Monday, May 13, 2013

Final Assessment

This may be done in any format except a paper--video to me, linoit, power point, series of comics, etc.  120 points.



Benchmark: Sci.ES.01: Students will be able to identify and distinguish between the effects of population, pollution, natural resources, and cultural differences on the environment.


Pick a country (no one else can pick yours) and examine it's population pyramid, child mortality, life expectancy, culture, and top exports.  Comment on the sustainability of the country based on what you see.  Search the blog to see resources covered this past quarter.  Include a list of the web site URLs used.

Benchmark: Sci.ES.02: Students will be able to explain and contrast various biotic and abiotic relationships within an ecosystem.

Use your country and describe its major biomes, and a viable ecosystem for each.  Talk about the health of the carbon, nitrogen, and water cycles currently, based on the stability and environmental safeguards in the country chosen.  How does this affect the formation or resolution of poverty traps? Search the blog to see resources covered this past quarter.  Include a list of the web site URLs used.


Benchmark: Sci.ES.03: Students will be able to compare and contrast the effects of population and economic factors on the biosphere.    Benchmark: Sci.ES.04: Students will be able to integrate the effect of pollution on the atmosphere and hydrosphere and the resulting affect on the environment.

Describe at least three commons issues in this course and provide at least 3 solutions to each.  Solutions must include a response to pollution, human health, ecosystem health in the commons chosen.  Search the blog to see resources covered this past quarter.  Include a list of the web site URLs used.


Benchmark: Sci.ES.05: Students will be able to summarize the effects of the industrialization of agriculture on the environment.

Talk about the benefits and perils of  fertilizers, pesticides, and insectides as applied to the water cycle.  Search the blog to see resources covered this past quarter.  Include a list of the web site URLs used.


Benchmark: Sci.ES.06: Students will analyze the development of energy resources and alternative energy resources.

Contrast the pros and cons of three of the following energy resources:  

  • wind
  • coal
  • passive solar
  • nuclear
  • geothermal
  • hydroelectric
  • active solar


Friday, May 10, 2013

Noted Environmentalists

No environmental class would be complete without a look at some of the excerpts of famous environnmentalists:

Please read the following and create a comparative visual (a t-chart, Venn diagrams, comparative mind-map) and be ready to discuss.

3 readings from Aldo Leopold (developed the plan for deer management still used today):   http://gargravarr.cc.utexas.edu/chrisj/leopold-quotes.html
C
1 reading from John Muir (developed the concept for the national park system): http://www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/writings/the_mountains_of_california/chapter_10.aspx

1 reading from Thoreau (argued for the need for wild places and civil disobedience):  http://thoreau.eserver.org/civil1.html

1 reading from Rachel Carson (founder of the modern environmental movement):  http://rachels-carson-of-today.blogspot.com/2009/11/silent-spring-rachel-carson-1962.html


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Questions

1. Which of the environmentalists has a viewpoint that most matches yours?  Extreme, Spiritual, Reflective, or Action-Oriented?

2.  How do these writers reflect a PROGRESSION in environmental thought?

3.  If you could choose one of these people as an ally in a fight against a tragedy of the commons, which one would it be?

4.  How are these view points related to the idea of "Think Globally , Act Locally?"

1 1/2 - 2 page reflection to be completed by the end of the day Monday. 

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Air-Ocean-Energy Connections

The air is a commons.  So it the ocean.  Finally, energy is a commons.  How do you connect the three?  And how do you regulate it in a world with borders?



Jigsaw read the following sections from the text book.  To do this, you will pair off by twos and choose two of the following readings

Unit 8, Water, Section 8.
Unit 2, Atmosphere, Section 6
Unit 11, Pollution, Section 2
Unit 8, Water, Section 8
Unit 7, Agriculture, Section 8
Unit 2, Water, Section 5
Unit 3, Oceans, Section 4

Shared Document


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International Law:  http://www.hg.org/international-law.html

Wikipedia Thoughts:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_law

UN Commission:  http://www.un.org/en/law/