AP/ES

12th Grade AP/Environmental Science

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/or preventing them.

AP Environmental Science combines ideas and information from biology, chemistry and Earth sciences, as well as the social science fields of economics and political science. Topics of study include water, energy, air and chemical cycles and systems, soil and biome processes, population and land development dynamics, human history and influences, community and ecosystem processes, natural resource exploitation and impacts, environmental economics and policy, and future choices. Students analyze environmental problems, evaluate risks, collect data, prepare assessments, and investigate complex issues and solutions to prevent, resolve or mitigate environmental problems. Problem- solving exercises will focus on in-depth analysis of specific environmental topics and issues.

 Textbook: Environmental Science for AP, 2nd Ed., Friedland and Relyea, W. H. Freeman and Company, 2015