Advanced Placement Environmental Science
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” ~Native American Proverb
Ms. Mary Catherine Mills
Southern Guilford High School
5700 Drake Road
Greensboro, NC 27406
(336) 674-4250
millsm2@gcsnc.com
Webpage: millsenvironmentalscience.weebly.com
Class Goals
All students will earn above an 80% in the class
100% of the students will earn a 3, 4 or 5 on the AP exam
Class Mission
To develop citizens who are aware of their impact on their environment and prepared with the
knowledge, skills and mindsets necessary to engage in the current discussion surrounding environmental
topics.
Course Description
The Advanced Placement Environmental Science (APES) course is designed to be the equivalent of a onesemester, introductory college course in environmental science. APES encompasses a number of different
fields, including geology, biology, meteorology, oceanography, physics, chemistry, and geography. It is a
rigorous laboratory science course that stresses scientific methodology, principles, analysis, and
discussion of the various topics and issues in environmental science and examines alternative solutions
for the prevention, mitigation, or remediation of those issues.
By the very nature of the topics and their relevance to current events, this course lends itself to lively
discussions, empowering students with scientific knowledge about the environment and encouraging
them to believe that one person truly can make a difference.
Course Prerequisites
The course is designed for students who have successfully completed biology and chemistry (or
equivalent). It is strongly recommended, in addition, that students have successfully completed at least
one year of algebra. Students who have not met these prerequisites may struggle because time will not be
spent re-teaching these skills.
Classroom Expectations
All school rules and regulations will be enforced according to the policies of Guilford County Schools and
of Southern Guilford High School. Students are responsible for knowing these policies – ignorance is not
an excuse.
1. RESPECT: You will respect people and property! You will be respectful and courteous to
substitute teachers. Remember that your behavior if a reflection of not only yourselves, but also of
your teacher, school and community. Students are not required to agree with everything that is
said in class, but they are required to acknowledge that other people have the right to say it
without persecution. However, derogatory, discriminating, or offensive language will NOT be
tolerated. There are better, more intelligent ways to express oneself.
2. DO YOUR BEST! I expect 100% effort from every individual in my classroom. This includes paying
attention in class (No sleeping!), completing all classwork assignments, taking notes, etc.
3. BE ON TIME: Getting to class on time means being in your seat, beginning the “bell ringer” activity
before the bell begins. It is expected that students will be in their seat, ready to work, when the
bell rings. Remember, learning is not a spectator sport, active participation is essential for success.
4. COME TO CLASS PREPARED: You will always be prepared for class with a pen or pencil, planner,
textbook and notebook.
5. BATHROOM BREAKS: I expect you to use bathroom facilities between classes or during
lunch. You will receive 3 hall passes per 9 weeks, in which you will be allowed to use the
restroom/get water during the class period when given permission (NOT the 15 minutes at the
beginning or end of the period). Once these are used, do NOT ask for additional breaks. Each
unused hall pass can be used as 5 BONUS points on a quiz/classwork grade!
6. KEEPING A CLEAN CLASSROOM: NO eating or drinking in class, unless otherwise specified.
Required Text & Readings:
Students will be issued a copy of Living in the Environment 13th Ed. by G. Tyler Miller Jr. Students are
financially responsible for this textbook, and it should be returned at the end of the school year in the
same condition that it was issued (aside from reasonable wear and tear). If the textbook is lost or
damaged, the student will be responsible for the cost of replacing the book or for the cost of repairs. If a
textbook is lost during the year, a replacement will not be issued until payment is made.
Other Materials:
 Three ring binder
 Small laboratory notebook
 Time—You should be devoting at least 4-6 “outside of class” hours a week toward reading,
studying, completing homework, lab work, etc.
 ENCOURAGED, but not required…AP Environmental Science Exam Prep Books. I recommend
either Barron’s or Princeton Review. These can be found online (Amazon, Half.com, etc.) or in local
bookstores. These are a great reference for study questions, short content reviews, and study tips
for the course and AP exam.
Late Work Policy
1. Absent from Class: YOU are responsible for any work missed when absent. To make up
assignments when absent, first visit the absentee folder for your class period. Make-up first in
the absentee folder will have your name, along with the due date for the work. You are also
responsible for getting any missed notes from classmates at the end of class, during “homework
time” or after school.
2. Late Work: Late work will only be accepted for full credit as a result of an excused absence. All
other late work will not receive full credit and will receive a 10-point deduction each day it is late.
