Welcome To Environmental Science
It is my expectation that by the end of the semester environmental science students will gain a deeper appreciation for the scientific process of studying the environment. I also hope that they will gain a deeper understanding of the ethical and moral issues they will face concerning the environment, and that the projects done in the class will help them in determining the their place in the environment and the impact that their decisions will have for themselves and others that they share the environment with both know and in the future.
Course Learning Targets
Ecoplot Learning Targets:
Invasive Species Learning Targets:
Climate and Energy Learning Targets:
- I can design controlled scientific experiments to answer such questions that include hypothesis, data collection and analysis, and that draw conclusions based on such data.
- I can identify patterns in data and draw conclusions using evidence from investigations
- I can predict what would happen if variables or methods of an investigation were changed.
- I can describe the chemical and physical components of soil and how soils are developed.
- I can describe the characteristics of a fertile or “good” soil.
- I can collect and identify the taxonomy of local flora and fauna using accepted techniques of environmental scientists.
- I can explain human impact on ecosystems.
Invasive Species Learning Targets:
Climate and Energy Learning Targets:
Ecoplot Insect Identification 9/17-9/21
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Using the techniques described in your directions, you will need to collect, identify and mount at least 4 insects from your Ecoplot. How do you think the soil nutrients would effect the numbers and varieties of insects on your plot?
For help with identification, use www.bugguide.net .
Found a spider? try this blog http://michiganspiders.blogspot.com .
Scoring Rubric for both insects and plants.
For help with identification, use www.bugguide.net .
Found a spider? try this blog http://michiganspiders.blogspot.com .
Scoring Rubric for both insects and plants.
Ecoplot Plant ID 9/24 - 9/28Plant Identification will be more of a challenge than the insects and will require some patience and attention to distinct plant characteristics. We will use the 3 texts below. The purpose of this activity is to slow down and take a closer look at plant characteristics and to learn how they are used in their identification |
Constructing Your Ecoplot Paper
Making Charts using and Graphs with Excel | |
File Size: | 44 kb |
File Type: | xlsx |
This link will take you to NOAA's National weather service page. It is a tool you can use to monitor the changes in climate that have occurred on your plot since we began the investigation. If you missed some climate data or simply want to know what happened on days you were not at your plot, this will give you an idea of that days weather. It will look like the image to the right.
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Great Lakes Invasive Species Campaign
Resources
20 years of Zebra and Quagga Mussel Research: A comprehensive look at what has changed in the 20 years these invaders have existed in the Great Lakes.
Video and Website Resources:
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Unit Project Instructions and Rubrics
Human Population, Fossil Fuels and a Green Economy
What relationship between the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and global averaged temperature do you see in the data below?
Essential Question: In what ways could a green economy save an exponentially growing human population from the byproducts of a problematic fossil fuel economy?
Class Developed Foundation Questions:
- What is meant by a green economy?
- What will it take to be considered a green economy?
- How much energy do Americans consume?
- What economic benefits are there in green energy?
- How is the population affected by our fossil fuel economy?
- Can fossil fuels and green energy coincide?
- What are the problematic byproducts of fossil fuel use?
- How long can the current fossil fuel economy continue?
- What are the consequences of not developing green energy?
- How quickly is the human population growing?
- What is the current fossil fuel consumption rate?
- What is a green economy (examples)?
- What are some problems related to fossil fuels?
- What are some benefits of a green economy?
- What is human population expected to be in 10, 20 years?
- What are problems associated with overpopulation?
- How much will a green economy cost compared to a fossil fuel based economy?
- What are the best projected ways for producing energy in our future?
- What are some predictions to a climate shift?
- Are there problems to developing a green economy?
- What are some ways to produce green energy?
Please Upload this document to your google docs, save it as EnvSciGE (first initial) (last name), then share it with me.
Some Resources to get You Started:
- Climate Science - An Unbiased Look
- What is a Green Economy?
- Problematic Byproducts Example 1
- Problematic Byproducts Example 2
- Problematic Byproducts Example 3
- The Science of Climate Change
A Possible Answer? At What Type of Costs?
So what about these things called oil sands?
This newer form of oil extraction promises to help the Unites States and North America become independent of the need for foreign imported oil. But, at what costs? Please do the following:
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