ap environmental science curriculum guide · 15. understanding have and the ability to interact...

AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

CURRICULUM GUIDE

Belleville Public Schools

marissa.maldonado

Text Box

Board Approved May 6, 2013

Belleville Public Schools Environmental Science

2

CURRICULUM COMMITTEE

Joy Elaine Alfano, Ph.D Peter Blodnik


3

Mission Statement

Belleville is, today, a township richly endowed with a dynamic, culturally diverse population. Our mission is to embrace that diversity and use it as a catalyst for the growth and development of all our students and to empower them with self-actualization through relevant services and comprehensive programs designed to facilitate their success and to ensure that all of our students become productive citizens and life-long learners who are active contributors to their communities, and well-prepared to succeed in their

chosen careers.

Belief Statement

WE BELIEVE THAT: 1. Effective education prepares students for career opportunities consistent with their capabilities, aptitudes, and desires. 2. Understanding the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in a democratic society is an important educational goal. 3. Participation in diversified athletic, recreational and extra-curricular activities benefits all students and promotes good citizenship. 4. Developing and promoting the knowledge and skills necessary for the effective use of leisure time contributes to the success of the student. 5. Effective education provide opportunities for students to develop individual interests and aptitudes. 6. Educational and vocational goals of the students are the focal point of the curriculum. 7. Developing students’ abilities to think critically through experimentation, evaluation, interpretation, analysis, and synthesis promotes students growth. 8. Good health and safety habits and techniques improve students’ quality of life. 9. Neatness, care and pride in the quality of students work, helps to develop self-esteem. 10. Promoting and providing experiences that will help students prepare for advanced training, economic independence, and adult life is essential for life-long learning. 11. Positive understanding and communication in human interpersonal relationships is essential for society to flourish. 12. Effective education provides programs to prepare students to meet state proficiency requirements. 13. Developing basic skills in reading, writing, speaking, English, math, problem solving and critical thinking is essential to student success. 14. Providing programs for learning and physically disabled students to develop educational goals and vocational skills is the responsibility of an education system. 15. Understanding have and the ability to interact with people of diverse cultural characteristics is essential for society to flourish. 16. It is essential to develop an appreciation for learning as a lifelong process.


4

Science Philosophy The science program emphasizes the importance and application of science in the lives of our students. As a diverse

community of learners, we believe that the primary goal of our science program is to address the developmental nature of each

learner through an experiential program in which students are provided with opportunities to collect and analyze data retrieved

from a variety of sources using critical thinking skills, problem-solving and communication skills through the scientific method.

We believe in an active, student -centered learning environment that will expand and enhance our students prior knowledge,

pre-existing assumptions, and curiosity about the world in which they live and prepare them to participate in a democratic and

international society.

Our curriculum exceeds The New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards and is guided by the use of Big Ideas and

Essential Questions. Using the knowledge, skills, and understanding of scientific inquiry, concepts and processes, it is our belief

that our students will develop a lifelong appreciation of science in order that they become productive problem-solvers.


5

GOALS

Note: 1. All special education students will receive the same curriculum as their chronological peers. Students will receive modifications

and accommodations as listed in their I.E.P. 2. All concepts and learning objectives are aligned to the New Jersey Core Content Curriculum Standards 3. Professional staff will differentiate instruction to ensure students achieve the stated goals and objectives. 4. Performance assessments are suggested activities. Teachers can use them as well as alternate assessments at their discretion.

Our students will be able:

1. To recognize science as an integrated endeavor, influenced by human strengths and limitations that impacts humanity

2. To understand and implement the scientific method as a tool for problem solving and critical thinking

3. To apply safety principles in the laboratory and in daily activities

4. To recognize the importance of unbiased inquiry and skeptical review

5. To acknowledge problems as challenges and opportunities for discovery

6. To demonstrate an understanding of how people of various cultures have contributed to the advancement of science and

technology


6

Environmental Science Course Description

The following unifying concepts form the foundation of this course: (taken from Newark Public Schools, Environmental Science)

1. Science is a process. Science is a method of learning more about the world.

Science constantly changes the way we understand the world.

2. An Ecosystem is a system of interdependent living and non-living factors necessary for life.

Ecosystems can be as large as the earth or as small as a puddle of water. The earth is a large ecosystem.

3. An ecosystem can continue perpetually; it is dynamic due to energy conversions.

Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. As energy flows through systems, at each stem more of it becomes unusable.

4. Humans alter natural systems.

Humans have had an impact on the environment for millions of years. Technology and population growth have enabled humans to increase both the rate and scale of their impact on the

environment.

5. Environmental problems have a cultural and social context.

Understanding the role of cultural, social and economic factors is vital to the development of solutions.

6. Human Survival depends on developing practices that will achieve sustainable systems.

Environmental Science is a problem-based, multidisciplinary course which integrates the physical sciences, life sciences, and social

sciences. The essential themes of the course include: Land and its Uses, Soil, Water, Atmosphere and Weather, and Energy Needs and

Production. Environmental Science is designed 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, and

to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems. Students will be taught how to analyze these problems, generate alternatives,

and make responsible choices in order to encourage stewardship of the earth’s natural resources.


7

Scope and Sequence Defined by Academic Weeks

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35

36 37 38 39 40

Unit 1: Environmental Systems 1. Studying Our Environment

2. Ecological Footprint, Footprint Analysis

3. Global Resources and Human Impact 4. Climate, Biomes, and Environmental Systems

5. Atmosphere, Geosphere, and Earth Systems

Unit 2: Energy Flow and Ecosystem Ecology 1. Ecosystems

2. Tropic Levels and Energy Flow

3. Biogeochemical Cycles

4. Evolution and Biodiversity

5. Community Ecology and Population Dynamics

Unit 7 : Energy Needs and Production

Topic 1: Energy from Fossil Fuels Topic 2: Renewable Energy Sources

1. Energy Sources and Uses 1. Direct and Indirect Solar Energy

2. Exploiting Crude Oil 2. Renewable Energy for Transportation

3. Other Fossil Fuels 3. Additional Renewable Energy Options

4. Fossil Fuels and Energy Security 4. Policy for a Sustainable Energy Future

Unit 3: Land Use and Food

production 1. Rock Cycle and Soil

2. Land Use and Management

3. Farming and Food Production

4. Feeding the World

Unit 4: Water 1. The Hydrologic Cycle

2. Human Effects on the Water Cycle

3. Water Uses

Unit 5: Air

Topic 1: Atmosphere and Weather Topic 2: Atmospheric Pollution

1. Climate 1. Major Air Pollutants and Their Sources

2. Global Climate Change 2. Impacts of Air Pollutants

3. Response to Climate Change 3. Impacts of Air Pollutants on the Environment

4. Air Pollution Control and Mitigation

4. Depletion of Ozone Layer

Unit 8: Environmental Policy, Decision Making, and

Regulations 1. New Challenges in a new century

2. The Development of Environmental Policy I the US and World

3. Environmental Policy and Regulations

Unit 6: Human Population and Urbanization 1.) Population Characteristics

2.) Factors that influence Human Population

Growth

3.) Demographic Transitions


8

Title of Unit Environmental Systems Grade Level 11,12 Curriculum Area AP Environmental Science Time Frame 3-4 Weeks

Developed By Alfano, Blodnik

Desired Results (Stage 1)

Established Goals/Standards NJ High School Environmental Science Core Content (2011) 5.1.12.A.1- Refine interrelationships among concepts and patterns of evidence found in different central scientific explanations

5.1.12.A.2- Develop and use mathematical, physical, and computational tools to build evidence-based models and to pose theories

5.1.12.A.3- Use scientific principles and theories to build and refine standards for data collection, posing controls, and presenting evidence 5.1.12.B.1- Design investigations, collect evidence, analyze data, and evaluate evidence to determine measures of central tendencies, casual/correlational

relationships, and anomalous data 5.1.12.B.2- Build, refine, and represent evidence-based models using mathematical, physical, and computational tools.

5.1.12.B.3- Revise predictions and explanations using evidence, and connect explanations/arguments to established scientific knowledge, models, and theories.

5.1.12.B.4- Develop quality controls to examine data sets and to examine evidence as a means of generating and reviewing explanations.

5.1.12.C.1- Reflect on and revise understandings as new evidence emerges 5.1.12.C.2- Use data representations and new models to revise predictions and explanations.

5.1.12.C.3- Consider alternative theories to interpret and evaluate evidence-based arguments. 5.1.12.D.1- Engage in multiple forms of discussion in order to process, observations, and experiences.

5.1.12.D.2- Represent ideas using literal representations, such as graphs, tables, journals, concept maps, and diagrams.

5.1.12.D.3- Demonstrate how to use scientific tools and instruments and knowledge of how to handle animals with respect for their safety and welfare. 5.4.12.C.1- Model the interrelationships among the spheres in the Earth systems by creating a flow chart.

5.4.12.C.2- Analyze the vertical structure of Earth’s atmosphere, and account for the global, regional, and local variations of these characteristics and their impact on life.

5.4.12.F.2- Explain how the climate in regions throughout the world is affected by seasonal weather patterns, as well as other factors, such as the addition of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere and proximity to mountain ranges and to the ocean.

5.4.12.G.2- Explain the unintended consequences of harvesting natural resources from an ecosystem

5.4.12.G.3- Demonstrate, using models, how internal and external sources of energy drive the hydrologic, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and oxygen cycles.

5.4.12.G.4- Compare over time the impact of human activity on the cycling of matter and energy trough ecosystems 5.4.12.G.5- Assess (using maps, local planning documents, and historical records) how the natural environment has changed since humans have inhabited

the region.


