WELCOME TO AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

COURSE PREREQUISITES:
All students who take AP Environmental Science will have taken Biology and Chemistry as pre-requisite courses. Students are also required to have either completed Physics or be concurrently taking both Physics and AP Environmental Science.

School Issued Text:
Miller, G. Tyler. Living in the Environment (12th Ed.) Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole, 2005 ($79.50)

COURSE OVERVIEW
Environmental Science is taught as a traditional lab based science course focusing on critical thinking and analyzing data to confront current issues that face our society today. The instruction given is in the form of lectures, discussion groups, simulations, demos, and laboratory investigations (labs constituting at least 20-30% of the instructional time). Since Environmental Science is profoundly dynamic, students will rely on current event readings, up to date online statistics, and simulation models. At the conclusion of this course students should have a clear understanding of the interdependence of all organisms through investigation and experimentation into environmental principles and concepts. They will be able to identify, analyze, and offer solutions to environmental problems of both natural and anthropogenic origins.

The course is divided into nine major units throughout two 18-week semesters. Students will take a major exam at the conclusion of each unit and a cumulative final exam at the end of the fall semester. Lab reports should have all graphical data expressed in Excel graphs and charts.



GRADING POLICY:
Class exams: 5 (summer assign. = 1 exam) 40%
Quizzes: 15%
Homework / Classwork: 10%
Labs: 20%
Comprehensive Final Exam: 15%



AP Environmental Science Exam - MAY 13th at 8am



Readings
Assigned readings will be in addition to the chapters assigned above, and will be short supplemental readings. Often times I will give you a notes packet encompassing other text books (Miller ; Cunningham; Raven & Berg etc.) used across the country. Many readings will be in the form of current news stories or magazine articles that will be assigned as we go. These readings will primarily serve as examples of current environmental issues and will be the topic of student-led class discussions. These readings, of course, MUST be done in advance.


Expectations and Policies
· Attendance is your key to success. If you have to be out make sure you have the assignments before you leave. BE ON TIME!
· Complete the assigned reading before each class meeting. Come prepared to participate!
· Makeup exams and quizzes or late assignments will be allowed in the case of documented illness or personal emergency. Other legitimate absences (e.g., athletic meet, college visit) must be arranged at least one week in advance, and assignments must be then turned in early.
· Late assignments will earn –15pts for each day late and are not accepted more than 3 days late. No late assignments will be accepted for short activities that will be returned the next day.
· If you have questions about assignments, expectations, concepts, etc. or if you are having trouble, come see me so I can help!!


Internet/Technology
Environmental science is an intense study into our dynamic planet. In order to keep up with the most current scientific data we often times will utilize the internet. You may be asked to complete assignments independently or in a group. Some times they are assignments that are linked to my web-site for our class. However, you must budget your time in order to complete your assignments. Your printer failing you at 1am on the morning it is due is not going to cut it – sorry :)