AP Environmental Science Syllabus

This class is all about discovery and discussion

Homework:

For full credit, work is due when posted, usually at the beginning of each class. Not 10 minutes into class, the beginning of class.

Late work will be accepted for half credit until our next class, after which it does not count.

Missed quizzes may be completed before the next class as well for full credit, after which they may not receive full credit

Our goal in this class is to develop environmental literacy, so you can become change agents for the future.

Our topics include basic terminology, chemistry and physics concepts, biomes, ethics, populations and earth systems, then larger modules on air, water and soil. We follow these with modules on energy and pollution, concluding with a comprehensive study of sustainability, our theme throughout the year.

This is a hands-on lab course, with some work in the field around HPA, or in the elab. Lab format will be consistent with what you have done in other lab courses, so don’t worry.

Our class meets in the energy lab on assigned days, with access to the lab for projects over lunch and after school on arrangement with the teacher. Our class will be largely hands-on, and students are expected to take notes and complete in-class and homework assignments as well as lab reports.

We will use online videos, tools in the energy lab, iPads and laptops for our course. You are expected to use these with care, and abide by the acceptable use policy of the school, which says among other things that these tools are to be used only for class related activities. You are expected to bring your computer to class for access to class materials, but when needed, we'll use the laptops provided for security reasons during some exams. Taking notes in class is a key skill we'll work on, preferably on paper, not the computer.

As you know, our new schedule has 70 minute periods. We meet about 3 times each week.

Grading:

We usually begin each class with a short 5 minute quiz on the homework and/or class discussion and notes. These are not just your normal recall quizzes, they should get you to consolidate and process the material we are learning together. We usually follow this with a short discussion of the quiz, and a review of homework: what you or your classmates struggled with, or demonstrated their brilliance.

Every few weeks we'll have an exam which will take longer, but will be based on the homework, class discussions and quiz materials, so make sure you make up any material you miss, including missed class discussions.

If you miss a quiz, you have until the next class to make it up, with a newer version of that quiz.

If you miss homework, don’t panic: I drop the first missed homework score of each quarter.

Late homework will be accepted for 1/2 credit until our next class meeting.

Quizzes will count for a fraction of each exam, and labs will count as several exams. We have 16 required labs on energy, water, soil and air, so the balance of these in your final grade may vary from quarter to quarter as we cover them. Energy is usually a very strong topic for HPA students taking the AP exam in May.

Homework:

Homework will be assigned most nights, and may include questions, videos and other materials.Homework is due at the beginning of class, not 10 minutes into class, the beginning of class (you'll see this on myHPA and your calendar). The earlier you can turn in homework (e.g. the night before it is due) I'll give constructive comments which will make for a higher score. Last minute work will not get this treatment. Please make sure to use your HPA email, not something like"somecooldude@gmail.com"

Notes: Students are expected to bring their own notebooks, calculator and/or writing tools to every class, with no exceptions. We will learn how to effectively take notes using the Cornell notes format among others. I suggest taking notes on paper, not just because it is retro and quaint, but studies show that you process and integrate information better this way, even better than taking notes on the computer. Go figure.

Phones: Phones are not permitted in class, except for calculator use. Any phone use during class will result in the phone being collected and turned over to the Dean of Discipline (this includes bathroom breaks).

Some of our work will be done in class, but any out of class assignments will usually have a very express turn in time. This is partly to help you organize your workload, but also so that I can have a chance to grade your work before we discuss it in class. As AP college prep students, you may also turn in assignments early, in which case I can give you feedback and usually this results in a higher grade, as well as greater comprehension. Please check out the student handbook for more information.

Energy Lab: Please do not bring food or drink from outside into the energy lab. Students may bring in their own water containers, but since we have a limited supply of bottled water, please do not fill your containers from these bottles, instead use the water in the sinks, which is actually purified rainwater.

Everyone is required to take the AP exam in May, which in our class often falls on the first exam of the first day (lucky you!). Actually this is an advantage as you have more time to study for your other exams. We'll have more on this through the year. We will usually have a timed AP simulation exam just before spring break, to show you what you'll need to work on for the real thing in May.

The text we'll be using is required (see resources below):

Withgott and Laposata: Environment 7th edition 2020 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0135269145

You can rent this online, which is much cheaper than buying the text.

We'll also be using iPads in class with the iBook Environmental Science by Jay Withgott (same guy). If you can get a copy of the iBook for yourself, this is very helpful. See the resources page for other resources you should consider for the class. Books are expensive, but their value is considerable.

We may use other texts as resources, in which case a pdf will be shared with you. More on this in class.

We'll be using myHPA for all calendar events, gradebook, attendance and assignments. We'll also be using the physics server at physics.hpa.edu where many of our online resources live. This is also where you'll find class notes and summaries. Why not on myHPA? You'll find the physics server to be an excellent searchable resource with materials going back many years of this class. It is a gold mine of questions, videos and class notes you might enjoy. MyHPA does not have this legacy aspect, but is valuable as a common communication platform.

We have an alternate server at physics.kamuela.org, if you have trouble with the HPA network at any time, and which is accessible from on or off campus.

You may find some practice tests which are not graded. These are to help you with the material, not to waste your time.

You may also find it useful to download videos while in the elab, as our servers live there, and your download speeds will be much more awesome as a result.

Access:

The best way to reach me is before or after class, but any questions about grading have to be taken care of outside of our class time, out of respect for others in the class as well as your privacy. Email is always the best, as I basically live at bill@hpa.edu. You can expect a return on any questions before 7PM most nights.

I'd like to begin by learning more about you, so we'll chat for a bit, then I'll have an email assignment for you (your first score-yippee!)

On day 2, we'll have a "navigation quiz".

Huh?

Navigation-finding out where we are, and where we want to go. What will success look like for you? Is it a 5 on the AP or a 5 in life?

"Errors and trust are opportunities to learn"

Keep this in mind when you are struggling-we have your back. We are here to challenge you and make you think. Hopefully laugh a lot too.

As always, let me know how I can help. My email is bill@hpa.edu. I'll share other contact info in class. You should always check your email the night before class, and I'll do the same to make sure I've answered all of your questions.

b

Mutual trust and honorable behavior are foundations for the concept of “community.” HPA desires to be a learning community in the truest sense. In this vein, our Honor Code is simple and direct: “To promote trust, honor, and, therefore, community, I will not lie, steal, or cheat and will not support such behavior in other HPA students.” This code applies both in the classroom and in all areas of HPA life. In addition to acting honorably themselves, we also encourage our students to report suspected breaches of the Honor Code by any other HPA student. This encouragement helps to promote a way of living and learning in which everyone understands and respects the centrality of Honor. Stated in another way, a strong and well-supported Honor System is perhaps the major factor in the promotion of community trust and individual self-esteem, traits that characterize the most successful and noble independent schools.

Honor Pledge

Our Honor Pledge is as follows: “I have neither given nor received any unauthorized aid on this assignment/exam"