Environmental Science

Curriculum Guide for High School

SDP Science Teachers

Please note: Pennsylvania & Next Generation Science Standards as well as Instructional Resources are found on the SDP Curriculum Engine Prepared by: Jamie Feldstein 10/2017

Environmental Science: Term 1 Unit 1 Topic: The Scientific Method and Introduction to Environmental Science Duration: Traditional (50 minute periods): 8 - 10 classes ( adjust using professional

discretion)

Block (90 minute periods) : 4 - 5 classes (adjust using professional discretion) Eligible Content

CHEM.A.1.1.2: Classify observations as qualitative and/or quantitative. CHEM.A.1.1.3: Utilize significant figures to communicate the uncertainty in a quantitative observation. BIO.B.4.2.4: Describe how ecosystems change in response to natural and human disturbances. BIO.B.3.3.1: Distinguish among the scientific terms: hypothesis, inference, law, theory, principle, fact, and observation. Performance Objectives SWBAT: These are examples, created by SDP teachers, of how you may translate the eligible content into learning goals for your classroom.

• SWBAT to apply the scientific method IOT generate questions about environmental issues, identify dependent and independent variables, and critique the elements of an experimental design.

• SWBAT cite textual evidence IOT draw conclusions regarding human actions and environmental impacts.

• SWBAT proficiently use lab equipment to obtain quantitative data IOT construct

graphical representations and use statistics to interpret and describe experimental results.

• SWBAT contrast correlation and causation IOT analyze how scientists determine which factors impact an environment.

• SWBAT write a lab report IOT communicate their understanding of the processes and

conclusions of the investigation. Key Terms and Definitions

1. Causation: when one factor is responsible for the change in another factor. 2. Constants: all of the factors that are the same in both the experimental group and the control

group.

3. Control: the factor or subject of an experiment that is not manipulated but can be used to make comparisons between sets of data. The experimental subjects that represent the “normal” conditions.

4. Correlation: the mutual relationship between 2 things. 5. Dependent variable: the factor in an experiment that is changed or determined by

manipulation of one or more other factors (independent variables), and addresses what is evaluated at the end of the experiment to determine if the experimental and treatment groups are different.

6. Environment: the total of surroundings (air, water, soil, vegetation, people, wildlife) influencing each living being's existence, including physical, biological and all other factors: the surroundings of a plant or animal, including other plants or animals, climate and location.

7. Environmental Science: the branch of science concerned with the physical, chemical, and biological conditions of the environment and their effect on organisms.

8. Experimental/treatment group: the experimental subjects that are exposed to the variable of interest.

9. Hypothesis: a proposed explanation based on limited observation used as the starting point of further investigation.

10. Independent Variable: the factor in an experiment that is deliberately manipulated, and addresses what the experiment is designed to test the effect of.

11. Law: a concise quantitative statement or equation that proves valid for a wide variety of phenomena.

12. Observation: the process by which scientists learn about their world. Includes looking, noticing and measuring, as well as designing and carrying out experiments and creatively reevaluating previous observations.

13. Qualitative: involves analysis of data such as words (e.g., from interviews and literature), pictures (e.g., video), or objects (e.g., an artifact).

14. Quantitative: involves analysis of numerical data (measure, count, etc). 15. Sample size: the number of experimental subjects in an experiment (bigger sample size is

usually better). 16. Scientific Method: a series of steps followed to solve problems including collecting data,

formulating a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis, and stating conclusions. A method of thinking through a problem to a conclusion that is substantiated.

17. Scientific Theory: an explanation for some phenomenon that is based on observation, experimentation, and reasoning.

18. Theory: a testable explanation for a set of observations.

Environmental Science: Term 1 Unit 2

Topic: The Basic Chemistry of Our Planet Duration: Traditional (50 minute periods): 13 - 15 days (adjust using professional

discretion)

Block (90 minute periods): 7 - 8 days (adjust using professional discretion) Eligible Content

BIO.A.2.1.1: Describe the unique properties of water and how these properties support life on Earth. BIO.A.2.2.1: Explain how carbon is uniquely suited to form biological macromolecules. BIO.A.2.3.2: Explain how factors such as pH, temperature, and concentration levels can affect energy. CHEM.A.1.1.1: Classify physical or chemical changes within a system in terms of matter and/or energy. CHEM.A.1.2.5: Describe how chemical bonding can affect whether a substance dissolves in a given liquid. Performance Objectives SWBAT: These are examples, created by SDP teachers, of how you may translate the eligible content into learning goals for your classroom.

• SWBAT use the periodic table to diagram the structure of a given atom IOT compare electron configurations in the first 20 elements.

• SWBAT distinguish between types of bonds IOT explain how atoms combine to become molecules.

• SWBAT discuss the unique characteristics of the carbon atom IOT identify, draw, and

describe the function of organic molecules (e.g. recall atomic structure when describing carbohydrates and hydrocarbons to draw the conclusion that they store potential energy).

• SWBAT identify reactants and products IOT explain how energy flows through a system

(e.g. photosynthesis and respiration, sun and living things).

• SWBAT diagram and describe water’s structure at the molecular level IOT describe how water’s unique properties make it essential to all life on Earth and characterize Earth’s interacting spheres.

• SWBAT describe how chemistry is the basis for understanding and solving

environmental issues IOT create solutions to environmental problems (such as the effects of acid precipitation in PA).

Key Terms and Definitions

1. Acid Precipitation: rain, snow, hail, fog, or dew, with a pH of less than 5.6 due to the presence of acid pollutants such as sulfuric and nitric acid.

2. Acid: a substance with a pH of less than 7 due to a greater amount of free H+ ions than OH ions.

3. Adhesion: The intermolecular attraction between unlike molecules. Capillary action results from the adhesive properties of water and the molecules that make up plant cells.

