About the class . . .
Environmental Science is the study of man in relation to the the natural world. Environmental science is a high school level course, which satisfies the Ohio Core science graduation requirements of Ohio. Environmental science is an inquiry-based laboratory experience that engages students in asking scientific questions and gathering and analyzing information. Environmental science incorporates biology, chemistry, physics and physical geology and introduces students to key concepts, principles and theories and laws within environmental science. Investigations are used to understand and explain the behavior of nature in a variety of inquiry and design scenarios that incorporate scientific reasoning, analysis, communication skills and real-world applications.
An outline of our curriculum is listed below
Classroom Organization
Syllabus
Lab Safety Contract
Garden Expectations and Safety
Science Inquiry and Application
• Identify questions and concepts that guide scientific investigations;
• Design and conduct scientific investigations;
• Use technology, models and mathematics to improve investigations and communications;
• Formulate and revise explanations and models using logic and evidence (critical thinking);
• Recognize and analyze explanations and models; and
• Communicate and support a scientific argument.
UNIT ONE STUDY GUIDE
EARTH SYSTEMS: INTERCONNECTED SPHERES OF EARTH
Pale Blue Dot - - Carl Sagan
Student Response to Pale Blue Dot
TRAGEDY of THE COMMONS
Video Clip -Explains the Tragedy of the Commons
Tragedy of the commons simulation (m & m's)
Simulation at the Advanced level
Computer Simulation of Tragedy with Cows
How does the story of the tragedy of the commons relate to Earth's resources?
Introduction to the idea of Sustainability and Renewable
UNIT TWO STUDY GUIDE
Lithosphere
• Geologic events and processes
Plate Tectonics
Dynamic Earth: Interactive Activities and Maps
Activity: Use data to create a sub-ducting plate graph
Soil Formation and Erosion
H.O. Mineral identification lab
Video: Explanation of soil horizons
Soil Erosion Demonstration
Links about soil and soil erosion
Article: What can we do about soil salination
Soil Composition and Properties
Bozeman Science Video- Soil and Soil Dynamics
Video Clip: Cation exchange capacity
Video Clip: How to test for soil composition and how to read a soil triangle.
Websites: great explanation of soil types and reading a soil triangle
Practice with Soil Texture Triangle
Soil Texture Triangle Calculator
UNIT THREE STUDY GUIDE
Cryosphere
• Movement of matter and energy through the hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere and biosphere
• Energy transformations on global, regional and local scales
SEASONS
Solar radiation and Earth's Seasons
Video clip- Seasons and the Angle of Insolation
Activity- Angle of Insolation and Temperature
WEATHER/CORIOLIS EFFECT
• Climate and weather
Very cool real-time interactive global wind map
Wind map of the United States
Harnessing Wind energy
KhanAcademy-great video about Coriolis Effect on hurricanes ● A handful of lab ideas for demonstrating wind patterns
CLIMATE
Earth's Geography and Climate
Sciencing: series of articles about climate and geography
Article: clear explanations of the link between geographical features and climate
Global Precipitations Measurement Mission- project to guide students to create climatograms
Video clip: the Gulf Stream Explained
Class demonstration of thermocline first period thermocline second period
EL NINO LA NINA
Site with great explanation and maps
Interactive maps and information about the vast effects of El Nino
Includes great infographic of both El Nino and La Nina
Sort out photos of the Earth between El Nino and La Nina
El Nino and La NIna graphing and chlorophyll
UNIT FOUR STUDY GUIDE
Biogeochemical cycles
WATER CYCLE
Building a Water Cycle activity and interactive diagram
How Humans Impact the Water Cycle article
Interesting Article - how long does water stay in each stage of the water cycle?
NASA Water Cycle articles and activities
Article - Deforestation and Drought
PHOSPHORUS CYCLE
Managing Nutrients article (includes nitrogen and phosphorus runoff from farms)
Water and Nutrient Leaching activity/demonstration
Phosphorus Cycle online interactive game to help learn the cycle
Phosphorus Cycle classroom activity focusing on eutrophication
NITROGEN CYCLE
The Nitrogen Cycle: Processes, Players, and Human Impact article
Interactive Nitrogen Cycle diagram with video clips and information
Nitrification and Denitrification demonstration
Nitrogen Cycle Role Play activity
BrainPop online Nitrogen Cycle game
Video Clip and Article: What if there was double the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere?
