AP Environmental Science Syllabus
Instructor: Ana Landa
Contact Information: alanda@dadeschool.net
Website: www.teacherpage.com/landaAPES
Office Hours: 6:45 – 7:20AM (or
by appointment)
Texts
Living in the Environment by G. Tyler Miller, Jr. and Scott E. Spoolman,
17th edition, 2012, Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning
Barron's AP Environmental Science by Gary Thorpe, 2nd edition, 2007,
Barron’s Educational Series, Incorporated
Environmental Issues - An Introduction to Sustainability by Robert L.
McConnell and Daniel C. Abel, 3rd edition, 2008, Prentice Hall
Additional materials such as case studies, science journals, science
magazines, and online resources will be used to complement the textbook.
Course Description
The goal of this course is to provide students with the scientific
principles, concepts, and methodologies to understand the
interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze
environmental problems both natural and human-made, to evaluate the risks
associated with these problems and examine alternative solutions for
resolving and/or preventing them.
Home Learning
Independent work at home will include (but not limited to) reading
textbook sections, answering unit questions, finalizing laboratory
reports, reviewing lecture notes, current events, and listening to
National Public Radio (NPR). Projects and presentations will also be
assigned (individual and group).
Assessments (Using Miami-Dade County Public Schools Grading Scale)
 Unit Exams (approximately every 2 weeks and worth 3 grades) will
include multiple choice and free- response questions, which will be
modeled and graded AP Exam style. The purpose of this is to
emulate the AP exam and enable the student to solve problems and
answer questions related to the topic in a set amount of time. All
Unit Exams can be considered cumulative.
 Labs (2–3 grades)
 Home learning assignments, including but not limited to ,
completion of class work, lab, and projects (1 – 4 grades)
 Classroom activities (1-2)
 Pop quizzes (1 grade)
 Projects (1-4 grades; 1-2 per 9 weeks); Note: APES IN THE NEWS
PROJECT will begin the 1st nine weeks and will end two weeks prior
to the end of the 3rd nine weeks; articles must be dated starting
from September through February and 4 articles must be collected
per month. NATIONAL OR STATE PARK EXPERIENCE BROCHURE can be
turned in two weeks prior to the end of any nine weeks.
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Make-up Work
 Missed Exams need to be made up immediately upon the student’s
return and student must communicate with the teacher via email or
parent note concerning upcoming absence. This communication must
occur as soon as possible. An alternate exam may be given if the
absence is extensive and will be administered a week before the end
of the quarter.
 Late work will not be accepted beyond the due date unless student
has communicated with me and there are extreme circumstances to
justify and extension.
 There are no make-ups for Pop Quizzes as well as certain
Labs/Activities (these include but are not limited to classwork
assignments, fieldwork, fieldtrips, and labs).
Course Planner
Unit 1
Chapter 1
Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability
1. What Are The Three Principles Of Sustainability?
2. How Are Our Ecological Footprints Affecting The Earth?
3. Why Do We Have Environmental Problems?
4. What Is Environmental Sustainability?
Video: The Story Of Stuff
Activity: Carbon Footprint analysis
Reading & Video: The Lorax and Sustainable Development
Lab: Tragedy of the Commons
Chapter 2
Science, Matter, Energy, and Systems
1. What Do Scientists Do?
2. What Is Matter?
3. What Happens When Matter Undergoes Change?
4. What is Energy and What Happens When It Undergoes Change?
5. What Are Systems and How Do They Respond To Change?
Lab: The student will design an experiment using Rapid-cycling Brassica
rapa seeds.
Walking Tour: Students will take a walking tour of school grounds and
identify native and exotic plants. This information will be kept in
student journal for future biodiversity study and understanding of
interrelationships between other species, for example butterflies, that
use some of these plants.
Unit 1 Exam
Unit 2
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Chapter 3
Ecosystems: What Are They and How Do They Work?
1. What Keeps Us And Other Organisms Alive?
2. What Are The Major Components Of An Ecosystem?
3. What Happens To Energy In An Ecosystem?
4. What Happens To Matter In An Ecosystem?
5. How Do Scientists Study Ecosystems?
Biogeochemical cycle Presentation: Students will create a presentation
of a biogeochemical cycle that includes a visual, accurate explanation of
the cycle, human impacts, and short assessment in order to encourage
group participation.
Fieldwork: Identifying Features In A Hardwood Hammock
Students will understand the complexity of a Hardwood Hammock and the
importance and relationships between its inhabitants.
