Advanced Placement Environmental Science 2021-2022

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ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (AP ES) WITH JOHN OSBORNE

1. Course: Advanced Placement Environmental Science (AP ES)

The AP Environmental Science course is designed to be equivalent to a semester introductory college course in
environmental science. Unlike most other science courses, environmental science unites concepts from other branches of
science such as, geology, biology, environmental studies, chemistry, physics, and geography.

The goal of the AP Environmental Science course is to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts, and
methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental
problems both natural and human-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine
alternative solutions for resolving or preventing them.

Other goals include converting the AP ES students into environmentalists (if they are not already!), obligatorily
spreading the word - campaigning, being successful in the exams and enjoying the work.

2. AP ES Course BIG Ideas

The course is based on 5 BIG ideas, which provide the foundation to make connections between the many different
concepts:
BIG IDEA 1: ENERGY TRANSFER (ENG)
Energy conversions underlie all ecological processes. Energy cannot be created; it must come from somewhere. As
energy flows through systems, at each step, more of it becomes unusable.
BIG IDEA 2: INTERACTIONS BETWEEN EARTH SYSTEMS (ERT)
The Earth is one interconnected system. Natural systems change over time and space. Biogeochemical systems vary in
ability to recover from disturbances.
BIG IDEA 3: INTERACTIONS BETWEEN DIFFERENT SPECIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT (EIN)
Humans alter natural systems and have had an impact on the environment for millions of years. Technology and
population growth have enabled humans to increase both the rate and scale of their impact on the environment.
BIG IDEA 4: SUSTAINABILITY (STB)
Human survival depends on developing practices that will achieve sustainable systems. A suitable combination of
conservation and
development is required. The management of resources is essential. Understanding the role of cultural, social, and
economic factors is vital to the development of solutions.

3. AP ES Course Topics
The course objectives and topics (see Course Outline and Scope and Sequence) will be completed prior to the first part of
April in order for students to prepare for the Advanced Placement Exam in May.

The course is structured into 5 TOPICS:

TOPIC 1 THE PLANET EARTH

1.1 EARTH SYSTEMS & RESOURCES (APES Unit 4)
4.1 Plate Tectonics
4.2 Soil Formation & Erosion
4.3 Soil Composition & Properties
4.4 Earth's Atmosphere
4.5 Global Wind Patterns
4.6 Watersheds
4.7 Solar Radiation & Earth's Seasons
4.8 Earth's Geography & Climate
4.9 El Niño & La Niña

1.2 THE LIVING WORLD

1.2.1 ECOSYSTEMS (APES Unit 1)
1.1 Introduction to Ecosystems
1.2 Terrestrial Biomes
1.3 Aquatic Biomes
1.4 Carbon Cycle
1.5 Nitrogen Cycle
1.6 Phosphorous Cycle
1.7 Hydrological Cycle
1.8 Primary Productivity
1.9 Trophic Levels
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1.10 Energy Flow & The 10% Rule
1.11 Food Chains & Food Webs

1.2.2 BIODIVERSITY (APES Unit 2)

2.1 Introduction To Biodiversity
2.2 Ecosystem Services
2.3 Island Biogeography
2.4 Ecological Tolerance
2.5 Natural Disruptions To Ecosystems
2.6 Adaptations
2.7 Ecological Succession

TOPIC 2 POPULATION DYNAMICS

2.1 POPULATIONS (APES Unit 3)
3.1 Generalist & Specialist Species
3.2 K-Selected & R-Selected Species
3.3 Survivorship Curves
3.4 Carrying Capacity
3.5 Population Growth & Resource Availability
3.6 Age Structure Diagrams
3.7 Total Fertility Rate
3.8 Human Population Dynamics
3.9 Demographic Transition