9

Primary Interdisciplinary Connections

S.10.5 Summarize categorical data for two categories in two-way frequency tables. Interpret relative frequencies in the context of the data. Recognize possible associations and trends of the data

S.10.7 Interpret the slope (rate of change) and the intercept (constant term) of a linear model in the context of the data

S.10.8 Compute (using technology) and interpret the correlation coefficient of a linear fit

S.IC.5 Use data from a randomized experiment to compare two treatments; use simulations to decide if differences between parameters are significant

6.SP.3 Recognize that a measure of center for a numerical data set summarizes all of its values with a single number, while a measure of variation describes how its values vary with a single number

6.SP.5 Summarize numerical data sets in relation to their context

8.SP.1 Construct and interpret scatter plots for bivariate measurement data to instigate patterns of association between two quantities. Describe patterns such as clustering, outliers, positive or negative association, linear association, and nonlinear association

S.ID.9 Distinguish between correlation and causation


10

21st Century Interdisciplinary Themes:

_x Global Awareness _x Financial, economic, business, and entrepreneurial literacy _x_ Civic Literacy _x_ Health Literacy

Transfer

Students will be able to use their learning to: T1: Analyze a problem, developing hypothesis, and design a scientific experiment to test those hypothesis T2: Use statistical analysis of data collected to make an argument based on purely scientific evidence T3: Develop a vernacular of scientific terms and current environmental problems T4: Data mine from scientific journals and articles evaluating their scientific methodology for validity


11

Meaning

Understandings Essential Questions Students will understand that… Students will keep considering…

U1: The environment consists of many interacting systems in which there are dynamic consequences to upsetting the balanced equilibrium. U2: Environmental Science is a problem-based, multidisciplinary science, which integrates the physical sciences, life sciences, and social sciences. U3: Environmental Science is designed 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, and to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems. U4: A learning schedule and procedures are imperative to create a safe, structured, and enthusiastic learning environment. U5: Ecosystems are the result of the interactions among Earth’s biosphere, geosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere. U6: We can live more sustainably by relying more on solar energy, preserving biodiversity, and not disrupting the earth’s natural chemical recycling processes. U7: Major causes of environmental problems are population growth, wasteful and unsustainable resource use, and exclusion of harmful environmental costs from the market prices of goods and services. U8: Our lives and economies depend on energy from the sun and natural resources and natural services (natural capital) provided by the earth. U9: Scientific evidence is used for building, refining, and/or critiquing scientific explanations. U10: Climate is influenced by interactions of multiple physical, chemical and biological factors, including human actions.

Q1: What methods are used to study environmental science? Q2: How are classroom expectations and rules needed to promote the process of science? Q3: How is scientific knowledge constructed? Q4: How does scientific knowledge benefit – deepen and broaden, from scientists sharing and debating ideas and information with peers? Q5: Why is it important to think in terms of systems of systems when considering environmental issues? Q6: To what extent can human behaviors impact our planet’s environment? Q7: What is biodiversity and why is it important? Q8: What factors contribute to our ecological footprint? Q9: How have humans contributed to our Environmental Problems? Q10: What Is Pollution and what can we do about It? Q11: How are our ecological footprints affecting the Earth? Q12: What are the major components of the atmosphere? Q13: How does the Atmosphere relate to climate? Q14: What are the layers of the geosphere? Q15: How does the composition of earth explain plate tectonics and other geologic events such as volcanoes and earthquakes? Q16: What are the biotic and Abiotic factors that define an ecosystem? Q17: What are the characteristics of the aquatic and terrestrial biomes? Q18: Why is it important to think in terms of systems of systems when considering environmental issues? Q19: What is sustainability?


12

Knowledge Students will know…

Skills Students will be able to…

K1: Identify the location and proper use of safety equipment including goggles, aprons, eye wash station, safety shower, fire blanket, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, fume hood, fire alarm, emergency exit plans, review of bomb and emergency drills and procedures K1: Preventing pollution is more effective and less costly than cleaning up pollution; as our ecological footprints grow, we deplete and degrade more of the earth’s natural capital; Living sustainably means living off earth’s natural income without depleting or degrading the natural capital that supplies it. K2: Ecosystems are the result of the interactions among Earth’s biosphere, geosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere. K3: Human activities have physical, chemical, and biological consequences for ecosystems; the magnitude of the impact depends in part on the sensitivity of the system to perturbation. K3: Human activities have changed the Earth’s land, oceans, and atmosphere, as well as its populations of plant and animal species. K4: the life cycle of consumer goods the impact of unsustainable usage of goods and services in developed countries on developing countries and the overall environment. K5: Life is sustained by the flow of energy from the sun through the biosphere, the cycling of nutrients within the biosphere, and gravity. Some organisms produce the nutrients they need, others get the nutrients they need by consuming other organisms, and some recycle nutrients back to producers by decomposing the wastes and remains of organisms. K6: Earth’s atmosphere exchanges energy and matter within the Earth System through processes such as photosynthesis, the water cycle, biogeochemical cycles, the rock cycle and ocean currents. ** Human activities, such as reducing the amount of forest cover, increasing the amount and variety of chemicals released into the atmosphere, and intensive farming, have changed the earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere. Some of these changes have decreased the capacity of the environment to support some life forms

S1: Describe safety precautions and equipment in the laboratory S2: Describe what to do in case of thermal burns, chemical burns, cuts, fainting, poisoning, and burns. Students will then demonstrate their knowledge of safe laboratory practices. S3: Relate the role economics plays on the environment. S4: Graph the average ecological footprints of several countries, select two countries with different sized footprints and research the lifestyles of the citizens of the several countries of varying GDP. S5: Evaluate what aspects of lifestyles of the citizens of other countries, evaluating what aspects of lifestyle are most important in calculating an ecological footprint, and decide whether any lifestyle changes should or could be make to alter the value of the ecological footprint. S7: Identify actions that can be taken to deal with the problem of consumption patterns and identify the five categories within the life cycle of consumer goods. S8: Identify Earth’s four major life-support components, identify the three factors sustain life on Earth, explaining how solar energy reaches the earth and how this connects to the climate. Students will analyze how humans have enhanced the natural system of the greenhouse affect. S9: Define abotic and botic factors and how specific levels of matter interact with each other. S10: Describe how the hydrogen cycle, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, phosphorous cycle, and sulfur cycle. S11: Compare the short and long term consequences of a hypothetical environmental issue, explaining the impact the movement of tectonic plates can have on the environment, how and why biodiversity is important to humans, and describe several ways that species are being threatened with extinction S12: Define the field of environmental science and discuss its importance. S13: Identify ways in which humans have altered and continue to alter our environment. S14: Describe key environmental indicators that help us evaluate the health of the planet


13

Knowledge (Continued) Students will know…


K7: The atmosphere has mass, is bound to Earth by gravity, and exerts

pressure which is greater near Earth's surface and decreases with

altitude.

K8: The atmosphere, which is very thin relative to Earth's radius, varies

vertically in layers which differ in composition, density, and temperature.

The lowest 8-16 km of the atmosphere - the troposphere - contains most

of Earth's weather systems.

K9: Climatic conditions result from latitude, altitude, and from the

position of mountain ranges, oceans, and lakes. Dynamic processes such

as cloud formation, ocean currents, and atmospheric circulation patterns

influence climates as well.

K10: Human beings are part of the earth's ecosystems. Human activities

can, deliberately or inadvertently, alter the equilibrium in ecosystems

K11: Although Earth has a great capacity to absorb and recycle materials

naturally, ecosystems have only a finite capacity to withstand change

without experiencing major ecological alterations that may also have

adverse effects on human activities

K12: The value of ecosystem services to humans comes from their role

in supporting our lives, their cheapness, and our limited ability to replace

them with human-engineered alternatives.

S15: Define sustainability and explain how it can be measured using the ecological footprint. S16: Explain the scientific method and its application to the study of environmental problems. S17: Describe some of the unique challenges and limitations of environmental science. S18: Define systems within the context of environmental science S19: Explain the components and states of matter S20: List the basic components of an ecosystem S21: Describe how energy flows through ecosystems S22: Describe how carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycle within ecosystems S23: Explain how ecosystems respond to natural and anthropogenic disturbances S24: Discuss the values of ecosystems and how humans depend on them S25: Explain the forces that drive global circulation patterns and how those patterns determine weather and climate S26: Describe the major terrestrial biomes S27: Describe the major aquatic biomes S28: Explain the concept of biodiversity and how it is measured S30: Describe the ways in which evolution can occur S31: Explain how environmental change affects speciation and extinction


14



K13: Climatic conditions result from latitude, altitude, and from the position of

mountain ranges, oceans, and lakes. Dynamic processes such as cloud formation,

ocean currents, and atmospheric circulation patterns influence climates as well.

K14: Human beings are part of the earth's ecosystems. Human activities can,

deliberately or inadvertently, alter the equilibrium in ecosystems

K15: Although Earth has a great capacity to absorb and recycle materials

naturally, ecosystems have only a finite capacity to withstand change without

experiencing major ecological alterations that may also have adverse effects on

human activities

K16: The value of ecosystem services to humans comes from their role in

supporting our lives, their cheapness, and our limited ability to replace them with

human-engineered alternatives.

S32: Explain the concept of an ecological niche S33: Describe the formation of earth and the distribution of critical elements on earth S34: Define the theory of plate tectonics and discuss its importance

S35: Compare the short and long term consequences of a hypothetical environmental issue, explaining the impact the movement of tectonic plates can have on the environment, how and why biodiversity is important to humans, and several ways that species are being threatened with extinction


15

Evidence (Stage 2) Checks for

Alignment

Evaluation Criteria Assessment

Evidence Performance is judged in

terms

of…

U 1-10

Q 1-19

K 1-16

S 1-35

Bloom’s Taxonomy Rubric

Formative Assessment – Essays, Journals, Rubrics, Formal Reports,

Response and Reaction Essays, Cooperative Activities, Do-Now, Closure

Activities

Summative Assessments – Quizzes, Tests, Projects, Presentations

Learning Plan (Stage 3)

Checks for alignment Summary of Key Learning Events and Instruction

and best practice The teaching and learning needed to achieve the unit goals.

Required Activities Required Resources

Textbook (TBD) Computers With Internet AP Practice Exams

AP Practice Multiple Choice Questions

AP Practice Free-Response Questions

Lab Manuals or Textbook w/ Labs


16

Title of Unit Energy Flow and Ecosystem Ecology Grade Level 11,12 Curriculum Area AP Environmental Science Time Frame 3-4 Weeks



Established Goals/Standards NJ High School Environmental Science Core Content (2011)

5.1.12.A.1- Refine interrelationships among concepts and patterns of evidence found in different central scientific explanations 5.1.12.A.2- Develop and use mathematical, physical, and computational tools to build evidence-based models and to pose theories

5.1.12.A.3- Use scientific principles and theories to build and refine standards for data collection, posing controls, and presenting evidence 5.1.12.B.1- Design investigations, collect evidence, analyze data, and evaluate evidence to determine measures of central tendencies, casual/correlational

relationships, and anomalous data

5.1.12.B.2- Build, refine, and represent evidence-based models using mathematical, physical, and computational tools. 5.1.12.B.3- Revise predictions and explanations using evidence, and connect explanations/arguments to established scientific knowledge, models, and

theories. 5.1.12.B.4- Develop quality controls to examine data sets and to examine evidence as a means of generating and reviewing explanations.

