AP Environmental Science 2013-2014 Mr. Dutton - Shaw High

136 Pages·2013·6.01 MB·English

by  John Dutton

AP Environmental Science
2013-2014
Mr. Dutton
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
AP Environmental Science................................................................................................................3
Introduction....................................................................................................................................3
About Environmental Science............................................................................................................5
Syllabus........................................................................................................................................... 7
Labs............................................................................................................................................... 15
The Scientific Method.....................................................................................................................15
Ecocolumns ..................................................................................................................................16
Antarctic & Greenland glacier melt...................................................................................................17
Degradation of Plastic ...................................................................................................................17
Biodiversity inventory of local area ..................................................................................................17
Grow some beans..........................................................................................................................18
Aquarium......................................................................................................................................19
Water quality of Forest Hills Pond ....................................................................................................20
Toxicity studies of household chemicals on brine shrimp.....................................................................21
Effects of acid rain on seed sprouting ..............................................................................................22
Analyzing Vehicles for Particulate Exhaust.........................................................................................22
Determination of LD50 for Yeast using cleaning solutions ...................................................................23
Solid waste personal inventory .......................................................................................................23
Measuring Ozone Levels & Detecting Air Pollution ............................................................................. 23
Census data research & age structure pyramids ................................................................................24
Cookie mining ..............................................................................................................................26
Birds & Oil ................................................................................................................................... 27
Effect of herbicides on plant growth ................................................................................................28
Peanut power ...............................................................................................................................28
Effect of solar intensity & heat on seeds........................................................................................... 29
Soil quality of local playing fields.....................................................................................................29
Greenhouse Effect......................................................................................................................... 30
Quantifying Biodiversity .................................................................................................................31
Risk assessment............................................................................................................................31
Packaging Analysis ........................................................................................................................33
Nature Conservancy Coyotes...........................................................................................................33
Population in India and China .........................................................................................................34
Half-life Graph...............................................................................................................................35
Home Energy Audit........................................................................................................................36
Activities........................................................................................................................................45
Latest Numbers.............................................................................................................................45
Ecological Footprint........................................................................................................................45
Scientific Measurements.................................................................................................................45
Experimental design.......................................................................................................................46
Biogeochemical Cycles....................................................................................................................49
The Lorax.....................................................................................................................................51
Introduction to Unit Multiplying....................................................................................................... 51
Analyzing Data..............................................................................................................................53
Garbage Island: Introduction.......................................................................................................... 57
Garbage Island..............................................................................................................................61
Clean Water in Bolivia.................................................................................................................... 61
Chesapeake Bay Discussion............................................................................................................ 65
Climate Change and Allergies..........................................................................................................65
Air Pollution Allowances..................................................................................................................73
Assessing Risks to Society and Probability.........................................................................................74
Napoli.......................................................................................................................................... 78
Story of Bottled Water: Introduction................................................................................................ 78
U.S. Standard of Living...................................................................................................................80
King Corn.....................................................................................................................................81
Game Theory................................................................................................................................82
Environmental legislation ..............................................................................................................83
2013 - 2014 1
Table of Contents
Tragedy of the Commons................................................................................................................83
Smart Growth City.........................................................................................................................89
Fishbanks, Ltd...............................................................................................................................89
Design an environmentally friendly town.......................................................................................... 93
Land Conservation Options .............................................................................................................94
Calories and Land..........................................................................................................................96
Population Math.............................................................................................................................98
Energy Consumption......................................................................................................................99
Mountaintop removal in WV ..........................................................................................................100
Calculation of Earth's oil reserves...................................................................................................100
How to Market Energy..................................................................................................................100
Ecotourism Brochure....................................................................................................................101
Food, Inc....................................................................................................................................102
Global Grain Production................................................................................................................102
Food for Thought......................................................................................................................... 103
Understanding Pesticides: Which are Most and Least Harmful? ..........................................................110
Relating to Climate Change...........................................................................................................111
Primary Productivity.....................................................................................................................115
Quandary in Ponder......................................................................................................................115
Debates........................................................................................................................................117
Causes of Climate Change.............................................................................................................117
The Raker Debate........................................................................................................................117
Environmental Law.......................................................................................................................120
Tragedy of the Commons..............................................................................................................121
Big Horn.....................................................................................................................................121
Alternative Energies.....................................................................................................................122
Quandary in Ponder......................................................................................................................123
Appendices...................................................................................................................................125
Appendix A: Vocabulary................................................................................................................125
Appendix B: Water Pollutants........................................................................................................ 126
Appendix C: Air Pollutants.............................................................................................................127
Appendix D: Environmental Statutes..............................................................................................128
Appendix E: Biogeochemical Cycles................................................................................................130
Appendix F: Biotic Relationships.....................................................................................................132
Appendix G: Visualizations of Large Numbers..................................................................................133
Index........................................................................................................................................... 136
2 Shaw High School
AP Environmental Science
AP Environmental Science
IInnttrroodduuccttiioonn
Website
Go to http://shawhighstudents.org/apes for information about AP Environmental Science at Shaw High School.