TOPIC 3 RESOURCES & THEIR USE

3.1 LAND & WATER USE (APES Unit 5)
5.1 The Tragedy of the Commons
5.2 Clearcutting
5.3 The Green Revolution
5.4 Impacts Of Agricultural Practices
5.5 Irrigation Methods
5.6. Pest Control Methods
5.7 Meat Production Methods
5.8 Impacts of Overfishing
5.9 Impacts of Mining
5.10 Impacts of Urbanisation
5.11 Ecological Footprints
5.12 Introduction to Sustainability
5.13 Methods to Reduce Urban Runoff
5.14 Integrated Pest Management
5.15 Sustainable Agriculture
5.16 Aquaculture
5.17 Sustainable Forestry

3.2 ENERGY RESOURCES & CONSUMPTION (APES Unit 6)

6.1 Renewable & Non-Renewable Resources
6.2 Energy Consumption
6.3 Fuel Types & Uses
6.4 Distribution of Natural Energy Resources
6.5 Fossil Fuels
6.6 Nuclear Power
6.7 Energy from Biomass
6.8 Solar Energy
6.9 Hydroelectric Power
6.10 Geothermal Energy
6.11 Hydrogen Fuel Cell
6.12 Wind Energy
6.16 Energy Conservation

TOPIC 4 POLLUTION
4.1 ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION (APES Unit 7)
7.1 Introduction to Air Pollution
7.2 Photochemical Smog
7.3 Thermal Inversion
7.4 Atmospheric Co2 & Particulates
7.5 Indoor Air Pollution
7.6 Reduction of Air Pollutants
7.7 Acid Rain
7.8 Noise Pollution

4.2 AQUATIC & TERRESTRIAL POLLUTION (APES Unit 8)

8.1 Sources of Pollution
8.2 Human Impacts on Ecosystems
8.3 Endocrine Disruptors
8.4 Human Impacts on Wetlands & Mangroves
8.5 Eutrophication
8.6 Thermal Pollution
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8.7 Persistent Organic Pollutants (Pop's)
8.8 Bioaccumulation & Biomagnification
8.9 Solid Waste Disposal
8.10 Waste Reduction Methods
8.11 Sewage Treatment
8.12 Lethal Dose 50% (Ld50)
8.13 Dose Response Curve
8.14 Pollution & Human Health
8.15 Pathogens & Infectious Diseases

TOPIC 5 GLOBAL CRISES

5.1 GLOBAL CHANGE (APES Unit 9)
9.1 Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
9.2 Reducing Ozone Depletion
9.3 The Greenhouse Effect
9.4 Increases in the Greenhouse Gases
9.5 Global Climate Change
9.6 Ocean Warming
9.7 Ocean Acidification
9.8 Invasive Species
9.9 Endangered Species
9.10 Human Impacts on Biodiversity

5.2 LEGISLATION
• Clean Air Act
• Clean Water Act
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
• Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
• Montreal Protocol
• Kyoto Protocol
• Endangered Species Act
• Safe Drinking Water Act (SWDA)
• Delaney Clause of Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
• Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Visualising the teaching sequence:

4. AP ES Science Practices
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The following Science practices with their associated skills are embedded into the AP Environmental Science course:
1. Concept explanation
Explain environmental concepts, processes, and models presented in written format.
2. Visual representations
Analyze visual representations of environmental concepts and processes.
3. Text analysis
Analyze sources of information about environmental issues.
4. Scientific experiments
Analyze research studies that test environmental principles.
5. Data analysis
Analyze and interpret quantitative data represented in tables, charts, and graphs.
6. Mathematical routines
Apply quantitative methods to address environmental concepts.
7. Environmental solutions
Propose and justify solutions to environmental problems.

5. Pre-requisites
Previous studies in Biology, Chemistry and Math (algebra), and a good command of English. Motivation! Energy! A
smile! And above all else, a great commitment. In Spanish - COMPROMISO!

6. Assessment, Grading Procedures and Learning Objectives:

Grading: Grades are posted on the usual scale of 0 - 10, where:
0 is given for work not completed
7 is a passing grade
10 ... is perfection! And very difficult to obtain!
0 will be posted in Idukay for any assignment which is not delivered and for which no extension has been granted.
Assignments may be recuperated according to school policy, though original grades will remain.