Classroom Safety
It is extremely important that the classroom be a safe place for everyone to work and learn. Any activity
or action that risks the safety of anyone will result in the loss of credit for that activity and assignment of
a 5-page paper (minimum) with annotated citations on the importance of lab safety. If serious enough,
that student will be referred to administration. Laboratory-specific safety concerns will be reviewed at
the beginning of each lab activity.
Grading Policy
Unless otherwise specified, all assignments will be due at the beginning of class and will receive credit for
all parts that are legible. Those assignments submitted without a name will not be recorded, and time will
not be wasted tracking down the owner.
Reported grades will be based upon the district's 7-point grading scale (93%-100% = A).
Quarter grades are based on:
Tests & Projects 50%
Labs 25%
Quizzes & Classwork 15%
Homework 10%
*Final Exam = 20% of final grade
Assignment Descriptions
Homework – Reading Guides for each chapter will be given at the beginning of each unit. Students are
given until test time to complete this assignment. Reading Guides are DUE TEST DAY! For each unit of
study, students should outline, define all vocabulary (boldface and italicized), and answer the study
questions at the end of each chapter. These should be done in advance of the unit test, and reviewed
daily. These will not be collected or graded, but their completion will have an impact on test and quiz
scores.
Tests - There will be approximately three to four tests per quarter. Each of these are announced in
advance. The tests will cover readings, homework, lab activities, and other class activities. Tests will be a
combination of multiple choice and free response (essay) questions similar in rigor to the AP Exam
students will take in May. Corrections or retakes of tests will not be offered.
Quizzes - Anywhere from zero to five quizzes may be administered during a week. Quizzes are often
administered at the beginning of the period and they should rarely take more than five minutes. Quizzes
can either be announced or unannounced. Students should spend some time every night reviewing APES
materials in preparation.
Classwork - Investigations are diverse and will include indoor activities, outdoor activities, as well as
field experience outside the confines of the school campus. The labs are designed to encourage students
to think critically, observe environmental systems, develop and conduct well designed experiments,
utilize appropriate techniques and instrumentation, analyze and interpret data, present data orally and in
the form of statistical and graphical presentations, apply concepts to the solution of environmental
problems, form conclusions, and propose further study. In some cases, the submission of a formal lab
report will be required. Guidelines for those lab reports will be covered in more detail as they are
assigned. There will be a variety of learning activities that will be done in class, but may require
completion out of class. These include, but are not limited to: video response questions, problem sets,
surveys, additional readings, & computer applications.
Research Projects - Students will be required to do multiple research projects each quarter. These
include, but are not limited to, research papers, long-term projects, and presentations. Information and
clarification about these will be provided at the time of their assignment.
Academic Integrity
A school cannot provide a world-class education if the achievements of its students are fabricated. The
Academic Integrity Policy be read carefully to ensure everyone understands the definitions and
information contained within. Academic integrity violations will not be tolerated, and appropriate actions
will be taken. Keep in mind, students who plagiarize or cheat while attending college have been expelled
and their academic files permanently marked.
Formatting of Assignments, Papers, and Labs
All typed or electronically submitted assignments must be double-spaced, using 12-point, Times New
Roman font with 1-inch margins. Documents that do not conform to this requirement will be returned to
the student for correction and will be subject to the late work policy outlined in this syllabus. Attempts to
artificially inflate documents by adjusting these settings will be considered a violation of academic
integrity.
ALL research must be cited using in-text parenthetical formatting that conforms to the most recent
version of the Modern Language Association (MLA) or APA formatting. Work that is not appropriately
cited will be considered plagiarized, and no credit will be given. And, even though a source may be cited
correctly, does not mean copied and pasted information is permissible. Read for understanding,
summarize, paraphrase, and cite your sources!
For all calculations, students must be able to clearly show how the answer was derived. This requires
showing the proper setup and appropriate units for full credit. Students will not be allowed access to
calculators during tests, quizzes, or the AP exam in May.
Assignments can be submitted electronically as an email (millsm2@gcsnc.com) and must contain name
and assignment title in the subject line. Please check that your email address is appropriate for school,
otherwise it filtered out and blocked. Verification of receipt will not be given, and it is strongly
encouraged that students keep a copy of all submitted work and sent emails for their own records.
Electronic Devices
Technology truly is a wonderful thing. That being said, it can also be a distraction. The school's network
and equipment are to be used for school-related activities only. The use of cell phones are also prohibited
in the classroom. This includes text messaging and web browsing. Students using these in class will first
be given a warning. If the behavior continues, the device will be confiscated.
