Advanced Placement Environmental Science
Course Description
“For in the end,
we will conserve
only that which we love;
we will love
only that which we understand;
and we will understand
only that which we have been taught.”
Baba Dioum, Senegalese environmentalist, 1968
Instructor: Mr. Dave Fujiyama [email protected] Room: P-6
Textbook: Environmental Science: Earth as a Living Planet 6th ed.,
Botkin, Daniel B., and Keller, Edward A., Wiley, 2007
Course Description
The AP Environmental Science (APES) course is designed to be the equivalent of a one semester, introductory college course in environmental science. The goal 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, and to examine alternative solutions to resolve and prevent them.
Supplementary Resources
Readings will be assigned from the many sources to clarify and deepen your understanding of central issues, including:
- National Geographic Magazine articles online
- Student Companion Site for Botkin and Keller
Student-driven activities
Like most college courses, APES includes lectures, discussions and moderated debates, presentations, and written assignments. The course also includes laboratory and field investigations (on campus) to complement the classroom portion of the course by allowing students to learn through firsthand observation and experience. But being my APES student entitles you to a more exciting opportunity…
Field Studies: Gray Whale Foundation research project You have the opportunity to participate in a whale data collection field assay in which you will board a 63’ boat in Dana Point Harbor, and collect data while observing whales, dolphins and other marine life. Your data will be compiled and analyzed to see if our hypothesis is supported: The number of migrating gray whales has decreased since 2005. We further hypothesize that this decline may be due, at least in part, to increased shipping traffic within gray whale migration lanes. In other words, your field work is not just an assignment: It’s real-world science, and we’re tackling a real-world problem!
Field Studies: Trout in the Classroom project In our classroom, we’ll accept delivery of rainbow trout eggs sometime in early November; observe them hatch; monitor water chemistry and environmental conditions; and finally take a field trip to release them into the headwaters of the Santa Ana River near Big Bear. You’ll learn about water chemistry, riparian ecology, history of water issues in California, consequences of human activity on aquatic ecosystems, and insects that live in trout streams. You’ll discover that the portion of the Santa Ana River that you’re familiar with—that dry, trash-filled, concrete-lined river bed near the “Orange Crush”—is nothing like the pristine Santa Ana River in the San Bernardino National Forest. You’ll be charged with the task of taking photographs of the Santa Ana River from our trip beginnings—at its mouth at Newport Beach—all the way to its headwaters. You’ll be amazed how different this stream is in places where humanity has not disrupted its ecosystem!
Field Studies/Independent Explorations: Biodiversity Garden Your small group of teammates will be assigned a plot of land in our garden—with hard work, a lot of love and some diligent research, you’ll turn it into a beautiful, flower-filled Biodiversity Garden that will attract pollinators like bees and hummingbirds. You’ll learn about soil chemistry, soil fungi, symbiotic relationships, nitrogen fixation…and you might get a nice tan, too! It’s possible that an overnight field study in our yard can be arranged—I’ll keep you posted.
Field Studies/Independent Explorations: Solar-Powered Oven You and a partner will design and build a solar powered oven. You’ll have one full school day to bake a cookie, a brownie, or a baked potato. Yes, you’ll eat your project, and I’ll have a taste, too. If I get indigestion from eating your project...well, we'll talk, won't we? Heh heh heh...
The College Board AP Environmental Science Examination
date Monday 2 May 2011 at 8:00 am
website http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/cal.html
The exam is three hours long; half the time is for multiple choice (MC); the remainder for free response (FRQ). The MC constitutes 60% of the total score, and has 100 questions. This section tests your breadth of knowledge of environmental science topics and issues.
The FRQ section allows 90 minutes for 4 FRQs, which constitute 40% of your test score, and it focuses on your depth of knowledge. Here’s where you critically analyze a set of circumstances and justify your conclusion. You’ll have one data-set question, one document-based question, and two synthesis-and-evaluation questions.
Taking the College Board APES Exam is optional. Remember that if you receive a reduced fee/free meal at school, you are eligible to take this exam at a greatly reduced fee. Also note that students who take this exam are eligible to delete the score of any second-semester chapter test from their final grade.
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