Morgan Reeves. 2. Lieutenant Governor. The candidates for this office are Ken Ard and Ashley Cooper. 3. U.S. Senator. There are three main candidates for this office: Jim DeMint, Alvin Greene, and Tom Clements 4. For the U.S. House of Representatives, this gets a little complicated. You will have to determine your congressional district and then find the candidates for that office by going to http://www.govtrack.us/congress/findyourreps.xpd (or a similar website). This allows you to view maps or input your zip code to determine your Congressional district. To see the all of the candidates, go to http://www.politics1.com/sc.htm. Provide a formal summary - in your own words - of where each candidate stands on energy and what they plan to do about it. Beware of plagiarism. You cannot quote directly from the website or from emails. Text taken directly from the writing of others (even if you add quotation marks) will cause you to fail the assignment. Note that this assignment contributes 50 points toward your final grade, so take it seriously and please plan to spend a reasonable amount of time on this. Be sure to turn in a clean copy that is completely free of grammatical errors and typos, because they will cost points. Because these are formal papers, they should NOT be written in first or second person. Hard copies of all summaries are due by the beginning of class on October 28. If you cannot get it in on time, it will cost one letter grade (6 points) for each day after the deadline. 4