Grades will be collected from many different assignments, including (but not limited to): quizzes and tests; FRQ's; case
studies; math problems; graphing; data analysis; AP ES journal; research, presentations and communication of science in
various forms of media; lab participation and reports; field work; note-taking and filing; participation in discussion,
debates, etc; ... and more!

Block tests will always be summative assessments.

The Quimester I exam will be in the form of a 'mock' AP Environmental Science exam, containing multiple choice, FRQ,
math and analysis questions.

Students who present the AP exam in May will be exonerated from the Quimester II exam.

Grading equivalents

Learning Objectives
All work will be graded in one or more learning objectives:
A. Knowledge and Understanding (summative assessments, incl. Weekly reading tests and Block tests)
B. Application of Knowledge and Understanding, and Problem Solving
C. Research and Communication
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D. Experimental Investigation
E. Data Analysis and Making Conclusions

7. Teaching and learning, assessment, timetable, and hybrid and/or (a)synchronous classes
This is an important section to grasp. There are some fundamentals!

Three Interactions in AP ES
A. The Wordpress Blog is the fundamental resource base for the entire course. Everything is available there,
from curriculum to assignments, from media to resource links, from assessment to reading – everything!
B. Google Classroom is the fundamental interaction place from where assignments and activities will be sent
out, submitted and returned to students.
C. Your Wakelet Collections will be where you save and store all your work, in the form of a portfolio or
notebook.

Platforms and digital assignments

In essence, the course will be structured digitally and supported by work in class or in the field. A variety of platforms
and digital activities will be utilised:
Flipped Classroom Assignments at Home
Textbook, LOOM, HyperDocs, Wakelet, Khan Academy, K-12, Trello, YouTube, Ted Ed,
Ed Puzzle, MyViewWhiteboard, etc, mostly fully integrated in G-Suite

Classroom Assignments in School

Labs, Field work, Simulations, Presentations, Games, etc

Virtual Assignments at Home or in School

Canva, Trello, Wooclap, Stormboard, ClassKick, Quizizz,Whiteboard.fi,
Whiteboard.chat, Padlet, Flipgrid, CMap, EdPuzzle, Phet Simulations, Google Slides,
MyViewWhiteboard, Google Docs, mostly integrated into G-Suite.

Cornell Note-taking
Your own notes WILL be taken using a digital Cornell template.

Class time
The AP ES week consists of 4 classes (only!)
Monday 5th Hour 11:35-12:15 am Often an assessment of a reading assignment
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Tuesday 1st Hour 08:00-08:40am

Wednesday 6th Hour 12:30-1:00pm
Friday 2nd Hour 08:45-09:25am

Reading
It is not possible to successfully complete this AP ES course unless you comply with the reading requirements, usually
from the digital textbook or posted on the Blog. There will be a reading assignment most weeks, using the textbook and
other resources, often assessed on the first class after a weekend.

Summative assessments
Each Topic will be concluded with a formal, summative test. These assessments will mostly follow the AP ES exam
format.

Field trip
A residential field trip will be intensively used to complete several field investigations – see yellow highlighted activities
in the Scope & Sequence document.

8. AP Exam: All students should be able to take the exam

The AP exam will consist of two parts, each lasting 90 minutes, separated by a short break:
PART 1: 80 Multiple Choice Questions --> 60% of exam 90 minutes
PART 2: 3 Free Response Questions (FRQ’s] --> 40% of exam 70 minutes
1 Design an investigation
2 Analyse an environmental problem and propose a solution
3 Analyse an environmental problem and propose a solution doing calculations

9. Course text book

Environmental Science Fifteenth Edition, 2016, G. Tyler Miller & Scott E. Spoolman, electronic version published by
Cengage Electronic Learning, Canada. A direct media download of the text book is on the Blog: 340692679-
Environmental-Science-15th-Edition Also on the Blog is a link for the text book through Google
drive: https://drive.google.com/a/liceocampoverde.edu.ec/file/d/0B5YQIzQke99KRWdIVWVqQnRaaEU/view?usp=sha
ring

You will read this book! And you will need to take and file your own notes (Cornell template) on the reading! And
there will be weekly quizzes on the reading, as well as grades given for your notes! Class time is not for reading; reading
is usually done at home. (This has to be flipped learning.)

