Course Syllabus

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Syllabus AP Environmental Science, Semester 1

Welcome

Welcome to AP Environmental Science, Semester 1! We’re so glad you’re here.

Every lesson is designed to help you grow as a thinker, problem solver, and global learner. As a Mizzou Academy global student, you will complete lessons and assignments on your own schedule, interacting with course content, participating in interactives, and completing practice activities, as well as drafting and revising assignments, preparing for quizzes and assessments, and taking exams.

To stay on track, we recommend using a pacing guide. You can find more information about pacing in the Course Resources section, along with helpful tools, technology support, and tips for online learning success.

As you begin, remember that online learning requires both independence and communication. Be curious, stay organized, and don’t hesitate to reach out to your teacher if you need support.

We’re excited to learn with you, and we’re happy you’re part of our Mizzou Academy community! 

Pacing

This 16-week semester course has been designed so that--on average--you will be completing about one lesson each week, with additional time allotted for exams and special projects.

Plan to devote about one hour each weekday to this class, just as you would for one class period in a physical school building, plus some extra “homework” time for bigger assignments as needed.

Unlike other asynchronous courses you may have taken online, AP semester courses have due dates and deadlines that you will need to follow. Pay close attention to the course calendar and establish a routine early that works best for you. Then, pace yourself by setting targeted, attainable, and manageable goals each day. Planning ahead, balance, and routine will be your best friends!

AP - Participation 

Participation in online discussions (e.g., discussion forums, chats, group projects, and/or instructor conferences) is expected and will factor into your overall course grade.

All online discussions described in course lesson pages are required unless your instructor notes otherwise. Your instructor may also arrange additional required chats or instructor conferences. Be sure to regularly check the course calendar and announcements from your instructor regarding upcoming discussions and requirements.

Your participation in required online discussions will be evaluated on criteria such as frequency, timeliness, thoughtfulness and effort, and overall contribution to the knowledge base and learning experience of your classmates. You are also expected to monitor and respond to posts on discussion threads that you have started or have previously contributed to; you should not simply make a post and consider the discussion “done,” because it should be an ongoing conversation with your peers and/or instructor.

Postings that begin new discussion forum threads will be reviewed based on their relevance, demonstrated understanding of course concepts, examples cited, and overall quality. Postings that respond to other students’ posts will be evaluated based on relevance, the degree to which they extend discussions, and tone. This may entail asking a question or comparing and/or contrasting your classmate’s post with your own.

In order to earn full credit for discussion forum participation, your posts and responses must be substantive. In other words, you will not earn credit for just replying "Good post" or "I agree" to a classmate.

AP - Late Work and Absences

Work must be turned in on time for full credit. If you are unable to complete an assignment on time, contact your instructor immediately. Prior permission from the online course instructor must be obtained for special circumstances to receive credit for late work. These decisions will be made on an individual basis.

You must notify your instructor if you expect to be offline for more than 1 week.

Course Description

Philosophy 

This might be the single most important science course that you take because it has so many direct connections to your daily life! If you think about how the topics play out in your own life, with energy, your health, the environment, your ecosystems, and so on, you will find the course easier to understand. There are also many future careers related to the topics covered in this course. I hope that you find AP Environmental Science more than just a college credit exam prep course. I hope that you find it an intriguing class that not only teaches us about so many problems that we have to fix and challenges to tackle but also shows the amazing power we have as problem solvers and engineers to solve big issues.  

Course Overview 

The goal of the AP Environmental Science course is to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems, both natural and human-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems,  and to examine alternative solutions for resolving and preventing them. The following themes provide a foundation for the structure of the AP Environmental Science course. 

  1. Science is a process. 

∙ Science is a method of learning more about the world. 

∙ Science constantly changes the way we understand the world. 

  1. Energy conversions underlie all ecological processes. 

∙ Energy cannot be created; it must come from somewhere. 

∙ As energy flows through systems, at each step, more of it becomes unusable. 

  1. The Earth itself is one interconnected system. 

∙ Natural systems change over time and space. 

∙ Biogeochemical systems vary in ability to recover from disturbances. 

  1. 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. 

  1. Environmental problems have a cultural and social context. 

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

  1. Human survival depends on developing practices that will achieve sustainable systems. ∙ A suitable combination of conservation and development is required. 

∙ Management of common resources is essential. 

 

Course Essential Questions


Essential Question 1

How are environmental systems interconnected?

