Course: Advanced Placement Environmental Science

Teacher: Heather McDermott

Content

Skills

Assessment

NJCCCS

September

Ch 4

Ecosystems and Energy

Relate Garrett Hardin's
description of the tragedy of the commons in medieval Europe
to the global commons today.

Ch 4 Define ecology and
distinguish among the following ecological levels: population, community,
ecosystem, landscape, and biosphere.

Define energy, and explain
how it is related to work and to heat.

Use examples to contrast
potential energy and kinetic energy.

State the first and second
laws of thermodynamics, and discuss the implications of these laws as they
relate to organisms.

Write summary reactions for
photosynthesis and respiration, and contrast these two biological processes.

Describe the communities
around hydrothermal vents and explain the source of energy that sustains
them.

Summarize how energy flows
through a food web, using the terms producer, consumer, and decomposer.

Explain some of the impacts
humans have had on the Antarctic food web.

Draw and explain typical
pyramids of numbers, biomass, and energy.

Distinguish between gross
primary productivity and net primary productivity, and discuss human impact
on the latter.

CD SR Tragedy
of the Commons

L Net Primary Productivity
of Plants BMW

L The effects of coyote removal in Texas BMW

L Ecosystem Ecology- Collecting and  Recording Environmental Data     (LB1)

L Environmental Health Risks Module (ordered)

L Aquatic Ecology-Testing Water Quality
(LB12)

CD The day they
parachuted cats into Borneo BMW

CD Vanishing
Sea Otters BMW

Ex Eating at a
lower Trophic Level BMB

Labs     Quiz     Test      Homework

Class participation Current
events

5.1-C

5.2-A,
B

5.5-A

5.6-A,B

5.7
-A, B

5.8
-A, C, D

5.10
-A, B

October

Ch 5

Ecosystems and Living
Organisms

6

Ecosystems and the Physical
Environment

Ch 5 Explain the four
premises of evolution by natural selection as proposed by Charles Darwin.

Describe ecological
succession and distinguish between primary and secondary succession.

Discuss an example of a
keystone species.

Explain symbiosis and
distinguish among mutualism, commensalism, and
parasitism.

Define predation and
describe the effects of natural selection on predator-prey relationships.

Define competition and
distinguish between intraspecific and interspecific competition.

Describe the factors that
contribute to an organism's ecological niche and distinguish between
fundamental niche and realized niche.

Give several examples of
limiting factors and discuss how they might affect an organism's ecological
niche.

Relate the concepts of
competitive exclusion and resource partitioning.

Summarize the main
determinants of species richness in a community and describe factors
associated with high species richness.

Give several examples of
ecosystem services.

Ch 6

Diagram the carbon,
nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and hydrologic cycles.

Describe how humans have
influenced the carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and hydrologic cycles.

Summarize the effects of
solar energy on Earth's temperature, including the influence of albedos of various surfaces.

Discuss the roles of solar
energy and the Coriolis effect in the production of
global air and water flow patterns.

Define El
Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and La Niña and describe some
of their effects.

Distinguish between weather
and climate and give three causes of regional precipitation differences.

Contrast tornadoes and
tropical cyclones.

Define plate tectonics and
explain its relationship to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

L
Predator – Prey Simulation BMB

The Effects of Coyote Removal in Texas: A Case Study in
Conservation Biology BMW

Earth Systems Remote
Sensing Lab BMW

Why Are There Deserts? BMW

Formation of Deserts
Project

-interconnections between oceans,
atmosphere, & geology

Stream Water Quality and Macroinvertebrate
Population Comparison

Plate Tectonics/ Project
BMB

-acquire map &
geography skills from plotting positions of earthquakes, volcanoes, and
mountain ranges

-draw conclusions as to how
the Earth works tectonically

Specific Heat and Climate
Lab BMB

The Moon and Tides Project

Labs     Quiz     Test      Homework

Class participation Current
events

Project/long term macro
project

5.3-D

5.5-A

5.6-A,B

5.7
-A, B

5.8
-A, C, D

5.9-A,
B

5.10
-A, B

November

7

Major Ecosystems of the
World

16

Preserving Earth’s
Biological Diversity

Ch7 Define biome and
discuss how biomes are related to climate.

