Arellano University-Pasig Campus
1st Semester SY 2020-2021
CAS LEARNING CONTENTS’ FORMAT
Subject Code: Nat Sc 3
Subject Title : ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
No. of Units : 3
Semester, School Year: IST SEMESTER, 2020-2021
PRELIMINARY PERIOD
1. Major Topic : Basic Ecology, The Environment
Lesson 1: - Introduction to Basic Environmental Science
A.
Topic : : Characteristics of a natural ecosystems, and the factors that causes changes
in these systems
1. Overview of Lesson 1: It deals with the components of the physical and
biological interactions , properties of natural systems and disruptions on them.
2.Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to:
a. describe the important factors about Environmental Science
b. make comparison on open and closed natural system,
c .relate environmental disruptions and its effects to its inhabitants.
3.Presentation and development of the lesson:
What to know?
The natural environment is complex as it is made up of different variables. As humans,
we unendingly seek to improve our lives through technology and many times failed to restore
nature in its natural state. This leads to environmental problems that affects not only us locally
but the whole world . Environmental Science aims to integrate technology ,sciences ,arts and
management to help us resolve environmental issues. It offers a basic understanding of natural
environment and the way they function . It encompasses all disciplines connected with the
physical, chemical and biological surrounding by which an organism lives.
Life exists because of the presence of resources such as land, air and water. The
environment is the sum total of all the features and conditions surrounding an organism that may
influence it. It is compose of the physical and biological factors. Sunlight, wind systems ,
moisture , soil and the right temperature makes up the physical environment. Biological factors
are plants and animals. The physical and biological component interact together to make up an
ecosystem or a natural ecosystem.
A system is any size or group of interacting parts that forms a complex whole. It is a
collection of related parts that interacts in some organized way. A system maybe open or
closed. A closed system is self contained without any exchange of matter and energy with other
systems. An open system freely exchanges matter and energy with other systems. Natural
systems are open and their existence depends upon effects beyond their borders.
How we respond to the natural system leads to either a positive or negative feedback.
A negative feedback increase an output that leads to a later decrease. It helps a natural
system to become stable. An increase of temperature allows the accelerated formation of clouds..
The cloud cover decreases the temperature on the surroundings and thus regulates the
temperature. A positive feedback increase an output that leads further to a more increase of
output. It drives a change in the natural system. The rise in temperature causes glaciers to melt,
the heat, then bounces back to space and more heat will be in the system.
A natural system maybe disrupted and brings ecological problems. Habitat loss,
extinction, global warming, and more are some of the consequences brought about by these
disruptions.
Some disruptions in the natural system:
1. Wildfire
2. Flooding
3. Volcanic eruption
We must learn how to manage natural systems better. It is usually better to prevent
environmental problems to happen by advance planning rather than to remedy them later.
4. Generalization of the lesson:
Natural systems maybe disrupted yet it is relatively small and temporary, it may return to
its original condition and evidences of disturbance will disappear, as long as man, being the
steward of the earth knows how to make it stable through preservation and conservation .
.__________________________________________________________________
What did you learn from this lesson?
Answer the following questions for further review:
1.How is Environment related to Science?
2.What makes up the environment?
3. How do you define a system? What are the 2 types of system?
4. Compare positive and negative feedback. What are some examples ?
5.What is a natural system? Cite some examples.
6. A natural system can be disrupted and brings ecological problems. Cite examples and
explain how is the system disrupted?
5. Activities:
What to Do
1. Study the table and tell if you have observed the activities listed in your locality.
Ways People Destroy Natural Resources
Activities (1)
When roads are built, mountains are
blown off using dynamite.
Effects on Natural Resources
(2)
Ex: Damage natural habitats
and/or kill plants and animals.
Rice fields are turned into residential
or commercial centers.
People cut too many trees for lumber
or paper or building houses.
More factories are being built to keep
up with the demands of a fast growing
population and industrialization.
Too much mining and quarrying for
the purpose of getting precious metals
and stones and gravel.
Some farmers use to much chemical
fertilizers to replenish soil fertility.
Plastics and others garbage are
burned.
Cars, trucks, and tricycles that emit
dark smoke (smoke belchers) are
allowed to travel.
Ex: Too much fertilizer destroys
the quality of the soil and is
harmful to both human and
animals.
Present Ideas on what can you do to
prevent or reduce the effects of the
activities listed on Column 1
6. Evaluation (quiz)
5-item quiz - Modified True or False
I. Write True if the statement is true and change the underlined word/s if it is
false:
1. In an open system, matter and energy are confined within the system.
2. Melting glaciers that leads to global warming is an example of negative
feedback.