5.1.12.C.1- Reflect on and revise understandings as new evidence emerges

5.1.12.C.2- Use data representations and new models to revise predictions and explanations. 5.1.12.C.3- Consider alternative theories to interpret and evaluate evidence-based arguments.

5.1.12.D.1- Engage in multiple forms of discussion in order to process, observations, and experiences. 5.1.12.D.2- Represent ideas using literal representations, such as graphs, tables, journals, concept maps, and diagrams.

5.1.12.D.3- Demonstrate how to use scientific tools and instruments and knowledge of how to handle animals with respect for their safety and welfare. 5.3.12.B.1- Cite evidence that the transfer and transformation of matter and energy links organisms to one another and to their physical setting.

5.3.12.B.2- Use mathematical formulas to justify the concept of an efficient diet.

5.3.12.B.3- Predict what would happen to an ecosystem if an energy source was removed. 5.4.12.G.2- Explain the unintended consequences of harvesting natural resources from an ecosystem

5.4.12.G.3- Demonstrate, using models, how internal and external sources of energy drive the hydrologic, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and oxygen cycles.

5.4.12.G.4- Compare over time the impact of human activity on the cycling of matter and energy through ecosystems.

5.4.12.G.5- Assess (using maps, local planning documents, and historical records) how the natural environment has changed since humans have inhabited the region.

5.4.12.G.7- Relate information to detailed models of the hydrologic, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and oxygen cycles, identifying major sources, sinks, fluxes, and residence times.

5.4.12.F.2- Explain how the climate in regions throughout the world is affected by seasonal weather patterns, as well as other factors, such as the addition of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere and proximity to mountain ranges and to the ocean.


17











18



Transfer


Meaning


U1: All organisms transfer matter and convert energy from one form to another. Both matter and energy are necessary to build and maintain living systems. U2: The earth’s terrestrial and aquatic systems provide important ecological and economic services, which are being degraded and disrupted by human activities. U3: Saltwater and freshwater aquatic systems cover almost three-fourths of the earth’s surface, and oceans dominate the planet. U4: Differences in climate, based mostly on long-term differences in average temperature and precipitation, largely determine the types and locations of the earth’s deserts, grasslands, and forests. U5: Movement of matter through Earth’s system is driven by Earth’s internal and external sources of energy and results in changes in the physical and chemical properties of the matter.

Q1: To what extent does understanding the flow of matter and energy through living systems effect personal and public policy decisions. Q2: Why Are the World’s Oceans Important and How Have We Affected Them? Q3: What Are the Major Types of Aquatic Systems? Q4: How Have We Affected the World’s Terrestrial Ecosystems? Q5: How Does Climate Affect the Nature and Location of Biomes? Q6: What Factors Influence Climate? Q7: How do geological processes and climate changes affect evolution, how do speciation, extinction, and human activities affect biodiversity, and is species diversity and how do species play in an ecosystem. Q8: What Are the Major Types of Freshwater Systems and How Have We Affected Them?


19



K1: The chemical elements that make up the molecules of living things pass through food webs and are combined and recombined in different ways

(photosynthesis, respiration, nitrogen fixation, or decomposition). At each link in a food web, some energy is stored in newly made structures but

much is dissipated into the environment. Continual input of energy from sunlight keeps the process going

K2: The use and transfer of energy from one trophic level to another can be

calculated and the ‘rule of Ten’ K3: The chemical elements that make up the molecules of living things pass

through food webs and are combined and recombined in different ways. At each link in a food web, some energy is stored in newly made structures but much is

dissipated into the environment. Continual input of energy from sunlight keeps the process going

K4: Living systems require a continuous input of energy to maintain their chemical and physical organizations and also understanding that with the cessation of energy

input, living systems rapidly disintegrate.

K5: Although the various forms of energy appear very different, each can be measured in a way that makes it possible to keep track of how much of one form is

converted into another. Whenever the amount of energy in one place diminishes the amount in other places or forms increases by the same amount.

The abundance and distribution of living organisms are limited by the available energy and certain forms of matter such as water, oxygen and minerals.

K6: Although Earth has a great capacity to absorb and recycle materials naturally, ecosystems have only a finite capacity to withstand change without experiencing

major ecological alterations that may also have adverse effects on human activities.

K7: The concept of Ecosystem Services is becoming popular as a way to encourage discussion about the dependence of humans on nature and what that means socially

and economically. Ecosystem services are transformations of natural assets (soil, water, air, and living organisms) into products that are important to humans.

Examples include: provision of clean air and water; maintenance of soil fertility; maintenance of livable climates; pollination of crops and other vegetation; control of

potential pests; provision of genetic resources; production of food and fiber; and provision of cultural, spiritual and intellectual experiences

K8: Decisions to slow the depletion of energy resources can be made at many

levels, from personal to national, and they always involve trade-offs involving economic costs and social values

While urbanization may involve or provide a number of economic, social and environmental benefits, the global population demographic trend of increased

urbanization that has been seen as more countries prepare to further industrialize

may be associated with negative environmental and human health consequences. K9: All Earth processes are the result of energy flowing and mass cycling within and

S1: Recognize the difference between primary and secondary succession

Predict what would happen to an ecosystem if an energy source was removed

S2: Use mathematical formulas to justify the concept of an efficient diet

Explain the unintended consequences of harvesting natural resources from an ecosystem

S3: - Demonstrate, using models, how internal and external sources of energy drive the hydrologic, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and oxygen cycles.

S4: Compare over time the impact of human activity on the cycling of matter and energy through ecosystems.

S5: Assess (using maps, local planning documents, and historical records) how

the natural environment has changed since humans have inhabited the region. S6: Relate information to detailed models of the hydrologic, carbon, nitrogen,

phosphorus, sulfur, and oxygen cycles, identifying major sources, sinks, fluxes, and residence times.

S7: Explain how the climate in regions throughout the world is affected by seasonal weather patterns, as well as other factors, such as the addition of

greenhouse gases to the atmosphere and proximity to mountain ranges and to the ocean.

S8: Describe the process of succession from pioneer to climax community in

both terrestrial and aquatic situations

S9: Associate typical plants and animals with the various terrestrial biomes

S10: Recognize the physical environmental factors that determine the kind of

climax community that will develop

S11: Differentiate the forest biomes that develop based on temperature and

rainfall

S12: Describe the various kinds of aquatic ecosystems and the factors that

determine their characteristics S13: Explain why most major cities are located on rivers, lakes, or the ocean

S14: Describe the forces that result in farmland adjacent to cities being converted to urban uses

S15: Explain why floodplains and wetlands are often mismanaged

S16: Describe the economic and social values involved in planning for outdoor

recreation opportunities

S17: Explain why some land must be designated for particular recreational


20



K9: All Earth processes are the result of energy flowing and mass cycling within and between Earth’s systems. This energy is derived from the sun and Earth’s

interior. The flowing energy and cycling matter cause chemical and physical changes in Earth’s materials and living organisms. For example, large amounts

of carbon continually cycle among systems of rock, water, air, organisms, and

fossil fuels such as coal and oil. K10: The transport and transformation of substances through the Earth system

are known collectively as biogeochemical cycles. These include the hydrologic (water), nitrogen, carbon, and oxygen cycles. Human activities can, deliberating

or inadvertently, alter the equilibrium of these cycles.

K11: Much of the complex behavior of the Earth system can be thought of as cycles involving physical, chemical and biological processes that transfer

components among various storage locations over time. (CB, 2009). K12: The inputs and outputs connecting such reservoirs, the changes in the

physical state or chemical characteristics of the components, and the time scale of these processes can all be recognized and quantified. (CB, 2009).

K13: Biogeochemical cycles, such as the water cycle and carbon cycle, are

driven and sustained by solar and/or geothermal energy, which is transferred, utilized and lost as an integral aspect of the cycles. (CB, 2009).

K14: Differences in climate, based mostly on long-term differences in average temperature and precipitation, largely determine the types and locations of the

earth’s deserts, grasslands, and forests.

K15: Freshwater lakes, rivers, and wetlands provide important ecological and economic services that are being disrupted by human activities.

K16: Saltwater ecosystems provide major ecological and economic services that are being threatened by human activities.

K17: Saltwater and freshwater aquatic life zones cover almost three-fourths of the earth’s surface, and oceans dominate the planet.

K18: In many areas, human activities are impairing ecological and economic

services provided by the earth’s deserts, grasslands, forests, and mountains. K19: Differences in long-term average annual precipitation and temperature

lead to the formation of tropical, temperate, and cold deserts, grasslands, and forests, and largely determine their locations.

S16: Describe the economic and social values involved in planning for outdoor recreation opportunities

S17: Explain why some land must be designated for particular recreational uses, such as wilderness areas and why that decision sometimes invites

disagreement from those who do not wish to use the land in the designated

way S18: List the steps in the development and implementation of a land-use

plan S19: Describe methods of enforcing compliance with land use plans

S20: Describe the advantages and disadvantages of the local and regional

land-use planning S22: Describe the concept of smart growth

S23: Students will be able to describe the different trophic levels and describe the loss of energy in the form of heat.

S24: Distinguish between various forms of energy and discuss the first and second laws of thermodynamics

S25: Describe the ways in which ecological systems depend on energy

inputs. S26: Explain how scientists keep track of inputs outputs, and changes to

complex systems. S27: Describe how natural systems change over time and space.

S28: Contrast the ways in which density-dependent and density-

independent factors affect population size S29: Explain growth models, reproductive strategies, survivorship curves,

and meta-populations S30: Describe species interactions and the roles of keystone species

S31: Discuss the process of ecological succession S32: Explain how latitude, time, area, and distance affect the species

richness of a community.

S33: Describe the potential limits to human population growth S34: Describe important aspects of global and national population growth

using demographic terminology and tools


21


Skills (Continued) Students will be able to…

K20: Key factors determining an area’s climate are incoming solar energy, the

earth’s rotation, global patterns of air and water movement, gases in the atmosphere, and the earth’s surface features.

K21: The misuse of soil reduces soil fertility pollutes streams, and requires expensive remedial measures

K22: As energy flows through ecosystems in food chains and webs, the amount

of chemical energy available to organisms at each succeeding feeding level decreases. Matter, in the form of nutrients, cycles within and among

ecosystems and in the biosphere. Human activities are altering these chemical cycles.

Scientists use field research, laboratory research, and mathematical and models to learn about ecosystems. species plays a specific ecological role called its

niche. K23: All Earth processes are the result of energy flowing and mass cycling within and between Earth’s systems. This energy is derived from the sun and

Earth’s interior. The flowing energy and cycling matter cause chemical and physical changes in Earth’s materials and living organisms. For example, large

amounts of carbon continually cycle among systems of rock, water, air,

organisms, and fossil fuels such as coal and oil. K24: Earth exchanges mass and energy with the rest of the Solar System.

