Syllabus

Duration times are approximate.  Labs and activities may vary depending upon availability of materials.

Unit 1:  Introduction to the Environment and Its Problems                     Duration: 13 days

Chapter 1: Introduction to Environmental Problems and Sustainability

Chapter 2: Section 3 – What is Energy and Energy Changes

                  Section 4 – Systems and How They Respond to Change

Labs and Activities:

“I’ve Got Mine” Lab – Tragedy of the Commons

Ecological Footprint Activity – Students will determine their ecological footprints, analyze their

results and offer solutions as to how they can reduce their ecological footprints.

“The Lorax” VHS

Unit 2:  The Living World, Biodiversity, and Earth Systems                   Duration: 33 days

Chapter 3: Section 1 – Earth’s Support Systems

                  Section 2 – Components of Ecosystems (trophic levels, photosynthesis, respiration)

                  Section 3 – Energy in an Ecosystem (food webs, energy pyramids)

                  Section 4 – Cycles in Nature (carbon, nitrogen, water, sulfur, phosphorus)

Labs and Activities:

Biogeochemical Cycles Lab

Chapter 4: Section 1 – Types of Biodiversity and Its Importance

                  Section 2 – How Life Changes Over Time (evolution, natural selection)

                  Section 3 – Geology, Climate, and Effects on Evolution

                  Section 4 – Speciation, Extinction, and Human Impact on Biodiversity

                  Section 5 – Importance of Biodiversity

                  Section 6 – Roles in Ecosystems (niche, keystone species)

Labs and Activities:

Loss of Biodiversity Kit

Chapter 7: Section 1 - Factors that Influence Climate (atmosphere, weather vs. climate, ENSO)

                  Section 2 – Climates and Biomes (terrestrial biomes)

                  Section 3 – Human Impacts on Terrestrial Biomes

Labs and Activities:

Bottle Biosphere Project – Students will construct and monitor a closed system in a  2 liter bottle.  Analysis of their results will include solution to problems encountered as well as an application of what was learned to the earth as a closed system

Chapter 8: Section 1 – Marine Life Zones

                  Section 2 – Importance of Marine Systems (marine biomes)

                  Section 3 – Human Impacts on Marine Ecosystems

                  Section 4 – Freshwater Ecosystems (freshwater biomes)

                  Section 5 – Human Impacts on Freshwater Ecosystems

Labs and Activities:

Benthic Bugs and Bioassessment Lab

Chapter 9: Section 1 – Human Role in Loss of Biodiversity (extinction, endangered species)

                  Section 2 - Reasons to Care about Sustaining Biodiversity

                  Section 3 – How Humans Accelerate Loss of Biodiversity (habitat loss, pollution,

introduced species)

                  Section 4 – Protecting Biodiversity (laws, preserves)

Labs and Activities:

Allelopathy Lab

Scientific Frontiers: Alien Invasion DVD  OR  Cane Toads DVD

Unit 3:  Population                                                                                        Duration: 13 days

Chapter 5: Section 1 – Species Interactions (competition, predator/prey, symbiotic relationships)

                  Section 2 – Succession

                  Section 3 – Populations (carrying capacity, reproductive strategies, survivorship)

Labs and Activities:

Population Dynamics and Biotic Potential Lab

Population Growth with Lemma Minor Lab

Chapter 6: Section 1 – Human Population (history, distribution)

                  Section 2 – Factors that Influence Human Population (fertility rates, birth/death rates)

                  Section 3 – Age Structure Diagrams (demographic transitions)

                  Section 4 – Slowing Human Population Growth (case studies, national policies)

                                     Impacts of Human Population Growth

Labs and Activities:

Fieldtrip to Cemetery: Population Distribution and Survivorship Lab – Students will gather data

from tombstones, construct graphs from the data, and analyze trends in survivorship.

Population Pyramid Activity

Nova “World in Balance” DVD

Unit 4:  Land Use                                                                                          Duration: 26 days

Chapter 10: Section 1 – Forest Types and Methods of Harvesting (deforestation)

                    Section 2 – Forest Management – Sustainability

                    Section 3 – Rangelands (threats to, management of)

                    Section 4 – Managing Parks and Preserves

                    Section 5 – Sustaining Biodiversity (ecosystem approach, hotspots)

Chapter 12: Section 1 – Food Security (human nutritional requirements)

                    Section 2 – Food Production (types of agriculture, genetic engineering, green

revolution)

                    Section 3 – Environmental Problems from Agriculture (erosion, desertification,

irrigation, aquaculture)

                    Section 4 – Pest Protection (pesticides: benefits and drawbacks, IPM)

                    Section 6 – Producing Food Sustainably (crops, aquaculture)

Labs and Activities:

Soil: The Wealth Beneath Your Feet Lab

Soil Factor: How Does Your Garden Grow? Lab

Agriculture & Feeding a Growing Human Population Lab – Students will analyze information to

offer solutions as to how we can feed an ever growing human population.

