AP Environmental Science
Course Syllabus 2015
School: Northview High School, Georgia
Instructor: Sara Lepkofker
Contact Information
Email: lepkofkers@fultonschools.org (email is the best way to reach me)
Website: Edmodo.com
1st Period APES – w7j4c8
Phone: 770-497-3828
Available Hours: I am available most mornings between 8:00-8:25am and afternoons until 4:00pm upon giving me 24
hours notice.
Course Description
The AP Environmental Science course is designed to provide students with a learning experience equivalent to a one-semester
college environmental science course taken by the first year of college. The course is designed for students wanting to major in a
variety of science and science related disciplines including geology, biology, environmental studies, environmental science,
chemistry, and geography. In both breadth and level of detail, the content of the course reflects what is found in many introductory
college courses in environmental science.
The course emphasizes the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the
natural world, identify and analyze environmental problems, examine and evaluate relative risks associated with these problems,
and examine alternative solutions for resolving or preventing them. Environmental science is an interdisciplinary course,
integrating a wide variety of topics from different areas of study. Several major unifying themes exist within the content to provide
a foundational structure upon which the course is designed. These themes, which constitute the curricular requirements of the
course include:
 Science is a process
 Energy conversions form the basis of all ecological processes
 The Earth is one interconnected system
 Humans alter natural systems
 Environmental problems have a cultural and social contexts
 Human survival depends on developing practices that will achieve sustainable systems
The course includes laboratory/field investigation components constituting a minimum of 20% of instructional time. Through a
variety of laboratory work and field investigations, students will learn methods for analyzing and interpreting information,
experimental data, and mathematical calculations. Students will be required to collect data, apply mathematical analysis and
interpretation, and data interpretation. Through their work, students will hone their abilities to take qualitative as well as
quantitative measurements. Students are encouraged to keep copies of their laboratory work for use in determining college credit
and/or placement (http://apcentral.collegeboard.com).
Primary Textbook
Miller, G. Tyler Jr. Living in the Environment: Principles, Connections, and Solutions; 15 ed., Belmont, CA: Thomson
Brooks/Cole, 2005, www.brookscole.com (cost: $100)
Primary Supplemental Information:
Various news/magazine articles, recordings, films, case studies, selected URL’s for relevant sites on the Internet.
Time Requirement of Course
 Students will attend the class Monday thru Friday for approximately 55 minute periods
 Students should spend a MINIMUM of 5 hours a week in individual study of the textbook and any supplementary
materials provided outside of the classroom.
Course Assessment Methods
 Tests / Quizzes
1
o
Tests will consist of timed multiple choice questions and one free response question to be given at the conclusion
of each unit. Tests will be worth 100 points. Calculators WILL NOT BE ALLOWED on tests.
o



Quizzes will be given periodically to assess understanding of material and address misconceptions. Homework
will also be addressed with homework quizzes.
Laboratory / Field Reports & Case Studies
o To include both short and long term labs. Lab assignments will be turned in for credit either as a formal written
lab report or informally as a lab handout at the discretion of the instructor. Some lab work will need to be
completed outside of class.
o Labs should be kept organized in a Lab Binder to use as evidence of laboratory work should college’s request this
in order to determine appropriate credit.
Projects / Presentations
o To supplement and extend content covered in class, students will work on group and individual projects that may
take forms such as PowerPoints, posters, brochures, models, skits, etc. Some project work will need to be
completed outside of class.
Homework / Class work
o Textbook readings, textbook focus questions, practice mathematical calculations, and various assignments as
deemed necessary by the instructor. Homework and class work will be assigned daily.
o Math Competency is a must for this course. Students must practice and be proficient with:
 Showing all work / Including all units
 Scientific Notation / Conversions / Metric Conversion / Dimensional Analysis (Stoichiometry)
Fulton County Grading Scale
A = 90-100
B = 80-89
C = 70-79
F = 0-69
Grade Determination (Weights)
Labs
Quizzes
Tests / Projects
Final Exam
25%
20%
40%
15%
Home Access / Grades
Students are expected to keep track of their grade in the course using Home Access. Students are responsible for ensuring that they
remain in good academic standing in the course, and making every effort to improve their grade should their grade fall below a 70%
Classroom Management Policy
The instructor has the primary responsibility for control of classroom behavior and maintenance of academic integrity, and can
order the removal or exclusion from the classroom of any student engaging in disruptive conduct in violation of the general rules
and regulations of the school. Additionally, all material outlined in the Safety Contract must be followed at all times during
laboratory and field work. Any students found to be willfully neglecting safety protocol or endangering the safety of their
classmates or instructor will be removed from the laboratory and receive a zero for the lab activity. Disciplinary action in the form
of referral to an administrator may also be taken at the discretion of the instructor.
