AP Environmental Science Course Guidelines

About This Course:

AP Environmental Science is a rigorous course and its content corresponds to a one-semester length college environmental science course. The course is interdisciplinary in nature. This means the following areas are included in this class: ecology, biology, chemistry, physics, social science, and economics

APES Themes (as described by College Board)

1. Science is a process.
2. Energy conversions underlie all ecological processes.
3. The Earth itself is one interconnected system.
4. Humans affect/alter natural systems.
5. Environmental challenges/problems have a cultural and social context.
6. Human survival depends on developing practices that will achieve sustainable systems.

To be successful in APES:

Be engaged: It is your responsibility to ask questions when you don’t understand and that you will engage in learning outside of class.
Take notes: Note-taking and maintaining a journal of your work in a course are crucial skills for success in college courses. All APES students will use a science notebook to record their notes and work.
Show up on time every day: The content of this course will move quickly. It is important that you stay on top of the work in class each week, even if you have to miss class time. You are responsible for making up assignments, labs and tests when you are absent. You have ONE WEEK from absence to make up labs and tests.

All students are required to review and understand the Science Department Policies, Lab Safety Policy and Shorewood Student Handbook/Rights & Responsibilities.

Course Scope & Sequence:

Semester 1

Unit 1 - 20%

Unit 2 - 22%

Unit 3 - 24%

Unit 4 - 24%

Projects and AP Prep `- 10%

Ecosystems

Biodiversity

Population

Earth Systems

Miscellaneous Projects,

AP Classroom

Semester 2

Unit 5 - 24%

Unit 6 - 24%

Unit 7 - 22%

Unit 8 - 20%

Projects - 10%

Land and Water Use

Energy and Air Pollution

Water and Land Pollution

Global Climate Change

Miscellaneous Projects,

AP Classroom

Required Materials:

Composition-style notebook, college-ruled with 100 sheets/200 pages
Student Chromebook + Charger
Pens & Pencils
Tape

Grading:

Students will be assessed using the standards-based scale below.

A - Exceeds Standard

B - Meets Standard

C - Approaching Standard

D - Below Standard

F - No Evidence of Learning

For each unit - there will be:

practice quizzes

frq daily practice

daily work

labs

unit test