AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Course Syllabus and Student Expectations 2012 2013

Welcome to AP Environmental Science, or APES! Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary course, designed to illustrate the interrelationships of the natural world, as well as to examine and evaluate natural and human-caused environmental issues and their possible prevention, alternatives and/or resolutions. It unifies major themes, concepts and events from many disciplines including Biology, Chemistry and Earth Science, in addition to Humanities Social Sciences. APES includes a laboratory and field component that links directly to the course outline. The goals of the labs and field investigations are: to illustrate specific environmental science concepts, including the principles of data collection and analysis; to make observations of organisms and environmental systems using various methodologies; and/or to explore and evaluate the complexity of environmental problems. Most importantly, the purpose of such labs and field investigations is to stimulate critical and analytical thinking about environmental issues in the real world today. APES is designed to fulfill one semester of an introductory college environmental science, a laboratory science, course. At Mission, APES is considered to be an elective science course. For more information on the AP credit policy at your college of interest, go to: http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/apcreditpolicy/index.jsp Instructor: Ms. Ishimine Office: Room M-1 lishimine@fremont.k12.ca.us (510) 657-3600, ext. 37073 School Loop: http://mission-fusd-ca.schoolloop.com

Your teachers are often moving around campus when they are not in their classrooms. If you would like to have a discussion with me in person, please make an appointment (in person or by email) to meet at lunch or after school. Otherwise, email is the most convenient form of communication. Prerequisites: Completion of 2 years of high school lab science, one life and one physical, and one year of Algebra. Though it is not a prerequisite, the completion of Earth Science would be beneficial. APES Exam date: Monday, May 6, 2013, 8 a.m. Textbook: Miller, G. Tyler. 2007. Living in the Environment, 15th ed. Belmont, CA: Thompson Brooks/Cole. Other resources: Frequently throughout the course, students will utilize various periodicals (newspapers, magazines, internet articles) and other literature to reflect on the dynamic relationship between humans and the natural world. Grading Policy: Grades are calculated based on a cumulative point system; grade categories are not weighted. Each semester grade is independent of the other. The estimated grade category distribution for APES is: 50% tests; 45% labs, fieldwork, activities and projects, including classroom, lab and field conduct; and 5% homework. Grade scale:
A+ : 100.0% + A : 93.0% - 99.5% A- : 90.0% - 92.5% B+ : 87.0% - 89.5% B : 83.0% - 86.5% B- : 80.0% - 82.5% C+ : 77.0% - 79.5% C : 73.0% - 76.5% C- : 70.0% - 72.5% D+ : 67.0% - 69.5% D : 63.0% - 66.5% D- : 60.0% - 62.5% F : lower than 60%

Questions on Grading: If you have any question regarding an assignment grade, the score must be addressed and initiated only by the student - to the instructor within 5 school days after the work was returned. After the 5 days, that assignment grade will not be discussed. The graded work itself must be presented to the instructor to discuss the grade. Recordkeeping of Your Grade: You are responsible for keeping track of your grades. It is imperative that you diligently maintain a record of all your assignments, tests & quizzes, and labs & field work scores. To ensure that there are no errors on either your or your instructors side, check your records against the instructors via School Loop regularly. Grades will not be posted in the classroom. Grade discrepancies on any assignment must be addressed - and initiated only by the student - within 5 school days of that assignments posting on School Loop. After the five school days, that grade will not be discussed. **Calendars, documents for printing, announcements and grades will be posted on School Loop. ** Extra Credit: None expected. Students are expected to do their best on every assignment for the entire school year. Students should expect that they cannot save their grade at the last minute.

