Advanced Placement Environmental Science
Course Description
The
Advanced Placement Environmental Science course at Valencia High School is an
interdisciplinary experience; it embraces a wide variety of topics from
different areas of study. Yet, there
are several major unifying themes that cut across the many topics included in
the study, specifically human population growth and development as a primary
link between most, if not all, environmental issues. The goal of the AP Environmental Science course 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 both natural and human-made, to evaluate the relative
risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for
resolving and/or preventing them.
Designed
as a course to provide college-level, science work for students who would
typically not be attracted to the other more analytical sciences, the AP
Environmental Science course is an excellent option for any interested student
who has completed two years of laboratory science—one year of life science and
one year of physical science. Due to
the quantitative analysis that is required in the course, students should also
have taken at least one year of algebra.
Admission to an AP course ordinarily depends on the student’s interest
in the subject as well as on a superior academic record. Experience has shown that most
successful students in AP courses are those who are both well prepared and
highly motivated.
APES,
the acronym to which this course is often referred, is organized around a
lecture, lab, and discussion format.
Student work will be divided into three categories, each accounting for
approximately 1/3 of the student’s overall grade:
DAILY WORK –note-taking,
document-based short answer question (DBQ), written homework, statistical
analyses, case studies, reading, quizzes, debate, “optional” assignments
LABORATORY WORK –lab design and
analysis, conduct and performance, group/team contribution
TEST WORK –announced unit tests
covering several chapters (multiple choice in format, modeled after AP exam)
COURSE MATERIALS:
Textbook—Miller, G. Tyler. Living
in the Environment 15th Edition, Brooks-Cole Publishing,
NY: 2007.
Each
student will be issued a textbook as a reference resource. It is essential that all independent student
reading and note taking assignments be completed on the first class meeting day
of the assigned week. The note taking
generally includes outlines, thinking maps, definitions of bold-faced key
terms, any identified equations, and applicable case studies or examples. As well, the publisher maintains a web
resource with tutorial, study, and multimedia activities to encourage
comprehension. Students will be
required to use the web resource activities for each chapter.
Three-Ring Binder—organized into
sections, containing notebook paper, lab handouts, data and analysis, lecture
and independent notes, and returned, graded student work.
Calculators—students must have their own
calculators, recommended graphing style.
Cell phone calculators are not allowed use in this class.
Writing Utensils—pens, pencils, and
colored markers.