Earth gains and loses energy through incoming solar radiation, heat loss to space, and gravitational forces from the sun, moon, and planets. Earth gains

mass from the impacts of meteoroids and comets and loses mass by the escape of gases into space.

K25: The transport and transformation of substances through the Earth system

are known collectively as biogeochemical cycles. These include the hydrologic (water), nitrogen, carbon, and oxygen cycles. Human activities can, deliberating

or inadvertently, alter the equilibrium of these cycles K26: While urbanization may involve or provide a number of economic, social

and environmental benefits, the global population demographic trend of

increased urbanization that has been seen as more countries prepare to further industrialize may be associated with negative environmental and human health

consequences.

S35: Evaluate the social, economic, and environmental factors that have

contributed to decreasing growth rates in many countries. S36: Analyze relationships among changes in population size, economic

development, and resource consumption at global and local scales S37: Explain how people have attempted to harmonize economic

development with sustainable development.


22


Alignment



terms

of…

U 1-5

Q 1-8

K 1-27

S 1-37




Activities












K27: The size and rate of growth of the human population in any location are

affected by economic, political, religious, technological and environmental

factors. Some of these factors, in turn, are influenced by the size and rate of

growth of the population.

Environmental Economics and Policy 1. Economics and Policy Practice

2. Environmental Ethics


23

Title of Unit Land Use and Food Production Grade Level 11,12 Curriculum Area AP Environmental Science Time Frame 3-4 Weeks



Established Goals/Standards NJ High School Environmental Science Core Content (2011) 5.1.12.A.1- Refine interrelationships among concepts and patterns of evidence found in different central scientific explanations 5.1.12.A.2- Develop and use mathematical, physical, and computational tools to build evidence-based models and to pose theories 5.1.12.A.3- Use scientific principles and theories to build and refine standards for data collection, posing controls, and presenting evidence 5.1.12.B.1- Design investigations, collect evidence, analyze data, and evaluate evidence to determine measures of central tendencies, casual/correlational relationships, and anomalous data 5.1.12.B.2- Build, refine, and represent evidence-based models using mathematical, physical, and computational tools. 5.1.12.B.3- Revise predictions and explanations using evidence, and connect explanations/arguments to established scientific knowledge, models, and theories. 5.1.12.B.4- Develop quality controls to examine data sets and to examine evidence as a means of generating and reviewing explanations. 5.1.12.C.1- Reflect on and revise understandings as new evidence emerges 5.1.12.C.2- Use data representations and new models to revise predictions and explanations. 5.1.12.C.3- Consider alternative theories to interpret and evaluate evidence-based arguments. 5.1.12.D.1- Engage in multiple forms of discussion in order to process, observations, and experiences. 5.1.12.D.2- Represent ideas using literal representations, such as graphs, tables, journals, concept maps, and diagrams. 5.1.12.D.3- Demonstrate how to use scientific tools and instruments and knowledge of how to handle animals with respect for their safety and welfare. 5.4.12.G.2- Explain the unintended consequences of harvesting natural resources from an ecosystem. 5.4.12.G.5- Assess (using maps, local planning documents, and historical records) how the natural environment has changed since humans have inhabited the region. 5.4.12.G.6- Assess (using scientific, economic, and other data) the potential environmental impact of large-scale adoption of emerging technologies (e.g., wind farming, harnessing geothermal energy). 5.4.12.G.7- Relate information to detailed models of the hydrologic, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and oxygen cycles, identifying major sources, sinks, fluxes, and residence times.


24











25



Transfer



26

Meaning


U1: Dynamic forces that move matter within the earth and on its surface

recycle the earth’s rocks, form deposits of mineral resources, and cause volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis.

U2: The available supply of a mineral resource depends on how much of it is in the earth’s crust, how fast we use it, mining technology, market prices, and the

harmful environmental effects of removing and using it.

U3: We can use mineral resources more sustainably by trying to find substitutes for scarce resources, reducing resource waste, and reusing and recycling

nonrenewable minerals. U4: About 925 million people have health problems because they do not get

enough to eat and 1.6 billion people face health problems from eating too

much. U5: Modern industrialized agriculture has a greater harmful impact on the

environment than any other human activity. U6: More sustainable forms of food production will greatly reduce the harmful

environmental impacts of current systems while increasing food security and national security for all countries.

U7: More sustainable food production involves reducing overgrazing and

overfishing, irrigating more efficiently, using integrated pest management, promoting agrobiodiversity, and providing government subsidies only for more

sustainable agriculture, fishing, and aquaculture. U8: We can sharply cut pesticide use without decreasing crop yields by using a

mix of cultivation techniques, biological pest controls, and small amounts of

selected chemical pesticides as a last resort (integrated pest management). U9: Future food production may be limited by soil erosion and degradation,

desertification, water and air pollution, climate change from greenhouse gas emissions, and loss of biodiversity.

U10: We have used high-input industrialized agriculture and lower-input traditional methods to greatly increase supplies of food.

Q1: How Can We Use Mineral Resources More Sustainably?

Q2: How Long Will Supplies of Nonrenewable Mineral Resources Last? Q3: What Are Mineral Resources and What Are the Environmental Effects of

Using Them? Q4: How Are Earth’s Rocks Recycled?

Q5: What Are the Earth’s Major Geological Processes and Hazards?

Q6: How Is Food Produced? Q7: What Is Food Security and Why Is It So Difficult to Attain?

Q8: How Can We Produce Food More Sustainably? Q9: How Can We Improve Food Security?

Q10: What Environmental Problems Arise from Food Production?

Q11: How Can We Protect Crops from Pests More Sustainably? Q12: What Is Food Security and Why Is It So Difficult to Attain?


27

Understandings (Continued) Essential Questions Students will understand that… Students will keep considering…

U11: The greatest obstacles to providing enough food for everyone are poverty, political upheaval, corruption, war, and the harmful environmental effects of food production. U12: Many of the poor have health problems from not getting enough food, while many people in affluent countries suffer health problems from eating too much.


28



K1: Dynamic processes move matter within the earth and on its surface and

can cause volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and earthquakes.

K2: The three major types of rock found in the earth’s crust are recycled very

slowly by physical and chemical processes.

K3: Some minerals in the earth’s crust can be made into useful products, but

extracting and using these resources can disturb the land, erode soils, produce

large amounts of solid waste, and pollute the air, water, and soil.

K4: Raising the price of a scarce mineral resource can lead to an increase in its

supply, but there are environmental limits to this effect.

K5: We can try to find substitutes for scarce resources, reduce resource waste,

and recycle and reuse minerals.

K6: Many of the poor have health problems from not getting enough food,

while many people in affluent countries suffer health problems from eating too

much.

K7: The greatest obstacles to providing enough food for everyone are poverty,

political upheaval, corruption, war, and the harmful environmental effects of

food production.

K8:The transfer of matter and energy between the biosphere, geosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere often takes place in soils.

K9: The unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the Earth that serves as a natural medium for the growth of land plants.

S1: Describe the geologic processes that build and erode the Earth’s

surface

S2: List the physical, chemical, and biological factors involved in soil formation

S3: Explain the importance of humus to soil fertility S4: Differentiate between soil texture and soil structure

S5: Explain how texture and structure influence soil atmosphere and soil

water S6: Explain the role of living organisms in soil formation and fertility

S7: Describe the various layers in a soil profile S8: Describe the processes of soil erosion by water and wind

purposes S9: Explain how contour farming strip mining, terracing, waterways,

windbreaks, and tillage to reduce soil erosion

S10: Explain how land not suited for cultivated may still be productively used for other purposes

S11: Explain how mechanization encouraged monoculture farming S12: List the advantages and disadvantages of monoculture farming

S13: Explain why chemical fertilizers are used

S14: Understand how fertilizers alter soil characteristics S15: Explain why modern agriculture makes extensive use of pesticides

S16: Differentiate between persistent pesticides and non-persistent pesticides

S17: List four problems associated with pesticide use S18: Define bio magnification and organic farming

S19: Explain why integrated pest management depends on a complete

S20: knowledge of the pests life history


29



K10: The four major systems of Earth are the geosphere, hydrosphere,

atmosphere, and biosphere. The geosphere includes a metallic core, solid and molten rock, soil, and sediments. The atmosphere is the envelope of gas

surrounding Earth. The hydrosphere includes the ice, water vapor, and liquid

water in the atmosphere, the ocean, lakes, streams, soils, and groundwater. The biosphere includes Earth’s life, which can be found in many parts of the

geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. Humans are part of the biosphere, and human activities have important impacts on all four spheres.

K11: More sustainable food production involves reducing overgrazing and

overfishing, irrigating more efficiently, using integrated pest management, promoting agrobiodiversity, and providing government subsidies only for more

sustainable agriculture, fishing, and aquaculture. K12: We can improve food security by creating programs to reduce poverty

and chronic malnutrition, relying more on locally grown food, and cutting waste. K13: Future food production may be limited by soil erosion and degradation,

desertification, water and air pollution, climate change from greenhouse gas

emissions, and loss of biodiversity. K14: We have used high-input industrialized agriculture and lower-input

traditional methods to greatly increase supplies of food. K15: The greatest obstacles to providing enough food for everyone are

poverty, political upheaval, corruption, war, and the harmful environmental

effects of food production. K16: Many of the poor have health problems from not getting enough food,

while many people in affluent countries suffer health problems from eating too much.

S21: Recognize that genetically modified crops are created by using

biotechnical techniques to insert genes from one species into another S22: Describe the rock cycle and discuss its importance in environmental

science

S23: Explain how soil forms and describe its characteristics S24: Explain how elements and minerals are extracted for human use.

S25: Describe approaches and policies that promote sustainable land use S26: Describe human nutritional needs and the challenges of overcoming

hunger and malnutrition

S27: Explain the development of modern industrial agriculture, the role played by inputs such as irrigation water, fertilizers, and pesticides, and the

environmental consequences of modern farming methods. S28: Identify the benefits and costs of using genetically modified organisms

in agriculture S29: Describe alternatives to industrial farming methods

S30: Explain the environmental impacts of various approaches to raising

and harvesting meat and fish.