Student Attendance and Participation
Responsibility for acquiring information disseminated during the course is the core responsibility of the student. Students are
expected to treat their teacher and cohorts with respect at all times. Students are expected to be seated, quiet, and ready to begin
class when it is time for class to begin. Students are encouraged to network with their cohorts to obtain information lost due to an
absence. Class policy concerning absent or tardy students shall parallel that outlined by the school regulations. Participation and
attendance in class is essential to student performance and therefore will be reflected in the grade achieved.
Make-Up Work Policy
Students must be prepared to make up tests and or turn in assignments the day upon returning from an absence. It is the
responsibility of the student to obtain and keep up with work missed due to absences. If students are absent they are expected to
either email the instructor or network with a classmate to find out what they have missed so that assignments may be turned in on
time. Upon returning from an absence, students can pick up assignments, notes, etc. from the binder on the side lab, and then see
the instructor for clarification on assignments. If a student has missed a test/quiz/lab/etc, they will arrange a time to make-up the
assignment. If students fail to attend the arranged make-up session, they will forfeit their grade for the test/quiz/lab and will not be
allowed to make it up. Make-up tests/quizzes may be different from the original test/quiz. Students should make every effort to be
present on test dates.
2
Late Work Policy
For projects and formal lab reports, students will receive a deduction of 20% for each day past the original due date of the
assignment (ex: 2 days late = 40% deduction). If students are not prepared to present a project/lab on the date assigned, they will
lose any presentation points possible in addition to the late deduction. Individual exceptions to this policy may be obtained by a
written doctor’s note or through the teacher’s discretion.
Fulton County Recovery Policy
“Opportunities designed to allow students to recover from a low or failing cumulative grade will be allowed when all work required
to date has been completed and the student has demonstrated a legitimate effort to meet all course requirements including
attendance. Students should contact the teacher concerning recovery opportunities. Teachers are expected to establish a reasonable
time period for recovery work to be completed during the semester. All recovery work must be directly related to course objectives
and must be completed ten school days prior to the end of the semester.”
NOTE: Teachers may determine when and how students with extenuating circumstances may improve their grade.
A “low or failing cumulative average” is defined as 74% or below. In order for the student to request recovery, all missing
assignments to date must first be completed. Once a student has requested recovery, that student must complete the recovery test
within five days. Recovery tests must be completed at a time designated by the instructor, and in the presence of the instructor.
Once recovery has been completed, the grade will be replaced by the recovery test grade with the highest grade possible of 74.
Recovery work may only raise a student’s grade to a level of 74%, and not above. All missing assignments will be due 12 days
prior to the end of the semester to ensure all work has been successfully completed and that the student is eligible to take a recovery
test. The recovery test must be completed 10 days prior to the end of the semester. No extensions beyond this time frame will be
given for any reason.
Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
All students are expected to abide by the Northview High School Academic Integrity Policy as outlined in the student handbook.
Plagiarism is considered a violation of the NHS Honor Code and will not be tolerated. Students must cite all informational
resources and pictures used in all presentations/projects. Any information used must be put into the students own words.
Plagiarism in any form will result in a ZERO for the assignment, and a referral to the administration in accordance with the
NHS Honor Code.
Cell Phone/ iPod / mp3 Policy
 Your cell phone / music player may only be used during class at the discretion of Mrs. Lepkofker.
o Cell Phones MAY NOT be used for TEXTING or MAKING PHONE CALLS during class time.
 Your cell phone should be set to SILENT while in the classroom.
 You phone may ABSOLUTELY NOT be used during LECTURE, DISCUSSIONS, or TESTS/QUIZZES
 Consequences for Violating the Cell Phone Policy
o THIS IS YOUR WARNING!!!!!
o 1st Violation = Phone Confiscation by teacher till end of Day
o 2nd + Violations = Phone Confiscation by Office and Write-Up
Course Outline
This course will prepare students to take the AP Environmental Science Exam. The three hour long exam will be divided equally
between a Multiple Choice and a Free Response Section. The multiple choice section consists of 100 questions and constitutes 60%
of the final grade. The free response section emphasizes the application of the principles to a greater depth and comprises 40% of
the exam grade. The major content areas of the course will be addressed through the textbook, labs and activities.