3. A community is a group of individuals of the same kind living in the same area
interbreeding with one another.
4. )The condition of temperature and sunlight is a part of the physical
environment.
5. A mechanism where an increase in output leads to a later decrease is a positive
output.
II. Restricted essay : Is the establishment of a balance of nature ever
possible? Give an example.
7.Assignment:
Answer briefly the following:
a. What happens when changes occur in natural systems? Are these changes
always beneficial to mankind Why?
b. Cite the factors that affects the growth of a population.
References:
http://www.jasonsclassroom.com/science/cc-achieve/chapter-2/lesson-2.4/
https://www.google.com/search?q=input+and+output+in+a+system&rlz=1C1GGRV_enPH757P
H757&source=lnms&tb
https://www.encyclopedia.com/management/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/openand-closed-systems
Introduction to Environmental Science by Dr. Teresita Dijamco- JRU
Lesson 2- Topic: , Man and his Environment
1 .Overview of Lesson 2:
It describes how the size of the population affects natural disruptions and offers
solution on how can the problem be resolved.
2. Learning Outcomes: At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to:
a. identify the factors that affects the growth of the human population,
b. cite the implications of world population growth,
c. compare sustainability and carrying capacity.
3. Presentation and development of the lesson:
What to know?
According to Mahatma Gandhi, the earth has enough for everyone’s need but not for
everyone`s greed. Humans live in the kingdom of nature and interact with it . A change in the
environment may not only have devastating effects but also pose a threat to the human race. The
environment influences the life of humans and humans modify their environment as a result of
their growth, dispersal, activities, death and more. The disruption of the earth`s natural
ecosystem, environmental degradation and pollution, depletion of resources can be minimize
through by taking into account the role of man as a steward of the earth.
What are the factors that can cause changes in the natural systems of the environment?
 Size of human population
 The level of technological development achieved
Basic Lesson on Human Demography
Crude rate- how the human pop growth is expressed in rates per 1000 or in % - rate per 100.
 Crude birth rate-the number of babies added per 1000 of the population
 Crude death rate-the number of dying individual per 100 of the population
 Crude growth rate- -- the difference between crude birth rate and crude death rate
(CGR= CBR- CDR)
 Rate of normal increasemigration..
BIRTH RATE- DEATH RATE, implying annual rate w/o
 Doubling time – number of years for a population to double assuming a constant rate of
natural increase
 Life expectancy- average number of years an individual expect to live.. Filipino- 71.09
years..
• What are the implications of World Population Growth?
•
What is the maximum number of people the earth can sustain?
•
There are 2 factors to be resolved:
 SUSTAINABILITY
It is a concept that is emerging in the environmental sciences. With reference to resources, it
involves management that has the objective of ensuring that future generations will have the
opportunity to use their fair share of resources and will inherit a quality environment.
In an economic sense, the concept means development that will not cause irreparable damage to
the environment while ensuring that future generations will inherit their fair share of all Earth’s
resources.
 CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE EARTH
It is defined as the maximum number of individuals of a species that can be sustained by an
environment without decreasing the capacity of the environment to sustain that same amount in
the future.
Do you have the answers to these questions?
•
How long will the remaining supplies of basic resources lasts?
•
How long can we sustain the rising standard of living in todays industrialized countries
and still provide for the growing needs of developing regions?
4.
Generalization of the lesson:
Whether or not the earth can support 5,8, or 11 B people is uncertain, It depends on
the quality of life, level of technological advancement and other standards that societies
wish to maintain.
5.
Activities:
a. Group activity- Poster making with the theme “ growth and sustainability”
Prepare your own digital poster. .Submit via LMS or G classroom
b. Individuals worksheet- plotting the
graph to solve for doubling time and
logistic growth
T= 70/ annual growth rate in percentage
.. where : T= doubling time
1.How would you describe the graph line?
2.What can you say about the growth rate at first and later ?
3.What is the doubling time for the quantity?
4.What happens to the quantity after each doubling time?
5.Does the human population grow exponentially?
6.
Evaluation (quiz)
I. Multiple choice: Write the letter of the correct answer:
1. The net number added per 1000 individual per year.
A. crude growth rate B. crude death rate C. crude birth rate D. migration
2. It is the management of resources for future generations for them to inherit a
healthy environment. A. carrying capacity B. sustainability C .resource
management
3. If the growth rate of an area is 2.5 % , the doubling time is : A. 28 B. 175 C.
0.035
4. When death rate is greater than birth rate, population growth is ; A. positive B.
negative
5. Which among the ff: is the most populous nation? A. Phil. B .Japan C.
Russia D. India
II . Enumerate the factors that affect the size of a population.