30


Alignment



terms

of…

U 1-12

Q 1-12

K 1-16

S 1-30




Activities











31

Title of Unit Water Grade Level 11,12 Curriculum Area AP Environmental Science Time Frame 5 Weeks

Developed By Alfano, Blonik


Established Goals/Standards

High School Environmental Science Core Content (2011) 5.1.12.A.1 – Refine interrelationships among concepts and patterns of evidence found in different central scientific explanations 5.1.12.A.2 – Develop and use mathematical, physical, and computational tools to build evidence-based models and to pose theories 5.1.12.A.3 – Use scientific principles and theories to build and refine standards for data collection, posing controls, and presenting evidence 5.1.12.B.1- Design investigations, collect evidence, analyze data, and evaluate evidence to determine measures of central tendencies, casual/correlational relationships, and anomalous data 5.4.12.C.1 – Reflect on and revise understandings as new evidence emerges 5.1.12.D.1 – Engage in multiple forms of discussion in order to process, make sense of, and learn from others’ ideas, observations, and experiences 5.4.12.G.1 – Analyze and explain the sources and impact of a specific industry on a large body of water (e.g. Delaware or Chesapeake Bay). 5.1.12.G.2 – Explain the unintended consequences of harvesting natural resources from an ecosystem 5.4.12.G.3 – Demonstrate, using models, how internal and external sources of energy drive the hydrologic, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and oxygen cycles. 5.4.12.G.4 – Compare over time the impact of human activity on the cycling of matter and energy trough ecosystems 5.4.12.G.5 – Assess (using maps, local planning documents, and historical records) how the natural environment has changed since humans have inhabited the region 5.4.12.G.7 – Relate information to detailed models of the hydrologic, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and oxygen cycles, identifying major sources, sinks, fluxes, and residence times.


32








7.SP.7 Develop a probability model by observing frequencies in data generated from a chance process

8.F.4 Construct a function to model a linear relationship between two quantities. Determine the rate of change and the initial value of the function from a description of a relationship or from two (x,y) values, including reading these from a table or from a graph. Interpret the rate of change and initial value of a linear function in terms of the situation it models, and in terms of its graphs a table of its values


8.SP.2 Know that straight lines are widely used to model relationships between two quantitative variables. For scatter plots that suggest a linear association, informally fit a straight line, and informally assess the model fit by judging the closeness of the data points to the line


N.Q.2 Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling

F.IF.4 For a function that models a relationship between two quantities, interpret key features of graphs and tables in terms of the quantities, and sketch graphs showing key features given a verbal description of a relationship

S.ID.6 Represent data on two quantitative variables on a scatter plot and describe how the variables are related

S.MD.4 Develop probability distribution for a random variable defined for a sample space in which probabilities are assigned empirically


33



Transfer

Students will be able to use their learning to: T1: Analyze a problem, developing hypothesis, and design a scientific experiment to test those hypothesis T2: Use statistical analysis of data collected to make an argument based on purely scientific evidence T3: Develop a vernacular of scientific terms and current environmental problems T4: Data mine from scientific journals and articles evaluating their scientific methodology for validity T5: Conduct scientific evidence gathering and analyze data


34

Meaning


U1: We can use water more sustainably by cutting water waste, raising water prices, slowing population growth, and protecting aquifers, forests, and other ecosystems that store and release water. U2: We can lessen the threat of flooding by protecting more wetlands and natural vegetation in watersheds and by not building in areas subject to frequent flooding. U3: One of the world’s major environmental problems is the growing shortages of freshwater in parts of the world. U4: We can use water more sustainably by cutting water waste, raising water prices, slowing population growth, and protecting aquifers, forests, and other ecosystems that store and release water. U5: Reducing water pollution requires preventing it, working with nature in treating sewage, cutting resource use and waste, reducing poverty, and slowing population growth.

Q1: How Can We Use Water More Sustainably? Q2: How Can We Reduce the Threat of Flooding? Q3: How can we reduce water pollution? Q4: What are examples of point source and non-point source pollution? What is the current state of the Earth’s surface waters? Q5: Will We Have Enough Usable Water? Q6: How Can We Increase Water Supplies? Q7: How Can We Increase Water Supplies? How Can We Increase Water Supplies?


35



K1: There are major policy implications associated with availability and accessibility of fresh water.

K2: Reducing water pollution requires preventing it, working with nature in

treating sewage, cutting resource use and waste, reducing poverty, and slowing

population growth.

K3: Streams can cleanse themselves of many pollutants if we do not overload

them or reduce their flows.

K4: We can lessen the threat of flooding by protecting more wetlands and

natural vegetation in watersheds and by not building in areas subject to

frequent flooding.

K5: We can use water more sustainably by cutting water waste, raising water

prices, slowing population growth, and protecting aquifers, forests, and other

ecosystems that store and release water.

K6: We can convert salty ocean water to freshwater, but the cost is high, and

the resulting salty brine must be disposed of without harming aquatic or

terrestrial ecosystems.

K7: Using dams, reservoirs, and transport systems to provide water to arid

regions has increased water supplies in some areas, but has disrupted

ecosystems and displaced people.

K8: Groundwater used to supply cities and grow food is being pumped from

aquifers in some areas faster than it is renewed by precipitation. K9: One of every six people does not have sufficient access to clean water, and

this situation will almost certainly get worse.

K10: We are using available freshwater unsustainably by wasting it, polluting it, and charging too little for this irreplaceable natural resource.

K11: One of the world’s major environmental problems is the growing

shortages of freshwater in parts of the world.

S1: Describe the distribution of Earth’s water resources S2: explain why fresh water is one of Earth’s limited resources

S3: describe the distribution of Earth’s surface water

S4: describe the relationship between groundwater and surface water in a

watershed.

S5: Explain how water is treated so that it can be used for drinking

S6: Identify how water is used in homes, in industry, and in agriculture S7: Describe how dams and water diversion projects are used to manage

freshwater resources

S8: Identify five ways that water can be conserved. S9: Explain how water is cycled through the hydrological cycle

S10: Explain the significance of groundwater, aquifers, and runoff S11: List the various kinds of water use and the problems associated with

each

S12: List the problems associated with water impoundment S13: List the major sources of water pollution

S14: Define BOD S15: Differentiate between point and nonpoint sources of pollution

S16: Explain how heat can be a form of pollution S17: Differentiate between primary, secondary, and tertiary sewage

treatment

S18: Describe some problems associated with storm water runoff List sources of groundwater pollution

S19: Explain how various federal law controls water use and prevents its misuse

S20: List the problems associated with water-use planning

S21Explain the rationale behind the federal laws that attempt to preserve certain water areas and habitats

S22List the problems associated with groundwater mining S23Explain the problem of salinization associated with large scale irrigation

in arid areas

S24List the water-related services provided by local governments


36










Alignment



terms

of…

U 1-5

Q 1-4

K 1-11

S 1-24



Response and Reaction Essays, Cooperative Activities , Do-Now, Closure

Activities



37

Title of Unit Air: Atmosphere and Weather; Atmospheric

Pollution

Grade Level 11,12 Curriculum Area AP Environmental Science Time Frame 7 Weeks



Established Goals/Standards High School Environmental Science Core Content (2011) CPI: 5.1.12.A.1 – Refine interrelationships among concepts and patterns of evidence found in different central scientific explanations CPI: 5.1.12.A.2 – Develop and use mathematical, physical, and computational tools to build evidence-based models and to pose theories CPI: 5.1.12.A.3 – Use scientific principles and theories to build and refine standards for data collection, posing controls, and presenting evidence CPI: 5.1.12.B.1- Design investigations, collect evidence, analyze data, and evaluate evidence to determine measures of central tendencies, casual/correlational relationships, and anomalous data CPI: 5.4.12.C.1 – Reflect on and revise understandings as new evidence emerges CPI: 5.1.12.D.1 – Engage in multiple forms of discussion in order to process, make sense of, and learn from others’ ideas, observations, and experiences 5.4.12.C.2 – Analyze the vertical structure of Earth’s atmosphere, and account for the global, regional, and local variations of these characteristics and their impact on life 5.4.12.F.2 – Explain how the climate in regions throughout the world is affected by seasonal weather patterns, as well as other factors, such as the addition of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere and proximity to mountain ranges and to the ocean


38











39


_x Global Awareness _x Financial, economic, business, and entrepreneurial literacy

_x_ Civic Literacy _x_ Health Literacy

Transfer



40

Meaning


U1: All countries need to step up efforts to control and prevent outdoor and indoor air pollution. U2: Reducing the possible harmful effects of projected rapid climate change during this century requires emergency action to cut energy waste, sharply reduce greenhouse gas emissions, rely more on renewable energy resources, and slow population growth. U3: We need to continue phasing out the use of chemicals that have reduced ozone levels in the stratosphere and allowed more harmful ultraviolet radiation to reach the earth’s surface. U4: To reverse ozone depletion, we need to stop producing ozone-depleting chemicals and adhere to the international treaties that ban such chemicals. U5: Widespread use of certain chemicals has reduced ozone levels in the stratosphere and allowed more harmful ultraviolet radiation to reach the earth’s surface. U6: To slow the rate of projected climate change, we can increase energy efficiency, sharply reduce greenhouse gas emissions, rely more on renewable energy resources, and slow population growth.

Q1: What Can We Do to Slow Projected Climate Change? Q2: What Are Some Possible Effects of a Projected Climate Change? Q3: What Role for Oceans in Climate Change? Q4: How Might the Earth’s Climate Change in the Future? Q5: How Should We Deal with Air Pollution? Q6: What Are the Major Air Pollution Problems? Q7: What is the Nature of the Atmosphere? Q8: How Might the Earth’s Climate Change in the Future? Q9: How Have We Depleted Ozone in the Stratosphere and What Can We Do about It?


41

Understandings (Continued) Essential Questions

Students will understand that…

Students will keep considering…

U7: The most threatening indoor air pollutants are smoke and soot from wood and coal fires (mostly in developing countries) and chemicals used in building materials and products. U8: The two innermost layers of the atmosphere are the troposphere, which supports life, and the stratosphere, which contains the protective ozone layer. U9: Three major outdoor air pollution problems are industrial smog from burning coal, photochemical smog from motor vehicle and industrial emissions, and acid deposition from coal burning and motor vehicle exhaust. U10: Legal, economic, and technological tools can help clean up air pollution, but the best solution is to prevent it. U11: Considerable scientific evidence indicates that emissions of greenhouse gases into the earth’s atmosphere from human activities will lead to significant climate change during this century. U12: The projected change in the earth’s climate during this century could have severe and long-lasting consequences, including increased drought and flooding, rising sea levels, and shifts in locations of agriculture and wildlife habitats. To slow the rate of projected climate change, we can increase energy efficiency, sharply reduce greenhouse gas emissions, rely more on renewable energy resources, and slow population growth. U13: Widespread use of certain chemicals has reduced ozone levels in the stratosphere and allowed more harmful ultraviolet radiation to reach the earth’s surface.


