Ocean County College
Fall Term 2013
Course Syllabus ENVI 152
John Wnek
This course is designed to provide you with a better understanding of our environment. It will
encompass a local and global perspective on environmental issues, concepts and major areas
including the four vectors of the environment: air, land, sea and groundwater. There will be
supporting field experience and speakers throughout.
Course Resources:
“Living in the Environment” by G. Tyler Miller Jr. and Scott Spoolman, 17th ed..
ISBN 0538735341 with support materials for each topic.
Any edition of Living in the Environment by G. Tyler Miller will be fine!
Readings may be distributed for following class meetings.
Access to a computer and the web (Edmodo.com, group code r6uxgj) is important as
we will communicate about field experiences (Edmodo and my instructor’s page at
www.ocvts.org/MATESbulletinboard)
Course Requirements:
1) Participation is an important part of this course. Participation which includes
attendance and class discussion is worth 10% of the grade. We will use the early
part of the course (i.e., temperature, daylight, etc…) for field activities early in the
term due to the season, labs, lectures and guest lectures will be especially
important! Your involvement will be an important aspect of class. One of the lab
activity/evaluations will be local plant identification with the lab practical in
October.
2) There will be an evaluation after two or three weeks of topic material which will
total of 45% of the final grade. There may be a quiz, but this is based on your
participation in the course and getting involved in discussion. There will be one
field/laboratory report and multiple field/laboratory activities worth a total of
15% of the final grade.
3) Each student will write a reaction essay to a case study (on global climate change)
and will write a brief report on a guest speaker, topic, or environmental meeting
(town, non-profit, visit to a park, Forest Education Center, etc…) for a total of 5%
of the final grade. Attending a town meeting, environmental talk, town clean-up,
Beach Sweeps, etc… includes extra credit!
4) There will be a project that you develop on an environmental topic worth 15% of
your final grade. You may work with up to two other partners, but the specifics
will be spelled out in more detail within the first two weeks of class.
ENVI 152
Fall 2013
Wnek
Page 2
Grading:
This course includes discussion and sharing of information. A summary of the grade
breakdown is as follows…
Evaluations
Project
Participation
Field/Lab
Report/Case Study
Field Practical
45%
15% (presentation and completeness)
10% (attendance 0.5% each meeting & involvement)
20% (includes 5% for field practical & involvement)
5% (assigned reading and response)
5% (plant identification practical w/ field training +)
All letter grades and assignment of grades will be in accordance with the policies of OCC.
Here is my scale… A = 100 - 90%, B+ = 89-86%, B = 85 – 80%, C+ = 79 – 76%, C = 75 –
70%, D = 69 – 60%, Failing will be 59% and below.
Contact Information:
Please call me if you must miss class, for any reason. Also, if you have any questions
regarding the course or materials, please contact me below:
John Wnek, work phone (609) 978-8439 (dial ext. 4002), cell (732) 814-6644
e-mail: jwnek@mail.ocvts.org
john_wnek@occ.mailcruiser.com
projectterrapin@gmail.com
If the class must be cancelled for an emergency reason, I will contact each of you. I usually
always have coverage and I do not miss classes! I will need to go to NC for a conference the
third meeting, but will arrange coverage. I will also set-up an e-mail group for the class to
communicate (edmodo as well). If it is due to inclement weather, please check with the
college.
I will set-up a web page for the class to post notes and other information on edmodo.com (join
group r6uxgj) and/or at www.ocvts.org/MATESbulletinboard
Detailed Course Schedule:
Week
Topic
Day 1 September 4
Course Outline Distribution
Introduction to Environmental Science
Environmental Problems Local Issues
Environmental History (local)
Can we be sustainable?
Corresponding Chapter(s)
Read Chapter 1
ENVI 152
Fall 2013
Wnek
Page 3
Week
Topic
2/ September 11
Sustainability Challenges
Local Resources
Field Experience Locally
Start Water Resources
3/ September 18
Water Resources & Pollution
13 & 20
Guest Speaker (Lecturer)
Water Quality Analysis including
Oxygen, pH, Suspended Solids, CO2
Take Home Evaluation (sent by e-mail and due by September 25)
4/ September 25
Local Air Pollution Lab (Field)
“The Problem with Our Air”
Lab on Global Climate Change
Detecting Changes in Carbon dioxide
5/ October 2
6/ October 9
7/ October 16
8/ October 23
9/ October 30
Natural Resources:
A) Soils and Soil Health
Lab on Soils
B) Geology & Minerals
Bottom Sediment Sampling
Soil Sieving, Drying and Classification
The Pesticide Shuffle
Possible Mosquito Commission Speaker
Evaluation 2 (approx. One Hour)
Biodiversity, Species Interactions &
Populations
Biodiversity and Evolution
Lab on Adaptations
Continued Population Ecology
Emphasis on Human Impacts
Human Population Dynamics
Ecosystems and significant factors
One Year after the Storm
Lessons from Sandy
Field Experience at the Lighthouse
Center in Waretown
Corresponding Chapter
1
18 & 19
14
12
4&5
6
3&7
ENVI 152
Fall 2013
Wnek
Week
Topic
10/Nov. 6
Climate and Ecosystems
Weather versus Climate
What Global Change is Telling Us
11/ Nov. 13
Evaluation 3 (approx. One Hour)
Renewable and Non-renewable energy
Review of Climate and Ecosystems
Lighthouse Center Field Report Due
12/ Nov. 20
Page 4
Corresponding Chapter(s)
Guest Speaker on Barnegat Bay
To be determined
Energy Topics Labs
Read 15 & 16
15 & 16
Read 8 & 11
No Class on Wednesday November 27 – Happy Thanksgiving Recess
13/Dec. 4
Aquatic and Estuarine Biodiversity
Barnegat Bay Ecology
Presentations Begin
Take Home Evaluation (#4) will be available
14/ Dec. 11
Final Presentations on Project
TBD
Final/ Dec. 18
Evaluation 4: Turn in Final Exam
Present any final presentations not completed
8 & 11
Work on Final