AP Environmental Science (APES) Syllabus

Teacher: Mrs. Kadhim

Room: 308
Teacher Contact Information:
E-mail: kadhime@qvsd.org
Phone Number: 412.749.5557, ext. 2308
Course Overview
AP Environmental Science is designed to be the equivalent of a onesemester, introductory college course in environmental science.
The goal of this interdisciplinary course is to provide you 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 risks associated with these problems, and to examine
alternative solutions for resolving or preventing them. The following
themes provide a foundation for the structure of the course:
1. Science is a process.
2. Energy conversions underline all ecological processes.
3. The Earth itself is one interconnected system.
4. Humans alter natural systems.
5. Environmental problems have a cultural and social context.
6. Human survival depends on developing practices that will
achieve sustainable systems.
Expectations
You must be prepared to work outdoors for many labs, as well as be
prepared to utilize technology both inside and outside of the
classroom. Attendance on field trips will be required. You will also be
expected to demonstrate the ability to work together in teams, as well
as independently.
A class wikispaces page, www.kadhimclasses.wikispaces, will be
used to access course notes, assignments, and materials. In order to
access this site, you must first create a wikispaces account and request
membership.
In addition, you are expected to read your entire textbook, and utilize
the class notes provided for you on the class page as listed above. You
must have strong reading, writing, and data analysis skills. You will not
be allowed to use a calculator, as you will not be allowed a calculator
when taking the AP exam.
Textbook

Environmental Science for AP by Andrew Friedland, Rick Relyea, and

David Courard-Hauri, 2012, W.H. Freeman and Company/BFW (ISBN-13:
978-0-7167-3849-7)
Additional Resources
In addition to the textbook, we will draw information from
supplemental environmental science textbooks, lab manuals,
periodicals, essays, case studies, books, videos, and the Internet.
Evaluation Methods
You will be assessed using a variety of methods, including tests,
quizzes, laboratory reports, projects, presentations, essays, reading
and presenting journal articles on current environmental topics, case
studies, as well as other class activities and homework. In addition,
there will be a midterm and final exam.
Although there will be some variation, for every unit be prepared to
complete a vocabulary set and quiz, chapter questions to turn in on
test days, a case study, a set of mathematical calculation practice
problems, and a test. Multiple labs, videos, or other activities will be
completed in each unit, and you will be required to complete formal lab
reports for select labs.
Please be aware that every test you take this year will consist of
multiple choice questions and essay questions, since this is the format
of the AP Exam.
The following is how grades will be determined:
Summative Evaluation = 90%(e.x. tests, quizzes, projects, labs)
Formative Evaluation = 10%(e.x. journals, case studies, math
practice, homework)
Late Work:
Late work is accepted, but with a 25% penalty per day late.
Plagiarism and Cheating:
Plagiarism and cheating results in an automatic zero for both the
student who copied as well as the student who actually did their work!
This behavior will also be turned into the office to be placed on the
academic record for all involved students; further disciplinary action
may be taken. Keep in mind this does not just mean tests, it means all
work including simple homework assignments.
Summer Work

Refer to the class wikispaces page. There are two rounds of work due
one during the summer and one on the first day of school for
upperclassmen.

Course Outline
Although subject to change, the course outline below should give you a
rough estimate of how much time we will be spending on each of the
course topics.
Duration
Topic
3 weeks
Introduction to Environmental Science
Chapter 1: Studying the State of Our Earth (Earth Science Concepts)
Chapter 2: Environmental Systems (Earth Science Concepts)
Tropospheric Ozone (Air Pollution)
5 weeks

3 weeks

3 weeks

2 weeks

3 weeks

Earth Systems and Resources & Water Use/Pollution

Chapter 8: Earth Systems (Soil and Soil Dynamics, Mining)
Chapter 9: Water Resources (Global Water Resources and Use)
Chapter 14: Water Pollution (Pollution Types, Impacts on the Environment
and Human Health, Economics Impacts)
The Living World
Chapter 3: Ecosystem Ecology (The Atmosphere, Ecosystem Structure,
Energy Flow, Natural Ecosystem Change, Natural Biogeochemical Cycles)
Chapter 4: Global Climates and Biomes (The Atmosphere, Natural
Biogeochemical Cycles)
Chapter 5: Evolution of Biodiversity (Ecosystem Structure, Natural
Ecosystem Change)
Biological and Human Populations
Chapter 6: Population and Community Ecology (Population Biology
Concepts)
Chapter 7: The Human Population (Human Population)
Midterm Exam
Land Use
Chapter 10: Land, Public and Private (Agriculture, Forestry, Rangelands,
Other Land Use)
Chapter 11: Feeding the World (Agriculture, Fishing)
Energy Resources and Consumption

6 weeks

3 weeks

Chapter 12: Nonrenewable Energy Sources (Energy Concepts, Energy

Consumption, Fossil Fuel Resources and Use, Nuclear Energy, Hydroelectric
Power)
Chapter 13: Achieving Energy Sustainability (Energy Conservation,
Renewable Energy)
Pollution
Chapter 15: Air Pollution and Stratospheric Ozone Depletion (Pollution
Types, Impacts on the Environment and Human Health, Economic Impacts)
Chapter 16: Waste Generation and Waste Disposal (Pollution Types,
Impacts on the Environment and Human Health, Economic Impacts)
Chapter 17: Human Health and Environmental Risks (Impacts on the
Environment and Human Health)
Global Change and a Sustainable Future
Chapter 18: Conservation of Biodiversity (Loss of Biodiversity)
Chapter 19: Global Change (Global Warming)
Chapter 20: Sustainability, Economics, and Equity (Global Economics)
Final Exam