4. Atom: the smallest unit of an element that maintains the properties of that element. 5. Base: a substance with a pH of greater than 7 due to a greater about of OH ions than H+ ions. 6. Buffer: a solution that can maintain a nearly constant pH if it is diluted, or if relatively small

amounts of strong acids or bases are added. Buffer solutions resist pH changes 7. Carbohydrates: any of various neutral compounds of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (as

sugars, starches, and celluloses) most of which are formed by green plants and which constitute a major class of animal foods.

8. Cellular Respiration: A complex set of chemical reactions involving an energy transformation where potential chemical energy in the bonds of “food” molecules is released and partially captured in the bonds of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecules.

9. Chemical Change: any change from one state (gas, liquid, solid) which is accompanied by alteration of the chemical composition; any process in which one or more substances are changed into one or more different substances.

10. Cohesion: The intermolecular attraction between like molecules. Surface tension results from the cohesive properties of water.

11. Combustion: a usually rapid chemical process (as oxidation) that produces heat and usually light; also a slower oxidation (as in the body).

12. Compound: a substance made up of atoms of two or more different elements that are chemically combined.

13. Electron: a negatively charged subatomic particle. 14. Element: a substance that cannot be separated or broken down into simpler substances by

chemical means. 15. Energy: usable power that comes from heat, electricity, etc. 16. Hydrocarbon: an organic compound (as acetylene or butane) containing only carbon and

hydrogen and often occurring in petroleum, natural gas, coal, and bitumens. 17. Ion: atoms or molecules that carry either a positive or negative charge as a result of giving

away/gaining electrons. 18. Isotope: atoms of the same element that share the same number of protons, but contain

different amounts of neutrons. 19. Matter: the thing that forms physical objects and occupies space. 20. Mixture: a combination of two or more substances that are not chemically combined. 21. Molecule: the smallest unit of a substance that keeps all of the physical and chemical

properties of that substance. 22. Neutron: a subatomic particle of about the same mass as a proton but without an electric

charge, present in all atomic nuclei except those of ordinary hydrogen.

23. pH: a figure expressing the acidity or alkalinity of a solution on a logarithmic scale on which 7 is neutral, lower values are more acid and higher values more alkaline. The pH is equal to −log.

24. Photosynthesis: A process in which solar radiation is chemically captured by chlorophyll molecules through a set of controlled chemical reactions resulting in the potential chemical energy in the bonds of carbohydrate molecules

25. Polarity: a separation of electric charge in a molecule, leading to the ability to interact with water and other polar molecules, and the inability to interact with nonpolar molecules such as oils.

26. Potential Energy: the energy of a body or a system with respect to the position of the body or the arrangement of the particles of the system.

27. Proton - a stable subatomic particle occurring in all atomic nuclei, with a positive electric charge equal in magnitude to that of an electron, but of opposite sign.

Environmental Science: Term 1 Unit 3

Topic: Biogeochemical Cycles, Systems, Spheres Duration: Traditional (50 minute periods): 13 - 15 days (adjust using professional

discretion)

Block (90 minute periods): 7 - 7 days (adjust using professional discretion) Eligible Content

BIO.B.4.1.2: Describe characteristic biotic and abiotic components of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. BIO.B.4.2.3: Describe how matter recycles through an ecosystem (i.e. water cycle, carbon cycle, oxygen cycle, nitrogen cycle, etc.). BIO.B.4.2.4: Describe how ecosystems change in response to natural and human disturbances. Performance Objectives SWBAT: These are examples, created by SDP teachers, of how you may translate the eligible content into learning goals for your classroom.

• SWBAT diagram the biogeochemical cycles (i.e. water, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous) IOT explain how the the Law of Conservation of Matter connects biotic and abiotic factors within interlinked systems in the spheres.

• SWBAT use direct and indirect observations IOT to gather data and draw inferences and conclusions regarding the function of biogeochemical processes.

• SWBAT investigate the effects of positive and negative feedback loops in terms of Earth systems and spheres IOT display how the atmosphere interacts with life on Earth.

• SWBAT describe the contributions of Earth's four spheres to our planet's life support

system IOT analyze how the interactions between the hydrosphere and the biosphere support life.

• SWBAT cite evidence-describing ways in which human influences modify

biogeochemical cycles in terms of reservoir storage and fluxesIOT explain how ecosystems change in response to human disturbances and propose potential solutions.

Key Terms and Definitions

1. Atmosphere: the area of air and gas enveloping objects in space, like stars and planets, or the air around any location.

2. Abiotic factor: a term that describes a nonliving factor in an ecosystem.* 3. Biogeochemical cycles: the movement of abiotic factors between living and nonlinving

components within ecosystems; also known as nutrient cycles (i.e., water cycle, carbon cycle, oxygen cycle, and nitrogen cycle).*

4. Biosphere: zone of life on Earth; sum total of all ecosystems on Earth.* 5. Biotic factor: a term that describes a living or once living organism in an ecosystem.* 6. Carbon cycle: the process of carbon atoms being passed between biotic and abiotic

factors. 7. Cellular respiration: a process by which cells extract energy from organic compounds

by breaking bonds, releasing carbon dioxide as waste products. C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O + Energy (ATP).

8. Consumer: organism that gets its energy by eating other organisms. 9. Ecology: study of the relationships between organisms and their interactions with the

environment.* 10. Feedback loop: The section of a control system that allows for feedback and self

correction and that adjusts its operation according to differences between the actual and the desired or optimal output.