Lab: Owl Pellets, Food Webs, and Pyramids
Chapter 4
Biodiversity And Evolution
1. What Is Biodiversity and Why Is It Important?
2. How Does the Earth's Life Change Over Time?
3. How Do Geological Processes and Climate Change Affect Evolution?
4. How Do Speciation, Extinction, And Human Activities Affect
Biodiversity?
5. What is Species Diversity And Why Is It Important?
6. What Roles Do Species Play In An Ecosystem?
Lab: Biodiversity and Use of the Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index
Unit 2 Exam (may include information from Unit 1)
Unit 3
Chapter 5
Biodiversity, Species, Interactions, And Population Control
1. How Do Species Interact?
2. What Limits The Growth Of Populations?
3. How Do Communities And Ecosystems Respond To Changing Environmental
Conditions?
Video: Okefenokee Swamp
Activity: Moose and Wolves of Isle Royale
Students will look at predator/prey relationships and a graphical
analysis of data.
Lab: Something’s Fishy
Students will perform a mark and recapture simulation.
Film: Cane Toads
Chapter 6
The Human Population And Its Impact
1. How Many People Can The Earth Support?
2. What Factors Influence The Size Of The Human Population?
3. How Does A Population's Age Structure Affect Its Growth Or Decline?
4. How Can We Slow Human Population Growth?
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Research Activity and Presentation: Power of the Pyramids
The student will research a country’s demographics; prepare a population
pyramid, and present environmental impacts.
Unit 3 Exam (may include information from Units 1 & 2)
Unit 4
Chapter 7
Climate And Biodiversity
1. What Factors Influence Climate?
2. How Does Climate Affect The Nature And Location Of Biomes?
3. How Have We Affected The World's Terrestrial Ecosystem?
Tentative Fieldtrip: Everglades National Park – Mangrove Forests and
Flamingo
Students will explore how nutrients, which travel from northern Florida
and enter Everglades National Park, eventually reach the ocean and affect
the biodiversity of the mangrove forests in the southern tip of the park.
Chapter 8
Aquatic Biodiversity
1. What Is The Nature Of Aquatic Ecosystems?
2. Why Are Marine Aquatic Ecosystems Important?
3. How Have Human Activities Affected Marine Ecosystems?
4. Why Are Fresh Water Ecosystems Important?
5. How Have Human Activities Affected Freshwater Ecosystems?
Case Study: Restoring Water Flow In The Everglades - Implications and
Benefits
Students will explore the past, present and future of the water flow in
the Everglades National Park. Students will understand firsthand the
importance of coastal ecosystems and how they relate to our national
fisheries.
Unit 4 Exam (may include information from Units 1-3)
Unit 5
Chapter 9
Sustaining Biodiversity: The Species Approach
1. What Role Do Humans Play In The Extinction Of Species?
2. Why Should We Care About The Rising Rate of Species Extinction?
3. How Do Humans Accelerate Species Extinction?
4. How Can We Protect Wild Species From Extinction?
Tentative Field Trip: Zoo Miami
Students will understand the efforts of public institutions in the
conservation of species and biodiversity.
Project: Formulating A Comprehensive Species Recovery Plan
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Students will use the Endangered Species Act as a guideline to formulate
a recovery plan in order to augment the numbers of a species listed in
the legislation.
Chapter 10
Sustaining Terrestrial Biodiversity: The Ecosystem Approach
1. What Are The Major Threats To Forest Ecosystems?
2. How Should We Manage And Sustain Forests?
3. How Should We Manage And Sustain Grasslands?
4. How Should We Manage And Sustain Parks and Nature Reserves?
5. What Is The Ecosystem Approach to Sustaining Biodiversity?
Fieldwork: Managing A Disturbed Ecosystem: Kendall Indian Hammock Park
Students will partake in a managing plan of a Hardwood Hammock, which
includes the removal of exotic species and creating a native plant
species census.
Fieldwork: Managing A Man-Made Ecosystem - Butterfly Garden
Students will learn small level management of a man-made ecosystem.
Special Lecture: Managing Natural Preserves
A guest speaker from Natural Areas Management (NAM) will present the
students with techniques on how to manage South Florida Ecosystems.
Film: Medicine Man
Unit 5 Exam (may include information from Units 1-4)
Unit 6
Chapter 11
Sustaining Aquatic Biodiversity
1. What Are The Major Threats To Aquatic Biodiversity?
2. How Can We Protect And Sustain Marine Biodiversity?
3. How Should We Manage And Sustain Marine Fisheries?
4. How Should We Protect And Sustain Wetlands?
5. How Should We Protect And Sustain Freshwater Lakes, Rivers, And
Fisheries?