Essential Question 2

How do human processes affect the environment?

Course Overview

Lesson

Objectives

Quiz

Assignment

1: Introduction to Ecosystems and Science

1.1: Explain how species interactions affect ecosystems.

20 multiple-choice questions 

Lesson 1 Discussion

2: Biomes and Biogeochemical Cycles

2.1: Examine the factors that affect terrestrial and aquatic biomes.

2.2: Trace the cycling of elements in the carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and water cycles.

2.3: Explain the flow of energy in ecosystems.

25 multiple-choice questions 

No Assignment

3: The Living World: Biodiversity

3.1: Make connections between biodiversity, ecosystem services, and environmental change.

3.2: Describe the effect of islands on evolution and biodiversity.

No Quiz

Assignment: Simulating the Theory of Island Biogeography

4: Tolerance, Disruptions, Adaptations, & Successions Affecting Biodiversity

4.1: Use ecological tolerance to explain evolution and biodiversity changes during ecosystem disruptions.

4.2:  Trace ecological succession.

25 multiple-choice questions 

 No Assignment

5: Human Population

5.1: Describe major patterns in populations.

5.2: Draw connections between population growth and carrying capacity.

No Quiz

Lesson 5 Discussion

Midterm Exam

6: Age Structure Diagrams and The Demographic Transition

6.1: Explain patterns of human population growth.

6.2: Determine doubling rates, and what factors slow the human population doubling rate.

25 multiple-choice questions 

No Assignment

7: Earth Systems: Plate Tectonics and Soil

7.1: Explain the layers of the Earth, and how tectonic plates affect Earth’s surface.

7.2: Describe soil and rock formation.

No Quiz

Assignment: Soil Permeability & Texture

8: Earth Systems: Watersheds & Climate Causes

8.1: Explain watersheds and humans’ impacts on them.

8.2: Explain the structure of Earth’s atmosphere and winds.

8.3: Connect the flow of ocean currents to climate patterns.

25 multiple-choice questions 

Assignment: Salinity and Seeds

9: Land & Water Use

9.1: Describe unregulated resource use.

9.2: Explain forest management.

9.3: Explain agricultural practices.

9.4: Describe how pests are managed in agricultural settings.

No Quiz

Lesson 9 Discussion

10: Meat, Mining, Urbanization & Sustainability

10.1: Describe how mining affects ecosystems.

10.2: Explain how urbanization affects ecosystems.

10.3: Define sustainability.

25 multiple-choice questions 

Assignment: Urban Runoff Lab; Cookie Mining Lab

Final Exam

 

Grades

Your final grade will be based on the number of points you earn on submitted work and exams. The available points are distributed as follows:

Source Available Points
Lesson Assignments 125
Lesson Quizzes 270
Midterm Exam 300
Final Exam 300
Discussions 75
Total 1,070

Student Assessment

You will be assessed often with reading quizzes, pre/post lab quizzes, and lecture quizzes. There will be unit exams in the AP style. Students are evaluated on their level of performance in laboratory exercises,  lab write ups, homework, attendance, and organization of lab book.  

 

- Midterm Exam and Final Exam 300 points. Proctored and closed notes.

- FIVE Quizzes: 50 points (open notes)  

- FIVE GRADED Laboratory & Discussions: (25 points)  

- UNGRADED LABS (these will Improve APES Exam Score)

Semester class grades are based on the traditional grading scale:
100%-90% = A,
89%-80% = B,
79%-70% = C, 
69%- 60% = D,
Below = F. 

Earning College/University Credit

AP Exam: Students are expected to take the AP Exam in May. This test is the driving force for the curriculum taught throughout the year. Be sure to check early in the year to see what score you need from your selected college in order to get some science credit.  

 

This assumes that you are taking the AP class to get a high score on your AP exam. It will include test-taking strategies throughout. You will need to read and set time aside for this class without being distracted if you want a five.

 

How the scoring works.  The Online AP environmental science exam (APES Exam) is given in May all around the world. The score is from 1-5. Different colleges will accept different scores. For example, at Mizzou, if you score a 3 or higher, you earn 3 hours of biology credit, equivalent to taking their course, Bio Sci 1060. Some schools only accept higher scores, and some schools do not accept AP credit. Check here to see what scores you need for your colleges. 

https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/getting-credit-placement/search-policies

Course Topics

This course covers the following College Board APES topics: 

∙ Unit 1: The Living World: Ecosystems 6%–8% of exam score 

You’ll begin to explore a view of planet Earth as one system made up of regional ecosystems composed of interdependent environmental features, processes, and relationships between species. 