Units
Chapters
Interdependence of Earth’s Systems - Fundamental
Principles and Concepts
Chapter 1: Environmental Problems
Chapter 2: Science, Systems, Matter & Energy
The Living World
Chapter 3:
Chapter 4:
Chapter 5:
Chapter 6:
Chapter 7:
Ecosystems
Evolution and Biodiversity
Biogeography
Aquatic Ecology
Community Ecology
3
Population
Chapter 8: Population Ecology
Chapter 9: The Human Population and It’s Impact
Sustaining Biodiversity and Land Use
Chapter 11: Sustaining Biodiversity: The Species Approach
Chapter 12: Sustaining Aquatic Biodiversity
Chapter 10: Sustaining Biodiversity: The Ecosystem Approach
Earth Science and Agriculture
Chapter 15: Geology and Nonrenewable Mineral Resources
(Soil and the Rock Cycle)
Chapter 13: Food and Soil Conservation
Energy Resources and Consumption
Chapter 15: Geology and Nonrenewable Mineral Resources
Chapter 16: Nonrenewable Energy
Chapter 17: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Pollution
Chapter 18:
Chapter 22:
Chapter 14:
Chapter 21:
Chapter 19:
Chapter 20:
Environmental Hazards and Human Health
Solid and Hazardous Waste
Water
Water Pollution
Air Pollution
Climate Change and Ozone Depletion
Global Change
*woven as a thread through all topics covered
during the year*
Chapter 23:
Chapter 24:
Chapter 25:
Chapter 26:
Sustainable Cities
Economics and the Environment
Politics, Environment, and Sustainability
Environmental Worldviews, Ethics, and Sustainability
Additional Course Requirements:
 Summer Assignment:
o Posted on Northview Website

Vocabulary: The Many Ways to go APE(S)
o Students will create flashcards each week to ultimately define 154 essential vocabulary terms /
environmental legislation / important people.

Semester Outing Project:
o Attend one environmental outing of your choice, you may partner or work within a group. The outing
may be volunteerism, cleanup, etc… This cannot just be recreation; you must be helping improve the
environment in some way. An individual summary (one page) of the experience must be submitted 15
days prior to the end of each semester.

Major Lab Report:
o At least one major group lab report will be submitted per semester. Group members will collectively be
responsible for completing and submitting the lab report. The lab grade will be multiplied by the number
of group members, and group members will be responsible for dividing the points amongst themselves
accordingly.
Content Outline
Below is a general outline of the major concepts to be covered over the course of the year. While much of the material will be
covered in class through lecture and laboratory experiences, it is ESSENTIAL that students read the assigned text thoroughly, as the
breadth of this course covers more material than could possibly all be addressed in the classroom. Percentages reflect the
approximate number of multiple choice questions on the AP Exam related to each topic area.
I. Earth Systems and Resources (10–15%)
A.
Earth Science Concepts (Geologic time scale; plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanism; seasons; solar intensity
and latitude)
B.
The Atmosphere (Composition; structure; weather and climate; atmospheric circulation and the Coriolis Effect;
atmosphere–ocean interactions; ENSO)
C.
Global Water Resources and Use (Freshwater/saltwater; ocean circulation; agricultural, industrial, and domestic
use; surface and groundwater issues; global problems; conservation)
4
D.
Soil and Soil Dynamics (Rock cycle; formation; composition; physical and chemical properties; main soil types;
erosion and other soil problems; soil conservation)
II. The Living World (10–15%)
A.
Ecosystem Structure (Biological populations and communities; ecological niches; interactions among species;
keystone species; species diversity and edge effects; major terrestrial and aquatic biomes)
B.
Energy Flow (Photosynthesis and cellular respiration; food webs and trophic levels; ecological pyramids)
C.
Ecosystem Diversity (Biodiversity; natural selection; evolution; ecosystem services)
D.
Natural Ecosystem Change (Climate shifts; species movement; ecological succession)
E.
Natural Biogeochemical Cycles (Carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, water, conservation of matter)
III. Population (10–15%)
A.