7.Assignment:
What are the programs of the government to limit population growth?
References:
https://www.princeton.edu/~pswpc/pdfs/scheidel/040604.pdf
https://www.academia.edu/3388805/Man_and_his_Environment
Introduction to Environmental Science by Dr Teresita Dijamco- JRU
..First Preliminary examination.
Prepared by:
Ms. Ma Ana B. Castillejos
CAS Faculty/AU Pasig
07/15/2020
VIDEO LINK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlnFylwdYH4--- introduction to ecology
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn41lXKyVWQBIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
env science 011
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE9KTG9PFho&list=PLllVwaZQkS2qK4Z6xBVDRak8an1-kqsgm
intro to envi science
transcript:
videoes for AP Environmental Science, which is the study of the interactions between the
systems of the earth and the human systems. And I remember visiting Shanghai and looking
across the Bund and thinking, Wow. We have so many people on our planet. We are pushing
well beyond 7 billion. That is going to put pressure on the earth. And understanding how
that works is incredibly important. And so in AP Environmental Science we will study
the interactions between the natural systems and the human systems. So we will begin with
the earth itself. And then we will move through living systems. And finally we will get
the populations that make up human systems. The rest of the course will be dedicated to
the interactions between these two worlds. And so we begin with land and water use. Then
energy. Finally pollution and climate change. Now since this is a science course it is incred
important that we study the practices of science, what it is to be an environmental scientist.
And so this is the outline for the course. We will begin with the earth. We will move
through climate change. But we are going to deal with the practices throughout. Now what
is most important to us as humans are the human populations. And so to live within those
boundaries, it is important that we understand the concept of sustainability. What happens
when you out-step those boundaries? Well we could look to Easter Island for an example.
01:21
We used to have a flourishing population there. But what happened was deforestation. They
01:27
put pressure on the island itself and their population dropped off dramatically. And so
01:31
as we study environmental science we will deal with very important figures. But I wanted
01:37
to begin with a very important figure named Rachel Carson. And she really brought us into
01:41
the modern age of environmental science. Her study of DDT and the negative consequences
01:46
of that, which are illustrated in her book Silent Spring, really brought that to the
01:51
forefront of our minds. What are we doing and how are we impacting the environment itself.
01:57
And so this is an environmental science course. And so like any other science course we are
02:01
going to deal with the scientific method. Now sometimes students will confuse that term
02:06
with environmentalism. Now that is going to be a belief system. So we are going to lobby
02:11
officials and try to get laws passed that protect the environment. That is not environmental
02:16
science. Environmental science is looking for that truth of how we can interact with
02:20
the environment. So maybe in the future science will say that DDT is an important tool that
02:25
we could use to fight malaria. Then we have to follow that pathway. And so why is this
02:32
course important? Well when I was young people used to wear t-shirts that said Save Our Planet.
02:37
And it is kind of a funny shirt because the planet, the earth, is going to do fine. It
02:42
is how we do on that planet that is important to us. And so a better slogan is Save Our
02:48
Society. And why is that a big deal right now? Well we are starting to exceed some,
02:54
what have been coined, planetary boundaries by Johan Rockstrom and his group at the Stockholm
02:59
Resilience Center. And so if we look at this model, we look at all the things that are
03:04
affecting the earth that can then affect society. And so the one that you are probably familiar
03:09
with is climate change. But we also have ocean acidification. We have ozone depletion. We
03:15
have changes in biogeochemical cycling. Increases in nitrogen and phosphorous. We have fresh
03:20
water use, or the availability of fresh water. Deforestation. Biodiversity loss. Particle
03:26
pollution and chemical pollution. And so what they have done is said, how can we exist within
03:32
the safe boundaries of the earth. So on this model if we say the blue represents where
03:37
we can safely live. This yellow dot represents where humanity was preindustrialization. Before
03:45
the industrial revolution and the spread of industry around the world, these were our
03:50
levels. But now if we look at where we are as far as those boundaries, as far as climate
03:55
change, we are increasing the climate, the temperature. And as a result we are going
04:00
to have consequences that are beginning to affect society and will continue to affect
04:04
society. We are looking at a thee degree increase which is incredible. But if we look at these
04:10
other ones, ocean acidification, ozone depletion, our increase in the amount of nitrogen in
04:16
the biosphere. Phosphorous. If we look at fresh water use. Deforestation. Biodiversity
04:23
loss. A lot of scientists are saying that we are headed into this sixth extinction,
04:27
that caused by humans. Now we do not have good models for pollution, but if you put
04:31
our earth back, we are exceeding these boundaries. We are putting pressure on the earth. Now
04:36
the earth will survive, but humans may not survive in the numbers that we are today.