6. What Should Be Our Priorities For Sustaining Aquatic Biodiversity?
Film: The Cove
Chapter 12
Food, Soil, And Pest Management
1. What Is Food Security And Why Is It Difficult to Attain?
2. How Is Food Produced?
3. What Environmental Problems Arise From Industrialized Food Production?
4. How Can We Protect Crops From Pests More Sustainably?
5. How Can We Improve Food Security?
6. How Can We Produce Food More Sustainably?
Lab: Soil Analysis
Research Project & Presentation: Green Iron Chef Challenge
Students will be given a selected food item to use in creating a dish
that has minimal human environmental impact.
Tentative Field Trip: Fairchild Tropical Gardens
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Students will understand the efforts of public institutions in the
conservation of species and biodiversity.
Reading: Cats into Borneo
Unit 6 Exam (may include information from Units 1-5)
Unit 7
Chapter 13
Water Resources
1. Will We Have Enough Usable Water?
2. Is Extracting Groundwater The Answer?
3. Is Building More Dams The Answer?
4. Is Transferring Water From One Place to Another The Answer?
5. Is Converting Salty Seawater To Freshwater The Answer?
6. How Can We Use Water More Sustainably?
7. How Can We Reduce The Threat Of Flooding?
Film: Blue Gold
Case Study: Tampa, Florida’s Desalination Plant and The Colorado River
Lab: Salinization
Students will explore the effects of salt water intrusion on crops.
Chapter 14
Geology And Nonrenewable Mineral Resources
1. What Are The Earth's Major Geological Processes And Hazards?
2. How Are The Earth's Rocks Recycled?
3. What Are Mineral Resources And What Are The Environmental Effects of
Using Them?
4. How Long Will Supplies If Nonrenewable Resources Last?
5. How Can We Use Mineral Resources More Sustainably?
Lab: Cookie Mining
Students will explore the environmental impact and cost of mining.
Case Study: Coltan And The War In The Congo
Unit 7 Exam (may include information from Units 1-6)
Unit 8
Chapter 15
Nonrenewable Energy
1. What Is The Net Energy And Why Is It Important?
2. What Are the Advantages And Disadvantages Of Using
3. What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages of Using
4. What Are The Advanvages And Disadvantages Of Using
5. What Are The Advanvages And Disadvantages Of Using
Oil?
Natural Gas?
Coal?
Nuclear Power?
Lab: Your Household Energy Consumption
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This lab will allow students to assess their energy consumptions, as well
as ways to diminish that consumption by eliminating unnecessary wastes.
Special Lecture: Dangers of Nuclear Contamination
Through this lecture, the students will be exposed to case studies
pertaining to nuclear disasters and their effects on humans, society and
the environment.
Chapter 16
Energy Efficiency And Renewable Energy
1. Why Is Energy Efficiency An Important Energy Resource?
2. How Can We Cut Energy Waste?
3. What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Using Solar Power?
4. What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Using Hydropower?
5. What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Using Wind Power?
6. What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Using Biomass As An
Energy Resource?
7. What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Using Geothermal Energy?
8. What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Using Hydrogen As An
Energy Resource?
9. How Can We Make The Transition To A More Sustainable Energy Future?
Lab: Alternative Energies
Students will explore passive and active solar energy, energy
alternatives like biomass fuel & electric power, conserving energy, and
designing an energy efficient home.
Case Study: The Case Of The Snail Darter And The Tellico Dam
This case study will explore the environmental effects of implementing
hydroelectric power.
Film: Who Killed The Electric Car?
Unit 8 Exam (may include information from Units 1-7)
Unit 9
Chapter 17
Environmental Hazards And Human Health
1. What Major Health Hazards Do We Face?
2. What Types Of Biological Hazards Do We Face?
3. What Type Of Chemical Hazards Do We Face?
4. How Can We Evaluate Chemical Hazards?
5. How Do We Perceive Risks And How Can We Avoid The Worst Of Them?
Activity: Mad As A Hatter
Students will explore the effects of lead use on the human nervous
system.
Chapter 18
Air Pollution
1. What Is The Nature Of The Atmosphere?
2. What Are The Major Outdoor Air Pollution Problems?
3. What is Acid Deposition And Why Is It a Problem?
4. What Are The Major Indoor Pollution Problems?
5. What Are the Health Effects of Air Pollution?
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6. How Should We Deal With Air Pollution?
Report: Pollutants In Common Household Products
Students will explore and research chemicals found in common household
products, their effects on humans and how they impact the environment.