11. Flux: an operation or series of operations resulting in change. 12. Geosphere: any of the almost spherical concentric regions of matter that make up the

earth and its atmosphere, as the lithosphere and hydrosphere. 13. Greenhouse gas: any of various gaseous compounds (such as carbon dioxide) that absorb

infrared radiation, trap heat in the atmosphere, and contribute to the greenhouse effect. 14. Homeostasis: balance 15. Hydrologic cycle: the water cycle, how water moves around the earth through biotic and

abiotic factors 16. Hydrosphere: the water on or surrounding the surface of the globe, including the water

of the oceans and the water in the atmosphere. 17. Lithosphere: the rigid outer layer of the earth, having an average thickness of about 75

km and comprising the earth's crust and the solid part of the mantle above the asthenosphere.

18. Negative feedback loop: a process that returns a system to equilibrium.

19. Nitrogen cycle: the process of nitrogen atoms being passed between biotic and abiotic factors.

20. Organism: form of life; an animal, plant fungus, protist or bacterium.* 21. Oxygen cycle: the process of oxygen atoms being passed between biotic and abiotic

factors. 22. Photosynthesis: a process by which solar radiation is chemically captured by chlorophyll

molecule through a set of controlled chemical reactions resulting in the potential chemical energy in the bonds of carbohydrate molecules 6CO2 + 6H2O + Light Energy → C6H12O6 + 6O2.*

23. Positive feedback loop: a process that amplifies change. 24. Producer: organism that makes its own food, an autotroph. 25. Reservoir: a supply or source of something. A physical place where a resource is stored.

Environmental Science: Term 2 Unit 4

Topic: Ecosystem Dynamics: Food Webs, Energy Pyramids, Succession Duration: Traditional (50 minute periods): 8 - 11 days (adjust using professional discretion)

Block (90 minute periods): 7 - 8 days (adjust using professional discretion) Eligible Content BIO.B.4.1.1: Describe the levels of ecological organization (i.e., organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere). BIO.B.4.1.2: Describe characteristic biotic and abiotic component of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. BIO.B.4.2.1: Describe how energy flows through an ecosystem (e.g., food chains, food webs, energy pyramids). Performance Objectives SWBAT: These are examples, created by SDP teachers, of how you may translate the eligible content into learning goals for your classroom.

• SWBAT define biotic and abiotic limiting factors IOT give examples of each and describe their interactions.

• SWBAT diagram the trophic levels in food chains and food webs IOT explain how

energy moves through an ecosystem.

• SWBAT relate limiting factors to primary productivity IOT calculate the productivity of ecosystems.

• SWBAT trace the path of energy from the sun through trophic levels IOT describe why

primary productivity is the basis of the food chain.

• SWBAT classify organisms according to their position in a food chain IOT identify

consumers, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores and detritivores.

• SWBAT define succession, list 2 types of ecological succession, and know the

importance of lichens IOT analyze how nutrient cycling is demonstrated in old field succession and primary succession.

Key Terms and Definitions

1. Organism - form of life, an animal, plant, fungus, protist or bacterium 2. Population - group of individuals of the same species living in a specific geographical

area and reproducing 3. Community (ecological) - different populations of organisms interacting in a shared

environment 4. Ecosystem - a system composed of organisms and nonliving components for an

environment 5. Ecology - study of the relationships between organisms and their interactions with the

environment 6. Abiotic factor - a term that describes a nonliving factor in an ecosystem 7. Biotic factor - a term that describes a living or once-living organism in an ecosystem 8. Consumer (ecological) - organism that obtains energy by feeding on other organisms or

their remains 9. Decomposer - an organism that obtains nutrients by consuming dead and decaying

organic matter which allows nutrients to be accessible to other organisms 10. Bioenergetics - the study of energy flow (energy transformations) into and within living

systems 11. Autotroph - an organism that can synthesize its food from inorganic substances using

heat or light as a source of energy 12. Carnivore - an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from

a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue, whether through predation or scavenging.

13. Detritivore - an organism that feeds on detritus (“trash”, “dead things”, organic or inorganic matter); a saprophage

14. Ecology - is the scientific analysis and study of interactions among organisms and their environment

15. Ecosystem - an interacting group of living organisms in an area 16. Herbivore - animals that eat plants 17. Heterotroph - an organism which requires an external supply of energy in the form

of food because it cannot make its own 18. Omnivore - An animal which is able to consume both plants (like a herbivore)

and meat (like a carnivore). 19. Producer (ecological) = an organism that uses a primary energy source to conduct

photosynthesis or chemosynthesis

20. Limiting factor - chemical, physical, or biological factor that limits the existence, growth, abundance, or distribution of an individual organism or a population

21. Biomass - is the mass of living biological organisms in a given area or ecosystem at a given time.

22. Food chain - a simplified path illustrating the passing of potential energy (food) from one organism to another organism

23. Food web - a complex arrangement of interrelated food chains illustrating the flow of energy between interdependent organisms

24. Keystone species - a species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.

25. Primary producer - organisms that make their own food from sunlight and/or chemical energy from deep sea vents; are the base of every food chain; these organisms are called autotrophs.

26. Primary productivity -the rate of generation of biomass in an ecosystem. 27. Energy pyramid - a model that illustrates the biomass productivity at multiple trophic

levels in a given ecosystem. 28. Secondary consumer - a carnivore that preys upon herbivores 29. Trophic level - the position of an organism in relation to the flow of energy and

inorganic nutrients through an ecosystem (e.g., producer, consumer, and decomposer) 30. Succession - a series of predictable and orderly changes within an ecosystem over time 31. Primary succession - change that occurs on surface where no ecosystem was before, like

on rocks or on sand 32. Secondary succession - change that occurs on a surface where an ecosystem already

existed 33. Pioneer species - the first organism to colonize any new area 34. Climax community - final, stable community 35. Environmental science - the science of the interactions between the physical, chemical,

and biological components of the environment. 36. Environmentalism - a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding

concerns for environmental protection and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements

37. Natural resource - any of the materials derived from the environment 38. Renewable resource - a naturally occurring raw material or form of energy that will be

replenished through natural ecological cycles or sound management practices 39. Nonrenewable resource - substances (e.g., oil, gas, coal, copper, gold) that once used

cannot be replaced in this geological age 40. Sustainable - a naturally occurring raw material or form of energy that will be

replenished through natural ecological cycles or sound management practices (e.g., the sun, wind, water, trees).