04:40
And so that is why it is important. We have to live within the boundaries of the earth
04:46
itself. And so sustainability is incredibly important. Now a model that works is since
04:51
industry brought us to this point, industry is going to have to bring us back. And so
04:56
this model works for me. If you think of the earth as this boundary of life support and
05:00
society exists within that, then what is at the center? What drove industrialization?
05:05
It is the economy. And so as we come up with solutions for sustainability, it is not enough
05:11
to just say that we should save the earth because that is good. Or we should be altruistic
05:16
in that. It has to be an economical driver that is pushing that sustainability. Another
05:22
term that you will hear a lot is the idea of an ecological footprint. Since we, I live
05:26
in a developed country, I am using more resources on our planet than other people in developing
05:32
countries. And so as they become developed that is going to put even more pressure on
05:36
the planet. And so that is why this course is incredibly important. It is also why this
05:41
is unlike the other sciences that you have probably taken. It is not just going to be
05:46
science. It is going to contain the natural sciences but it will also have the social
05:50
sciences and the humanities as well. So we are going to be talking about science but
05:54
also we will be talking about ethics and law and politics. And so it is really going to
05:58
be a fun course to walk through. Also you should remember that this is a science course.
06:03
And so as we move forward the AP folks are focussing on the practices of science. So
06:08
inside the course itself you should be acting like an environmental scientist. And so you
06:14
should not just be learning about environmental sciences, you should be applying it. So if
06:18
we start with one of theses practices, asking questions, conducting investigations, this
06:22
would be a great field investigation for me to do. So this is the eastern Gallatin, right
06:26
outside of Bozeman. And so I could do studies here on water quality over time. But I could
06:31
also do studies in the laboratory. I should be doing investigations where I am coming
06:35
up with a question and trying to answer that question. Case studies will be incredibly
06:40
important as well. Making these connections between what we have learned in the course.
06:43
So you are probably familiar with the deep water horizon. There was a fire and that led
06:47
to this spread of oil. So this fire, eventually there was a breach of the pipe, and now we
06:52
have oil spreading. So to look at where we are, this is in the Gulf of Mexico. This is
06:57
Florida. And so we are looking at this area right here. You can see so much oil is spread
07:00
out. And in each of these case studies there is something happening to the environment.
07:05
And so we have to understand all the ramifications of that. And lots of times it takes decades
07:09
to figure out what really has happened. And then finally you are going to take an AP exam
07:13
at the end. And so understanding how that AP exam is important right now to understand
07:18
what can you do throughout the course to kind of prepare for that. And so analyzing data.
07:23
Using mathematics is going to be incredibly important. So let me briefly talk about the
07:27
test. And so the first section will be multiple choice. You are going to have 100 questions.
07:30
You get 90 minutes to answer those questions. Some will be discrete by themselves and some
07:35
will come in big sets. So you might have a map and try to point to different geology
07:39
on the planet. And then you will move into the free response. In the free response you
07:44
are going to have 1 question that is going to be based in a data set. And so understanding
07:48
how to analyze data, both on the multiple choice and the free response is incredibly
07:52
important. You will then have 1 document based question. It is always on the pretend city
07:56
named Fremont. So it is an article in the Fremont Gazette, for example. And so you are
08:01
going to have to analyze that. So connecting the knowledge that you have learned is incredibly
08:04
important. And you are also going to have to do a lot of calculating. And what is interesting
08:08
is there is no calculator. So prepare for that. So understanding how to solve simple
08:13
problems just using mathematics, dimensional analysis and scientific notation. That is
08:19
incredibly important as well. And so did you learn the following? Could you fill out this
08:24
concept map? Well you could pause the video right now and try to do that. But I will step
08:29
you through it. And so what is environmental science? It is the interactions between the
08:33
natural systems and the human systems. That will be the earth systems and the living systems
08:38
interacting with populations. And so this is interactions right here. We will start
08:43
with land water use, energy. We move towards pollution and the pressures we are putting
08:47
on the earth and global change. And remember that you want to focus on the practices.
08:51