42



K1: The two innermost layers of the atmosphere are the troposphere, which supports life, and the stratosphere, which contains the protective ozone layer. K2: The most threatening indoor air pollutants are smoke and

soot from wood and coal fires (mostly in developing countries) and

chemicals used in building materials and products.

K3: Legal, economic, and technological tools can help clean up air

pollution, but the best solution is to prevent it.

K4: Considerable scientific evidence indicates that emissions of

greenhouse gases into the earth’s atmosphere from human

activities will lead to significant climate change during this century.

K5: The projected change in the earth’s climate during this

century could have severe and long-lasting consequences,

including increased drought and flooding, rising sea levels, and

shifts in locations of agriculture and wildlife habitats.

K6: To slow the rate of projected climate change, we can increase

energy efficiency, sharply reduce greenhouse gas emissions, rely

more on renewable energy resources, and slow population growth.

K7: Human activities can alter the atmosphere in such a way that

they can change climate

S1: Recognize that air can accept and disperse significant amounts of pollutants S2: List the major sources and effects of the six criteria air

pollutants

S3: Describe how photochemical smog is formed and how it

affects humans

S4: Explain how acid rain is formed

S5: Describe the kinds of changes that could occur as a result

of global warming

S6: Describe the link between chlorofluorocarbon use and ozone depletion S7: Recognize that there are many positive actions that have

improved air quality

S8: Recognize that enclosed areas can trap air pollutants that are normally diluted in the atmosphere


43










Alignment



terms

of…

U 1- 13

Q 1- 9

K 1- 7

S 1- 8




Activities



44

Title of Unit Human Population and Urbanization

Grade Level 11,12 Curriculum Area AP Environmental Science Time Frame 4 Weeks



Established Goals/Standards High School Environmental Science Core Content (2011) 5.1.12.A.1 – Refine interrelationships among concepts and patterns of evidence found in different central scientific explanations 5.1.12.A.2 – Develop and use mathematical, physical, and computational tools to build evidence-based models and to pose theories 5.1.12.A.3 – Use scientific principles and theories to build and refine standards for data collection, posing controls, and presenting evidence 5.1.12.B.1- Design investigations, collect evidence, analyze data, and evaluate evidence to determine measures of central tendencies, casual/correlational relationships, and anomalous data 5.4.12.C.1 – Reflect on and revise understandings as new evidence emerges 5.1.12.D.1 – Engage in multiple forms of discussion in order to process, make sense of, and learn from others’ ideas, observations, and experiences 5.4.12.G.2 – Explain the unintended consequences of harvesting natural resources from an ecosystem 5.4.12.G.3 – Demonstrate, using models, how internal and external sources of energy drive the hydrologic, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and oxygen cycles 5.4.12.G.4 – Compare over time the impact of human activity on the cycling of matter and energy through ecosystems


45











46



Transfer



47

Meaning


U1: Populations evolve when genes mutate and give some individuals genetic traits that enhance their abilities to survive and to produce offspring with these traits. U2: Human activities are decreasing the earth’s vital biodiversity by causing the premature extinction of species and by disrupting habitats needed for the development of new species. U3: Each species plays a specific ecological role in the ecosystem where it is found. U4: The human population is increasing rapidly and may soon bump up against environmental limits. U5: We can slow human population growth by reducing poverty, encouraging family planning, and elevating the status of women. U6: Most urban areas, home to half of the world’s people, are unsustainable, but they can be made more sustainable and livable within your lifetime.

Q1: What Roles Do Species Play in an Ecosystem? Q2: What Is Species Diversity and Why Is It Important? Q3: How Do Geological Processes and Climate Changes Affect Evolution? Q4: How Does the Earth’s Life Change over Time? Q5: What Is Biodiversity and Why Is It Important? Q6: How Do Speciation, Extinction, and Human Activities Affect Biodiversity? Q7: How Can Cities Become More Sustainable and Livable? Q8: How Does Transportation Affect Urban Environmental Impacts? Q9: What Are the Major Urban Resource Environmental Problems? Q10: How Can We Slow Human Population Growth? Q11: What Factors Influence the Size of the Human Population? Q12: How Many People Can the Earth Support? Q13: How Do Communities and Ecosystems Respond to Changing environmental Conditions? Q14: What Limits the Growth of Populations? Q15: How Do Species Interact?


48



K1: Birthrate that birthrate and death rate are both important in determining

the population growth rate K2: The implications of overproduction

K3: The biodiversity found in genes, species, ecosystems, and ecosystem

processes is vital to sustaining life on earth.

K4: The scientific theory of evolution explains how life on earth changes over

time through changes in the genes of populations.

K5: Populations evolve when genes mutate and give some individuals genetic

traits that enhance their abilities to survive and to produce offspring with these

traits (natural selection).

K6: Tectonic plate movements, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and climate

change have shifted wildlife habitats, wiped out large numbers of species, and

created opportunities for the evolution of new species.

K7: Human activities decrease the earth’s biodiversity by causing the premature

extinction of species and by destroying or degrading habitats needed for the

development of new species.

K8: Species diversity is a major component of biodiversity and tends to increase the sustainability of some ecosystems.

K9: Each species plays a specific ecological role called its niche. K10: Five types of species interactions affect the resource use and population

sizes of the species in an ecosystem.

K11: No population can continue to grow indefinitely because of limitations on resources and because of competition among species for those resources.

K12: The structure and species composition of communities and ecosystems change in response to changing environmental conditions through a process

called ecological succession.

K13: No population can continue to grow indefinitely because of limitations on resources and because of competition among species for those resources.

K14: We do not know how long we can continue increasing the earth’s carrying capacity for humans without seriously degrading the life-support

system that keeps us and many other species alive. K15: Population size increases through births and immigration and decreases

through deaths and emigration.

S1: Define the following characteristics of a population: nationality,

mortality, sec ratio, age distribution, biotic potential, and spatial distribution S2: Explain the significance of biotic potential, and spatial distribution

S3: Explain the significance of biotic potential to the rate of population

growth

S4: Describe the lag, exponential growth, declaration, and stable

equilibrium phases of a population growth curve. Explain why each of these

stages occurs.

S5: Describe how limiting factors determine the carrying capacity for a

population

S6: List the four categories of limiting factors S7: Recognize that humans are subject to the same forces of environmental

resistance as are other organisms

S8: Explain how human population growth is influenced by social, theological, philosophical, and political thinking

S9: Explain why the age distribution and the status and role of women affect population growth projections

S10: Recognize that countries in the more-developed world are

experiencing an increase in the average age of their population S11: Recognize that most countries of the world have a rapidly growing

population

S12: Describe the implications of the demographic transition concept

S13: Recognize that rapid population growth and poverty are linked


49



K16: The average number of children born to women in a population (total fertility rate) is the key factor that determines the population size. K17: We can slow population growth by reducing poverty, encouraging family planning, and elevating the status of women. K18: Most cities are unsustainable because of high levels of resource use, waste, pollution, and poverty. K19: In some countries, most people live in dispersed urban areas and depend mostly on motor vehicles for their transportation. K20: An eco-city allows people to choose walking, biking, or mass transit for most transportation needs; recycle or reuse most of their wastes; grow much of their food; and protect biodiversity by preserving surrounding land.


50









Alignment



terms

of…

U 1-6

Q 1- 15

K 1- 20

S 1- 13




Activities



51

Title of Unit Energy Needs and Production Grade Level 11,12 Curriculum Area AP Environmental Science Time Frame 7 Weeks



Established Goals/Standards High School Environmental Science Core Content (2011) 5.1.12.A.1 – Refine interrelationships among concepts and patterns of evidence found in different central scientific explanations 5.1.12.A.2 – Develop and use mathematical, physical, and computational tools to build evidence-based models and to pose theories 5.1.12.A.3 – Use scientific principles and theories to build and refine standards for data collection, posing controls, and presenting evidence 5.1.12.B.1- Design investigations, collect evidence, analyze data, and evaluate evidence to determine measures of central tendencies, casual/correlational relationships, and anomalous data 5.4.12.C.1 – Reflect on and revise understandings as new evidence emerges 5.1.12.D.1 – Engage in multiple forms of discussion in order to process, make sense of, and learn from others’ ideas, observations, and experiences 5.1.12.G.2 – Explain the unintended consequences of harvesting natural resources from an ecosystem 5.4.12.G.4 – Compare over time the impact of human activity on the cycling of matter and energy trough ecosystems 5.4.12.G.6 – Assess (using scientific, economic, and other data) the potential environmental impact of large-scale adoption of emerging technologies


52











53



Transfer



54

Meaning


U1: Movement of mater through Earth’s system is driven by Earth’s internal and external sources of energy and results in changes in the physical and chemical properties of the matter. U2: Natural and human activities impact the cycling of matter and the flow of energy through ecosystems. U3: Natural ecosystems provide an array of basic functions that affect humans. These functions include maintenance of the quality of the atmosphere, generation of soils, control of the hydrologic cycle, disposal of wastes, and recycling of nutrients. U4: Earth is a system in which chemical elements exist in fixed amounts

and move through the solid Earth, oceans, atmosphere, and living things

as part of geochemical cycles.

U5: The biogeochemical cycles in the Earth systems include the flow of microscopic and macroscopic resources from one reservoir in the hydrosphere, geosphere, atmosphere, or biosphere to another, are driven by Earth's internal and external sources of energy, and are impacted by human activity U6: Earth operates as a set of complex, dynamic, and interconnected systems, and is a part of the all-encompassing system of the universe.

Q1: To what extent can human behaviors impact our human activities have physical, chemical, and planet’s life support system (environment)? Q2: What are the “main” geographical hotspots that produce solar energy? Q3: Is there a possibility of increasing the environmental impact through the collection of solar energy? Q4: What are the differences between active and passive collection of solar energy? Q5: What are the components of active and passive collection equipment? Q6: What is a photovoltaic cell and how is it used in the production of electricity? Q7: What are the major atomic components in the production of electricity in this fashion Q8: What are the limitations of solar collection? Q9: What is the process for collection of fuel in bio fuels, bio diesel, hydrogen fuel cells, and hybrid engines? Q10: What are the environmental costs and benefits for each of the above technologies? Q11: Should government involvement force the hands of car manufacturers to produce new more efficient fuels? Q12: How is nuclear power produced? Q13: What is the difference between nuclear fusion and fission? Q14: What are the components of a nuclear reactor?


