AP Environmental Science Course Syllabus and Curriculum Overview

Vocabulary flashcards based on the AP Environmental Science syllabus, detailing course policies, grading structures, and the content of Units $$0$$ through $$9$$.

AP Environmental Science (APES)

A course intended to improve science literacy and awareness of world issues by providing an overview of ecosystem function and human impact on natural systems since the Industrial Revolution.

Unit Tests

Assessments consisting of $40$ multiple-choice questions and $1$ free-response question (FRQ), timed for $50$ minutes using LockDown Browser.

Module Quizzes

Brief assessments worth $10-20$ points, timed for $5-10$ minutes, and taken at the beginning of class via LockDown Browser.

Late Work Policy

A penalty of $10\%$ per day for late assignments, which are no longer accepted after the end of a grading period.

Bathroom Pass Policy

A system providing students with $3$ passes per grading period; any unused passes may be redeemed for extra credit points.

The $10\%$ Rule

A concept in Unit 1: The Living World: Ecosystems describing the flow of energy through an ecosystem.

Unit 1: The Living World: Ecosystems

Curriculum covering terrestrial and aquatic biomes, primary productivity, and nutrient cycles, accounting for $6\%-8\%$ of the exam score.

Unit 2: The Living World: Biodiversity

Curriculum covering ecosystem services, island biogeography, ecological tolerance, and ecological succession, accounting for $6\%-8\%$ of the exam score.

Unit 3: Populations

Curriculum covering generalist and specialist species, survivorship curves, and human population dynamics, accounting for $10\%-15\%$ of the exam score.

Unit 4: Earth Systems and Resources

Curriculum covering tectonic plates, soil formation, global wind patterns, and El Niño/La Niña events, accounting for $10\%-15\%$ of the exam score.

Tragedy of the Commons

A concept discussed in Unit 1 labs and Unit $5$ related to the shared use of resources and its consequences.

The Green Revolution

A topic in Unit 5: Land and Water Use alongside irrigation types, pest-control methods, and meat production.

Unit 6: Energy Resources and Consumption

Curriculum covering fossil fuels, nuclear power, and renewable energy sources like solar and geothermal, accounting for $10\%-15\%$ of the exam score.

Unit 7: Atmospheric Pollution

Curriculum covering photochemical smog, indoor air pollution, and acid rain, accounting for $7\%-10\%$ of the exam score.

Unit 8: Aquatic and Terrestrial Pollution

Curriculum covering thermal pollution, solid waste reduction, and pathogens, accounting for $7\%-10\%$ of the exam score.

Unit 9: Global Change

Curriculum covering ozone depletion, global climate change, and ocean acidification, accounting for $10\%-15\%$ of the exam score.