Population Biology Concepts (Population ecology; carrying capacity; reproductive strategies; survivorship)
B.
Human Population
1.
Human population dynamics (Historical population sizes; distribution; fertility rates; growth rates and
doubling times; demographic transition; age-structure diagrams)
2.
Population size (Strategies for sustainability; case studies; national policies)
3.
Impacts of population growth (Hunger; disease; economic effects; resource use; habitat destruction)
IV. Land and Water Use (10–15%)
A.
Agriculture
1.
Feeding a growing population (Human nutritional requirements; types of agriculture; Green Revolution;
genetic engineering and crop production; deforestation; irrigation; sustainable agriculture)
2.
Controlling pests (Types of pesticides; costs and benefits of pesticide use; integrated pest management;
relevant laws)
B.
Forestry (Tree plantations; old growth forests; forest fires; forest management; national forests)
C.
Rangelands (Overgrazing; deforestation; desertification; rangeland management; federal rangelands)
D.
Other Land Use
1.
Urban land development (Planned development; suburban sprawl; urbanization)
2.
Transportation infrastructure (Federal highway system; canals and channels; roadless areas; ecosystem
impacts)
3.
Public and federal lands (Management; wilderness areas; national parks; wildlife refuges; forests;
wetlands)
4.
Land conservation options (Preservation; remediation; mitigation; restoration)
5.
Sustainable land-use strategies
E.
Mining (Mineral formation; extraction; global reserves; relevant laws and treaties)
F.
Fishing (Fishing techniques; overfishing; aquaculture; relevant laws and treaties)
G.
Global Economics (Globalization; World Bank; Tragedy of the Commons; relevant laws and
treaties)
V. Energy Resources and Consumption (10–15%)
A.
Energy Concepts (Energy forms; power; units; conversions; Laws of Thermodynamics)
B.
Energy Consumption
1.
History (Industrial Revolution; exponential growth; energy crisis)
2.
Present global energy use
3.
Future energy needs
C.
Fossil Fuel Resources and Use (Formation of coal, oil, and natural gas; extraction/purification methods;
world reserves and global demand; synfuels; environmental advantages/ disadvantages of sources)
D.
Nuclear Energy (Nuclear fission process; nuclear fuel; electricity production; nuclear reactor types;
environmental advantages/disadvantages; safety issues; radiation and human health; radioactive wastes; nuclear
fusion)
E.
Hydroelectric Power (Dams; flood control; salmon; silting; other impacts)
F.
Energy Conservation (Energy efficiency; CAFE standards; hybrid electric vehicles; mass transit)
G.
Renewable Energy (Solar energy; solar electricity; hydrogen fuel cells; biomass; wind energy; small-scale
hydroelectric; ocean waves and tidal energy; geothermal; environmental advantages/disadvantages)
5
VI. Pollution (25–30%)
A.
Pollution Types
1.
Air pollution (Sources—primary and secondary; major air pollutants; measurement units; smog; acid
deposition—causes and effects; heat islands and temperature inversions; indoor air pollution; remediation
and reduction strategies; Clean Air Act and other relevant laws)
2.
Noise pollution (Sources; effects; control measures)
3.
Water pollution (Types; sources, causes, and effects; cultural eutrophication; groundwater pollution;
maintaining water quality; water purification; sewage treatment/septic systems; Clean Water Act and
other relevant laws)
4.
Solid waste (Types; disposal; reduction)
B.
Impacts on the Environment and Human Health
1.
Hazards to human health (Environmental risk analysis; acute and chronic effects; dose-response
relationships; air pollutants; smoking and other risks)
2.
Hazardous chemicals in the environment (Types of hazardous waste; treatment/disposal of hazardous
waste; cleanup of contaminated sites; biomagnification; relevant laws)
C.
Economic Impacts (Cost-benefit analysis; externalities; marginal costs; sustainability)
VII. Global Change (10–15%)
A.
Stratospheric Ozone (Formation of stratospheric ozone; ultraviolet radiation; causes of ozone depletion; effects of
ozone depletion; strategies for reducing ozone depletion; relevant laws and treaties)
B.
Global Warming (Greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect; impacts and consequences of global warming;
reducing climate change; relevant laws and treaties)
C.
Loss of Biodiversity
1.
Habitat loss; overuse; pollution; introduced species; endangered and extinct species
2.
Maintenance through conservation
3.
Relevant laws and treaties
6