You will find the syllabus and all of the other materials that are in this manual, in case you should misplace the manual.
Point Distribution
• 2 per day Reading responses Daily
• 8 per assignment Classwork 1 - 2 per week
• 4 per entry & 2 per comment Blog entries Weekly
• 8 per assignment Notes 2 – 3 per week
• 8 per assignment Internet research Biweekly
• 25 per report Lab reports Weekly
• 25 per assignment Question sets Four per marking period
• 30 per debate Debates Two per marking period
• 40 per presentation Presentations Once per marking period
• 100 per quiz Quizzes Two per marking period
Late Policies: Depending on the assignment, I have a different late policy. You cannot ever make up Reading
responses. You can only make up Blog entries or Notes with properly excused absences. Classwork and Internet
research will be accepted until the end of the marking period. Lab reports and Question sets carry a penalty of 10%
per day that they are late, not counting properly excused absences. Debates, Presentations and Quizzes can be made
up after a conference with the teacher.
Electronic Submission: Any assignment can be submitted by Moodle, e-mail ([email protected]), or typed and
printed out. If you submit by e-mail, ensure that you have typed my e-mail address correctly!
1st Semester Midterm: This will be aligned with the school testing schedule. This project-based midterm will be
introduced the day before the test date. All of the project topics will be given but not assigned to any particular student.
As students walk in on the test date, projects will be randomly assigned. It is in your best interest to work collaboratively
as an entire class to see that you are prepared to complete the project on the test day.
2nd Semester Final: Half of this grade comes from taking the AP test. The other half will be a performance-based
examination depending on the projects that we are working on.
Blog
Students will keep an online journal in the form of a “blog”. They will write weekly about different subjects each
quarter. Blogs must be posted between Monday and Saturday of each week. Students are required to make 2
comments on other blogs, must be posted between Monday and Sunday of each week. Late blogs or comments will not
be graded. Blogs and comments cannot be made more than a week ahead of time. For students with internet access
problems, it is suggested that blogs be completed before leaving school for the weekend; old blog entries can be
commented on in case no other students have written that week.
Blogs are graded, usually on Sundays, for the previous week's comments and this week's blog entry. Do not be
alarmed if you don't see your most current work reflected in your grade.
The topics for the year are:
Unit Blog Topic
Ecosystems Sustainability
8/27 – 9/22 What is sustainability in your own life? Are you sustainable in the way that you live?
What do you notice about your home and other people around you?
Water Water Watchers
9/23 – 10/20 Observe water uses of family, friends, and neighbors. Record observations of all the
water uses and how long your family, friends, or neighbors used the water. For
example, if your neighbor is watering a lawn, record who used the water, how the
water is used, and for how long. Other actions to observe include a family member
using the washing machine or brushing his or her teeth. Are you dumping or throwing
anything away that could potentially pollute our water? If you are, what safer disposal
methods could you use? What water conservation tips can be used at school?
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Introduction
Resources & Pollution Solid Waste
10/21 – 11/17 We all produce solid waste; what do you produce? How much of it do you make? Is
there any way to cut down the amount of solid waste? What about the solid waste that
others make? What are our disposal methods? Are they adequate?
Economics & Policy Money
11/18 – 1/5 Money influences how well you take care of the environment. Do you make decisions
to do more environmental things when you spend more money? What is the
relationship between money and environmental health? Are richer places more
environmentally friendly? What do you spend money on and how does this reflect
“voting with your wallet”?
Population Education
1/6 – 2/2 Now that you are becoming a more educated environmental citizen, how can you
educate the people around you? What lessons do you think are the most important for
people to know? Does your family need to be educated on environmental issues? Who
else in your community helps educate?