55

Understandings Essential Questions (Continued) Students will understand that… Students will keep considering…

Q15: What are the similarities and differences of nuclear generated power verses coal generated power? Q16: What is the environmental impact of radioactive emissions and wastes? Q17: What are safety and security concerns surrounding nuclear power plants? Q18: What are the similarities and differences of nuclear generated power verses coal generated power? Q19: What is the environmental impact of radioactive emissions and wastes? Q20: What are safety and security concerns surrounding nuclear power plants? Q21: What is environmental policy and what is its connection to environmental changes that have been seen in the last thirty years? Q22: How did the environmental movement begin and what has the policy reflected the movement? Q23: What is more important: responsible energy or impeding the

societal disruptions caused by solar energy?


56



K1: All Earth processes are the result of energy flowing and mass cycling within

and between Earth’s systems. This energy is derived from the sun and Earth’s interior.

K2: The flowing energy and cycling matter cause chemical and physical changes in Earth’s materials and living organisms. For example, large amounts

of carbon continually cycle among systems of rock, water, air, organisms, and

fossil fuels such as coal and oil. K3: The survival of human societies is dependent on Earth’s resources. Overall,

there are positive correlations between population, natural resource

consumption and environmental degradation, although environmental policies

and technology influence these relationships. This can be applied to the

regional, national and global scales

K4: Much of the complex behavior of the Earth system can be thought of as

cycles involving physical, chemical and biological processes that transfer

components among various storage locations over time.

K5: Since the industrial revolutions, nonrenewable fossil fuels including coal, natural gas, and oil, have become our primary sources of energy

K6: Fossil Fuels are formed very slowly as buried organic matter is chemically transformed by heat, pressure, and anaerobic decomposition.

K7: In evaluating energy sources it is important to compare the amount of

energy obtained from them with the amount invested in their extraction and production.

K8: Coal is our most abundant fossil fuel. It results from organic matter that undergoes compression but little decomposition.

K9: Coal is mined underground and strip-mined form the land surface, and is used today principally to generate electricity.

K10: Natural gas is cleaner burning than coal or oil.

K11: Natural gas often occurs with oil or coal deposits, is extracted in similar ways and becomes depleted in similar ways.

K12: Crude oil is a thick, liquid mixture of hydrocarbons that is formed underground under high temperature and pressure.

S1: Identify the major components of the technology that is used for the

conversion of alternative fuels into usable energy. Report on the history of human harvests of renewable energy options.

S2: Determine the level of pollution generated and the impact of environmental degradation for the renewable resources including burning

firewood, burning wastes, and burning bio fuel (specifically methane).

S3: Compare and contrast the benefits and drawbacks of nuclear power, wind power, and alternative bio fuels. Determine the availability, access,

and public acceptance of nuclear power, wind power, and alternative bio fuels. Determine the maximum sustainable yield of renewable energy and

describe the limitations of fuel production.

S4: Explain what radiation is and the sources of both natural and anthropogenic sources.

S5: What is the importance of the consistent development of new S6: Compare and contrast the benefits and drawbacks of nuclear power,

wind power, and alternative bio fuels. Determine the availability, access, and public acceptance of nuclear power, wind power, and alternative bio

fuels. Determine the maximum sustainable yield of renewable energy and

describe the limitations of fuel production. S7: Explain what radiation is and the sources of both natural and

anthropogenic sources. S8: What is the importance of the consistent development of new fuels for

the future and what is the relationship of technology and environmental

science? S9: Summarize the effects of wastes from bio fuels, ethanol, and biodiesel

in compared to hydrogen fuel cells, and new hybrid technology. S10: Explain the development and collection process of solar productive

electricity. S11: Summarize the level of pollution generated and the technique for

energy collection. What is the relationship of the techniques for the

collection of solar energy and the efficiency of the conversion for energy for electricity and power

S12: Describe the geographical distribution of energy produced for solar energy. Predict the ecological impacts of the collection of solar energy.


57



K13: Components of crude oil are separated in refineries to produce a wide

variety of fuel types. K14: Petroleum-based product, from gasoline to clothing to plastics, are

everywhere in our daily lives. K15: Oil sands, oil shale, and methane hydrate are potential alternative fossil

fuels.

K16: Emissions from fossil fuel combustion pollute air, pose human health risks, and drive global climate change.

K17: Oil is a major contributor to water pollution. K18: Coal mining can devastate ecosystems.

K19: Today’s societies are so reliant on fossil fuel energy that sudden

restrictions in oil supplies can have major economic consequences. K20: Energy conservation involves both personal choices and efficient

technologies. K21: Nuclear power comes from converting the energy of sub-atomic bonds

into thermal energy using uranium isotopes. Many advocates of clean energy support nuclear power because it does not emit the pollutants that fossil fuels

do.

K22: Renewable energy sources include solar, wind, geothermal, and ocean energy sources.

K23: Use of renewable is growing quickly and this growth is expected to continue as people seek to move away from fossil fuels.

K24: Energy from the sun’s radiation can be harnessed using passive methods

or by active methods involving powered technology. K25: Solar technologies include flat-plate collectors for heating water and air,

mirrors to concentrate solar rays, and photovoltaic cells to generate electricity. K26: Energy from wind is harnessed using wind turbines mounted on towers.

K27: Major ocean sources include the motion of tides, waves, and currents and the thermal heat of the ocean.

S13: Describe how energy use and energy resources have varied over time, both in the united states and worldwide S14: Compare the energy efficiencies of the extraction and conversion of different fuels S15: Explain the various means of generating electricity S16: Discuss the uses and consequences of using coal, oil, natural gas, ands nuclear fuels S17: Describe projections of future supplies of our conventional energy resources. S18: Define renewable energy resources

S19: Describe strategies to conserve energy and increase energy

efficiency

S20: Compare and contrast the various forms of biomass energy

S21: Explain the advantages and disadvantages of hydroelectricity,

solar energy, geothermal energy, wind energy, and hydrogen as

energy resources

S22: Describe the environmental and economic options we must

assess in planning our energy future.


58


Alignment



terms

of…

U 1-6

Q 1- 23

K 1- 4

S 1- 22




Activities










59

Title of Unit Environmental Economics and Policy Grade Level 11,12 Curriculum Area AP Environmental Science Time Frame 5 Weeks



Established Goals/Standards

NJ High School Environmental Science Core Content (2011) 5.1.12.A.1- Refine interrelationships among concepts and patterns of evidence found in different central scientific explanations 5.1.12.A.2- Develop and use mathematical, physical, and computational tools to build evidence-based models and to pose theories 5.1.12.A.3- Use scientific principles and theories to build and refine standards for data collection, posing controls, and presenting evidence 5.1.12.B.1- Design investigations, collect evidence, analyze data, and evaluate evidence to determine measures of central tendencies, casual/correlational relationships, and anomalous data 5.1.12.B.2- Build, refine, and represent evidence-based models using mathematical, physical, and computational tools. 5.1.12.B.3- Revise predictions and explanations using evidence, and connect explanations/arguments to established scientific knowledge, models, and theories. 5.1.12.B.4- Develop quality controls to examine data sets and to examine evidence as a means of generating and reviewing explanations. 5.1.12.C.1- Reflect on and revise understandings as new evidence emerges 5.1.12.C.2- Use data representations and new models to revise predictions and explanations. 5.1.12.C.3- Consider alternative theories to interpret and evaluate evidence-based arguments. 5.1.12.D.1- Engage in multiple forms of discussion in order to process, observations, and experiences. 5.1.12.D.2- Represent ideas using literal representations, such as graphs, tables, journals, concept maps, and diagrams. 5.4.12.F.2- Explain how the climate in regions throughout the world is affected by seasonal weather patterns, as well as other factors, such as the addition of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere and proximity to mountain ranges and to the ocean. 5.4.12.G.2- Explain the unintended consequences of harvesting natural resources from an ecosystem 5.4.12.G.4 – Compare over time the impact of human activity on the cycling of matter and energy trough ecosystems 5.4.12.G.5- Assess (using maps, local planning documents, and historical records) how the natural environment has changed since humans have inhabited the region. 5.4.12.G.6 – Assess (using scientific, economic, and other data) the potential environmental impact of large-scale adoption of emerging technologies


60











61



Transfer



62

Meaning


U1: A more sustainable economic system would include the harmful environmental and health costs of producing and using goods and services in their market prices, subsidize environmentally beneficial goods and services, tax pollution and waste instead of wages and profits, and reduce poverty. U2: Individuals can work together to become part of the political processes that influence how environmental policies are made and implemented. U3: Living more sustainably means becoming environmentally literate, learning from nature, living more simply, and becoming active environmental citizens. U4: Becoming informed, thinking critically about risks, and making careful choices can reduce the major risks we face. U5: Because of the difficulty in evaluating the harm caused by exposure to chemicals, many health scientists call for much greater emphasis on pollution prevention. U6: We face significant hazards from infectious diseases such as flu, AIDS, tuberculosis, diarrheal diseases, and malaria, and from exposure to chemicals that can cause cancers and birth defects and disrupt the human immune, nervous, and endocrine systems. U7: We face significant hazards from infectious diseases such as flu, AIDS, tuberculosis, diarrheal diseases, and malaria, and from exposure to chemicals that can cause cancers and birth defects and disrupt the human immune, nervous, and endocrine systems. U8: We can reduce the major risks we face by becoming informed, thinking critically about risks, and making careful choices.

Q1: How Can We Live More Sustainably? Q2: What Are Some Major Environmental Worldviews? Q3: How Can We Implement More Sustainable and Just Environmental Policies? Q4: How Can We Use Economic Tools to Deal with Environmental Problems? Q5: How Are Economic Systems Related to the Biosphere? Q6: What is the difference between risk assessment and risk management Q7: How Do We Perceive Risks and How Can We Avoid the Worst of Them? Q8: How Can We Evaluate Chemical, Biological, and Health Hazards? Q9: What Types of Chemical, Biological, and Health Hazards Do We Face?


63

Understandings (Continued) Essential Questions

Students will understand that… Students will keep considering… U9: We can reduce the major risks we face by becoming informed, thinking

critically about risks, and making careful choices. U10: Scientists use live laboratory animals, case reports of poisonings, and

epidemiological studies to estimate the toxicity of chemicals, but these methods

have limitations. U11: There is growing concern about chemicals that can cause cancer and

birth defects and disrupt the human immune, nervous, and endocrine systems. U12: The most serious infectious diseases are flu, AIDS, tuberculosis, diarrheal

diseases, and malaria. U13: People face health hazards from biological, chemical, physical, and

cultural factors, and from the lifestyle choices they make.


