Environmental Studies 2, Introduction to Environmental Science
Winter 2012 Syllabus
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY
We strongly believe, as did William Ellery Channing, that the role of Education is not to stamp a professor's mind irresistibly on the students, but to stir up their
own thoughts and questions; not to make them see with the professor's eyes, but to look inquiringly and steady with their own; not to impart the student with
inflexible dogma or set amount of knowledge, but to inspire a love for truth; and not to form an outward regularity but to tap inward springs that result in increased
understanding, desire, and the ability to pursue creative research and assist others through their own teaching (modified after William Ellery Channing, 1837). We
also believe as stated by Albert Einstein -- “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” This results from the understanding that knowledge is finite while
imagination has no bounds!
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
•
Study the Earth as an interconnected living system.
•
Develop a modest acquaintance with the complex interactions of human use of the environment that society is struggling with today.
•
Focus on how to think critically about human population growth, sustainability, biogeochemical cycles, ecosystem processes, ecosystem management,
global warming, urban air pollution, water pollution, stratospheric ozone depletion, c
LECTURES:
2pm M, W & F in CHEM 1179
INSTRUCTORS: Ed Keller, Contact: keller@geol.ucsb.edu; 893-4207
Office hours: in Webb Hall 2012 - M, 3 pm or by appointment or any time I am in and you catch me (even walking across campus),
Informal W after lecture (3pm) at coffee location outside Broida Hall
TEACHING ASSISTANTS: See Section Syllabus below
TEXT BOOK:
Environmental Science 8h ed 2011. D. B. Botkin & E. A. Keller. John Wiley &Sons , with Wiley Plus
GRADING:
Examinations 60%, Section 40%. IMPORTANT:
This course has a final exam and three midterm examinations. Each midterm covers one-third of the course material. The final
exam is comprehensive. Your highest three scores of the four examinations will be used to determine your course grade (25% each). You may elect to
take or not to take all four examinations. Three will determine your grade.
HONORS SECTION: Mondays @ 4:pm (first section, Monday January 11) Room Bren Hall 4316
HONOR STUDENTS ONLY, LIMIT IS 20 STUDENTS.
LECTURE SCHEDULE
M, Jan 9
Introduction
W, Jan 11
Environmental Change. Video: Rise and Fall of the Great Lakes
F, Jan 13
Fundamental Principles 1 (B & K ch1)
M, Jan 16
HOLIDAY
W, Jan 18
Fundamental Principles 2 (B & K ch 2)
F, Jan 20
Fundamental Principles 3 (B & K ch 3) Video: Gaia Hypothesis
M, Jan 23
Human Population (B & K ch 4)
W, Jan. 25
Biogeochemical Cycles (B & K ch 6)
F, Jan 27
MIDTERM EXAM (covers chapters 1-4)
M, Jan 30
Ecology 1(B & K chs 5,8.9, 11-13)
W, Feb 1
Ecology 2 (B & K chs 5,8,9, 11-13 )
F, Feb 3
Ecology 3 (B & K chs 5,8,9, 11-13)
M, Feb 6
Environmental Economics (B & K chs 7 )
W, Feb 8
Environmental Health, Pollution, and Toxicology (B & K ch 10 )
F, Feb 10
Energy 1 (B & K chs 14 -17)
Sat Feb 11
Field Trip, place and time TBA
M, Feb 13
Energy 2 (B & K chs 14-17)
W, Feb 15
Water 1 (B & K chs 18-19)
F, Feb 17
MIDTERM EXAM (covers chapters 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13)
M Feb 20
HOLIDAY
W, Feb 22
Water 2 (B & K chs 18-19)
F, Feb 24
Global Warming 1 (B & K ch 20 ) )
M, Feb 27
Global Warming 2 (B & K ch 20 )
W, Feb 29
Air Pollution 1(B & K ch 21)
F, Mar 2
Air Pollution 2 (B & K ch 21)
M, Mar 5
Urban Environments (B & K ch 22)
W, Mar 7
Materials Management (B & K ch 23
F, Mar 9
F, Mar Natural Hazards (B & K ch 16)
M, Mar 12
Capstone (B & K ch 24)
W, Mar 14
Review
F, Mar 16
MIDTERM EXAM (covers chapters 14-17, 18-19, 20-24,
**** IMPORTANT: Monday , March 19: FINAL, 4:00 PM to 7 PM (comprehensive)
SECTION SCHEDULE
Week #1:
Jan 9-13 Introduction: Assign teams to bring in current environmental issues from news media; do every week.
