UNIT 0 INTRO MATERIALS

Course Description:  Use this link to see the essential knowledge for each unit: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h6XbxknTeZDQP_3sJmDcNev1exQPXstt/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=109423278647306775771&rtpof=true&sd=true 

 This course is a fast-paced & demanding course which requires you to do a great deal of independent work. Content is covered in great depth, with more emphasis being placed on analysis & discussion. In addition to the increased rigor and amount of work, students will be expected to design, execute & analyze experiments. The College Board AP Environmental Science curriculum encompasses four big ideas:

Energy Transfer: 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.

Interactions between Earth Systems: Earth is one interconnected system. Natural systems change over time & space. Biogeochemical systems vary in ability to recover from disturbances. 

Interactions between different species & the environment: Humans alter natural systems & have had an impact on the environment for millions of years. Technology & population growth have enabled humans to increase  the rate & scale of their impact on the environment. 

Sustainability: Human survival depends on developing practices that will achieve sustainable systems. A suitable combination of conservation & development is required. The management of resources is essential. Understanding the role of cultural, social, & economic factors is vital to the development of solutions.

Course Unit Outlines

1. The Living World: Ecosystems

2. The Living World: Biodiversity

3. Populations

4. Earth Systems & Resources

5. Land & Water Use

6. Energy Resources & Consumption

7. Atmospheric Pollution

8. Aquatic & Terrestrial Pollution

9. Global Change