Environmental Science: Term 2 Unit 5 Topic: Evolution & Biodiversity

Duration: Traditional (50 minute periods) : 18 -21 days (adjust to student needs using

professional discretion)

Block (90 minute periods) : 8-9 days (adjust to student needs using professional discretion)

Eligible Content BIO.B.4.1.1: Describe the levels of ecological organization (i.e., organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere). BIO.B.4.2.4: Describe how ecosystems change in response to natural and human disturbances (introduction of nonnative species). BIO.B.4.2.5: Describe the effects of limiting factors on population dynamics and potential species extinction. Performance Objectives SWBAT: These are examples, created by SDP teachers, of how you may translate the eligible content into learning goals for your classroom.

• SWBAT explain evolution by natural selection IOT analyze the role of the environment in ecosystem change.

• SWBAT describe artificial selection IOT compare natural selection and artificial selection and understand the human influence on each process.

• SWBAT explain the process of speciation and how speciation and extinction affect

biodiversity IOT understand and explain the role of evolution in biodiversity.

• SWBAT Describe how to map and monitor biodiversity and current global trends in biodiversity IOT explain global trends of ecosystem health and problems over short term and geologic time.

• SWBAT compare and contrast endangered and threatened species using Pennsylvania

examples and identify the risks to biodiversity IOT develop strategies to protect biodiversity.

Key Terms and Definitions

1. Adaptation - Adjustment to extant conditions: as, adjustment of a sense organ to the intensity or quality of stimulation; modification of some thing or its parts that makes it more fit for existence under the conditions of its current environment.

2. Artificial selection - because people (instead of nature) select which organisms get to reproduce.

3. Biodiversity - is the variety of different types of life found on earth. It is a measure of the variety of organisms present in different ecosystems.

4. Competition * - When individuals or groups of organisms compete for similar resources such as territory, mates, water, and food in the same environment.

5. Ecosystem diversity - It is the variation in the ecosystems found in a region or the variation in ecosystems over the whole planet.

6. Endangered species - A species that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

7. Endemic - the ecological state of a species being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation, country or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere.

8. Evolution *– a process in which new species develop from preexisting species (biological evolution or macroevolution); a change in the allele frequencies of a population of organisms from generation to generation(genetic evolution or microevolution).

9. Extinction * - A term that typically describes a species that no longer has any known living individuals.

10. Extirpation - is the condition of a species (or other taxon) that ceases to exist in the chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere.

11. Fossils *- The preserved remains or traces of organisms that once lived on Earth. 12. Founder Effect * - A decrease in genetic variation caused by the formation of a new

population by a small number of individuals from a larger population. 13. Gene pool - is the set of all genes, or genetic information, in any population. 14. Genetic diversity - refers to the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic

makeup of a species. 15. Genetic drift *- A change in the allele frequency of a population as a result of chance

events rather than natural selection. 16. Habitat * - An area that provides an organism with its basic needs for survival. 17. Habitat fragmentation - describes the emergence of discontinuities (fragmentation) in

an organism's preferred environment. 18. Homologous Structure * - A physical characteristic in different organisms that is similar

because it was inherited from a common ancestor. 19. Inheritance * - The process in which genetic material is passed from parents to their

offspring. 20. Invasive species - is a plant or animal that is not native to a specific location (an introduced

species); and has a tendency to spread, which is believed to cause damage to the environment, human economy and/or human health.

21. Mass extinction - is a widespread and rapid decrease in the amount of life on Earth. 22. Mutation *- is a permanent change of the nucleotide sequence of the genome of an

organism, virus, or extrachromosomal DNA or other genetic elements. 23. Natural selection * - A process in nature in which organisms possessing certain inherited

traits are better able to survive and reproduce compared to others of their species. 24. Nonnative Species * - A species typically living outside a distribution range that has

been introduced through either deliberate or accidental human activity; also known as introduced, alien, nonindigenous, or exotic species.

25. Organism * - A form of life; an animal, plant, fungus, protist or bacterium.

26. Population * - A group of individuals of the same species living in a specific geographical area and reproducing.

27. Poaching - has traditionally been defined as the illegal hunting, killing, or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights.

28. Speciation * - A process typically caused by the genetic isolation from a main population resulting in a new genetically distinct species.

29. Species * - the lowest taxonomic level of biological classification consisting of organisms capable of reproduction that results in fertile offspring.

30. Species diversity - the number of different species that are represented in a given community.

31. Taxonomical key - classify organisms based on their relationship to other organisms. 32. Vestigial structure * - A physical characteristic in organisms that appears to have lost its

original function as a species has changed over time. 33. Variation - is the raw material of evolution. Without genetic variation, a population

cannot evolve in response to changing environmental variables and, as a result, may face an increased risk of extinction.

Environmental Science: Term 2 Unit 6

Topic: Biomes (Terrestrial & Aquatic) Duration: Traditional (50 minute periods) : 18 -21 days (adjust to student needs using

professional discretion)

Block (90 minute periods) : 8-9 days (adjust to student needs using professional discretion)

Eligible Content BIO.B.4.1.1 Describe the levels of ecological organization (ie. organisms, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere). BIO.B.4.1.2 Describe characteristic biotic and abiotic component of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. BIO.B.4.2.4 Describe how ecosystems change in response to natural and human disturbances (e.g. climate changes, introduction of nonnative species, pollution, fires). Performance Objectives SWBAT: These are examples, created by SDP teachers, of how you may translate the eligible content into learning goals for your classroom.