Energy Energy Usage
2/3 – 3/2 How do you use energy? How much of it do you use? In what forms? What ways can
you use less of it, or use a cleaner version? What habits do you have that tend to use
energy needlessly?
Natural Resources Food
3/3 – 4/13 What is the connection between what you eat and the environment? What have you
learned about what you eat? Have your eating habits changed? Do you want your
eating habits to change? What happens to people when eating habits change? What is
the impact of your diet?
AP Test Review Students' choice!
4/14 – 5/4
Quizzes
The AP Environmental Science test on May 6th is the only “test” you will take this year. You will take quizzes throughout
the year to track your progress. These quizzes are as close to the AP test as is possible. We will start with shorter quizzes
(30 minutes) and work our way up to 90 minute quizzes by the end of the year. We will use review games like Taboo and
Pictionary to review for these quizzes.
Student Presentations
Students will be in different groups for each presentation. There will be one 8- to 12-minute presentation required for
each marking period. You can use PowerPoint, Prezi.com, SlideRocket.com, Google Docs, XtraNormal.com, or any other
approved technology.
Videos
Videos will be watched in 15 – 20 minute segments with guidance and feedback. Different videos will be shown for each
unit. Some videos contain strong language, but all videos are selected due to their relevance to what we are talking
about in class. If you tend to fall asleep during movies, you should place your chair in front of the table and not behind.
No credit will be given if you are not paying attention.
Homework
Students will be assigned almost daily readings. In order to structure these readings, various comprehension tools (i.e.,
comprehension codes) and graphical organizers (i.e., concept maps) will be assigned early on in the year. Note-taking on
readings will be randomly checked (about 2 – 3 times per week).
Reading Responses
Reading responses will be required for each reading given – they will take the form of a quick 5-minute question in class
based on notes that students take from the readings. Only student notes are allowed for this bellwork!
Field Trips
All field trips will have a lab component with quantitative and/or qualitative data. Field trips will be taken to some or all of
the following: a water treatment plant, a cemetery, a coal power plant, the football field, a farm, the regional sewer
district, a local community garden and a recycling plant.
Debates
There will be six debates, following a structured format. The topics: Alternative energies, causes of climate change, the
Raker Debate, Quandary in Ponder, Environmental Law and the Tragedy of the Commons.
4 Shaw High School
AP Environmental Science
Guest Speakers
There may be guest speakers over the course of the year. These guest speakers may require students to be present after
the school day is over. Attendance will be mandatory.
Internet Research
Students will be required (as a homework assignment) to do research on the internet about a specific topic and bring the
research into class. These research projects will be due on a Wednesday every two weeks, must be typed and should be
between 200 and 300 words. Half of the paper should be a summary of the article and half of the paper should be your
reaction to the article.
Lab Reports
I understand that some of you have never written a lab report before, so we will work together to produce quality lab
reports by the end of the first semester. The following is the format expected for all of your lab reports, with points in
parentheses. Lab reports will be due exactly one week from when the lab is completed.
Title (1)
Purpose (1): Why are you doing this lab? May be taken directly from the lab description.
Background (3): Use the introduction given to you in the lab to get you started, in your own words. Pretend that you’re
writing to your 7th-grade cousin who knows nothing about this lab. You may have to do research in order to determine what
is already known about this subject. Include terms or vocabulary that you will be using throughout the lab. Do not include
any data in the background or any description of what you did.
Hypothesis (2): Explain the relationship between the dependent and independent variable(s) as a null hypothesis (H0) and
also as a normal hypothesis (H1).
Materials (2): List everything that you used in the lab. Be specific.
Methods (3): List all of the procedures that you followed in the lab, in order. It should be written so that someone else (your
7th-grade cousin, for example), can follow the procedures as you performed them. Do not write procedures that you were
told to do; write the procedures that you actually followed.
Data (4): There are many ways to represent data. Use tables, charts and graphs where appropriate;you will receive more
information on this step from your instructor. Record all quantitative data with units; describe all qualitative data as
completely as possible. Record data no matter whether you think it is “good” or “bad” data – just like horses, data is data.
You will receive 2 points for quantitative data and 2 points for qualitative data.
Analysis (3): The lab itself includes questions which guide your analysis. Your objective in the analysis section is to explain
what the data means to your 7th-grade cousin. Be very careful with your calculations and double-check your work. You
should be spending most of your time on this section of your lab report!
Error Discussion (2): Explain why you didn’t get results as you might have expected, and where those errors came from.
How could you improve your experimental methods?