Unit 9 Exam (may include information from Units 1-8)
Unit 10
Chapter 19
Climate Disruption And Ozone Depletion
1. How Might The Earth's Temperature And Climate Change In The Future?
2. What Are Some Possible Effects Of A Warner Atmosphere?
3. What Can We Do To Slow Projected Climate Disruption?
4. How Have We Depleted Ozone In The Stratosphere And What Can We Do
About It?
Case Studies: Effects
Students will explore
with climatic changes
Film: An Inconvenient
Lab: Acid Rain
of Global Climate Change - Past, Present And Future
how ecosystems and their inhabitants have coped
caused by human activities.
Truth (excerpts)
Chapter 20
Water Pollution
1. What Are The Causes And Effects Of Water Pollution?
2. What Are Major Water Pollution Problems In Streams And Lakes?
3. What Are The Major Pollution Problems Affecting Groundwater and Other
Drinking Water Sources?
4. What Are The Major Water Pollution Problems Affecting Oceans?
5. How Can We Best Deal With Water Pollution?
Lab: Major Water Pollutants And Water Testing
Students will become familiar with the most common water pollutants and
ways to detect their presence in water samples.
Walking Tour: Students will explore the aquaculture tanks on school
grounds, familiarize themselves with the set-up, and collect water
samples to test in the lab.
Special Lecture: Biomagnification And The Case Of The Bald Eagle
Students will explore in detail the fall of the Bald Eagle and the
actions that lead to its rebound.
Unit 10 Exam (may include information from Units 1-9)
Unit 11
Chapter 21
Solid And Hazardous Waste
1. What Are Solid Waste And Hazardous Waste, And Why Are They Problems?
2. How Should We Deal With Solid Waste?
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3. Why Are We Reusing And Recycling Materials So Important?
4. What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Burning or Burying Solid
Waste?
5. How Should We Deal With Hazardous Waste?
6. How Can We Make The Transition To A More Sustainable Low-Waste
Society?
Field Activity: Is It Really Recyclable?
Students will conduct a survey of recyclable products and types found in
a typical home
Lab: Neutralizing Hazardous Waste
Students will simulate ways and will research the implications of
neutralizing a hazardous pollutant.
Earth Day Activity & Review: Ask Me Why I’m Green!
Students will write a persuasive letter to their teachers asking for
permission to participate in an Earth Day activity. Each student will
create a poster, which is constructed with minimal environmental impact
and includes an important factoid from each of the chapters in the
textbook and the corresponding page number. These posters will be worn
around the neck throughout the day. Students will share any of these
factoids with their classmates and teachers in an attempt to inform the
general public about environmental issues.
Chapter 22
Cities And Sustainability
1. What Are The Major Population Trends In Urban Areas?
2. What Are The Major Urban Resource And Environmental Problems?
3. How Does Transportation Affect Urban Environmental Impacts?
4. How Important Is Urban Land-Use Planning?
5. How Can Cities Become More Sustainable And Livable?
Project: Designing A Green House
Students will design models of “green” homes. Aspects such as energy
generation and usage, the use of natural light and water reclamation will
be explored.
Unit 11 Exam (may include information from Units 1-10)
Unit 12
Chapter 23
Economics, Environments And Sustainability
1. How Are Economic Systems Related To The Biosphere?
2. How Can We Put Values On Natural Capital and Control Pollution And
Resource Use?
3. How Can We Use Economic Tools To Deal With Environmental Problems?
4. How Can Reducing Poverty Help Us to Deal With Environmental Problems?
5. How Can We Make The Transition To More Environmentally Friendly
Sustainable Economics?
Chapter 24
Politics, Environment, And Sustainability
1. What Is The Role Of Government In Making The Transition To More
Sustainable Societies?
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2. How Is Environmentally Friendly Policy Made?
3. What Is The Role Of Environmental Law In Dealing With Environmental
Problems?
4. What Are The Major Roles Of Environmental Groups?
5. How Can We Improve Global Environmental Security?
6. How Can We Implement More Sustainable And Just Environmental Policies?
Chapter 25
Environmental Worldviews, Ethics, And Sustainability
1. What Are Some Environmental Worldviews?
2. What Is The Role Of Education In Living More Sustainably?
3. How Can We Live More Sustainably?
Unit Project: Testing An “Environmentally-friendly” Product
Students will design or purchase an “environmentally-friendly” product,
test it, collect data, and present their results to either defend or
refute the product. Presentations will be made after the AP Environmental
Science Exam.
AP Environmental Science Exam
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