COURSEWORK & CONTENT: Below are the major topics addressed in the course and the percent coverage on the multiple-choice section of the AP exam. For a more detailed topic outline, in addition to other course information, visit: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/envsci/topic.html?envsci
I. Earth Systems and Resources (10-15%) II. The Living World (10-15%) III. Population (10-15%) IV. Land and Water Use (10-15%) V. Energy Resources and Consumption (10-15%) VI. Pollution (25-30%) VII. Global Change (10-15%)

Students can expect daily reading assignments. Reading assignments include written responses to questions from the assigned text. On occasion, students will need to conduct fieldwork outside of school hours in partial fulfillment of an assignment. Other written homework include responses to current event articles, labs and field investigations, and/or other literature. Each assignment considers one or more of the following elements:
Methods for analyzing and interpreting information and experimental data, including mathematical calculations. Identification and analysis of environmental problems Evaluations of the ecological and human health risks associated with these problems Critical examination of various solutions for resolving or preventing them

In addition to group discussions and activities, APES includes laboratories and field investigations that reinforce topics covered in APES. As with other written assignments, lab and field investigations incorporate one or more of the elements listed above. A minimum of one class period or its equivalent per week is spent engaged in laboratory and/or field work. TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE
Unit / Approximate Unit Length Humans and Sustainability: An Overview Weeks 1 - 3 Textbook Chapters Please refer to textbook pgs xlix-liii for correlation to the topic outline Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability Textbook: S5 (reading: US history) and S6 (other history). Review S1 (metrics), S2 (graphs) and S26 (how to read sci articles). Labs, Activities & Field Investigations

Ecology and Sustainability Weeks 4 - 6

2. 3.

Weeks 7 - 8

Weeks 9 - 10

Sustaining Biodiversity Weeks 11 - 14

Science, Systems, Matter and Energy S3 (ES concept map) Review S7 (reading: Chem&Bio) Ecosystems: What Are They and How Do They Work? Review S8 (classification), S9 (deforestation, nutrient cycling) 4. Evolution and Biodiversity S4 (maps: biodiv, eco ftprnts ) 5. Climate and Terrestrial Biodiversity S10 (reading: weather basics) and S11 (earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions) 6. Aquatic Biodiversity 7. Community Ecology S12 (pred/rey example) 8. Population Ecology S13 (genetic variation on pops) 9. Applying Population Ecology: The Human Population and its Impact 10. Sustaining Terrestrial Biodiversity: The Ecosystem Approach S14 (coffee) and S15 (insects/pathogens) THANKSGIVING BREAK (week 12) 11. Sustaining Biodiversity: The Species Approach 12. Sustaining Aquatic Biodiversity S16 (fisheries & the marketplace)

Ranking Environmental Challenges Activity $100,000 Activity Tragedy of the Commons Simulation Experimental Design Lab: Salinization Lab (1week) Environmental Timeline poster Pathway to Sustainability activity Start current events journal Whats Beneath America? video Soil Characteristics Lab Population Dynamics Lab: Seed Crowding Population Estimation Lab: Mark & Recapture Grass Decomposition Lab (5+ weeks?) Climate & Weather Lab: Coriolis Effect Primary Consumer Lab (2 weeks) Habitat Islands Activity

Planet Earth: Into the Wilderness video Endangered and Invasive Species research presentation Cane Toads: An Unnatural History Video

Sustaining Key Resources Weeks 15 - 16

Weeks 17 - 20

Week 21 Sustaining Environmental Quality Weeks 22 24

13. Food, Soil Conservation and Pest Management S17 (Japan/China) 14. Water S18 (isotope hydrology) WINTER BREAK (weeks 17-18) 15. Geology and Nonrenewable Mineral Resources S19 (mining law) 16. Nonrenewable Energy S20 (oil history) and S21 (resources maps) 17. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy FINALS WEEK: end 1st semester 18. Environmental Hazards and Human Health S22 (toxicity) and S23 (dioxins) 19. 20. 21. 22. Air Pollution Climate Change and Ozone Depletion Water Pollution Solid and Hazardous Waste

Mining and Resource Use Simulation Soil Productivity Lab Exploring Energy & Energy Efficiency Lab? The Wonderful World of Dung Video Food, Inc. movie Organic v Nonorganic Foods Taste Test Water Taste Test Personal Water Use Inventory? Who Killed the Electric Car? movie

Weeks 25 - 27

Toxicity Lab: LD50 Test Exploring Toxins in Your Environment Gupta Reports: 9/11 Ten Years Later video Ghosts in Your Genes Video Air Quality Lab & Field Sampling Water Quality Lab & Field Sampling Sewage Treatment Plant tour Gray Water Lab (2 weeks)