CARBON CYCLE
Effects of Rising Atmospheric Concentrations of Carbon Dioxide on Plants article
The Carbon Cycle: extensive online learning labs with built in video clips, multiple choice and discussion questions
Role Play the Carbon Cycle class activity
The Carbon Cycle interactive diagram with video clips and information
UNIT FIVE STUDY GUIDE
• Hydrosphere
• Oceanic currents and patterns (as they relate to climate)
• Surface and ground water flow patterns and movement
USGS Article with animation and map of US Watersheds
Worksheet- how to delineate a watershed
Worksheet - detailed guide and practice maps watershed mapping
Video clip- Characteristics of a Watershed
Crumpled paper watershed (waxed paper)
FLOW : the movie
Ocean layers Smithsonian Ocean
Atmosphere
• Air and air pollution
Atmosphere Power Point
Layers of the Atmosphere
Graphing activity
Flip book
Composition of the Atmosphere
Lab activity
• Primary and secondary contaminants
Website with teaching resources about Air Quality
• Greenhouse gases
• Clean Air Act
The Story of Stuff
Biosphere
• Wildlife and wilderness
• Wildlife and wilderness management
• Endangered species Webquest (Nature with Gnat)
Biodiversity of a Phonebook (if raining)
How to calculate biodiversity index American Museum of Natural History
Wild screen site and organization dedicated to protecting wildlife through video
How Scientists Classify Species: Enviro literacy council
How Many Species Are There? Enviro literacy council
Threatened and Endangered Species Enviro literacy council
Human Populations
Land and Resource Usage
• Soil and land
• Desertification
Tedtalk: How to fight desertification Allan Savoy
• Mass wasting and erosion
• Sediment contamination
• Land use and land management (including food production, agriculture and zoning)
Video Clip: slash and burn farming in Belize, and better alternatives
Slash and Burn in the Amazon- part one of a four part video series explaining the practice, the problem and alternatives
Up in Smoke Perils of slash and burn in Venezuela
Article: Organic vs. Synthetic soils, pros and cons. Also see this article
Data-list of organic fertilizers, sources usefulness and effectiveness
Design a long term experiment comparing organic to synthetic fertilizers
Week long lab investigating the impacts of fertilizers on the environment- may use some or part of the lab
Successful No Till Farmers tell their story
No Till vs. Till soil: demonstrations and explanations
• Solid and hazardous waste
Bioremediation: Super Fungi the movie
• Renewable and nonrenewable energy sources and efficiency
• Alternate energy sources and efficiency
• Resource availability
• Mining and resource extraction
Mining (Bozeman)
Video clip: discussing the process of mining
Video clip: reclamation fo the tailings pond
Video clip: a marble mine
Classroom activity: mining in a nutshell: students explore the steps that are taken to find, extract, process and use resources
Global Environmental Issues
• Human population
Article: Global Impacts of Urbanization
Article : Urban Threats
Article: Causes, effects, and solutions to urbanization
Lecture: Impact of Urbanization
Article: EPA Reducing Urban Runoff
Stormwater Runoff: activities
Project: Design a school stormwater management plan, video, handout
• Potable water quality, use and availability
USGS.gov All about Irrigation with information and real data
Scientific American Article: on the Ogallala Aquifer
Video Clip: Pumped Dry
Video Clip: News story about the Ogallala Aquifer
Article: California Tries to save it's aquifers
Blue and Gold Water Wars the Movie
• Climate change
• Sustainability
Lecture on Sustainability
Sustainable Forestry
Article: IPM Forestry
Lecture on Forestry
Outdoor activity: Sustainable Forestry
What is a tree worth?
Forest Sustainability
Aquaculture
TedTalk: Vertical Ocean Farming
Lecture: Aquaculture
Sustainable Agriculture
Guerrilla Gardner in South Central L.A.
Video: Successful Grazers tell their Story
Video: Regenerative Agriculture
Video about agroforestry
Carbon Farming Website
Resources for project: Students design an organic garden, with sustainable agricultural practices of integrated pest management and soil conservation.
Integrated Pest management
Video: Intercropping
Video: IPM applied to personal home
Video: Explains the steps in IPM methods
IPM Innovation lab: website with great examples of IPM around the world
• Species depletion and extinction
• Air quality
• Food production and availability
Global Food Security activity (first activity and worksheet skip)
Green Revolution : Waging a War Against Hunger
Food Insecurity in the United States
Map of Food Availability in the US
Food insecurity Licking County
A Five-Step Plan to Feed the World National Geographic
Revolutionizing the Way We Grow Food National Geographic
Green Revolution article
The Next Green Revolution article
Food in a Future of 10 Billion article
Consequence Wheel/Future Wheel reference
Impacts of Overfishing
TedEd: Will the ocean run out of fish?
TedTalk: Four Fish we are Overeating
Ted Talk:How to Save our Fisheries
Activity: Impacts of Overfishing
WWF Impacts of Overfishing
What is the Catch ? videogame
Fisheries Solution Center- Case Studies and interactive Map
Meat Production Methods
Video Clip: Meat Production Methods
Article: Environmental Impact of eating meat
Article : Methane production and cattle
Article: How cows impact the Carbon cycle
Article: about the benefits of plant based meat alternatives
TedTalk: Factory Farms, Antibiotics and Superbugs
Pest Control Methods
Pesticide Action Network: website devoted to dangers of pesticides and taking action to protect human and environmental health (lots of great information and data)
Article: How pesticide resistance develops
Classroom activity: demonstrates how pesticide resistance develops
Article: How GMO's can reduce genetic diversity
Article on Bt corn and how it works, its safety and concerns
Another article about GM crops, how they work, and reduce pesticide use
• Deforestation and loss of biodiversity
Clearcutting
Article: Are There Really More Trees Today than 100 Years Ago?
Article- Timber Harvest Methods
Article: The Impact of One Tree
Video Clip- reasons for using clearcutting
• Waste management (solid and hazardous)
Sustainability
• Sustainability
Lecture on Sustainability
Sustainable Forestry
Article: IPM Forestry
Lecture on Forestry
Outdoor activity: Sustainable Forestry
What is a tree worth?
Forest Sustainability
Aquaculture
TedTalk: Vertical Ocean Farming
Lecture: Aquaculture
Monterrey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch
Sustainable Agriculture
Guerrilla Gardner in South Central L.A.
Video: Successful Grazers tell their Story
Video: Regenerative Agriculture
Video about agroforestry
Carbon Farming Website
Resources for project: Students design an organic garden, with sustainable agricultural practices of integrated pest management and soil conservation.
Integrated Pest management
Video: Intercropping
Video: IPM applied to personal home
Video: Explains the steps in IPM methods
IPM Innovation lab: website with great examples of IPM around the world
Finding Your Voice:
Letter to elected officials
How to write a letter to an elected offical
Lists of officials for Newark and what their special interests are
General format
Rubric for letter