Chapter 22: Section 1 - Trends in Urban Areas (urbanization, sprawl)

                    Section 2 – Problems with Urban Areas (noise pollution)

                    Section 3 – Transportation and Urban Areas (infrastructure, alternatives)

                    Section 4 – Planned Land Development

Labs and Activities:

“Green” Building Activity

Chapter 14: Section 1 – Earth’s Major Geologic Processes

                    Section 2 – Global Reserves of Minerals

                    Section 3 – Environmental Impacts of Mining (laws)

                    Section 4 – How to use Mineral Resources more Sustainably

                    Section 5 – Earth’s Major Hazards (earthquakes, volcanoes)

Labs and Activities:

Yours, Mine, and Ores: Study in Mining and Reclamation Lab Kit

Unit 5:  Water Resources and Pollution                                                      Duration: 13 days

Chapter 13: Section 1 - Freshwater Users and Supply

                    Section 2 – Groundwater Issues

                    Section 3 – Expanding Freshwater Resources

                    Section 6 – Using Freshwater More Sustainably

Labs and Activities:

Modeling an Aquifer and Groundwater Lab

Chapter 20: Section 1 – Causes and Effects of Water Pollution

                    Section 2 – Major Water Pollution Problems in Streams and Lakes

                    Section 3 – Major Pollution Problems Affecting Groundwater

                    Section 4 – Major Pollution Problems Affecting Oceans

                    Section 5 – Dealing with Water Pollution

Labs and Activities:

Who’s Killing Crystal Creek Lab – Students will analyze water samples to determine the source

of pollution, analyze the risks to human health, the impacts to the stream ecosystem, and offer solutions to prevent or cleanup the pollution.

“Wonderful World of Dung” DVD

Fieldtrip: Waste Water Treatment Plant

Unit 6:  Energy Resources                                                                            Duration: 13 days

Chapter 15: Section 1 – Energy Concepts and Consumption (history)

                    Section 2 – Oil (extraction, supplies, advantages, disadvantages)

                    Section 3 – Natural Gas (extraction, supplies, advantages, disadvantages)

                    Section 4 – Coal (extraction, supplies, advantages, disadvantages)

                    Section 5 – Nuclear Power (safety issues, fission vs. fusion, advantages,

disadvantages)

Labs and Activities:

Which fuel is “better”? Lab

Impacts of Fracking – Analysis of Information, role play, and debate

Chapter 16: Section 1 – Energy Efficiency

        Section 2 – Solar Energy (types, advantages, disadvantages)

                    Section 3 – Hydropower (types, advantages, disadvantages)

                    Section 4 – Wind Power (advantages, disadvantages)

                    Section 5 – Biomass (types, advantages, disadvantages)

                    Section 6 – Geothermal Energy (extraction, advantages, disadvantages)

                    Section 7 – Hydrogen Fuel Cells (advantages, disadvantages)

                    Section 8 – A More Sustainable Energy Future

Labs and Activities:

Energy Audit Activity - Evaluate energy efficiency of their home and offer solutions for

increasing energy efficiency

Ethanol Fuel from Corn Lab

Unit 7:  Environmental Quality – Pollution and Its Impact                      Duration: 26 days

Chapter 17: Section 1 - Major Environmental Health Hazards

                    Section 2 – Biological Hazards

                    Section 3 – Chemical Hazards

                    Section 5 - Risk Analysis

Labs and Activities:

Chapter 18: Section 1 – Nature of the Atmosphere (structure, composition)

                    Section 2 – Major Outdoor Air Pollution Problems

                    Section 3 – Acid Deposition (associated problems)

                    Section 4 – Indoor Air Pollution

                    Section 5 – Health Effects of Air Pollution

                    Section 6 – Dealing with Air Pollution (laws, remediation and reduction strategies)

                    Section 7 - Stratospheric Ozone Depletion (causes, effects, remediation, laws)