Sustaining Human Societies Weeks 28 30

Weeks 31 - 35

Week 36: MAY 7 Weeks 36 - 42

23. Sustainable Cities 24. Economics, Environment, and Sustainability S24 (reading: global trade & envmnt) 25. Politics, Environment, and Sustainability 26. Environmental Worldviews, Ethics, and Sustainability S25 (reading: philos., religion, ethics, nature) SPRING BREAK (week 31) Review & Practice for AP Exams; final exam for APES APES EXAM POST AP EXAM TIME

Public Land Use Project (2 weeks)

Practice AP Exam Final exam Post-APES Exam Project Post exam labs/activities

Homework Policy: Tentative unit calendars will be posted online. Calendars will include basic agenda items (such as lab and test days) and special assignments. Routine reading & reading questions assignments will not be indicated on the calendar, as the pacing of such homework is the responsibility of each student. Teachers might not verbally communicate daily or routine homework assignments. Students must proactively check for homework on a daily basis. Non-textbook homework assignments (such as lab questions) will be posted on the whiteboard in the classroom. Assignments due the next day will be posted at least one day before the due date. Short- and long-term assignments will also be indicated with a due date on the whiteboard when they are assigned. Written responses to reading questions are required for the first unit and any unit in which the average test score, up to the time of the current date, is below 80%. For students whose tests are above 80% on average, the assignment is optional. No late reading questions are accepted. Whenever possible, students are to print worksheets, labs and other documents at home and bring them to class. When such documents are posted online, a notification will be posted on the whiteboard. Documents will be posted online at least two periods prior to when they are needed. Check the instructors website daily. Plan on printing the documents in advance. Documents that are not brought to class when they are needed, regardless of your technology or other issues, are considered late. Heavy point penalties will result in work that is one day late. No credit will be given to work more than one day late.

As per Board (http://www.fmtusd.org/168110102114825520/lib/168110102114825520/6000_Series.pdf) and school policy, homework is based on the rigor students schedule, but the average time of homework might range from 70-120 minutes/night, or 280-480 minutes/week. AP courses, however, might require additional time for homework. In APES, this additional homework time also includes that to complete written work, activities and projects. A student can expect approximately 8-10 textbook pages of reading and questions per weeknight. Late work is accepted by one day only. Any assignment is due at the beginning of the period, unless otherwise communicated by the instructor. Assignments turned in after they have been collected/checked will be considered late. After one day, no late work will be accepted. Make Up Work & Excused Absences: Each student must be proactive in making up any missed homework or class material, as each student is responsible for his/her own grade. Unexcused absences (including suspensions) and tardies will result in work that was to be or will be completed, and will not be accepted for credit. Missed tests due to an excused absence or tardy must be made up. Students need to schedule a make up time with the instructor immediately upon return. Missed assignments due to an excused absence must be made up within the same duration of the absence. For example, if a student we absent 2 days, he/she has 2 days to turn in the missed assignments. Work that was assigned prior to the absence, but was due during the absence, must be turned in upon return for credit. Missed labs and field investigations due to an excused absence must have a scheduled make up time with the instructor. Some labs and fieldwork cannot be made up due to various limitations. In such cases, and with the instructors permission, the student will complete the work with provided information. Recommended: Establish a contact classmate to call in case you are absent. This keeps you from falling too far behind, especially during an extended excused absence. Classroom Rules and Safety: Regardless of what youre doing or where you are, safety first! Respect each other. Respect the classroom and its contents. Place (do not throw) litter and recyclables in its appropriate receptacles. Help conserve our natural resources by not wasting consumable materials such as paper, tissue, paper towels, etc. When in doubt about safety and/or proper procedures, ask about it so you can learn the right way! Improper conduct during class, labs or field activities can result in a zero on the assignment, a referral, and/or a parent notification. No electronic devices including cell phones, iPods, games, and programmable devices - are permitted to be seen or heard during the class period. Turn off your phones before class starts! On the first offense, the device will be confiscated immediately and given to the grade level administrator for your parent to pick up. Any electronic device seen or heard during a test period will be considered cheating and result in a zero, a referral and parent notification. Programmable calculators are not permitted during exams or quizzes. Academic Honesty: Your academic integrity is crucial to your success at Mission. Dishonesty can severely hurt your academic career, including college recommendations! Avoid any temptation to cheat, as it is simply unacceptable. According to Mission San Jose Highs Academic Honesty Policy, the definition of cheating is: is taking (or lending) at inappropriate times a person's work, information, ideas, research, or documentation, without properly identifying the originator. It includes using unauthorized materials when testing or other acts specified in advance by the teacher. (www.msjhs.org Academic Honesty) All assignments are to be independently completed by each student. With the exception of tests and quizzes, cooperative and collaborative discussions are permitted and encouraged on most assignments. However, the actual written work (even on labs and field work) must be individually completed and distinct from other students and sources, as plagiarism is a form of cheating. Students who loan their work to others are participating in cheatingdo not put other students academic integrity in jeopardy because of your actions! Read Missions Academic Honesty Policy at www.msjhs.org to learn more about specific examples of cheating and its consequences.