The AP Exam
The AP Exam has been prepared by environmental scientists and educators in both breadth and level of
detail, to reflect the content of what is found in many introductory college courses in environmental
science, and is considered appropriate for measurement of the skills and knowledge in environmental
science. Students enrolled in the course are required to take the AP Exam Monday, May 6th, 2012 at 8:00
in the morning. The cost of the exam is ≈$90, although fee reductions are available for students with
financial need.
After the AP Exam
The scores that you will earn on the AP Exam will not be released until late July, making it impossible to
give class credit. Although the AP Exam is a major culminating goal of the class, it is not the only one.
There will be lab work, research, readings and field investigations that will be assigned and completed
after the exam, as well as a final exam. Keep in mind that the course ends in June, not after the AP exam.
Topic Outline*
*This topic outline is subject to change.
Unit 1 (Miller Chapters 1 & 2)…………………2 Weeks
Scientific
Principles and
Concepts: Critical
Thinking and
Scientific Analysis
Environmental
Problems and
Causes
History of
Resource Use and
Conservation
Unit 1 Project: Environmental Legislation
Ongoing Project: Current Events Scrapbook (APES in the News)
 Students collect, and analyze newspaper articles over both 9-week periods
Reading: Chapter 1 Reading Activity (Cartoon Guide to the Environment)
Reading: Miller Chapter 1 & 2 Reading Comprehension Guide/Daily Quizzes
Activity: Gummy Worm Observation (Teacher-Made)
Activity: Graphing-Wingspan (Teacher-Made)
 Review graphing skills and scientific method
Activity: Scientific Method Thumb War (Teacher-Made)
 Students propose hypotheses
Activity: The Scientific Method Investigation Review
Spongebob Scientific Method Bikini Bottom Experiments (T. Trimpe)
Activity: A Dogged Investigation (Teacher-Made)
Activity: The Lorax (video) and the Truax by Teri Birkett
 Students observe the environmental problems across the world
Activity: Vanishing Frog Project
Activity: Name Droppers
Reading: Muir, Carson, Leopold reading excerpts with comprehension/critical
thinking questions
Activity: Ecological Footprint
 Using a footprint calculator on the Internet, students calculate their
ecological footprint and relate it to their lifestyle
Lab: Parts per Million by Successive Dilutions
Goals:
 Develop an understanding of ppm as a unit of measure
 Apply the concept of ppm to air and water pollution and toxicity (VI-A)
Activity: Environmentalist Internet Hunt
Activity: Design an Experiment
Review: Notecards-Important Terms
Test: Introduction and Chapters 1 & 2
Unit 2 (Miller Chapters 3 & 4)……………………………………2 Weeks
Critical Thinking/
Scientific Methods
and Models
Matter and Flow of
Energy
Project: Biogeochemical Cycles Project
Reading: Chapter 2 Biogeochemical Cycles (Cartoon Guide to the Environment)
Reading: Miller Chapter 3 & 4 Reading Comprehension Guide/Daily Quizzes
Lab: Net Primary Productivity (Molnar #15)
Goals:
 Measure net primary productivity using entire plant removal method and
clipped grass procedure (II-B)
 Comparing NPP measurement methods for reliability
 Apply the concept of NPP to energy flow and trophic levels (II-B)
Activity: Acids and Bases
Activity: Predator/Prey (Owl & Mice)
Activity: Predator/Prey (Molnar #17)
Activity: Food Chain/Food Web (Teacher made)
Activity: Eating at a Lower Trophic Level (Molnar 14)
Activity: Energy from Yeast (Teacher made)
Activity: Cats of Borneo
Activity: Moose & Wolves-Isle Royale
Activity: Biogeochemical Cycles Internet Review
Activity: Carbon Cycle Game
Activity: Nitrogen Cycle Game
Review: Notecards-Important Terms
Test: Chapters 3 & 4
Unit 3 (Miller Chapters 6, 17, 18)………………………………..3 Weeks
Air and Air
Pollution
Climate Change and
Ozone Loss
Project: Environmental Laws
Lab: Measuring Albedo (teacher made)
Goals:
 Draw inferences about the relative albedo of various surfaces (I-B)
 Explore the relationship between albedo and climate (I-B)
Activity: Particulate Collection; Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Fossil Fuel
Burning
Activity: Air Pollution Scavenger Hunt
Activity: Testing for Ground Level Ozone using Schoenbein Scale (Testing for
Tropospheric Ozone Pollution)
Lab: Acid Rain Seed Lab (Molnar #28)
Goals:
 Identify environmental disadvantages of the use of fossil fuels as an energy
source (V-C)
 Identify the causes and effects of acid deposition (VI-A)
 Apply inquiry-based skills
Lab: Acid Rain Plant Lab
Goals: (See Above)
Activity: Global Warming Simulation; Earth’s Greenhouse Effect
Activity: El Nino Analysis Coloring
Video: The 11th Hour
Video: Warnings from the Ice (Nova) and Article: Global Warming (Time
Magazine)
Review: Notecards-Important Terms
Test: Chapters 6.1-6.2, 17 and 18
Unit 4 (Miller Chapters 5, 6, 8)……………………………………..3 Weeks
Evolution and
Biodiversity
Community
Ecology
Activity: Grocery Store Biodiversity/Parking Lot Biodiversity/ Library
Biodiversity
Project: Biomes (student presentation)
 As individuals or in groups of two, students will do a PowerPoint
presentation on the physical characteristics, flora, fauna, and
environmental impacts on different biomes
Activity: Climatograms
 Students will design climatograms of assigned biomes using data found on
the internet during research
Activity: Simulation of Natural Selection (teacher made)
Activity: Biodiversity-Why is it Important?