• SWBAT model the effect the tilt of the Earth has on the uneven heating of the surface IOT explain the reason for the seasons.

• SWBAT interpret climatographs or a diagram of temperature and precipitation with regard to the worlds’ biomes IOT draw conclusions about their importance in determining the characteristics of biomes.

• SWBAT describe the latitude and altitude of the worlds’ terrestrial biomes IOT explain how they determine the plant community in each biome.

• SWBAT describe 4 plant and 4 animal species in 2 different biomes IOT distinguish

those biomes from each other.

• SWBAT research the relationship between specific organisms and their biomes IOT map food chains in the biome and analyze how adaptations help them survive in that environment.

• SWBAT use real-world data and field observations IOT determine in which biome they

live.

• SWBAT cite textual evidence regarding invasive aquatic species IOT explain how ecosystems change in response to natural and human disturbances.

Key Terms and Definitions

1. Biome - a large area or geographical region with distinct plant and animal groups adapted to that environment

2. Biosphere - the zone of life on Earth; sum total of all ecosystems on Earth (all biomes are included in this)

3. Abiotic factor - a term that describes a nonliving factor in an ecosystem 4. Biotic factor - a term that describes a living or once-living organism in an ecosystem 5. Habitat - an area that provides an organism with its basic need for survival (found within

biomes) 6. Ecosystem - a system composed of organisms and nonliving components of an

environment 7. Climate - change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns when that

change lasts for an extended period of time. 8. Latitude - distance north or south of equator 9. Altitude - height above sea level 10. Tropical rain forest - around equator (0 latitude), regulate world climate, humid, hot,

200-450cm of rain per year 11. Emergent layer - top layer of tropical rain forest (tallest trees) 12. Canopy - area just below emergent layer, splits into upper canopy and lower canopy 13. Understory - lowest area of a tropical rain forest 14. Temperate rain forest - high precipitation, high humidity, moderate temperature 15. Temperate deciduous forest - drop leaves, located between 30 - 50 degree latitudes 16. Taiga - northern coniferous forest, average temps below freezing, 17. Savanna - dominated by grasses, shrubs, small trees; rainy and dry seasons instead of

winter and summer

18. Temperate grassland - called prairies; moderate rainfall, but too little for trees to grow 19. Chaparral - a temperate shrubland biome; located on coastlines; dry climate 20. Desert - any biome with less than 25cm of rain per year; has extreme hot and cold

temperature swings 21. Tundra - characterized by permafrost; located in northern arctic regions, winter is dry

and summer is very wet from thawed snow and ice 22. Permafrost - permanently frozen layer of dirt in northern latitudes 23. Wetland - Lands where water saturation is the dominant factor determining the nature of

the soil development and the plant and animal communities (e.g., sloughs, estuaries, marshes).

24. Plankton - tiny organisms that can’t swim, ‘drifters’; exist in salt or freshwater; diatoms and protozoans are examples

25. Phytoplankton - tiny photosynthetic organisms; they float with currents like tiny floating plants; primary producers and first part of food web for most aquatic ecosystems

26. Zooplankton - drifting animals, like a jellyfish 27. Littoral zone - the part of a sea, lake or river that is close to the shore 28. Benthic zone - the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an

ocean or a lake, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers 29. Eutrophication - an increase in the amount of nutrients in an aquatic ecosystem 30. Estuary - a partly enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or

streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea 31. Salt marsh - the area formed at end of estuaries where rivers meet the ocean and deposit

mineral rich mud 32. Mangrove swamp - swamps filled with mangrove trees; mangrove trees are salt tolerant 33. barrier island - islands that run parallel to the coast and protect the mainland 34. Invasive - spreading or taking over. Invasive species often take over or dominate a

habitat. 35. Invasive species - is a plant or animal that is not native to a specific location (an

introduced species); and has a tendency to spread, which is believed to cause damage to the environment, human economy and/or human health.

Environmental Science: Term 3 Unit 7 Topic: Populations Dynamics: Interactions, Growth, Stability Duration: Traditional (50 minutes): 17 - 20 days (adjust using professional judgement)

Block Schedule (90 minutes): 9 - 11 days (adjust using professional judgement) Eligible Content BIO.B.4.1.1: Describe the levels of ecological organization (i.e., organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere). BIO.B.4.1.2: Describe characteristic biotic and abiotic component of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

BIO.B.4.1: Describe the ecological levels of organization in the biosphere. BIO.B.4.2: Describe interactions and relationships in an ecosystem. BIO.B.4.2.4: Describe how ecosystems change in response to natural and human disturbances (e.g., climate changes, introduction of nonnative species, pollution, fires.) BIO.B.4.2.5: Describe the effects of limiting factors on population dynamics and potential species extinction. Performance Objectives SWBAT: These are examples, created by SDP teachers, of how you may translate the eligible content into learning goals for your classroom.

• SWBAT describe the factors that influence an organism’s niche IOT demonstrate understanding of the relationships between biotic and abiotic factors.

• SWBAT apply sampling methods IOT describe the dynamics of a population in an

ecosystem.

• SWBAT analyze examples of population size, density and distribution IOT predict the growth status of a population.

• SWBAT interpret data and diagrams on the fertility rate, age structure, and sex ratios of a

population IOT predict its growth potential.

• SWBAT cite textual evidence IOT explain the difference between primary and secondary succession and give examples of when each might occur.

• SWBAT conduct experiments and/or research and identify changes to PA ecosystems

related to seasons, climate change, natural disasters and succession IOT make conclusions about and predict changes to PA ecosystems.

• SWBAT complete project based learning using real-world population data IOT

synthesize their understandings of the relationships between population growth and stability.

Key Terms and Definitions

1. Commensalism- is a class of relationships between two organisms where one organism benefits from the other without affecting it.

