AP

Environmental Science

Instructor:
Mr. Kelleman






Room: 309
tkelleman@kent.k12.md.us

AP Test Date:
Monday, May 2nd

Course Description:
The AP Environmental Science course is designed to be the equivalent of a one-semester,
introductory college course in environmental science, through which students engage with the
scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships
of the natural world. The course requires that students identify and analyze natural and human
made environmental problems, evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and
examine alternative solutions for resolving or preventing them. Environmental Science is
interdisciplinary, embracing topics from geology, biology, environmental studies,
environmental science, chemistry, and geography.

Course Textbook:
Botkin, D.B., Keller, E.A. Environmental Science: Earth as a Living Planet. 8th ed. New York, NY:
John Wiley & Sons, 2011.

Supplemental Material:

We will draw information from supplemental environmental science textbooks, lab manuals, periodicals,
readings/case studies, and the Internet.

Grading:


Quarters 1, 2, 3 and 4

20% each


Culminating Activity

10%


Midterm and Final Exam

5% each

Each Quarter is broken down as follows:

Summative Assessments




70%



Includes: Exams, Projects, Quizzes, and Labs
Milestones





30%


Includes: Class work and Homework

Homework: May include but not be limited to: reading the current unit content and answering
textbook questions, reviewing lecture notes (from PowerPoints), readings and case studies,
making and studying review sheets for unit tests and quizzes, lab write-ups, essays, creating
posters, surveys, etc.

Tests: Tests will be given approximately as entered on the course calendar and they will be
composed of multiple-choice and essay questions. At the beginning of the year the tests will be
multiple choice only. Between Thanksgiving and winter break, essays will be incorporated into
the tests, and after the break the essay portion of the test will be timed in order to make the
test environment as similar to the AP Exam as possible. The majority of the multiple-choice
questions will come from lecture notes, text questions, and lab experiments. We will work our
way up to 100 questions as the AP Exam approaches.

Writing: You will be given four free-response (essay) questions on the AP Exam. To be
effective, youll need to organize your thoughts and construct an essay in 22 minutes (four
questions in 90 minutes). In this class we will take a very pragmatic approach to our writing.
Well write training essays early in the year and, again, incorporate timed essays into our tests
by the middle of the year. Possible essay topics will be given to you before the test to allow you
to outline your answers.

Overview:
I.
Earth Systems
Earth Science Concepts (Oreo Lab, Starburst Lab)
The Atmosphere (CO2 Bag Lab)
Global Water Resources and Uses (Ocean Acidification Lab)
Soil and Dynamics (Filtering Qualities of Soil Lab, Soil Bugs Lab, Soil Pit, Soil
Texture Lab, Writing Prompt #1)
II.
The Living World
Natural Biochemical Cycles (Biobottle Lab)
Ecosystem Structure (Clamatogram Activity)
Ecosystem Diversity (Leafpacks Water Quality Indicators)
Energy Flow (Eutrophication Lab, Writing Promp #2)
Natural Ecosystem Change (Create and Sustain Biobottles)
III.

IV.

V.

Population
Population Biology Concepts (Parking Lot Ecology)
Population Size (Ants and Honey Lab)
Human Population (Power of the Pyramids Activity, Graveyard Walk Activity)
Impacts of Population Growth (Writing Prompt #3)
Global Change
Loss of Biodiversity (Biodiversity Field Trip)
Global Warming (Futures Research)
Stratospheric Ozone (Atmosphere Graphing Project)
Laws (Writing Prompt #4)
Land and Water Use
Agriculture (DNR Speaker Visit)
Forestry (Riparian Buffer Plantings)
Transportation Infrastructure

VI.

VII.

Urban Land Development

Mining and Fishing (DNR Speaker Visit)
Public and Federal Lands (Research Project)
Land Conservation (Best Management Practices Activity)
Global Economics (Writing Prompt #5)
Energy Resources and Consumption
History (Industrial Revolution Presentations)
Energy Concepts (Electricity Fundamentals Lab)
Fossil Fuel Resources (Cookie Mining Lab)
Nuclear Power
Hydroelectric (Put-Put Boats)
Renewable Energy (Solar Lab, Solar Field Tour)
Energy Conservation (Landfill Lab Trash Collection)
Present Global Energy Use (Writing Prompt #6)
Pollution
Air Pollution (Indoor Air Pollution Collection Lab)
Water Pollution (Leaf Packs H2O Quality Lab)
Noise Pollution
Hazardous Chemicals in Environment (Seed Germination Lab LD50)
Hazards to Human Health (Water Treatment Plant Field Trip)
Solid Waste (Review of Recycling Project)
Economic Impacts (Research Project)

Field Trips:
Identification of natural areas.
Waste Water Facility
(Native/Invasive)
Sassafrass Education Center
Graveyard (Population)

Plagiarism
Students are expected to cite each web page, book, or other sources each time they include any
information in an essay or project of their own. Plagiarism includes but is not limited to the
following guidelines:
Including the words of another writer without including proper citation. Copying and
pasting from Internet or other electronic sources is considered plagiarism unless there
are quotation marks preceding and following the quoted material. Student writers
must also include a citation of the source (Works Cited page or Bibliography) at the
end of their paper. This applies to other forms of expression as wellslideshows,
essays, artwork, photography, computer coding, mathematical calculations, etc.
Citing the sources used but copying and pasting entire sentences (or
photos/graphics/code) without using quotation marks or proper citation methods.
Submitting another students work as ones own, for example, an essay written by a
sibling or another student.

Academic Dishonesty
The following are additional examples of Academic Dishonesty:
Copying another students work or assignment (including homework) to submit as
ones own.
Allowing another student to copy your assignment (including homework) with the
intention of submitting to a teacher for credit.
Using an unauthorized set of notes, cheat sheets, graphic calculator or other storage
device during a test or quiz.
Helping another student without permission on a test or quiz.
Stealing or borrowing or removing an exam from the classroom or taking it from a
teacher without explicit permission.
Submitting an assignment in two separate classes for different assignments without
explicit permission from your teachers (in both subjects).
Unauthorized use of teacher test materials or teacher resources.
Discuss assignments and/or test information with students from other classes.
Consequences
Offence 1- Conference with student, 20 point deduction of grade, and opportunity to
revise within a specified time frame and parent notification
Offence 2- automatic failure of assignment with no opportunity of recoup and parent
notification and administration referral


Absences:
The quantity and difficulty of material taught in this course make regular attendance vital for
success. It is the RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STUDENT to collect handouts, make up missed work, and
to ensure they acquire any notes that were given during the missed classes. Absence from class is
not an excuse for poor performance.


Be prepared for anything in this class. We might go outside without much notice. So Please
bring a pair of old shoes to leave in your locker just in case. Make sure you have something
for the rain!

Extra Help:
I am aware that some students will struggle with the content of the course. Additional help will be
available before and after school for those students who request it. Please contact me first about
staying before or after school.

I look forward to up coming semester and educating all of my students. If there are any questions
or concerns please feel free to contact me before school or after school, or by email:
tkelleman@kent.k12.md.us

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Student Signature







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Parent Signature

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