AP

Environmental Science Syllabus

Fall 2016

Instructor: Ms. Tabatha Ramsey

(317) xxx-xxxx

tramsey@herronhighschool.org

tabbyramsey.weebly.com

Purpose of this Course: AP Environmental Science (APES) is designed to be the equivalent of a one-semester
introductory college course in environmental science. The purpose of this course is to tackle the discipline of
Environmental Science. During this year-long course we will explore various aspects of environmental science and
examine the intersections between science and society. The discipline is highly interdisciplinary and the course will rely
heavily on background knowledge of physics, chemistry, and biology.

Learning Objectives: The goal of this course is to equip students with scientific, problem solving, and critical thinking
skills required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to engage students in

Content: Below is a brief overview of the content covered in APES. The below sequence is provided by College Board,
however in our class we may cover the topics in a different order.
I.
Earth Systems and Resources
a. Earth Science concepts
b. The Atmosphere
c. Global Water Resources & Use
d. Soil and Soil Dynamics
II.
The Living World
a. Ecosystem structure
b. Energy flow
c. Ecosystem diversity
d. Natural ecosystem change
e. Natural biogeochemical cycles
III.
Population
a. Population biology concepts
b. Human population
i. Human population dynamics
ii. Population size
iii. Impacts of population growth
IV.
Land and Water Use
a. Agriculture
i. Feeding a growing population
ii. Controlling pests
b. Forestry
c. Rangelands
d. Other land use
i. Urban land use
ii. Transportation infrastructure
iii. Public and federal lands
iv. Land conservation options

V.

VI.

VII.

v. Sustainable land-use strategies

e. Mining
f. Fishing
g. Global Economies
Energy Resources and Consumption
a. Energy Concepts
b. Energy Consumption
i. History
ii. Present global energy use
iii. Future energy need
c. Fossil Fuel Resources and Use
d. Nuclear Energy
e. Energy Conservation
f. Renewable Energy
Pollution
a. Pollution Types
i. Air pollution
ii. Noise pollution
iii. Water pollution
iv. Solid waste
b. Impacts on the Environment and Human Health
i. Hazards to human health
ii. Hazardous chemicals in the environment
c. Economic Impacts
Global Change
a. Stratospheric Ozone
b. Climate Change
c. Loss of Biodiversity
i. Habitat loss; overuse; pollution; introduced species; endangered and extinct species
ii. Maintenance through conservation
iii. Relevant laws and treaties

Books & Readings: The required text for APES is Miller & Spoolmans Living in the Environment, 16th Ed. Students will
be assigned readings from the textbook as well as from other sources that will be provided. As with college courses, you
will be held accountable for the information in the assigned readings, even if we do not discuss the information explicitly
in class.

AP Exam Information: The AP Exam will take place on Monday, May 1, 2017.

Academic Honesty & Additional Help: With a class of this magnitude it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Maintain academic
integrity! There are many sources available if you fall behind, or become confused or overwhelmed. I will also be
available to meet during office hours, during class, or via email. Assistance is available in the course to accommodate all
learning styles. Please share this syllabus with your parent(s)/guardians. It is important that we work as a team to
achieve success.

Grading Scale: Below is the Herron High School grading scale.

Student has a superior grasp of the subject matter in all indicators
A+ 99-100
A
94-98
A- 90-93
Student performance is good and above average on most indictors
B+ 88-89
B
84-87
B- 80-83
Student has an adequate grasp of the material to move to the next level
C+ 78-79
C
74-77
C- 70-73
Student has not yet attained skill for success
NG 69-Below
Student has outstanding material, assignments, or tests to complete
I
(incomplete)

Evaluation: This course will use multiple modes of evaluation to examine each students understanding of the content
and ability to solve relevant problems related to environmental science. Evaluation will be split between Independent
Practice (30%) and Mastery Evidence (70%).

Herron High School Universal Behavior Policy: All students are expected to be knowledgeable of and adhere to the
policies outlined in the student handbook, to include the Universal Behavior Policy (UBP). At all times, students will be
expected to demonstrate Herron High Schools Classical Attributes. Herron High School students are Consistent,
Disciplined, Intellectually Curious, and act as Informed Citizenry.