2. Habitat - Consists of food, water, shelter, and space in a suitable arrangement. 3. Herbivory -is a form of predation in which an organism consumes principally

autotrophs[ such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. 4. Mutualism - is the way two organisms of different species exist in a relationship in

which each individual benefits from the activity of the other.

5. Niche - The role played by an organism in an ecosystem; its food preferences, requirements for shelter, special behaviors,and the timing of its activities (e.g., nocturnal, diurnal), interaction with other organisms and its habitat.

6. Parasitism - is a non-mutual symbiotic relationship between species, where one species, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host.

7. Predator - Animals that live by capturing and feeding on other animals 8. Prey - Animal hunted or caught for food. 9. Resource partitioning -this process allows two species to partition certain resources so

that one species does not outcompete the other as dictated by the competitive exclusion principle; thus, coexistence is obtained through the differentiation.

10. Age structure – is thin a population, the number or proportion of individuals in each age group.

11. Age structure diagram - is a graphical illustration that shows the distribution of various age groups in a population (typically that of a country or region of the world), which forms the shape of a pyramid when the population is growing.

12. Population - is a study of populations of organisms, especially the regulation of population size, life history traits such as clutch size, and extinction.

13. Population density - measurement of population per unit area or unit volume; it is a quantity of type number density. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans.

14. Population distribution - is the manner in which a biological taxon is spatially arranged. 15. Population size - is defined as "the number of breeding individuals in an idealized

population that would show the same amount of dispersion of allele frequencies under random genetic drift or the same amount of inbreeding as the population under consideration.

16. Sex ratio - is the ratio of males to females in a population. 17. Biotic potential- is the maximum reproductive capacity of a population under optimum

environmental conditions. 18. Carrying capacity -the maximum population size of the species that the environment

can sustain indefinitely, given the food, habitat, water, and other necessities available in the environment.

19. Density-dependent factor - any factor limiting the size of a population whose effect is dependent on the number of individuals in the population.

20. Density-independent factor - any factor limiting the size of a population whose effect is not dependent on the number of individuals in the population.

21. Emigration - s the act of leaving one's native country with the intent to settle elsewhere. 22. Exponential growth - The growth in the value of a quantity, in which the rate of growth

is proportional to the instantaneous value of the quantity; for example, when the value has doubled, the rate of increase will also have doubled. The rate may be positive or negative.

23. Immigration - is the movement of people into a country to which they are not native in order to settle there, especially as permanent residents or future citizens.

24. Migration - The policy of constructing or creating man-made habitats, such as wetlands, to replace those lost to development.

25. Survivorship curve - is a graph showing the number or proportion of individuals surviving to each age for a given species or group.

26. Invasive species - is a plant or animal that is not native to a specific location (an introduced species); and has a tendency to spread, which is believed to cause damage to the environment, human economy and/or human health.

27. Pioneer species - are hardy species which are the first to colonize previously disrupted or damaged ecosystems, beginning a chain of ecological succession that ultimately leads to a more biodiverse steady-state ecosystem.

28. Primary succession- is one of two types of biological and ecological succession of plant life, occurring in an environment in which new substrate devoid of vegetation and other organisms usually lacking soil, such as a lava flow or area left from retreated glacier, is deposited. In other words, it is the gradual growth of an ecosystem over a longer period. Secondary succession - is one of the two types of ecological succession of plant life.

29. Succession - is the observed process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time.

Environmental Science: Term 3 Unit 8 Topic: Human Populations: Urbanization, Health, and Policy

Duration: Traditional (50 minute periods): 18 - 21 days (adjust using professional discretion)

Block (90 minute periods): 9 - 11 days (adjust using professional discretion) Eligible Content BIO.B.4.1.2: Describe characteristic biotic and abiotic components of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. BIO.B.4.2.4: Describe how ecosystems change in response to natural and human disturbances. BIO.B.4.2.5: Describe the effects of limiting factors on population dynamics and potential species extinction. Performance Objectives SWBAT: These are examples, created by SDP teachers, of how you may translate the eligible content into learning goals for your classroom.

• SWBAT describe and graph the size and growth of human population over the last 200 years IOT make conclusions about the changes caused by the growth.

• SWBAT use differences in population growth in different countries IOT explain how development is impacted by population growth/ decline.

• SWBAT describe problems associated with rapid population growth IOT make

predictions about future trends and analyze strategies regions might use to accommodate population growth.

• SWBAT describe the goals of various national and international policies and

treaties IOT outline human roles and responsibilities towards the environment.

• SWBAT compare the land use, development and impacts of urban and rural communities IOT make conclusions about the costs and benefits of human development.

• SWBAT compare and contrast the patterns of urban development to suburban

sprawl IOT make conclusions about the costs and benefits of land use patterns.

• SWBAT investigate the environmental health of the communities they live in IOT looks for patterns of difference in ecojustice concepts.

• SWBAT explore the impact of natural disasters such as Katrina or Sandy on human

communities IOT make conclusions about the effectiveness of government policies on the health of humans and the communities where they live.

• SWBAT compare the relationships between environmental pollution and poor

health IOT make conclusions about state and local policies regarding industrial development and zoning.

• SWBAT describe some of the effects of natural and manmade pollution IOT understand

the costs and risks of pollution.

• SWBAT look at global land use patterns IOT make predictions about the spread of disease as the result of changes brought by climate change.

• SWBAT graph and analyze the relationship between lead poisoning and child

IQ IOT evaluate policies to protect children’s health.

• SWBAT describe major national and international policies, agreements, and treaties IOT understand global coordinated efforts to improve environmental problems.

• SWBAT to investigate a specific environmental problem IOT plan how they might

change their behavior and their community’s behavior to mitigate it. Key Terms and Definitions

1. Anthropocentrism - And viewpoint or theory that places human beings at the center of something, giving preference to human beings above all other considerations.