∙ Unit 2: The Living World: Biodiversity 6%–8% of exam score 

You’ll learn about the importance of biodiversity within ecosystems and the impact of outside factors on the evolution of organisms. 

∙ Unit 3: Populations 10%–15% of exam score 

You’ll examine how populations within ecosystems change over time, and the factors that affect population growth. 

∙ Unit 4: Earth Systems and Resources 10%–15% of exam score 

You’ll study the natural components that make up the environment, from geologic features to the atmosphere and climate. 

∙ Unit 5: Land and Water Use 10%–15% of exam score 

You’ll examine how humans use and consume natural resources and the ways in which we disrupt ecosystems, both positively and negatively. 

APES Lab Safety Contract

APES is a hands-on laboratory class. However, science activities may have potential hazards. We will use some equipment and chemicals that may be dangerous if not handled properly. Safety in the science classroom is an important part of the scientific process. The rules listed below must be followed at all times. Additional safety instructions will be given for each activity. 

 

  1. Conduct yourself in a responsible manner at all times in the lab. Horseplay, practical jokes, and pranks will not be tolerated. 
  1. Follow all written and verbal instructions carefully. Ask your teacher if you do not understand the instructions. 
  1. Do not touch any equipment, supplies, or other materials in the lab until instructed to do so.
  1. Only perform experiments approved by your teacher.  
  1. Be prepared for your work in the lab. Read all procedures thoroughly before beginning the lab. 
  1. Never eat, drink, chew gum, or taste anything in the science room. 
  1. Keep hands away from face, eyes, and mouth while using lab materials. Wash your hands with soap and water when you are finished with the lab. 
  1. Follow your teacher’s instructions for the disposal of waste materials.  
  1. Clean all work areas and equipment. If you finish early, help clean up common areas. Nobody leaves the lab until the entire lab space is clean and all materials are accounted for. 
  1. Never remove chemicals, equipment, or other supplies from the lab unless instructed to do so. 
  1. Consider all chemicals used in the lab to be dangerous. Do not touch, smell, or taste any chemicals unless specifically instructed to do so. 
  1. Treat all preserved specimens and dissecting supplies with care and respect. 
  2. Do not remove preserved specimens from the science room, 
  3. Use scalpels, scissors, and other sharp objects only as directed. 
  4. Never cut any material towards you- always cut away from your body. 
  5. Report any cut or scratch to the teacher immediately.
  6. Report any accident, injury, or hazardous condition to the teacher immediately.
  7. Do not handle broken glassware with your bare hands.
  8. Always carry a microscope with both hands. Hold the arm with one hand and the base with the other hand.
  9. Dress properly- long hair must be tied back, no dangling jewelry, no loose or baggy clothing. Wear aprons and goggles when instructed to do so.
  10. Learn where the safety equipment is and how to use it. Know where the exits are located and what to do in case of an emergency or fire drill.
  11. Be aware of what is going on in your experiment at all times. Do not wander around the room, distract other students, or interfere with the experiments of other students. Stay on task!
  12. Examine glassware before each use. Never use chipped or cracked glassware. 

 

Textbook & Technology Requirements

To fully participate, make sure you have:

  • A computer that meets our Mizzou Academy technology requirements
  • A microphone and webcam for recording audio and video assignments
  • Any other required textbooks or materials for the course

Textbook

Environmental Science for the AP Course. Andrew Friedland, Rick Relyea.

You can purchase your textbook hereLinks to an external site.

Materials

 Materials 

∙ Paper notebook (handwriting required for best retention)

∙ Scientific calculator  

∙ (Optional): APES Test Prep and Study Guide. There are many options. Choose the one that best fits your study habits.

Technology

The most up-to-date requirements can be found here: 

Additional requirements for the course are below: 

  • audio and video recording capabilities (e.g., smartphone, camera)

If you ever have trouble accessing course materials or recording tools, reach out to your teacher for support. We are here to help!

Accessibility

If you anticipate barriers related to the format or requirements of this course, please let Mizzou Academy know as soon as possible. If disability-related accommodations are necessary (for example, a scribe, reader, extended time on exams, captioning), please contact Mizzou Academy.

Canvas Technical Support

Canvas will be used as the primary platform for accessing course materials and assignments for this class.

Course Summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due