ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE - Course Outline 

      Environmental science presents the environmental problems resulting from a rapidly expanding human population and increasingly technological societies.  In the first part of this course, we will cover the biotic and abiotic components of a healthy ecosystem.  Following the basics of ecology, we will examine the technological practices that are altering the Earth's environment; possible solutions to the various problems; and the political, legal, economic, and  social aspects of these problems and solutions.
      This is a lecture-based course.  All instruction is presented by lecture including the use of media.  As a basic requirement of this course, all students must take notes during instructional presentations.   Your notes serve as your study guide and are very important when taking open note quizzes. 

I. COURSE OUTLINE 
      The major topics covered during each grading period are listed below.  In addition to these major topics, there are several short units that will be covered when convenient.  These include energy and the laws of thermodynamics, the vertebrate classes, recognition and identification of local species of snakes, and current environmental legislation. 
(NOTE - The order of topics may be modified at any time during the school year.)

1st SEMESTER
1st 9-weeks: 
      We will spend the first 5 weeks examining the essential components of the environment. The basic terminology and concepts of this material is essential to the remainder of the year.  Topics for the 1st grading period are as follows:
     1.  Basic terminology.  Ecological principals and their application.  (NOTE - The vocabulary of this unit is critically important.  These terms will be used for the entire school year.  Failure to master these terms will result in academic difficulties throughout the entire school year.)
     2.  Populations:  Growth and regulation. 
     3.  Succession (changes through time). 
     4.  The role of fire in maintaining certain communities.

2nd 9-weeks:
     1  The Earth's major ecosystems. 
          A.  Freshwater ecosystems 
          B.  Marine ecosystems 
          C.  Terrestrial ecosystems 
          D.  Wetland ecosystems 
     2.  Ground water (Aquifers).
     3.  Water Pollution.
     4.  Managing our aquatic resources.
     5.  Air pollution. 

Second Semester 
3rd 9-weeks:

     1.  Acid rain. 
     2.  Solid waste/toxic waste 
     3.  Pesticides:  use, misuse and environmental problems. 
     4.  Biological control of pests. 
     5.  Problems with introduced species. 

4th 9-weeks 
     1.  Endangered species. 
     2.  Biogeography. 
     3.  Field lab work. 
     4.  The periodic table and atomic structure 
     5.  Fossil fuels.
     6.  Nuclear energy.
     7.  Alternate energy sources 
     8.  Scientific method and procedures.  (Unless covered earlier in the year) 

II.  EVALUATION - How your grade is determined. 

          All grades are averaged numerically.  The following scale determines the letter grade. 
            A    94 - 100 
            B    85 -  93 
            C    77 - 84 
            D    70 - 76
            F      0 -  69

Your final grade each 9 weeks composed of three parts.
    1.  60% of your grade is determined by exam scores. 
    2.  30% of your grade is determined by written assignments, quizzes, labs, and notebook.
    3.  10% of your grade comes from participation\teacher evaluation. 
    4.  Each student is required to keep a notebook.  All notes from lectures should be kept in a spiral notebook.  The date of each days notes should be at the top.  Notebooks may be collected without prior
warning and graded on the basis of completeness and neatness.  If you are absent, you must enter the notes you missed in your notebook. 
     Note books will also be checked by open note quizzes. 

III.  MAKE-UP WORK 
     Students must make up all work or notes missed due to absences.  It is the student's responsibility to find out what was missed on the day of an absence.  For 1 or 2 day  absences, you will be allowed one day to make up work for each day absent. 

 READ THIS CAREFULLY - All students absent on the day of an exam are required to make up the exam on the first day they return to class unless otherwise instructed.  If you are absent more than 2 days, and if the absences are excused, you may be granted additional time. 

IV.  TARDIES 
 Arrive before the tardy bell.  Students are expected to be in their seats when the tardy bell rings. 

Penalties for tardies 
     1.  1st tardy penalty - Affects bonus points (see Section V.)
     2.  2nd tardy - Same as the first tardy.
     3.  3rd tardy - parent contact OR detention.
     4.  4th tardy - tardy referral.  
     5.  Every additional tardy within the same grading period - referral.
     6.  Tardies in excess of 10 minutes are counted as absences.

V.  BONUS POINTS:  Extra grade points may be earned by students who are consistently on-time.  These bonus points will automatically be added to your average at the end of each grading period if they improve your average by a letter grade.  Any unused points may be carried over through the entire year.
     Bonus points are earned at a rate of 1 point for each consecutive period of 15 days of attendance
without any tardies.  Unexcused absences automatically result in a loss of extra points for the grading
period within which the unexcused absence occurs. 

VI.  CITIZENSHIP 
     Citizenship mark is based on behavior and cooperation.  It also includes attendance (tardies and unexcused absences).  The following point system is used in determining the basic citizenship mark:  each tardy is one point. 
      A citizenship mark of 4 is awarded for 0-3 points. 
      A citizenship mark of 3 is awarded for 4-7 points , but no more than 1 unexcused  absence.. 
      A citizenship mark of 2 is awarded for 7-10 points. 
      A citizenship mark of 1 is awarded for 11 or more points. 

 VII.  CLASS ORGANIZATION AND RULES 
      1.  Do not sit on desks or tables or put your feet up on desks or tables.
      2.  Do not bring food, candy or drinks into class. 
      3.  Place all trash in the trash receptacle at the front of the room. 
      4.  Talking: Talking will be permitted at times, provided it is done at a low level.   There will be many periods of time in which absolutely no talking is permitted.
      5.  Sleeping during lectures or media presentations is absolutely prohibited.  By my definition, if I cannot see your eyes, you are sleeping.  Sleeping in class will lower your grade and may result in failure. 
     6.  All class assignments will be turned in by placing them in a class folder on my desk. 
     7.  Keep all exams returned to you.  You will need to save these as a review for other exams and the semester exam.  Points are added to your semester exam grade for each corrected exam turned in on the day of the semester of the semester exam. 

VIII.   TEXTBOOKS 
     Text books are not issued for this course.  If a student requests a book for home use, one will be
issued on a  temporary basis.  Again, if you wish to check out a book at any time, please notify me. 
     Lost or damaged  books will result in a replacement fee equal to the current replacement cost to
the school.