Explain the similarities
and the changes in vegetation observed with increasing elevation and
increasing latitude.

Briefly describe the nine
major terrestrial biomes, giving attention to the climate, soil, and
characteristic plants and animals of each.

Relate at least one human
effect on each of the biomes discussed.

Summarize the important
environmental factors that affect aquatic ecosystems.

Briefly describe the
various freshwater, estuarine, and marine ecosystems, giving attention to the
environmental characteristics and representative organisms of each.

Relate at least one human
effect on each of the aquatic ecosystems discussed.

Outline the environmental
history of the Florida Everglades.

Ch 16 Define biological
diversity and distinguish among genetic diversity, species richness, and
ecosystem diversity.

Discuss five important
ecosystem services provided by biological      diversity.

Contrast threatened,
endangered, and extinct species, and list four characteristics common to many
endangered species.

Define biodiversity
hotspots and explain where most of the world’s biodiversity hotspots
are located.

Describe four human causes
of species endangerment and extinction and tell which cause is the most
important.

Define biotic pollution and
explain how invasive species endanger native species.

Define conservation biology
and compare in situ conservation and ex situ conservation.

Distinguish between
conservation biology and wildlife management.

Discuss steps that can be
taken to slow down or stop the decline in biological diversity.

Shannon and Wiener Diversity Index Data and Calculation

Shannon Weiner Biodiversity
Index Lab

BMW

Biodiversity Index Field
Exercise BMW

Cane Toad Essay BMW

Labs     Quiz     Test      Homework

Class participation Current
events

5.1-A,
B, C

5.2-A,
B

5.3-A,
C, D

5.4-A

5.5-A,
B, C

5.6-A,B

5.8
-A, B, C, D

5.9-A,

5.10
-A, B

December

13

Water: A Fragile Resource

14

Soils and Their
Preservation

Ch 13 Draw a simple diagram
of a water molecule, indicating the regions of partial positive and partial
negative charges and how hydrogen bonds form between adjacent water
molecules.

Describe surface water and
groundwater, using the following terms in your descriptions: wetland, runoff,
drainage basin, unconfined and confined aquifer, and water table.

Explain how humans
exacerbate property damage caused by floods using the upper Mississippi River basin
as an example.

Relate some of the problems
caused by overdrawing surface water, aquifer depletion, and salinization of irrigated soil.

Relate the background
behind each of the following U.S.
water problems: Mono Lake, the Colorado River basin,
and the Ogallala Aquifer.

Briefly describe each of
the following international water problems: drinking water problems,
population growth and water problems, the Rhine
River basin, the Aral
Sea, and potentially volatile international situations over
water rights.

Contrast the benefits and
drawbacks of dams and reservoirs, using the Columbia
River to provide specific examples.

Give examples of how water
can be conserved by agriculture, industry, and individual homes and
buildings.

Ch 14 Identify the factors
involved in soil formation.

List the four components of
soil and give the ecological significance of each.

Briefly describe soil
texture and soil acidity.

Explain the impacts of soil
erosion and mineral depletion on plant growth and on other resources such as
water.

Describe the American Dust
Bowl and explain how a combination of natural and human-induced factors
caused this disaster.

Define sustainable soil use
and summarize how conservation tillage, crop rotation, contour plowing, strip
cropping, terracing, and shelterbelts help to minimize erosion and mineral
depletion of the soil.

Discuss the basic process
of soil reclamation.

Briefly describe the
provisions of the Farm Bill regarding the Conservation Reserve Program and
the Grasslands Reserve Program.

Water Use:  Local and National

Personal Water Use Survey

Drop by Drop BMB

The Aral
Sea - Internet Assignment

Complete Soil Analysis

Soil Salinization
BMB

Rain - Soil Interactions

Soil Analysis BMB

Salinity in Soil

-Students will measure the
conductivity of water samples, both before and after being mixed with soil
samples, to determine if water "runoff" from soil is more or less
likely to conduct electricity.