Lab: Biodiversity in Leaf Litter
Goals:
 Determine the relative abundance of each individual species in a sample of
leaf litter (II-C)
 Calculate the biodiversity of organisms found in sample of leaf litter (II-C)
Lab: Brine Shrimp Abiotic Factors (Enger & Smith #7)
Goals:
 Recognize mechanisms behind ecological niche establishment (resource
partitioning) (II-A)
 Understand species movement due to environmental changes (II-D)
Activity: Biological Hotspots
Activity: Succession (Enger & Smith #8)
Lab: Interspecific and Intraspecific Competition (Enger & Smith #9)
Goals
 To understand the effects of competition
 Identify interactions between organisms of the same and different species
Activity: Bears in The Woods (Project Wild)
Case Studies: Peppered Moths, Isle Royale
Review: Notecards-Important Terms
Test: Chapters 5, 6.3-6.8, and 8
Unit 5 (Miller Chapters 22, 24)……………………………………..3 Weeks
Sustaining Wild
Species
Terrestrial
Diversity and
Aquatic Diversity
Activity: Tragedy of the Commons (AP Central)
Video: Tragedy of Commons (Discovery Education)
Activity: “Go Fish” Tragedy of Commons Lab
Project: Endangered Animal Gallery Walk
Video: Nature-Salmon
Video: America’s Endangered Species-Don’t Say Goodbye
Activity: Exotic Species-Wanted Dead or Alive
Review: Notecards-Important Terms
Test: Chapters 22 & 24
Unit 6 (Miller Chapters 9, 10)……………………………………..4 Weeks
Population
Dynamics
Lab: Power of the Pyramids (Earth Matters #3)
Goals:
 Construct and interpret age-structure diagrams (III-B)
 Explain the statistical study of human populations (III-B)
 Draw connections between the shape of a graph and its population growth
pattern (III-B)
Activity: Age Pyramid Mini-Lab (Population Profile)
Activity: Carrying Capacity Mini-Lab
Activity: Estimating Population Size Mini-Lab
Activity: Cemetery (Enger & Smith #15)
Activity: Lily Pond Parable-Ecofuture
Activity: Doubling Time (Molnar #20)
Activity: Something’s Fishy (Teacher made)
 Simulate “tagging”, a way of determining the population of a particular
area
Lab: Lemmna/Duckweed Lab (Carolina Biological) OR Global Population Trends
(Molnar #21)
Goals:
 Understand strategies for sustainability
Identify population dynamics
Video: Planet in Peril
Activity: Food for Thought (Population Connection)
Video: World in The Balance (Nova)
Review: Notecards-Important Terms
Test: Chapters 9 & 12
Unit 7 (Miller Chapters 11, 20)……………………………….2 Weeks
Toxicology, Risk,
and Human Health
Pesticides and Pest
Control
Activity: Disease Reports/ Gallery Walk
Activity: Risk Perception and Risk Reality-Local Environmental Risk (Teacher
made)
Goals:
 Students participate in an activity to determine the probability and risk
Lab: LD-50 Toxic Tea (Teacher made)
Goals:
 Identify dose/response relationships (VI-B)
 Differentiate between acute and chronic effects (VI-B)
 Become aware of methodologies to perform environmental risk analysis
(VI-B)
Video: Ebola/Outbreak (Nova)
Activity: Virustown
Lab: Pesticides (Inquiry and Experimental Design)
Goals:
 Understand a dose-response relationship of toxins on organisms
Case Studies: Minamata Disease, Love Canal
Speaker: Health Department
Review: Notecards-Important Terms
Test: Chapters 11 & 20
Unit 8 (Miller Chapters 10, 13, 15)…………………………………..3 Weeks
Geology and Soil
Activity: Rocks and Minerals (Geology in a Bag Kit)
Activity: 3 Faults
Activity: Plate Tectonics Project ( Molnar #2)
Lab: Soil Lab-Chemical and Physical (NCSU AP Workshop)
Goals:
 Identify physical and chemical soil properties (I-D)
 Determine soil types using the soil triangle (I-D)
Lab: Chemical vs. Mechanical Weathering
Goals:
 Identify the difference between weathering types