Conclusion (2): Look at your hypotheses. What do you now know about your hypotheses? Which one, if any, is supported?
Further Questions (2): Taking into account your conclusion and the purpose of the lab, what are at least three more
questions that you think should be answered about this topic, and can be answered by experimentation?
AAbboouutt EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall SScciieennccee
Sustainability
The key to Environmental Science is sustainability. Instead of addressing it here, I'll let the textbook and the
activities throughout the year make sense of what sustainability really means. However, this should be the first term you
understand and it is the one we'll keep coming back to throughout the year. Sustainability can be broken down into five
“subthemes” (according to Miller):
1. Natural capital – the natural resources and services that support all life and economies
2. Natural capital degradation – human activities lead to the degradation of natural capital
3. Solutions – the next step, a search for solutions to natural capital degradation and other problems
4. Trade-offs – any solution involves weighing advantages and disadvantages
5. Individuals matter – various scientists and concerned citizens have paved the way to help us achieve sustainability
Principles of Sustainability
In order to better understand sustainability and how to implement it, there are four basic components of what
earth already does that guides us:
2013 - 2014 5
About Environmental Science
Reliance on Solar Energy Population Control
Biodiversity Nutrient Recycling
6 Shaw High School
Syllabus
Syllabus
Date Activities Reading Due
Bold dates are What we anticipate doing in class this day and what is due this day; may Have this section
study table change! read by this day
Ecosystems
Introduction
Tue 8/27/13 1CS, 1-1
Start Blog: Sustainability
Lab: Ecocolumns
Wed 8/28/13 2CS, 2-1
Summer Reading Presentations
Lab: Antarctic & Greenland Glacier Melt
Thu 8/29/13 Check on Lab: Ecocolumns 1-3
Summer Reading Presentations
Lab: The Scientific Method
Fri 8/30/13 Check on Lab: Ecocolumns 3CS, 2-2, 3-1
Summer Reading Presentations
Lab: Biodiversity inventory of local area
Lab Report: Arctic & Greenland Glacier Melt
Tue 9/3/13 3-3
Check on Lab: Ecocolumns
Summer Reading Presentations
Field Trip: Community Garden
Wed 9/4/13 Check on Lab: Ecocolumns None
Research: Biodiversity
Lab/Field Trip: Water quality of Forest Hills Pond
Thu 9/5/13 None
Check on Lab: Ecocolumns
Lab: Degradation of plastic
Fri 9/6/13 2-4
Check on Lab: Ecocolumns
Lab: Aquarium
Lab: Grow Some Beans
4CS, 4-1, 2-3
Mon 9/9/13 Check on Lab: Ecocolumns
Activity: Introduce Scientific Measurements, Experimental Design,
Ecological Footprint, Biogeochemical Cycles
Activity: Scientific Measurements
Tue 9/10/13 Student Presentations 3-5
Check on Labs: Ecocolumns, Aquarium, Grow Some Beans
Activity: Experimental Design
Wed 9/11/13 Student Presentations 4-5, 4-6
Check on Labs: Ecocolumns, Aquarium, Grow Some Beans
Activity: Ecological Footprint
Thu 9/12/13 Student Presentations 5CS, 5-4
Check on Labs: Ecocolumns, Aquarium, Grow Some Beans
Activity: Biogeochemical Cycles
Fri 9/13/13 Student Presentations 3-4
Check on Labs: Ecocolumns, Aquarium, Grow Some Beans
Finish up activities
11CS, 3-6, 11-
Mon 9/16/13 Student Presentations
6
Check on Labs: Ecocolumns, Aquarium, Grow Some Beans
2013 - 2014 7
Syllabus
Date Activities Reading Due
Bold dates are What we anticipate doing in class this day and what is due this day; may Have this section
study table change! read by this day
Check notes from absence
Question Set #1
Activity: Correct Question Set
Tue 9/17/13 4-2, 4-3