Labs     Quiz     Test      Homework

Class participation Current
events

5.1-A,
B, C

5.2-A,
B

5.3-D

5.5-A,
B, C

5.6-A,B

5.8
-A, B, C, D

5.9-A

5.10
-A, B

January

15

Minerals: A Nonrenewable
Resource

17

Land Resources and
Conservation

Ch 15 Explain the
difference between high-grade ores and low-grade ores, and between metallic
and nonmetallic minerals.

Describe several natural
processes by which minerals are concentrated in the Earth's crust.

Briefly describe how
mineral deposits are discovered, extracted, and processed.

Relate the environmental
impacts of mining and refining minerals and explain how mining lands can be
restored.

Contrast the consumption of
minerals by developing countries and by industrialized nations such as the United States and Canada.

Summarize the conservation
of minerals by reuse, recycling, and changing our mineral requirements.

Explain how sustainable
manufacturing and dematerialization can contribute to mineral conservation.

Ch 17 Relate at least five
ecosystem services provided by natural areas.

Summarize current land
ownership in the United
States.

Describe the following
federal lands, stating which government agency administers each and current
issues of concern: wilderness areas, national parks, national wildlife
refuges, national forests, public rangelands, and national marine
sanctuaries.

Define deforestation and
relate the main causes of tropical deforestation.

Define desertification and
explain its relationship to overgrazing.

Describe the current
threats to freshwater and coastal wetlands, and explain why the definition of
wetlands is controversial.

Discuss trends in U.S.
agricultural lands, such as encroachment of suburban sprawl.

Contrast the views of the
wise-use movement and the environmental movement regarding the use of federal
lands.

Energy and Recycling
Exercise BMW

Copper Extraction Lab BMWB

-analyze methods of
reducing mine tailing wastes & demonstrates potential for profit

Energy & Recycling BMB

-quantitative exercise
students compare & contrast the cost of recycled aluminum to aluminum
made from virgin ore

Acid Mine Drainage and
Dissolved Oxygen PASCO

-Students will measure the
concentration of dissolved oxygen in an aqueous environment, both before and
after the addition of two different pollutants common to acid mine drainage,
sodium sulfite and sodium nitrate. -Students will analyze how sulfites and
related chemical compounds affect the availability of oxygen in waterways
exposed to acid mine drainage.

Natural Areas Project BMW

Project

Labs     Quiz     Test      Homework

Class participation Current
events

5.1-B,
C

5.2-A,
B

5.4-A,
B, C

5.6-A,B

5.8
-A, B, C, D

5.9-A

5.10
-A, B

February

8 Understanding Population
Change

9

Facing the Problems of
Overpopulation

Ch 8Describe the extent of
the HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa.

Explain the four factors
that produce changes in population size and solve simple problems involving
these changes.

Define biotic potential
(intrinsic rate of increase) and carrying capacity and explain the
differences between J-shaped and S-shaped growth curves.

Distinguish between
density-dependent and density-independent factors that affect population size
and give examples of each.

Describe some of the density-dependent
factors that may affect boom-or-bust population cycles.

Describe Type I, Type II,
and Type III survivorship curves.

Summarize the history of
human population growth.

Identify Thomas Malthus, relate his ideas on human population growth, and
explain why he may or may not be wrong.

Explain why it is
impossible to answer precisely the question of how many people the Earth can
support—that is, Earth’s carrying capacity for humans.

Explain how highly
developed and developing countries differ in population characteristics such
as infant mortality rate, total fertility rate, replacement-level fertility,
and age structure.

Briefly relate the history
and controversies of U.S.
immigration.

Ch 9 Relate human
population size to each of the following: hunger; natural resources and the
environment; and economics.

Distinguish between people
overpopulation and consumption overpopulation.

Describe the concept of
ecological footprints.

Outline some of the
complexities associated with the concept of sustainable consumption.

Define urbanization and
describe trends in the distribution of people in rural and urban areas.

Explain how cities are
analyzed from an ecosystem perspective.

Describe some of the
problems associated with the rapid growth rates of large urban areas.

Relate total fertility
rates to each of the following: cultural values; social and economic status
of women; and the availability of family planning services.

Compare the ways that the
governments of China, India, Mexico,
and Nigeria
have tried to slow human population growth.

