 AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Time line and SYLLABUS
 Introduction to Global Environmental Politics and Concerns
 (Sociology, Geography, Basic Biology, Psychology, Demography)
 Aug 21- Sept 19
 Objectives:
o Define Environment and identify concerns
o Describe Environmental dilemmas
o Understand division between wealthy and poor nations and degradation
o Introduce Ozone and Green house gases
 Activities
o The Lorax (video)- Introduces environmental greed and consequences
o Life boat ethics-who will survive? Group work-must decide carrying
capacity of boat and relate to industrialized nations
o Begin Global Summit
 Lab #1
o How to write a lab handout-expectations
o Radish seeds and saline-Explore scientific method




Quiz testing basic knowledge from biology
Vocab words assigned to journal.
Journal entry #1 and #2 Articles of interest –ozone and green house gases
Videos on Ozone and Green house gases political Reflections (journal #3)
 Unit 1





Introduction to the Rock Cycle and Plate tectonics
Sept 19-Oct 1
Environmental Geology
Chapters 16 and 17
Objectives:
o Understand plate tectonics
o Explain the rock cycle
Summarize Ecological and economic strategic minerals
Discuss effects of mining
Recognize hazards of volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis etc
Analyze global climate change
Explain jet streams, wind patterns, fronts, clouds and weather
consequences
o Comprehend el nino and la nina
o
o
o
o
o






Video Lecture series on rock cycle
Journal #4 vocabulary
Lab #2 Rock cycle
Video Lecture series Plate tectonics
Lab #3 Volcanoes and Mt Ranges
Quiz/ Test
 Unit 2








Matter, Energy and Life-Biological Communities and Species Interactions
Oct 1-11
Chapters 3 and 4
Objectives:
o Describe matter, atoms, molecules
o Understand 1st and 2nd Laws of Thermodynamics
o Know photosynthesis and respiration
o Define species, population, community and ecosystem
o Discuss food webs, chains and trophic levels
o Compare and contrast biogeochemical cycles
o Discuss resilience, diversity and stability
o Explain succession
o Distinguish inter specific and intra specific competion
Journal #5 and #6 2 separate articles on INTER specific competition and
INTRA
Class discussion Gleason vs. Lovelock from textbook(choose a side and
debate with class)
Lab#4
o Biomagnification- Model for class.
Expect POP quizzes from Lecture
 Lab #5 CO2 levels lab 1-6
 Journal #7 Vocabulary
 Test Unit 2
 Unit 3




Biomes, Restoration, Management and Biodiversity
Oct 15-25
Chapters 4 and 13
Objectives:
o Recognize characteristics of Aquatic and terrestrial biomes
o Describe how humans disrupt biomes
o Explain ecosystem management
o Evaluate the pros and cons of restoration
o Define biodiversity
o Report total number of species on earth
o Explain captive breeding and recovery programs
o Observe Endangered Species Act
 Lab #7 Shannon Weiner Index
o Calculate the Index of biodiversity for a parking lot near our school
 Journal #8 Vocabulary
 Test Unit 3
 END OF FIRST 9 WEEKS






START OF 2ND 9 WEEKS
Unit 4
Population Dynamics
Oct 30-NOV 13
Chapters 6 and 7
Objectives:
o Define exponential growth
o Describe logistic growth and Thomas Malthus
o Compare and contrast density dependent and independent limiting
factors
o Explain fecundity, birthrates, k-selected and r-selected
o Evaluate family planning
o Trace human population growth
 Activities
o Personal opinion journal #9“what is the world’s greatest problem?”
o Journal #10 Watch (The People Bomb)-3 countries reflection
o Watch (the dots video) 5 minutes illustrating exponential growth
o Lab #8
o Fish population simulation (tag and release method)
o Library -Trace your countries population
 Journal # 11 vocabulary
 Test Unit 4





Unit 5
Environmental Health and Toxicology
Nov 13-25
Chapters 9 and 12
Objectives:
o Define Health and disease and environmental factors
o Identify infectious organisms and hazardous agents
o Distinguish between toxic and hazardous chemicals
o Compare and contrast chronic and acute toxicity
o Evaluate environmental risks
 Journal # 12 Vocabulary
 Lab #9 HIV simulation
 Unit 5 test
 Unit 6
 Food and Agriculture and Sustainable Land use
 Nov 25-Dec 19
 Chapters 11 and 14
 Objectives:
o Describe world food supplies
o Explain nutritional requirements
o Analyze genetic Engineering
o Sketch soil pyramid
o Differentiate erosion, Salinization, and water logging
o Recognize potential for sustainable living
o World Land use
o Understand issues of forest in developed countries
 Lab #10
o Characteristics of soil- cations, ph, salinity -2days
o Soil texture
o Soil Layers
 Journal #13
 Homework chapter 11-12 -13 questions vocab quiz to follow
 Project
o Feed 100 people for a year on minimum land with only 7 different
crops making diet nutritional
 Test Unit 6
 Note before Holiday break we are hoping to get through 13 journals
entries at LEAST and 10 labs at most.
 The first week after break we will review for midterm and work free
response questions til January 15.
 Starting January 21st
 The next 3 units will be AIR- WATER- ENERGY
o Depending on time, these units will vary. We will begin preparing
for the AP test the end of March.
 Unit 8
 Air pollution
 Objective:
o Describe categories of sources of air pollution
o Distinguish criteria vs. non criteria air pollutants
o Analyze indoor air pollutants
o Evaluate ozone in troposphere and stratosphere
o Compare approaches to pollution control
o Judge air quality around the world (historically)
 Activities
o Journal enty #14 China video: 1 page essays explaining source,
solutions, and consequences of human behavior and global warming.
o Lab
o Air quality-CO, CO2, Hydrocarbons, and flow rate of our cars
o Air pollution and Air planes
o CO2 Simulation
 Homework Ch 18 questions and quiz
 Test Unit 8




Unit 9
Water and Water Pollution
Chapters 19 and 20
Objectives:
o Summarize hydrolic cycle
o Contrast volume and residence time of water
o Define causes and consequences of water shortages
o Debate water management
o Define water pollution and sources
o Discuss status of water quality
o Suggest ways to protect groundwater
o Judge the impact of legislation on water
 Activities
o Water wars-reading and questions and essays
 Lab
o Local water testing Chromium, chloride, hardness, copper, iron,
ammonia, pH, nitrates, BOD and DO
o Acid Rain
 Homework question s chapter 19-20 vocab quiz to follow

 Test Unit 9
Unit 10
Conventional and Sustainable Energy
Chapters 21 and 22
Objectives:
o Summarize current energy sources
o Compare U.S. consumption with other countries
o Analyze resources and reserves for fossil fuels
o Evaluate cost and benefits of coal, oil and natural gas
o Discuss nuclear reactors
o Understand passive and active energy systems
o Explain hydropower, wind, and geothermal energy
o Compare and contrast options for storing electrical energy
o Define renewable and non renewable resources
 Homework chapter questions 21-22 Quiz to follow




 Project
o Alternative energy source- establish cost, source, effectiveness,
duration, and output (emissions etc)




Unit 11
Solid Waste Management and Recycling
Chapter 23
Objectives:
o Identify components of U.S. waste
o Explain dumps and landfills