ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE: UNIT PLAN 5
Unit: Cities and Energy
Instructor: Mr. Beckham
School Year: 2010-2011
Number of Instructional Days: 16
TOPICS
(WHAT)
READING &
RESOURCES
REQUIRED
1
Urbanization and
Creating Livable Cities
Our Urbanizing World
and Sprawl
Withgott & Brennan,
Chapter 13 (pgs.
356-366)
2
Urbanization and
Creating Livable Cities
Creating Livable Cities
Withgott & Brennan,
Chapter 13 (pgs.
366-374)
 Define Green ways and Smart growth
 Outline city and regional planning and land use strategies
 Evaluate transportation options
 Describe the roles of urban parks
3
Urbanization and
Creating Livable Cities
Urban Sustainability
And begin The End of
Suburbia
Withgott & Brennan,
Chapter 13 (pgs.
374-377)
 Define Urban Ecology
 Analyze environmental impacts and advantages of urban centers
 Assess the pursuit of sustainable cities
 Begin The End of Suburbia
4
Urbanization and
Creating Livable Cities
Withgott & Brennan,
Chapter 13
completed
 The End of Suburbia- This provocative documentary examines
the history of suburban life and the wisdom of this distinctly
American way of life. A post-World War II concept, suburbia
attracted droves of people, giving rise to sprawl and all that
comes with it -- good and bad. How has the environment been
affected by this lifestyle, and is it sustainable? Director Gregory
Greene dares to ask all the tough questions
LESSON
#
The End of Suburbia
5
Urbanization and
Creating Livable Cities
Finish The End of
Suburbia
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
AND/OR
TASKS TO BE COMPLETED
 Define urbanization and sprawl
 Describe the scale of urbanization
 Assess urban and suburban sprawl
 Finish The End of Suburbia and Discuss
EVALUATION
AND
HOMEWORK
 Distribute Chapter
13 Multiple Choice
 Distribute Current
Events article
 Interpreting Graphs
and Data, page 379
LESSON
#
6
7
8
9
10
TOPICS
(WHAT)
Fossil Fuels, Their
Impacts, and Energy
Conservation
Sources of Energy
Fossil Fuels, Their
Impacts, and Energy
Conservation
Coal, Natural Gas, Oil,
and Other Fossil Fuels
Fossil Fuels, Their
Impacts, and Energy
Conservation
Environmental
Impacts of Fossil Fuel
Use & Political, Social,
and Economic Impacts
Fossil Fuels, Their
Impacts, and Energy
Conservation
Energy Conservation
Fossil Fuels, Their
Impacts, and Energy
Conservation
READING &
RESOURCES
REQUIRED
Withgott & Brennan,
Chapter 19 (pgs. 541 546)
Supplementary: TED
talks
Withgott & Brennan,
Chapter 19 (pgs.
546 - 559)
Fossil Fuels, Their
Impacts, and Energy
Conservation
Who Killed The
Electric Car?
 Define Net energy and EROI
 Identify the energy sources that we use.
 TED- Edward Burtynsky and Richard Sears
 http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/edward_burtynsky_photograp
hs_the_landscape_of_oil.html
 http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/richard_sears_planning_for_th
e_end_of_oil.html
 Define Strip mining and Secondary extraction
 Describe the nature and origin of Coal, Petroleum, Natural Gas,
and alternative fossil fuels, and evaluate their extraction and use.
Withgott & Brennan,
Chapter 19 (pgs.
559 - 565)
 Define Acid drainage
 Outline and assess environmental impacts of fossil fuel use.
 Evaluate the political, social, and economic impacts of fossil fuel
use.
Withgott & Brennan,
Chapter 19 (pgs.
565 - 568)
 Define Energy Conservation
 Specify strategies for conserving energy and enhancing
efficiency.
 Begin Who Killed the Electric Car?
Withgott & Brennan,
Chapter 19
Completed
Who Killed The
Electric Car?
11
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
AND/OR
TASKS TO BE COMPLETED
Withgott & Brennan,
Chapter 19
Completed
EVALUATION
AND
HOMEWORK
 Chapter 13 Quiz
 1 page response to
The End of Suburbia
 Distribute Chapter
19 Multiple Choice
 Distribute Current
Event article
 Who Killed the Electric Car? Amid a volatile climate of everchanging gas prices, this documentary delves into the short life
of the GM EV1 electric car -- a fuel-efficient auto that was once
all the rage in the mid-1990s and now has fallen by the roadside.
How could such a green-friendly vehicle fail to transform lives?
Through interviews with government officials, former GM
employees and concerned celebs, filmmaker Chris Paine seeks
to find out.
 Finish Who Killed the Electric Car? and Discuss
 Chapter 19 Quiz
LESSON
#
TOPICS
(WHAT)
READING &
RESOURCES
REQUIRED
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
AND/OR
TASKS TO BE COMPLETED
12
Conventional Energy
Alternatives
Alternatives to Fossil
Fuel
Withgott & Brennan,
Chapter 20 (pgs.
573-583)
 Define Nuclear energy and Breeder reactors
 Discuss the reasons for seeking alternatives to fossil fuels
 Summarize the contributions to world energy supplies of
conventional alternatives to fossil fuels
13
Conventional Energy
Alternatives
Nuclear Power
Withgott & Brennan,
Chapter 20 (pgs.
583-588)
 Define Chernobyl incident
 Describe nuclear energy and how it is harnessed
 Outline societal debate over nuclear power

EVALUATION
AND
HOMEWORK
 1 page response to
Who Killed The
Electric Car?
 Distribute Current
Event article
 Distribute Chapter
20 Multiple Choice
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42225380/ns/world_news-asiapacific/
 Discuss Current Event article
14
Conventional Energy
Alternatives
Biomass Energy
Withgott & Brennan,
Chapter 20 (pgs.
588-595)
15
Conventional Energy
Alternatives
Hydroelectric Power
Withgott & Brennan,
Chapter 20
completed
16
Unit 5 Test
 Define biopower
 Describe the major sources, scale, and impacts of biomass
energy
 Define hydropower and run-of-river approach
 Describe the scale, methods, and impacts of hydroelectric power
 Take Unit 5 Test
 Chapter 20 Quiz