Outline some of the steps
that both governments and individuals can take to achieve global population
stabilization.

World Population Growth
Graphing Lab BMW

Population Growth  Between 1000 – 2200 BMW

Population Pyramids Lab BMW

Doubling Time and
Exponential Growth BMWB

Global Population Trends
BMB

Populations Distribution
and Survivorship BMB

Labs     Quiz     Test      Homework

Class participation Current
events

5.1-A,
B,

5.2-A,
B

5.3-A,
B, C, D

5.4-A,
B, C

5.5-A,
B, C

5.8
-A, B, C

5.10
-A, B

March

10

Fossil Fuels

11

Nuclear Energy

12

Renewable Energy &
Conservation

Ch 10 Briefly explain U.S.
dependence on foreign oil.

Compare per-capita energy
consumption in highly developed and developing countries.

Describe the processes that
formed coal, oil, and natural gas.

Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages, including environmental problems, of using coal.

Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages, including environmental problems, of using oil and natural
gas.

Summarize the continuing
controversy surrounding the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Distinguish among the five
kinds of synfuels (tar sands, oil shales, gas hydrates, liquid coal, and coal gas) and
briefly consider the environmental implications of using synfuels.

Relate three reasons that
the United States
needs a comprehensive national energy strategy. Briefly describe the National
Energy Policy of the George W. Bush administration.

Ch 11 Distinguish between
nuclear energy and chemical energy and define radioactive elements and
radioactive decay.

Summarize how mined uranium
becomes fuel for nuclear power plants.

Diagram a pressurized water
reactor and show its three water circuits.

Contrast conventional
nuclear fission, breeder nuclear fission, and fusion.

Describe the two major
nuclear power plant accidents discussed in the text (Three Mile Island and Chernobyl).

Distinguish between
low-level and high-level radioactive wastes.

Relate the pros and cons of
permanent storage of high-level radioactive wastes at Yucca Mountain.

Explain what happens to
nuclear power plants after they are closed.

Ch 12 Distinguish between
active and passive solar energy and describe how each is used.

Contrast the advantages and
disadvantages of solar thermal electric generation and photovoltaic solar
cells in converting solar energy into electricity.

Define biomass, explain why
it is an example of indirect solar energy, and outline its advantages and
disadvantages as a source of energy.

Describe the locations that
can make optimum use of wind energy and of hydropower. Compare the potential
of wind energy and hydropower.

Describe two renewable
energy sources that are not direct or indirect results of solar energy.

Distinguish between energy
conservation and energy efficiency and give examples of each.

Define cogeneration and
give an example of a large-scale cogeneration system.

Personal Energy Audit BMW

Energy Resources Comparison
BMWB

CO2 Emissions
from Fossil Fuel Burning BMB

Solar Energy Absorption Lab
BMWB

Labs     Quiz     Test      Homework

Class participation Current
events

5.1-A,
B, C

5.2-A,
B

5.3-A,
B, C, D

5.4-A,
B, C

5.6-A,B

5.8
-A, B, C, D

5.9-A,

5.10
-A, B

April

19

Air pollution

20

Regional and Global
Atmospheric Changes

21

Water and Soil Pollution

22

pesticide move

Ch 19

List the seven major
classes of air pollutants and describe their characteristics and effects.

Relate the adverse health
effects of specific air pollutants and explain why children are particularly
susceptible to air pollution.

Describe industrial smog,
photochemical smog, temperature inversions, urban heat islands, and dust
domes.

Summarize the effects of
the Clean Air Act on U.S.
air pollution.

Contrast air pollution in
highly developed and developing countries.

Describe the global
distillation effect and tell where it commonly occurs.

Summarize the sick building
syndrome.

Describe the physiological
effects of noise pollution on the human body.

Ch 20

Describe the greenhouse
effect and list the five main greenhouse gases.

Discuss the ramifications
of some of the potential effects of global warming, including rising sea
level, changes in precipitation patterns, effects on organisms, effects on
human health, and effects on agriculture.

Give examples of several
ways to mitigate and adapt to global warming.

Describe the importance of
the stratospheric ozone layer and distinguish between tropospheric
and stratospheric ozone.