2. Cap and trade - is an environmental policy tool that delivers results with a mandatory cap on emissions

3. Environmental policy - refers to the commitment of an organization to the laws, regulations, and other policy mechanisms concerning environmental issues

4. Environmental impact statement - under United States environmental law, is a document required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for certain actions "significantly affecting the quality of the human environment

5. Environmental protection agency - is an agency of the U.S. federal government which was created for the purpose of protecting human health and the environment by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress

6. Environmental ethics - is the part of environmental philosophy which considers extending the traditional boundaries of ethics from solely including humans to including the non-human world.

7. Green tax - fiscal policy in which a differential level of taxation is intended to promote ecologically sustainable activities via economic incentives

8. Lobbying - is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in a government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies.

9. Affluent society - is a theory postulating that hunter-gatherers were the original affluent society

10. Technology - The application of knowledge to the practical aims of human life or to changing and manipulating the human environment. Technology is a broad concept that deals with a species' usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt to its environment.

11. Wealth gap - refers to disparities in the distribution of economic assets and income. 12. Heat Island - an urban area in which significantly more heat is absorbed and retained

than in surrounding areas. 13. Infrastructure - the underlying foundation or basic framework (as of a system or

organization). 14. Land Cover - the physical material at the surface of the earth. Land covers include

grass, asphalt, trees, bare ground, water, etc. 15. Land use - involves the management and modification of natural environment or

wilderness into built environment such as settlements and semi-natural habitats. 16. Rural Area - is a geographic area that is located outside cities and towns. 17. Sprawl - To sit with the limbs spread out. 18. Urban Area - is a location characterized by high human population density and vast

human-built features in comparison to the areas surrounding it. 19. Urbanization - is a population shift from rural to urban areas, "the gradual increase in

the proportion of people living in urban areas", and the ways in which each society adapts to the change.

20. Biomagnification - occurs when the concentration of a substance, such as DDT or mercury, in an organism exceeds the background concentration of the substance in its diet.

21. Carcinogen - A substance or agent that can cause cancer. 22. Dosage Response Relationship - describes the change in effect on an organism caused

by differing levels of exposure (or doses) to a stressor (usually achemical) after a certain exposure time.

23. Emerging Disease - an infectious disease whose incidence has increased in the past 20 years and could increase in the near future.

24. Hazard - A chemical accident is the unintentional refuse of one or more hazardous substances which could harm human health or the environment.

25. Infectious disease - A disease resulting from the presence and activity of a pathogenic microbial agent.

26. Pathogen - in the oldest and broadest sense is anything that can produce disease, a term which came into use in the 1880s.

27. Pollution - is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change.

28. Toxicology - is a branch of biology, chemistry, and medicine (more specifically pharmacology) concerned with the study of the adverse effects of chemicalson living organisms.

29. Risk Assessment - is the determination of quantitative or qualitative value of risk related to a concrete situation and a recognized threat (also called hazard).

Environmental Science: Term 4 Unit 9

Topic: Agriculture and Society: Industrial Farming and Industrial Meat Production

Duration: Traditional (50 minute periods): 21 - 25 days (adjust using professional discretion)

Block (90 minute periods): 9 days (adjust using professional discretion) Eligible Content BIO.B.4.1.2: Describe characteristic biotic and abiotic components of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. BIO.B.4.2.4: Describe how ecosystems change in response to natural and human disturbances. BIO.B.4.2.5: Describe the effects of limiting factors on population dynamics and potential species extinction. Performance Objectives SWBAT: These are examples, created by SDP teachers, of how you may translate the eligible content into learning goals for your classroom.

• SWBAT describe Malthus’ theory of population growth and the current food supply in PA IOT argue for and against industrial agricultural practices.

• SWBAT define industrial farming and industrial meat production IOT classify farms as industrial or family farms.

• SWBAT cite textual evidence from 3 articles on industrial agriculture IOT analyze the

social, political, economic, and environmental factors that affect agricultural systems.

• SWBAT examine the logistics of 1 plant (ex. corn or soy) and 1 animal (ex. pig or cow) processing from farm to table IOT explain the relationships between and among the components of the food and fiber system (production, processing, research and development, marketing, distribution, and regulations.)

• SWBAT list the top crops and livestock exports of PA IOT analyze the effects of agriculture on PA’s economy, environment, standard of living, and foreign trade.

• SWBAT cite evidence from concentrated animal feeding operations

(CAFO) IOT evaluate the use of technologies to increase animal productivity. Key Terms and Definitions

1. Agribusiness – a business that earns revenue from agriculture 2. agriculture - the production of food, feed, fiber, and other goods by the systematic

growing/ harvesting of polants, animals, and other life forms 3. biotic - living or once living organism in an ecosystem 4. abiotic - nonliving factors in an ecosystem 5. fiber - parts of plants and animals used for non-food products 6. lagoons - large ponds or lakes that contain manure and run off from CAFOs 7. CAFO - Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations 8. farm - A farm is defined as any place from which $1,000 or more of agricultural

products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the year. Since the definition allows for farms to be included even if they did not have at least $1,000 in sales, but normally would have, a system is developed by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for determining when a farm normally would have. These are called point farms. If a place does not have $1,000 in sales, a "point system" assigns dollar values for acres of various crops and head of various livestock species to estimate a normal level of sales. Point farms are farms with fewer than $1,000 in sales but have points worth at least $1,000. http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/farm-economy/farm-household-well-being/glossary.aspx

9. family farm - There is no hard-and-fast definition of a family farm, unlike the farm definition; The current definition of a family farm, since 2005, based on the Agricultural Resource Management Survey is one in which the majority of the business is owned by the operator and individuals related to the operator by blood, marriage, or adoption, including relatives that do not live in the operator household. Although the definition of a family farm has changed somewhat over time, the share of U.S. farms classified as family farms has changed little since 1996, ranging from 97.1 to 98.3 percent of all farms (see the data table on family and nonfamily farms, by farm size class (gross sales), 1996-2011).http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/farm-economy/farm-household-well-being/glossary.aspx

