Course Syllabus
AP Environmental Science (Sem 2)

Description

This is the second semester of a two-semester course sequence focusing upon ecology, biology, and conservation. This course covers the following topics: resource use and sustainability, population and population dynamics, science, matter and energy, and ecosystems and biodiversity. Further exploration of the topics presented in the first semester course such as the impacts associated with human and animal activities in regard to pollution, overpopulation, and deforestation will be studied to give students a strong understanding of their role as citizens of the world. Laboratory and field experiences will continue to be heavily stressed so that students may learn by interacting with the environment.

This is the second semester of a two-semester course sequence and is aligned to the College Board’s Advanced Placement course and exam description for AP Computer Science Principles. The course introduces high school students to the foundations of modern computing, covering a broad range of foundational topics, including programming, algorithms, the Internet, big data, digital privacy and security, and the societal impacts of computing. Computing affects almost all aspects of modern life, and all students deserve an education that prepares them to pursue the wide array of opportunities that computing has made possible. This course seeks to provide knowledge and skills to meaningfully participate in our increasingly digital society, economy, and culture. The course does NOT include the AP Exam; students can contact their school’s AP Coordinator or the College Board to sign up to take the Exam. In order to maintain the integrity of AP standards, all AP course midterm and final exams must be proctored. Prerequisites:  AP Environmental Science (Sem 1)

Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to...

• Explain how human use of resources affects environmental sustainability
• Differentiate major types of environmental challenges and resource systems
• Compare renewable and nonrenewable energy sources based on their environmental and economic trade-offs
• Assess how natural resource extraction and waste management practices affect environmental sustainability
• Compare irrigation and pollution control methods based on their environmental impacts
• Identify major pollutants and toxic substances and evaluate their effects on human and ecosystem health
• Evaluate how climate change and urban development contribute to environmental pollution and ecosystem disruption
• Propose strategies to reduce pollution and improve environmental resilience

Course Outline:

Unit 8: Earth Systems and Resources

Unit 9: Water and Pollution

Unit 10: Air and Pollution

Unit 11: Environmental Hazards and Waste Management

Unit 12: Sustainability, Economics, and Politics

Resources Included: Online lesson instruction and activities, opportunities to engage with a certified, online instructor and classmates, when appropriate, and online assessments to measure student performance of course objectives and readiness for subsequent academic pursuits.

Additional Costs: Students must obtain the following textbook before starting the course: G. Tyler Miller and Spoolman, S. (2024). Exploring environmental science: Enhanced AP® edition. Hardcover ISBN: 9798214069593 (Hardcover) | ISBN: 9798214069654 (eText). Order from National Geographic Learning - Cengage.
The cost of the text materials is not included in the cost of the course. While most lab activities can be completed by using everyday household items, it may be necessary to purchase some items on occasion. Students currently enrolled in a local high school may find it helpful to contact a science instructor to see about gaining access to lab materials (measuring tools, non-hazardous chemicals, etc.) for the completion of some labs. Finally, there is a minimum of one required field experience in which the student visits and compares multiple natural environments (travel costs may be required and will vary for students).

Scoring System: Michigan Virtual does not assign letter grades, grant credit for courses, nor issue diplomas. A final score out of total points earned will be submitted to your school mentor for conversion to their own letter grading system.

Time Commitment: Semester sessions are 18-weeks long: Students must be able to spend 1 or more hours per day in the course to be successful. Summer sessions are 10 weeks long: Students must be able to spend a minimum of 2 or more hours per day, or about 90 hours during the summer, for the student to be successful in any course. Trimester sessions are 12-weeks long: Students must be able to spend 1.5 or more hours per day in the course to be successful.

Technology Requirements: Students will require a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube.

Ensure that your school or district network and device administrator establishes network access permissions or exceptions for online resources relevant to the course in which you are choosing to enroll. Ref., Michigan Virtual Course Allow List

Please review the Michigan Virtual Technology Requirements.

Instructor Support System: For technical issues within your course, contact the Customer Care Center by email at [email protected] or by phone at (888) 889-2840.

Instructor Contact Expectations: Students can use email or the private message system within the Student Learning Portal to access highly qualified teachers when they need instructor assistance. Students will also receive feedback on their work inside the learning management system. The Instructor Info area of their course may describe additional communication options.

Academic Support Available: In addition to access to a highly qualified, Michigan certified teacher, students have access to academic videos and outside resources verified by Michigan Virtual. For technical issues within the course, students can contact the Michigan Virtual Customer Care by email at [email protected] or by phone at (888) 889-2840.

Required Assessment: Online assessments consist of formative and summative assessments represented by computer-graded multiple choice, instructor-graded writing assignments including hands-on projects, model building, discussion-based assessments (one-on-one conversations with your teacher), and other forms of authentic assessments.

Technical Skills Needed: Basic technology skills necessary to locate and share information and files as well as interact with others in a Learning Management System (LMS), include the ability to:

• Download, edit, save, convert, and upload files
• Download and install software
• Use a messaging service similar to email
• Communicate with others in online discussion or message boards, following basic rules of netiquette
• Open attachments shared in messages
• Create, save, and submit files in commonly used word processing program formats and as a PDF
• Edit file share settings in cloud-based applications, such as Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides
• Save a file as a .pdf
• Copy and paste and format text using your mouse, keyboard, or an html editor’s toolbar menu
• Insert images or links into a file or html editor
• Search for information within a document using Ctrl+F or Command+F keyboard shortcuts
• Work in multiple browser windows and tabs simultaneously
• Activate a microphone or webcam on your device, and record and upload or link audio and/or video files
• Use presentation and graphics programs
• Follow an online pacing guide or calendar of due dates
• Use spell-check, citation editors, and tools commonly provided in word processing tool menus
• Create and maintain usernames and passwords

Additional Information: In accordance with College Board requirements for AP Environmental Science this course will require students to complete a variety of field experiences and laboratory activities. Students will need to have access to visit nearby waterways, forests, fields, parks etc. Additionally, students will be expected to have access to common household items or consumable grocery items to complete lab activities (e.g. glassware, milk, bread, etc.).

The official course descriptions for Advanced Placement courses and information about their exams are located on the College Board AP Central website.

Michigan Virtual prepares students in AP courses for the AP exam, but does not offer the exam test itself. It is the responsibility of the school or parent to register for a local administration of the AP exam.

Students will enroll in their Michigan Virtual instructor’s AP Classroom. If students intend to take the AP Exam, then they should be enrolled in an Exam Only section of AP Classroom created by their local school personnel. Students will then be enrolled in BOTH the Exam Only AP Classroom associated with their local school AND the online instructor’s AP Classroom associated with Michigan Virtual.

There are required due dates in AP courses. The pacing of due dates in AP courses aligns to the completion of all lessons and required assignments and assessments prior to the national AP exam date related to this course title. The calendar of AP exam dates is published by the College Board (Exam Calendar).