APES video 1.0 ecosystems, predator-prey relationships, analysis of predator prey graphs, factors which affect relationships.
Read article on fracking. Discuss the pro's and con's associated with fracking along with the production of methane gas. Discuss the chemistry of methane gas and greenhouse gasses in general.
Answer questions at the end of module 1.
Elicit from student definitions and examples of terms. These include environment, biotic and abiotic with examples, environmental science and interactions. Discuss what represents systems and define in terms of interacting components.
Discuss ecosystems and differentiate environmental scientist from environmentalists. Discuss in detail examples of interactions including why and how a tree dies in the forrest and all the possible interactions which will lead to the growth of a new specie in the ecosystem. Elicit that systems will differ in size and can involve predator prey relationships.
Discuss and use examples of the manipulation of systems by human intervention and pollution.
Define biological diversity as an indicator of ecosystem health.
Divide the biological diversity into genetic diversity, species diversity and ecosystem diversity.
For each division. For each division, examine photographs of examples, discuss definitions of each, and the advantages of high diversity to the system.
Define speciation, species, and background extinction rate.
List and discuss products and services nature provides.
Define ecosystem service.
Discuss what occurs when an ecosystem in unable to provide the services and goods.
List and discuss ways to measure the health of the ecosystem using environmental indicators
Review and discussion of systems in environmental science.
Define and differentiate between environmental scientist and environmentalists. List differences and show how they interact using a Ven diagram.
Discuss how human development has impacted natural systems over the last 200 years . Discuss widespread technology development and the growth of human populations along with the development of modern cities as examples of human impact development
Discuss course and requirements. Discuss previous science courses completed within the last 2 years.
Introduce global warming and discuss what changes it has produced over the last 100 years, what brought about these changes, the affects changes have on the environment, and what can be done to help reduce the the possible damage to the environment.
Define environment, biotic and abiotic factors which affect the environment. Discuss the interactions which humans have on the environment. Define systems and the exchange of energy and material between systems.,
List the different types of systems and outline some examples regarding the interactions between systme d.
Session Minutes
90
Minutes Student Attended
90
Lesson Comments
Matthew was taking extensive notes during our discussions, and answering questions
Joshua has completed his AP test this morning.
Discussion was based on the difference between an ecosystem and how they function, and an economic system and how they function.
Final preparation for the AP exam. Examine and answer a set of free response questions from the Barron's Review Book.
Stress the importance of reading the complete question, circling or underlining what is being asked: a description, and analysis, a method to correct, or to explain an environmental impact.
View and discuss three videos in preparation for the College Board test. Concentrate on how to best answer the free response questions.
Differentiate between identify, justify, explain, and present an hypothesis. Don't answer more than they are asking.
Session Minutes
90
Minutes Student Attended
90
Lesson Comments
we will continue on Monday with more prep. He is improving in his responses