10. factory farming - At the very basic definition, a factory farm is usually a large industrial facility where livestock are crowded together. Technically, factory farms are known as Concentrated (or Confined) Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs): Defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as “New and existing operations which stable or confine and feed or maintain for a total of 45 days or more in any 12-month period more than the number of animals specified.” Also the EPA notes that factory farms have, "No grass or other vegetation in the confinement area during the normal growing season.” http://organic.about.com/od/organicdefinitionsef/g/Factory-Farm-Definition-Of-Factory-Farm.htm

11. livestock - farm animals regarded as an asset 12. pasture - grass or other plants for feeding livestock

Environmental Science: Term 4 Unit 10 Topic: Humans and the Environment

Duration: Traditional (50 minute periods): 18 – 22 classes ( adjust using professional discretion)

Block (90 minute periods) : 9 classes (adjust using professional discretion)

Eligible Content BIO.A.3.1.1: Describe the fundamental roles of plastids (e.g. chloroplasts) and mitochondria in energy transformations. BIO.A.3.2.1: Compare and contrast the basic transformation of energy during photosynthesis and cellular respiration. BIO.B.4.1.1: Describe the levels of ecological organization (i.e. organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere). BIO.B.4.1.2: Describe characteristic biotic and abiotic components of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. BIO.B.4.2.1: Describe how energy flows through an ecosystem (e.g. food chains, food webs, energy pyramids). BIO.B.4.2.4: Describe how ecosystems change in response to natural and human disturbances. Performance Objectives SWBAT: These are examples, created by SDP teachers, of how you may translate the eligible content into learning goals for your classroom.

• SWBAT cite textual evidence IOT draw conclusions regarding human actions and environmental impacts.

• SWBAT describe major national and international policies, agreements, and treaties IOT understand global coordinated efforts to improve environmental problems.

• SWBAT describe the goals of various national and international policies and treaties

IOT outline human roles and responsibilities towards the environment. Key Terms and Definitions

1. Affluent Society: is a theory postulating that hunter-gatherers were the original affluent society

2. Agriculture: The artificial cultivation of food, fiber, and other goods by the systematic growing and harvesting of various organisms.

3. Anthropocentrism: a viewpoint or theory that places human beings at the center of something, giving preference to human beings above all other considerations.

4. Biology: The scientific study of life. 5. Biodiversity: the variety of organisms in a given area, the genetic variation within a

population, the variety of species in a community, or the variety of communities in an ecosystem.

6. Cap and Trade: is an environmental policy tool that delivers results with a mandatory cap on emissions

7. Ecological Footprint: a calculation that shows the productive area of Earth needed to support one person in a particular country.

8. Ecology: The study of the relationships between organisms and their interactions with the environment.

9. Economics: the study of how individuals and groups make decisions about the production, distribution, and consumption of limited resources as the individuals or groups attempt to fulfill their needs and wants.

10. Environment: the total of surroundings (air, water, soil, vegetation, people, wildlife) influencing each living being's existence, including physical, biological and all other factors: the surroundings of a plant or animal, including other plants or animals, climate and location.

11. Environmental Ethics: is the part of environmental philosophy that considers extending the traditional boundaries of ethics from solely including humans to including the non-human world.

12. Environmental Impact Statement: an assessment of the effect of a proposed project or law on the environment; under United States environmental law, is a document required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for certain actions "significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.

13. Environmental Policy: refers to the commitment of an organization to the laws, regulations, and other policy mechanisms concerning environmental issues

14. Environmental Protection Agency: is an agency of the U.S. federal government which was created for the purpose of protecting human health and the environment by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress

15. Environmental Science: the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an organisms or a community, which ranges from a small area to Earth’s entire biosphere; it includes the study of the impact of humans on the environment.

16. Eutrophication: an increase in the amount of nutrients, such as nitrates, in a marine or aquatic ecosystem.

17. Fossil fuel: a nonrenewable energy resource formed from the remains of organisms that lived long ago; examples include oil, coal, and natural gas.

18. Geothermal energy: the energy produced by head with the Earth 19. Green tax: fiscal policy in which a differential level of taxation is intended to promote

ecologically sustainable activities via economic incentives 20. Global Warming: (climate change) a gradual increase in average global temperature. 21. Law of Supply and Demand: a law of economics that states that as the demand for a

good or service increases, the value of the good or service also increases. 22. Lobbying: is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in a

government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies.

23. Natural resource: any natural material that is used by humans, such as water, petroleum, minerals, forests, and animals.

24. Nonrenewable resource: substances (e.g., oil, gas, coal, copper, gold) that once used cannot be replaced in this geological age.

25. Pollution: an undesirable change in the natural environment that is caused by the introduction of substances that are harmful to living organisms or by excessive wastes, heat, noise, or radiation.

26. Recycling: the process of recovering valuables or useful materials from waste or scrap; the process of reusing some items.

27. Renewable resource: a naturally occurring raw material or form of energy that will be replenished through natural ecological cycles or sound management practices.

28. Risk Assessment: is the determination of quantitative or qualitative value of risk related to a concrete situation and a recognized threat (also called hazard).

29. Sustainability: the condition in which human needs are met in such a way that a human population can survive indefinitely.

30. Technology: - The application of knowledge to the practical aims of human life or to changing and manipulating the human environment. Technology is a broad concept that deals with a species' usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt to its environment.

31. Toxicology: is a branch of biology, chemistry, and medicine (more specifically pharmacology) concerned with the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms.

32. Wealth Gap: refers to disparities in the distribution of economic assets and income.