Advanced Placement Environmental Science

This course is designed to supplement the two-year SES environmental science program with the additional material required for the AP exam. To that end, you will be designing, completing and analyzing labs, which will extend your understanding of the concepts presented in class. You will also complete readings and participate in discussions that deepen your knowledge base on key topics. The readings and lab work will be equivalent to those assigned in a college introductory course. The senior textbook itself is a college textbook. It is assumed you have successfully completed courses in biology, earth science, and chemistry as preparation for this course.

Environmental science is interdisciplinary; it embraces a wide variety of sciences to understand topics from many different areas of study. Unifying themes cut across many topics. The following themes provide a foundation for the structure of the AP Environmental Science course:

· Science is a process

· Energy conversions underlie all ecological processes

· The Earth itself is one interconnected system

· Humans alter natural systems

· Environmental problems have a cultural and social context

· Human survival depends on developing practices that will achieve sustainable systems.

Laboratory work will help you develop important skills such as detailed observation, accurate recording, experimental design, data interpretation and statistical analysis. Lab assignments will offer you the opportunity to learn about problem solving, the scientific method, the techniques of research and the use of scientific literature. These are tested on the AP exam.

Fall trimester is filled with lab work. Winter is laden with readings, lecture and discussion. Most of spring trimester is devoted to preparation for the exam. All three trimesters involve a fair amount of work outside class including lab groupwork after school.