64



K1: We can live more sustainably by becoming environmentally literate, learning from nature, living more simply and lightly on earth, and becoming active environmental citizens. K2: Major environmental worldviews differ over what is more important

– human needs and wants, or the overall health of ecosystems and the

biosphere; different worldviews include varying mixes of both priorities.

K3: Individuals can work together to become part of political processes

that influence how environmental policies are made and implemented.

K4: We can use resources more sustainably by including their harmful

environmental and health costs in the market prices of goods and

services (full-cost pricing), subsidizing environmentally beneficial goods

and services, taxing pollution and waste instead of wages and profits,

and reducing poverty.

K5: Ecological economists regard human economic systems as

subsystems of the biosphere.

K6: Acceptable solutions to environmental problems are not easy to

achieve as all organisms have an impact on their surroundings, and an

ecosystem approach must be used to solve environmental problems

S1: Understand why environmental problems are complex and

interrelated S2: Realize that environmental problems involve social, ethnical,

political, and economic issues

S3: Recognize that different geographical regions have somewhat

different environmental problems, but the process for resolving them

is often the same and involves compromise

S4: Explain the connection between material wealth and resource

exploitation

S5: Describe the factors associated with environmental justice and

how corporate behavior connects to the state of the environment,

describing the influence that corporations have because of their size

and the amount of monies they can spend.

S6: Explain the relationship between economic growth and environmental degradation, and the relationship between affluence, poverty, and environmental degradation S7: Explain global actions and why they are needed

S8: Describe why the analysis of risk has become an important tool in environmental decision making S9: Describe the issues involved in risk management S10: Understand the relationship between the available supply of a commodity or service and its price S11: Understand how and why cost-benefit analysis used S12: Understand the concept of sustainable development and the environmental external costs and the economics of pollution prevention S13: Understand the market approaches to solving environmental problems


65


Alignment



terms

of…

U 1-13

Q 1-9

K 1-6

S 1-13




Activities











66

ASSESSMENT VOCABULARY BASED ON BLOOM’S TAXONOMY

COGNITIVE DOMAIN

DESCRIPTIVE VERB ASSORTMENT WORDS / PHRASE

Knowledge List, describe, catalog, itemize, define, classify, organize, identify, name,

show, explain, read

Who, what, where, when, why, how, how much, which one, describe…, select…

Comprehension Change, infer, outline, propose, replace, modify, summarize, alter,

vary, condense, explain

Which are the facts and/or opinions? What does this mean? Outline the information in…

Re-state in your own words… Summarize

Application Solve, predict, explain, diagnose, estimate, plan, protect, judge

What would happen if… Explain the effects of… What and how much would change?

Analysis Examine, compare, contrast, identify, equate, rank, deduce

What conclusions can be drawn from…? What is the theme or main idea?

What is the relationship…? What are the most important ideas?

What is the motive of…?

Synthesis Create, brainstorm, predict, plan, design, set up, imagine

Make up, choose, create, design, plan

Evaluation Judge, rank, determine, critique, defend, conclude

What is more important/ moral/logical/ appropriate/ valid?

Compare and contrast… Critique


67

APPENDIX I - Science Safety

Below is a list of important basic safety procedures. In addition to these items the pre-lab discussion for all laboratory work will provide detailed safety related directions for that particular lab. Adherence to both the general and specific safety directions is essential.

1. Aprons and goggles must be worn when instructed to do so; that is when hazardous or potentially hazardous materials are used. Goggles should be cleaned and disinfected according to directions.

2. Contact lenses can NOT be worn in the lab. Gaseous chemicals can seep through contact lenses and could damage your eyes.

3. Wear appropriate clothing. No sandals, Mohair sweaters, big loose sleeves, dangling chains or other similar jewelry. 4. When working with or near open flames, long hair (falls in front of your shoulders when you lean forward) must be fastened

back. It is your responsibility to bring a band for your hair. 5. Follow directions exactly. Never mix chemicals on your own. Do not try to skip ahead. 6. Note the positions of safety equipment in the room and pay attention to how they work. This will be demonstrated to the

entire class. 7. Inform the teacher immediately if any accident takes place—no matter how minor it may be. 8. Use the fume hood when directed. This will be demonstrated when needed. 9. For waste disposal-

a. Chemicals--as directed, usually in the rubber bucket provided b. Paper--recycle when possible or in the waste basket c. Other items--in the waste basket d. Glass – please alert me if any glass breaks. Do not handle broken glass.

10. Walk -never run. Make no quick sudden motions. Both of these can cause accidents and spill materials. 11. Read all labels carefully. 12. Keep a neat well organized work area; only your lab notebooks and handouts are permitted in your work area. Books,

purses, and other such items should be placed on your desk or left in your locker. 13. Read and study the procedure before doing the lab. Prepare data tables before you begin your experiment. 14. Do not lean or sit on work tables. 15. Do not pick up broken glass – alert me so I may dispose of it properly. 16. Keep your hands away from your face (especially eyes, ears, nose, and mouth). Wear gloves when instructed. Wash your

hands with soap and water at the end of each lab. 17. Rinse, then dry all work surfaces at the conclusion of the lab.


68

18. Follow specific directions and safety procedures discussed at the start of each lab. These include but are not limited to pouring acids and bases, titrations, heating substances in test tubes, etc.

19. No food or beverages are permitted in the lab. 20. NEVER taste any chemicals. NEVER touch chemicals with your hands. Never directly smell chemicals.


69

Suggested Reading List for Environmental Science

Abbey, E. Desert Solitaire. (1985). New York: Random House Publishers, Inc. Bormann, H. and Kellert, S. (1991). Ecology, Economics, and Ethics: The Broken Circle. CT: Yale University Press. Brown, L.and Gardner, G. (1991). Beyond Malthus. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, Inc. Carson, R. (2002). Silent Spring. New York: Houghton-Mifflin Company. Cohen, J.E. (1996). How Many People Can the Earth Support? New York: W.W. Norton and Company, Inc. Diamond, J. (2005). Guns, Germs, and Steel. New York: W. W. Norton and Company. Eldredge, N. (2000). Life in Balance: Humanity and Biodiversity. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. Fossey, D. (2000). Gorillas in the Mist. New York: First Mariner Books/Houghton Mifflin. Garret, L. (1994). The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance. USA: Penguin Group. Goodall, J. (2000). A Reason for Hope. New York: Grand Central Publishers. Goodall, J. (2000). In the Shadow of Man. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Gore, A. (2000). Earth in the Balance. New York: Houghton- Mifflin, Company.

Harr, J. (1996). A Civil Action. New York: Knopf Publishers, Inc. Kingsolver, B. (2003). Small Wonder. Philadelphia: Harper Collins Publishers. Leopold, A. (1989). A Sand Country Almanac. New York: Oxford University Press.


70

Lewis, M. (1994). Green Delusions. Durham, North Carolina Press. McPhee, J. (1990). The Control of Nature. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. McPhee J. (1977). Encounters with the Archdruid. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Orr, D. (2004). Earth in Mind: On Education, Environment and the Human Prospect. Washington, D.C.: First Island Press. Quinn, J (1995). Ishmael: An Adventure of the Wind and Spirit. New York: Bantam Books. Rees, W. (1998). Our Ecological Footprint: Reducing Human Impact on the Earth. British Columbia, Canada: New Society

Publishers. Reisner, M. (2003). Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water. USA: Penguin Group. Sessions, G. (1995). Deep Ecology for the Twenty-First Century. Boston: Shambhala Publications. Steinberger, S. (1998). Living Down Stream: Cancer and the Environment. New York: Random House. Todd, K. (2002). Tinkering With Eden. New York: W. W. Norton, Inc. Turco, R. (2002). Earth Under Siege: From Air Pollution to Global Change. New York: Oxford University Press. Wilson, E.O. (1999). The Diversity of Life. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, Inc.


71

Further Resources Recommended- Essential Questions Essential questions are included in this curriculum guide. Below are links that will help in understanding how essential questions are developed and used in teaching. http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/interdisciplinary/implementation.html#4d http://www.tnellen.com/alt/essential.html http://www.galileo.org/tips/essential questions.html http://www.fno.org/sept96/questions.html http://www.kn.sbc.com/wired/fil/pages/listessentiaca1.html Association for the Study of Literature and Environment (ASLE) home page http://www.asle.umn.edu/ Center for Children’s Environmental Literature home page http://ccel.schoolsgogreen.org/ Environmental Education and Training Partnership (EETAP) http://www.eetap.org Environmental Literacy Council http://www.enviroliteracy.org ERIC Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education http://ericse.org.eeindex.html. Go Green Initiative http://gogreeninitiative.org/Service.html#anchor_42 International Earth Day (Official Site) http://www.earthsite.org/ National Council for Science and the Environment

http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/interdisciplinary/implementation.html#4d

http://www.tnellen.com/alt/essential.html

http://www.galileo.org/tips/essential%20questions.html

http://www.fno.org/sept96/questions.html

http://www.kn.sbc.com/wired/fil/pages/listessentiaca1.html

http://www.asle.umn.edu/

http://ccel.schoolsgogreen.org/

http://www.eetap.org/

http://www.enviroliteracy.org/

http://ericse.org.eeindex.html/

http://gogreeninitiative.org/Service.html#anchor_42

http://www.earthsite.org/


72

http://www.cnie.org National Environmental Education Advancement Project http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/neeap National Project for Excellence in Environmental education http://www.naaee.org State Education and Environmental Roundtable http://www.seer.org Unity College library guide to environmental writing http://www.unity.edu/library/Library_Paths/Env_WritPath.asp

US Environmental Protection Agency (Teachers and Students) http://epa.gov/student

Web-Sites: Museums

Franklin Institute Science Museum http://www.2.fi.edu/

Hands-On Science Centers Worldwide http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mwm/sci.html

Liberty Science Center http://www./sc.org/

Miami Museum of Science and Planetarium http://www.miamisci.org/www/exhibitsonline.php

Museum of Science Boston http://www.mos.org/

Science Museum of the National Academy of Sciences

http://www.cnie.org/

http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/neeap

http://www.naaee.org/

http://www.seer.org/

http://www.unity.edu/library/Library_Paths/Env_WritPath.asp

http://epa.gov/student

http://www.2.fi.edu/

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mwm/sci.html

http://www./sc.org/

http://www.miamisci.org/www/exhibitsonline.php

http://www.mos.org/


73

http://www.koshland-science-museum.org/index.jsp

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History http://www.mnh.si.edu/

http://www.koshland-science-museum.org/index.jsp

http://www.mnh.si.edu/

ap environmental science curriculum guide · 15. understanding have and the ability to interact...

Documents