Lab Report: Scientific Method
Lab Report: Biodiversity inventory of local area
Check on Labs: Ecocolumns, Aquarium, Grow Some Beans
Lab: Quantifying biodiversity
Wed 9/18/13 Check on Labs: Ecocolumns, Aquarium, Grow Some Beans 4-4, 1-4
Research: Ecosystems
Activity: The Lorax
Thu 9/19/13 8CS, 8-1, 8-2
Check on Labs: Ecocolumns, Aquarium, Grow Some Beans
Finish activities from absence
Fri 9/20/13 None
Check on Labs: Ecocolumns, Aquarium, Grow Some Beans
Question Set #2
Activity: Quiz Review Game
Mon 9/23/13 None
Lab Report: Grow Some Beans
Check on Labs: Ecocolumns, Aquarium
September Quiz
Tue 9/24/13 Activity: Analyzing Data None
Check on Labs: Ecocolumns, Aquarium
Water
Check on Labs: Ecocolumns, Aquarium
Wed 9/25/13 8-3
Start Blog: Water Watchers
Activity: Garbage Island: Introduction
Thu 9/26/13 13CS, 13-1
Check on Labs: Ecocolumns, Aquarium
Activity: Garbage Island
Fri 9/27/13 13-2
Check on Labs: Ecocolumns, Aquarium
Activity: Garbage Island
Mon 9/30/13 Lab Report: Water Quality of Forest Hills Pond 13-4
Check on Lab: Ecocolumns
Debate: Raker Debate
Tue 10/1/13 13-5, 11-1
Check on Lab: Ecocolumns
Debate: Raker Debate
Wed 10/2/13 Check on Lab: Ecocolumns 8-4
Research: Oceans
Debate: Raker Debate
Thu 10/3/13 20CS, 20-1
Check on Lab: Ecocolumns
Question Set #3
Fri 10/4/13 Activity: Correct Question Set 20-2
Check on Lab: Ecocolumns
Field Trip: Water plant
Mon 10/7/13 None
Lab Report: Aquarium
Tue 10/8/13 Lab: Toxicity studies of household chemicals on brine shrimp 20-3, 8-5
Wed 10/9/13 Activity: Clean Water in Bolivia 20-4
Thu 10/10/13 Activity: Clean Water in Bolivia 20-5
8 Shaw High School
Syllabus
Date Activities Reading Due
Bold dates are What we anticipate doing in class this day and what is due this day; may Have this section
study table change! read by this day
Fri 10/11/13 Activity: Introduction to Unit Multiplying 11-4
Activity: Introduction to Unit Multiplying
Mon 10/14/13 Lab: Effects of acid rain on seed sprouting 2-5
Lab Report: Ecocolumns
Tue 10/15/13 Activity: Chesapeake Bay Discussion 21CS, 21-2
Activity: Chesapeake Bay Discussion
Wed 10/16/13 21-3
Research: Drinking Water
Thu 10/17/13 Activity: Climate Change and Allergies None
Question Set #4
Mon 10/21/13 Activity: Quiz Review Game None
Lab Report: Quantifying Biodiversity
October Quiz
Tue 10/22/13 None
Activity: Climate Change and Allergies
Resources & Pollution
Activity: Climate Change and Allergies
Wed 10/23/13 18CS, 18-2
Start Blog: Solid Waste
Thu 10/24/13 Activity: Air Pollution Allowances 18-4
Fri 10/25/13 Activity: Air Pollution Allowances 18-6
Mon 10/28/13 Lab: Solid Waste Personal Inventory
1-5
OGT Testing Lab Report: Toxicity studies of household chemicals on brine shrimp
Tue 10/29/13 Student Presentation
17CS, 17-1
OGT Testing Check on Lab: Solid Waste Personal Inventory
Wed 10/30/13 Research: Air Pollution
18-5
OGT Testing Finish Lab: Solid Waste Personal Inventory
Thu 10/31/13
Finish Lab: Solid Waste Personal Inventory 17-2
OGT Testing
Fri 11/1/13
Activity: Assessing Risks to Society and Probability 17-3
OGT Testing
Lab: Determination of LD50 for Yeast using cleaning solutions
Mon 11/4/13 17-4
Lab Report: Effects of acid rain on seed sprouting
Question Set #5
Tue 11/5/13 Activity: Correct Question Set 17-5
Student Presentation
Wed 11/06/13
Activity: Story of Bottled Water 21-1
P/T Conf
Thu 11/7/13 Activity: Napoli 21-5
Fri 11/8/13 Activity: Napoli 21-6
Lab: Analyzing Vehicles for Particulate Exhaust
Mon 11/11/13 21-4
Lab Report: Solid Waste Personal Inventory
Activity: Assessing Risks to Society and Probability
Tue 11/12/13 1-2
Student Presentation
Activity: U.S. Standard of Living
Wed 11/13/13 23CS, 23-3
Research: Hazardous Waste
2013 - 2014 9