Syllabus – Environmental Issues Class

Teacher: Bruce R. Bowman

Primary Text: The Interwebs

Purpose:

All creatures effect their environment in some way. Humans are unique in that to a certain
extent they can choose what effect they will have. This class seeks to examine and study both
what has been done and what can be done to improve the conditions of both the local and global
environment.

Methods:

This class is designed with an intentionally loose structure that relies on a technique known as
“Problem Based Learning”. We will examine a number of different environmental issues and
problems from different perspectives always with an eye toward developing solutions that make
sense to our class. As such, I will function not as the source of “correct thinking and answers”
but a guide to the vast bodies of information and opinion that exist on the web. I will also give
you guidance as to acceptable parameters for the presentation of your findings and results. I
can’t say that we will have no formal tests, but if the class runs as it should, there will be very
few of them

An added component to this class will be our work with the lower grades utilizing the world-
famous Eco=Bus. We will spend significant time developing skills and activities to help teach
environmental issues to the lower school. For example, there will be days when our entire class
time is spent dealing with a third grade class in a bird watching activity that a group of your
classmates will have developed.
Topics: The following is not all inclusive nor will the material be presented necessarily in this
sequence. The History heading is expanded because its presentation will be more teacher driven,
not because we will spend a lot of time there.

I. History – All organisms have an effect on their environment.

a. Grazing animals/savannas
b. Geological extinctions
c. Human caused extinctions from exploitation
i. North American Bison (Buffalo)
ii. Carrier Pigeons
iii. Flightless birds (dodo, moas)
d. Human caused extinctions from habitat distruction.
e. Air Quality issues
i. 19th century London
ii. 20th century Los Angeles
iii. 21st century Baton Rouge
f. Water Quality issues
i. Cuyahoga River
ii. Oxbow Lakes
iii. Estuarys
g. Man’s effect on climate
i. Ancient Middle East climate
1. Lebanese mountains
2. Tigris and Euphrates river valley
ii. Ancient Mediterranean Climate
iii. Ancient Yangtze river valley
h. Attempts at Flood Control
i. Levees and channelization
ii. Dams
iii. Loss of wetlands
II. Present Problems
a. Climate Change
b. Wetlands loss
c. New Orleans
III. Water Quality Studies
a. What’s in our water?
i. How do we know? Water testing techniques.
b. Steps to improve water quality
i. Stormwater management
1. Rain Garden!
IV. EcoBus Service
a. Lesson/activity planning
b. Set-up/tear-down for activities
c. Teaching/assisting lower grades