ENV 111 - Environmental Science Course Department: Science Last Date of Approval: Spring 2023
4 Credits Total Lecture Hours: 45 Total Lab Hours: 30 Total Clinical Hours: 0 Total Work-Based Experience Hours: 0
Course Description: Environmental science promotes an understanding of the Earth as a complex network of interacting organic and inorganic systems. It includes learning about the processes of science and information literacy. The course covers topics such as ecology, the Earth’s resource challenges, air and water pollution, population growth, biodiversity, and sustainability. This course will help students refine their critical thinking skills as they evaluate various topics and concepts while searching for underlying connections between the concepts, which is a skill that should be beneficial in any/all types of careers. This course will also help students gain scientific literacy which will be of vital significance when making important life decisions.
Prerequisites/Corequisites: None
Mode(s) of Instruction: traditional/face-to-face
Credit for Prior Learning: There are no Credit for Prior Learning opportunities for this course.
Course Fees: None
Common Course Assessment(s): None
Student Learning Outcomes and Objectives: 1. Justify science as a process.
Objective 1: Describe the scientific method and associated terminology.
Objective 2: Identify whether a scientific study is observational or experimental.
2. Determine the energy conversions that underlie all ecological processes.
Objective 1: Define energy.
Objective 2: Explain what a fossil fuel is and list examples.
Objective 3: Describe how electricity is produced from coal.
Objective 4: Explain various types of mining.
Objective 5: Define non-renewable energy
Objective 6: Explain the location and quantity of fossil fuel resources.
Objective 7: Describe extraction methods.
Objective 8: Compare the advantages and disadvantages of fossil fuels.
Objective 9: Describe the mechanics and problems of nuclear energy.
Objective 10: Contrast the advantages and disadvantages of alternative energy.
Objective 11: List the characteristics of various types of sustainable energy.
Objective 12: Evaluate the benefits of conservation and efficiency.
Objective 13: Describe the types of biofuels.
3. Interpret the idea that Earth itself is one interconnected system.
Objective 1: Be able to list, define, and give examples of the organization of life from “Biosphere” to “Individual.”
Objective 2: Be able to recognize, briefly describe, and label the carbon cycle, showing how photosynthesis, decomposition, and cellular respiration are linked.
Objective 3: Be able to recognize, briefly describe, and label the nitrogen cycle.
Objective 4: Define population and describe how ecologists describe and monitor natural populations.
Objective 5: Define and give specific examples of the three types of population distribution patterns: clumped, random, and uniform.
Objective 6: Describe the types of population growth patterns (logistic and exponential).
Objective 7: Describe what it means when a population has reached its carrying capacity.
Objective 8: Recognize the factors that affect population growth, including density-dependent, density-independent factors, r-selected species, and k-selected species.
Objective 9: Describe the relationship between predator and prey and recognize examples and graphs of this concept.
Objective 10: Define “keystone species” and describe how such organisms affect the environment in which they live by giving examples.
Objective 11: Describe how human populations affect other species populations.
Objective 12: Define indicator species and describe how indicator species relate to the health of an ecosystem.
Objective 13: Describe how matter and energy move through an ecosystem by recognizing/constructing a food chain/web and trophic pyramid.
Objective 14: Describe how biotic (ex. species diversity, population sizes, keystone species, species interactions) and abiotic (ex. temperature, moisture) factors influence community structure, composition, and function.
Objective 15: Describe how species interactions (resource partitioning, mutualism, commensalism, parasitism) contribute to the overall success of a community.
Objective 16: Describe how human actions have affected ecological communities and how we can take steps to restore damaged ecosystems.
Objective 17: Describe how ecosystems change over time through ecological succession.
Objective 18: Define biodiversity and describe how genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity contribute to overall diversity.
Objective 19: List the taxonomic groups and show which are the most numerous.
Objective 20: Be able to explain why diversity is important.
Objective 21: List where biological hotspots are found and why they are important.
Objective 22: Define freshwater and list sources of freshwater on Earth.
Objective 23: Describe an aquifer.
Objective 24: Label and describe the water cycle.
Objective 25: Describe various methods of waste water treatment.
Objective 26: Describe steps that humans have taken to conserve water.
Objective 27: Describe the climate of a specific biome.
Objective 28: Describe the unique organisms in a specific biome.
Objective 29: Describe the environmental threats facing a specific biome.
Objective 30: Describe some of the solutions to threats in a specific biome.
4. Conclude that humans alter natural systems and their survival depends on developing practices that will achieve sustainable systems.
Objective 1: Describe how human population growth has changed over time.
Objective 2: Describe the cultural and demographic factors that influence population growth.
Objective 3: Explain the impact the current human population has on the environment.
Objective 4: Explain the use of placing monetary values on ecosystem services.
Objective 5: Describe how ecological footprints are calculated.
Objective 6: Explain how humans can reduce their ecological footprint.
Objective 7: Explain how environmental economics differs from mainstream economics.
Objective 8: Describe eutrophication and its effect on aquatic life.
Objective 9: List and describe the most common types of water pollution.
Objective 10: Describe what a watershed and riparian areas are.
Objective 11: Describe the Clean Water Act and explain its importance.
Objective 12: Describe the types of solid waste (trash) humans generate.
Objective 13: Explain the Law of Conservation of Matter.
Objective 14: Compare and contrast the various options for dealing with waste (incinerators, open dumps, landfills, etc.)
Objective 15: Identify hazardous waste items and how to properly dispose of them.
Objective 16: Describe how individuals and industries can reduce waste production.
Objective 17: Define air pollution
Objective 18: List types and sources of air pollution.
Objective 19: Describe the consequences of air pollution.
Objective 20: Describe the sources and pollutions of indoor air pollution.
Objective 21: Analyze the cost of air pollution.
Objective 22: Describe the role of ozone.
Objective 23: Define weather and climate.
Objective 24: Identify the evidence of climate change.
Objective 25: Discuss the causes of climate change.
Objective 26: Analyze projections of future warming.
Objective 27: Evaluate the solutions to climate change problems.
5. Support the idea that environmental problems have a cultural and social context.
Objective 1: Define environmental science.
Objective 2: Describe current environmental challenges.
Objective 3: Define sustainable.
Objective 4: Describe the Green Revolution.
Objective 5: Explain how pesticide resistance.
Objective 6: List common agricultural practices used to produce food, including sustainable farming methods.
Objective 7: Explain how genetic engineering can be used to produce more crops.
Objective 8: Compare the benefits and challenges of urbanization.
Objective 9: Define environmental justice.
Objective 10: List remedies of urbanization problems.
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