Discuss: What is and what is not science.
Week #2:
January 16-, 20 Exercise #1: Exp Growth, review for exam.
Week #3:
January 23-27 Exercise #2: Forecasting Population Change
Week #4:
January 30-February 3 Exercise #3: Average Residence Time “ART”, Discuss basic chemistry
Week #5:
February 6 –10 , Prepare for field trip. Field Trip Saturday Feb 11, time TBA
Week #6:
February 13 –17 How to write a paper (1) ; discuss paper, homework ,virtual water and water footprint
1
Week #7:
February 20 - 24 ,Discuss: How to write a paper (2)
Week #8:
February 27-March 2 , Do water footprint (as homework) , Discuss: How to write a paper (2)
Paper, due Friday March 2 at 5pm
Week #9:
March 5-9 Review for midterm , Do carbon footprint as homework
Week #10:
March 12-16 Review for final exam
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY STATEMENT:
We treat you as adults who are honorable people. You are responsible for your actions including attendance in lecture, field trips and section. If special problems
come up, see your Professors or TA ASAP.
Academic dishonesty is an assault upon the basic integrity and meaning of a University. Cheating, plagiarism, and collusion in dishonest activities are serious acts
which erode the University’s educational role and cheapen the learning experience not only for perpetrators, but also for the entire community. It is our expectation
that students in ES2, Introduction to Environmental Science, will understand and subscribe to the ideal of academic integrity and that they will bear individual
responsibility for their work. Materials (written or otherwise) submitted to fulfill academic requirements must represent a student’s own efforts. Any act of
academic dishonesty attempted by any UCSB student is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. This does not mean you can’t talk about you paper with other
students and brainstorm etc. We encourage Students, TAs and Faculty to interact as much as possible on academic subjects of mutual interest.
Section Syllabus: Winter Quarter 2012
ES-2: Introduction to Environmental Science
Instructor: Dr. Edward Keller
TA’S:
Office Hours:
Matt Blazek
mtblazek@yahoo.com
Tues 10:00-12:00 Bren Hall 4010
Sam Prentice
sep@umail.ucsb.edu
Andy Rich
arich@umail.ucsb.edu
Eric White
ebwhite@umail.ucsb.edu
David Wampler
dfw@umail.ucsb.edu
Objective:
To give you an opportunity to further explore topics addressed in lectures and readings. Participation is crucial and proper preparation (complete readings and
activities before section) is necessary to get the most out of the discussion. Sections will also help you prepare for exams and the research paper.
Email:
The following format must be observed for all correspondence with email. In the subject line, please include either:
A) ES2 “Section Date/Time”, “Last Name”, “Assignment 3”
B) ES2 “Section Date/Time”, “Last Name”, “subject”
Grading:
Section is worth 40% of your final course grade. Here’s the breakdown (multiply your score by the appropriate percentage point):
Class/Lecture:
3 Exams 60%
Sections: Research Paper 20%
Online Quizzes
Current Events
Participation & Other Assignments
10%
5%
5%
*Students who wish to have the paper re-evaluated must wait 24 hours after they receive their graded paper and must submit in writing a detailed statement
explaining why they think they deserve a higher grade. Please be aware that we also reserve the right to lower as well as raise the grade upon re-evaluation.
Section Policies:
Attendance wont be recorded BUT you have assignments and presentations that are due each week and must be in section to turn those in. (You cannot
turn in assignments and then leave; when you arrive you must stay for the entire section, unless you made prior arrangements with your TA).
You can only attend the section that you registered for on gauchospace. There will be NO switching of sections; there are room occupancy restrictions
that we must abide by. If you have a conflict one week, email your TA and make proper arrangements.
Assignments will be due at the beginning of section, these includes online quizzes, readings, and research papers.
NO LATE assignments are accepted. If you will be absent to section, email your TA and turn your assignment in early (this does not apply to
presentations).
Grades will not be discussed in class, meet with your TA at their office hours to discuss grades.
Please allow 48 hours for your TA to respond to emails. Again, include section and name in subject line.
Academic Dishonesty:
Violations will be prosecuted to the fullest extent in accordance with University policy.
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