Course Name: Environmental Science Science Standards Covered: 1. Unifying concepts and processes in science 4. Science and technology 2. Life Science 5. Science in personal and social perspectives 3. Earth and Space Science 6. History and nature of science Main Idea or Unit Titles by Quarter Introduction to Environmental Science Population Growth & Ecology Ecosystems and Living Things Energy: Fossil Fuels, Nuclear Chronology of Environmental Science Biomes & Aquatic Ecosystems Ecosystems and The Physical Energy, Renewables Ecosystems and Energy Environment Film Unit Ecosystems and Living Things Human Health and Toxicology Science Fair Main Learning Objectives By Unit (all learning objectives should be assumed to be preceded by the phrase Students will be able to) Quarter One Quarter Two Quarter Three Quarter Four Introduction to Environmental Science Population Growth & Ecology Ecosystems and Living Things Energy: Fossil Fuels, Nuclear
• Define environmental science and describe the
• Define Evolution & explain the four
Energy, Renewables
effects human use of resources has on the
premises of evolution by natural selection.
• Define fossil fuels, and distinguish
• Explain sustainability and why it is a goal of
developing countries differ in population
characteristics such as infant mortality rate,
Evaluate the consequences of environmental
total fertility rate, and age structure.
• Define symbiosis and distinguish among
• Define culture and explain how total fertility
Describe the three most important factors that
Outline how governments can help achieve
determine human impact on the environment
List and describe the five stages of addressing
Define urbanization & describe trends in the
distribution of people in rural & urban areas
Ecosystems & The Physical
• Relate how environmental impact statements
Describe some of the problems associated
Environment
with rapid growth rates of large urban areas
• Describe the main steps in each of these
biogeochemical cycles: carbon, nitrogen ,
• Explain how economics is related to natural
Ecosystems and Energy
phosphorus, sulfur, & hydrologic cycles
capital, and include sources and sinks in your
• Describe how humans have influenced the
• Distinguish among the following ecological
carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, an
levels: population, community, ecosystem,
Chronology of Environmental Science
• Distinguish between weather and climate
Briefly outline the environmental history of the
• Define energy flow, trophic level, & food web
• Describe typical pyramids of numbers,
• Describe natural disasters and their causes
• Describe the six eras in environmental history:
Era of Abundance, Era of Exploitation, Era of
Human Health and Toxicology Film Unit
Protection/Preservation, Era of Management,
• Contrast health issues in highly developed
Biomes & Aquatic Ecosystems
• Define biome and briefly describe the nine
• Summarize the problems with chemicals
A Civil Action, Syriana, Ellen
• List at least one environmental measures taken
that exhibit persistence, bioaccumulation,
Brockovich, The Informer, Fast
• Relate a least one human effect on each o f
Food Nation, Thank You for Not
• Define environmental worldview and discuss
Smoking, Blood Diamond, The Day
distinguishing aspects of the Western and deep
assessment helps determine adverse health
• Briefly describe the eight aquatic ecosystems
Science Fair
Relate at least one human effect on each o f
science fair project that poses a question to the visitor
Editorial Introduction Suppose a table of data concerning three variables x , y and z is given, forexample:If we look at the values of x and y we may observe that when x is thesame also y is the same. The converse is not true: y can be the same ona row without x being the same. In the light of this data we say that yfunctionally depends on x but not conversely. If the conc
Rebel with a Prescription: Eminem, or America on Drugs Eminem, like millions of Americans, just strolls down to his local pharmacist. Thus at a time when the country is questioning its future state of health, the inspired artist exposes the hidden panacea of American society and throws a glaring spotlight on the issue of drug addiction in America today. A few months ago, Emi