Two other text books can be recommended for additional support, though neither is freely downloadable:
1. AP Edition of Living in the Environment, Twentieth Edition, 2021, G. Tyler Miller & Scott E. Spoolman,
electronic version published by Cengage Electronic Learning, Canada
2. Environmental Science for AP, Third edition, 2018, Andrew Friedland and Rick Relyea, W.H. Freeman and
Company, New York

Supplemental Text: Cracking the AP Environmental Science Exam, current edition (College Test Preparation,
Princeton Review (available on Amazon.com) you will need to purchase this in September when it is released for
reviewing for the AP ES test, and for use in the classroom. This is an excellent test prep resource!

10. Classroom Rules: Work Hard! Be Nice! Be a listener!

1. Cooperation: So much of what we do in class will be collaborative, in groups. We are amazingly arrogant if we
think we can achieve everything alone! Be prepared to work with anyone else.
2. Trust: Many activities will be self-directed and therefore a degree of trust amongst all of us is required.
3. Respect: Everyone has the right to be listened to and to have an opinion. I honour all opinions and everyone
will be listened to, no one will have a right or wrong opinion.
4. Be able to justify all that you do and say!

11. Class Materials - necessary in all classes in school, unless specified otherwise
1. Laptop or decent tablet (a smartphone will access most resources but is not a good option)
2. Pencils and pens - have colours available
3. Access to your digital work files, Classroom, Drive & Wakelet, etc
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4. Calculator
5. Scissors, glue, ruler and the usual other things

12. Expectations & Commentary

In an effective college-preparatory AP Environmental Science class, you develop skills and knowledge you will need in
order to be successful in entry-level college science courses. The manner in which you work with the content is as
important as the content itself, because it directs how you develop higher-level reasoning and a grasp of science skills.

AP Environmental Science emphasizes problem solving, critical thinking and decision making - informed application of
your knowledge. AP ES topics are organized in a meaningful, coherent way that encourages you to continually construct
learning and understanding. Content presentation is interactive and is carried out using questioning and inquiry
examples from everyday life. This course is definitely enquiry based learning. AP ES has many applications in everyday
life and exploring their relevance in your life, solidifies understanding.

You also learn content through laboratory investigations that allow you to experience and experiment with the topic
being taught. Labs often require mathematical calculations, thus encouraging you to apply your math skills. You will
constantly apply and refine your math skills as you collect and analyze data, and determine trends in sets of data and how
to determine whether relationships exist between two variables.

Applying and refining science process skills, such as data analysis and interpretation and error analysis, are vital for
college success. Collecting data during a lab helps you understand the link between measurement and data. You will
develop an understanding of the different ways data can be presented.

You will be required to state clear, complete research problems, describe the design of the experiment, present results,
and write thorough, articulate conclusions. You are responsible for representing your data in a format (tables & line
graphs) that will best illustrate the conclusions. You are asked to write extended answers to challenging open-ended
questions and are routinely expected to take detailed notes during reading.

13. Academic Honesty

An enquiry based science, such as Environmental Science, which requires research and investigation, is totally dependent
upon other investigators', previous work. All our present and new understandings, and everything we ourselves find out,
is adding to what has gone before. Of course we must use other people's finding but we must absolutely respect and
acknowledge their ownership, and in no way suggest that it is our work.

Citations: All work which is not your own and has been sourced in some way – ie from the Internet, from books, from
media, etc – must always be correctly acknowledged in a reference section or a bibliography or with in-text citations v,
using the 6th or 7th edition of APA formatting style.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a form of cheating whereby an attempt is made to pass off someone else’s written work as the
one's own. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, copying directly from a source when writing a report, without
providing credit to the source's author.. It is unnecessary to copy an entire article for the copying to be plagiarism. Peer
editing that may be assigned or allowed by the teacher is not plagiarism. Collaborating on individual assignments, which
may be handled in a cooperative manner, should be expressly designated as such by the teacher. Other than peer editing,
only cooperative assignments are to be shared with other students before they are turned in for credit.