Explain how ozone depletion
takes place and relate some of the harmful effects of ozone depletion.

Relate how the
international community is working to protect the ozone layer.

Explain how acid deposition
develops and relate some of the effects of acid deposition.

Describe how North American
lakes are affected by interactions among global warming, ozone depletion, and
acid deposition.

Ch 21

List and briefly define
eight categories of water pollutants.

Discuss how sewage is
related to eutrophication, biochemical oxygen
demand (BOD), and dissolved oxygen.

Distinguish between oligotrophic and eutrophic
lakes and explain how humans induce artificial eutrophication.

Contrast point source
pollution and nonpoint source pollution.

Describe how most drinking
water is purified in the United
States and discuss the chlorine dilemma.

Distinguish among primary,
secondary, and tertiary treatments for wastewater.

Compare the goals of the
Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act.

Define soil pollution and
briefly discuss the specific problem of salinization.

Ch 22 Define pesticide,
distinguish among various types of pesticides such as insecticides and
herbicides and describe the major groups of insecticides and herbicides.

Relate the benefits of
pesticides.

Summarize the problems associated
with pesticide use, including development of genetic resistance; creation of
imbalances in the ecosystem; persistence, bioaccumulation, and biological
magnification; and mobility in the environment.

Discuss pesticide risks to
human health, including short-term effects, long-term effects, pesticides as
endocrine disrupters, and risks to children.

Describe alternative ways
to control pests, including cultivation methods, biological controls,
reproductive controls, pheromones and hormones, genetic controls, quarantine,
integrated pest management, and irradiating foods.

Briefly summarize the three
U.S.
laws that regulate pesticides: the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act; the Federal
Insecticides, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act; and
the Food Quality Protection Act.

Describe the purpose of the
Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.

How clean is the air? BR

Particulate Air Pollution
BMB

Acid Rain

Acid Rain PASCO

Indoor CO2  build-up  PASCO

Global CO2 Emissions from
1800 to 1997

Turbidity Trouble PASCO

-Students measure the
turbidity of water samples from various locations In addition,
they will investigate whether there is any correlation between weather events
and local water quality.

-Research skills

Bioassay Lab BMWB

Silent Spring

Labs     Quiz     Test      Homework

Class participation Current
events

5.1-
B, C

5.2-A,
B

5.4-A,
B, C

5.5-
C

5.6-A,B

5.8
-A, B, C, D

5.9-A

5.10
-A, B

May

23

Solid and Hazardous Wastes

Ch 23 Distinguish between
municipal solid waste and nonmunicipal solid waste.

Describe the features of a
modern sanitary landfill and relate some of the problems associated with
sanitary landfills.

Describe the features of a
mass burn incinerator and relate some of the problems associated with
incinerators.

Summarize how source
reduction, reuse, and recycling help reduce the volume of solid waste.

Define hazardous waste and
briefly characterize representative hazardous wastes (dioxins, PCBs, and
radioactive wastes).

Contrast the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (the Superfund Act).

Discuss the scope,
accomplishments, and shortcomings of the Superfund Program.

Define environmental
justice and discuss the issue of international waste management as it relates
to environmental justice.

Solid Waste recycling kit
BR

Solid Waste Collection

Auto & Truck tires and
the Environment BMB

Labs     Quiz     Test      Homework

Class participation Current
events

5.1-
B, C

5.2-A,
B

5.3-
D

5.4-A,
B, C

5.10
-A, B

June

23

Tomorrow’s Worls

Ch 23 Define sustainability
and explain the very different reasons why people in highly developed
countries and developing countries are not living sustainably.

Discuss how the natural environment
is linked to sustainable development.

Explain why we should
respect and care for the community of life.

Describe some of the
challenges confronting our efforts to improve the quality of human life
worldwide.

List two major steps we
must take to stay within Earth's carrying capacity.

Describe the role of
education in changing personal attitudes and practices that affect the
environment.

Discuss at least two
important environmental goals that can be accomplished most effectively at
national and international levels.

Write a one-page essay
describing what kind of world you want to leave for your children.

Political Activism Letter

Letter

Class participation Current
events

5.1-A,
B, C

5.2-A,
B

5.10
-A, B