If you need help with APES, find help as soon as possible. Dont be afraid to seek assistance from your instructor. We are here to help you! PARENTS: though donations are not required, they are greatly appreciated. We are requesting $55, but any amount is appreciated. Please make your donation online (http://msjhsmaze.org/donations/) or make a check out to MSJHS Science Department. Cash is also accepted. Thank you for your contribution and support!

**Please complete the APES Agreement form on the next page and return it to your instructor**

AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 2012 2013

Student name (print): ___________________________ Instructor: ______________________ Period: ____ Agreement Form

Parent/guardian name (print): ______________________________________ Date: ___________________ Relationship to student (mother, father, other): _______________________________

If the student lives in two separate households, please have the other parent/guardian read and sign the second parent signature line on this agreement: Parent/guardian name (print): ______________________________________ Date: ___________________ Relationship to student (mother, father, other): _______________________________

Please sign the lines below to confirm that you read, understand and agree to the following: 1. Course Description and Policies, 2012 2013. More specifically, you agree to the entire Grading Policy, Absent Work policy and Academic Honesty policy on the AP Environmental Science Course Description and Policies document. ___________________________________
Student signature

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Parent signature

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Parent signature

2. The request for a lab donation. For recordkeeping purposes only, please check one of the following choices: ___ I have already donated, or plan to donate online (http://msjhsmaze.org/donations/). ___ I am providing a check/cash donation to MSJHS Science Department with this completed form. ___ I am unable to donate at this time. ___________________________________
Student signature

___________________________________
Parent signature

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Parent signature

If there is contact information more convenient than the one provided to the school, please write that information underneath your printed name above. Thank you for taking the time to complete this form!

September 1, 2012

Dear Parent/Guardian, This letter is being sent to you in compliance with the Districts Board Policy (6161.11) requiring parents/guardians to approve the intended use of filmed programs in any format (including but not limited to: videocassette, 16mm film, CD/DVD, broadcast television, electronic media, computer software or streamed file) not currently adopted/approved as part of the core instructional materials. The entire policy can be accessed at: http://www.fremont.k12.ca.us/boardpolicies. Your child is currently enrolled in AP Environmental Science. Through the course of the school year, it is our intention to show the following feature films with the MPAA rating for the reasons briefly described below. Next to each film, please check the applicable choice.
Film
MPAA Rating

Reason (Environmental Science topic)

Please check one of the following options:

I give permission for my child to view this film I prefer that my child be given an alternative assignment

Cane Toads: An Unnatural History Food, Inc. Who Killed the Electric Car? Erin Brockovich

n/a

PG PG

A humorous documentary, exemplary of how introduced species become invasive. (Invasive species) A documentary on the corporate food industry. (Food production) A documentary on the rise and fall of the electric car, pre-2006. (Renewable energy) Based on a true story, a film depicting a woman who fought for a community against PG&E. (Environmental justice/law; water pollution)

Please return this completed permission form to your childs teacher. Students exempted from this showing will be required to complete an alternative assignment similar in content to the lesson being taught. Should you have any questions regarding the program listed above, please contact Ms. Ishimine. Thank you.

___________________________________ Mrs. Prairie

___________________________________ Ms. Ishimine

___________________________________
Parent signature