 Recreate effects of chemical and physical weathering on rocks/materials of
different compositions
Activity: Soil Texture Triangle
Video: Dirt! The Movie
Activity: Cookie Mining OR Birdseed Mining (online)
 Using chocolate chip cookies and toothpicks as tools, students do a mining
simulation activity
Activity: Scale Model of the Earth (teacher made)
Video: Southern Appalachians- A changing World (USGS)
Review: Notecards-Important Terms
Test: Chapter 10, 13, & 15.1-15.4
Unit 9 (Miller Chapters 23, 25)……………………………….2 Weeks
Food Resources
and Urban Land
Use
Project: Food and Agriculture Scavenger Hunt
Activity: Counting Calories (AP Workshop-Katherine Howard)
Video: Food Inc.
Lab: Bioengineered Foods and Irradiated Foods
Project: Land Use Planning (Molnar #1) OR PLT’s 400 Acre Wood OR Roa’s What
Price Open Space Debate
Activity: Habitat-The Choice is Yours
Case Studies: Easter Island, Sierra Club vs. Disney
Review: Notecards-Important Terms
Test: Chapters 23 & 25
Unit 10 (Chapters 10, 14, 19)………………………………….3 Weeks
Aquatic Ecology,
Water Resources
and Water
Pollution
Field Study/ Lab: Chemical Testing for Water Quality and Aquatic Sampling
Activity/Survey: Water Use Analysis
Activity: Water Diversion (Molnar #14)
Activity: Water Drops (Molnar #13)
Lab: Effect of Salinization on Seeds (Inquiry and Experimental Design) from Betsy
Ertel
Goals:
 Understand the effects of salinization on crop production
Lab: No Water Off a Duck’s Back
Goals:
 Simulate the damage done to birds as a result of an oil spill
Lab: Specific Heat (Molnar #3)
Goals:
 Relate specific to climate phenomena
 Understand the concept of specific heat
Activity: Deadly Water (Aquatic Wild )
Video: Blue Gold
Review: Notecards-Important Terms
Test: Chapter 7, 14, & 19
Unit 11 (Miller Chapters 15, 16, 21)
Energy Efficiency
and Renewable
Energy
Solid Waste
Lab: Personal Energy Consumption (Enger & Smith #20)
Goals:
 Understand energy waste in the home
 Calculate personal carbon use
Activity: Watt’s the Cost? (Roa #18)
Activity: Exploring Alternative Energy Sources
Activity: Effects of Radiation on Growth of Radish Seeds (Enger & Smith #21)
Optional Field Trips: Wastewater Treatment Plant, Water Treatment Plant,
Landfill, Recycling Center
Activity: Solid Waste Collection (Molnar #30)
Activity: Recycle City (Internet)
Project: How to Market Energy in an Energy-Challenged Age
Activity: Disposal of Nuclear Waste
Case Studies: Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, Khian Sea
Review: Notecards-Important Terms
Test: Chapters 15.5-15.9, 16, and 21
Unit 12………………………………….. 2 Weeks
Review
After the
AP Exam
Review for the APES exam
Ongoing
till end of
school
year
A to Z Project: For each letter of the alphabet, you will obtain a picture
that is related to that letter and to Environmental Science. For each
picture, you must write one paragraph describing how the picture is
related to our class. You may not draw any pictures. Pictures, graphs,
tables and maps are great ideas to be used for the letter. Thirteen of the
pictures must be pictures you have taken with a camera within the Triad
area, North Carolina, or somewhere YOU travelled. This is a wonderful
way to involve your family and friends. Briefly describe when and where
the picture was taken. The purpose of these pictures is to relate what we
have studied this year to our community. Four of the pictures must be part
of our astronomy component. You may take pictures of the different
phases of the moon, the four seasons we have in North Carolina, star
patterns you might want to see and learn about or anything you feel might
be related to astronomy. It must be approved if it is not already listed.