ENVS 110 sec. 3: Our Changing Planet

Cascadia Community College – Spring 2002

M, W, & Th, 3:45-4:55; Lab T 3:45-5:30

Instructor: John VanLeer

Office: CC1 145

Phone: 425.352.8157

E-mail: jvanleer@cascadia.ctc.edu

Office hours: M-Th 3:00-3:45

http://freire.cascadia.ctc.edu/facultyweb/instructors/jvanleer/

Course Overview: Our Changing Planet is and introductory laboratory class in Environmental Science that satisfies a natural world with laboratory distribution requirement.

Students will gain a broad understanding of the biological and physical processes at work on our planet, and use that understanding to measure and interpret the human impact upon those systems. Upon completion of the course, students will have considered multiple sides to environmental issues, and the science, politics, and economics that surround them. These levels of understanding and consideration will help students make informed decisions about the present and future of their planet.

Students should expect to immerse themselves in activities and inquiries that will allow them to gather scientific information directly related to the topics of study. They will read, write, and speak regularly. They will work individually and collaboratively. Students will become enlightened in all aspects of the environment in which they live. Students will develop a sense of pride in their new understanding and a feeling of community with all members of the class. That combination of intellectual pride and community will make Our Changing Planet both an enjoyable and memorable component of a lifetime of learning.

Text and Materials:

Environmental Science, 8th ed., by Richard T. Wright and

Bernard J. Nebel

• A notebook which will serve as a journal containing

notes, drawings, reflections, data collections, etc.

• Graph paper and calculator
• Portfolio folder
• Scan Tron sheets

Learning Outcomes: As you are probably already aware, all of Cascadia’s courses are designed with four governing outcomes: Learn Actively; Think Critically, Creatively, and Reflectively; Communicate with Clarity and Originality; and Interact in Diverse and Complex Environments. These outcomes are woven throughout the class, and are offered in the following statements. Students will:

• understand how scientists gather evidence and develop theories. They will use this understanding to compare and contrast models used for understanding Earth processes active both in the past and present.
• apply those models to explain how human and non-human influence has historically and is currently changing the Earth and its systems.
• actively inquire as to the validity of these models and theories by gathering and analyzing scientific data obtained in the field and laboratory.
• work individually and collaboratively to critically evaluate and discuss all evidence and determine how it pertains to currently acceptable models and theories.
• extrapolate current understanding to develop new hypotheses.
• communicate their findings using oral, written, and graphic communication with the assistance of a variety of contemporary technological resources.

Classroom Dignity: A classroom must be a safe and comfortable place for students to learn. As a result, the instructor and the students must respect each other’s individual differences whether they be cultural, racial, sexual, intellectual, physical, or of any other type. The atmosphere of this class will be a warm and inviting one for everyone. No behavior that interferes with the learning of any person or persons will be tolerated at any level.

Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids, services, or other accommodations should contact the Student Success Facilitator Sue Ambler at 425-352-8288 or visit the Enrollment Services Office on the first floor.

Assessments and Grading: Students will be assessed in a variety of ways. These will include a literary interpretation, scientific inquiries, a final project and presentation, quizzes, take-home independent essay questions, and mid-term and final exams. They are outlined below. Additional information will be made available in the future.

All assignments will be graded on a scale of 0 – 100%. However, they will be weighted individually for calculation of the final grade.

• Portfolio of Scientific Inquiries and Laboratories (25%) : Scientific inquiries are investigations, using scientific methodologies, of phenomena related to topics studied during the course. The inquiries vary in nature, as do the products that will be assessed. Products may include graphs, data sets, analyses of data, diagrams, maps, etc. All products will be posted in your portfolio, and will be assessed near the end of the quarter. Some portions may be posted on your e-portfolio.

• Reflection Papers (20%) : During the quarter, students will write five two-page reflection papers concerning material covered in class. Reflection papers can examine a single topic in detail or several topics in a broader context. They should be written thoughtfully and use appropriate grammar and voice. They must be typed.

• Quizzes (5%) : Quizzes will be brief, multiple choice assessments designed to give the student feedback on their knowledge attainment before the mid-term and final exams. There will be approximately three quizzes during the quarter, and will be approximately 15 questions each. All will be announced. No make-ups.

• Mid-term (20%) The mid-term examination will be multiple-choice and will be designed to test knowledge and conceptual understanding of material covered in the first half of the course. Prior arrangements must be made for alternative scheduling. A Scan Tron sheet is required.

• Final exam (15%) The final examination will be multiple-choice and will be designed to test knowledge and conceptual understanding of material covered in the second half of the course. Prior arrangements must be made for alternative scheduling. A Scan Tron sheet is required.

• Final project (15%) The final project will surround planning and living sustainably. You will work collaboratively with other students to explore methods of living with minimal environmental impacts. More specific details of the project will become available as the quarter progresses. The project will be graded through a combination of instructor and peer reviews.

Cascadia’s grading policy is detailed on page 40 of the catalog. This equates to a 100 point scale as follows:

100% - 96% = 4.0	83% = 2.8	71% = 1.6
95% - 94% = 3.9	82% = 2.7	70% = 1.5
93% = 3.8	81% = 2.6	69% - 68% = 1.4
92% = 3.7	80% = 2.5	67% - 66% = 1.3
91% = 3.6	79% = 2.4	65% = 1.2
90% = 3.5	78% = 2.3	64% = 1.1
89% = 3.4	77% = 2.2	63% = 1.0
88% = 3.3	76% = 2.1	62% = 0.9
87% = 3.2	75% = 2.0	61% = 0.8
86% = 3.1	74% = 1.9	60% = 0.7
85% = 3.0	73% = 1.8	<60% = 0
84% = 2.9	72% = 1.7

Academic Honesty: Cascadia Community College’s Academic Honesty policy can be found on page 42 of the catalog. It deals with plagiarism, cheating, and other violations of integrity. Read it. Please be aware that any infraction will be dealt with quickly and aggressively.

Schedule of Topics and Assignments:

(Italics denote laboratories)

Day	Date	Topic	Text / Assessments
1	2 Apr	Introduction
2	3 Apr	Sustainability
3	4 Apr	Ecosystems	Chapter 2
4	8 Apr	Ecosystems	Chapter 3
5	9 Apr	Wetland ecosystems
6	10 Apr	Populations, succession, evolution	Chapters 4 & 5
7	11 Apr	Human population	Chapter 6
8	15 Apr	Soils	Chapter 8
9	16 Apr	Soil horizons and interpretation
10	17 Apr	Hydrology	Quiz 1 / Chapter 9
11	18 Apr	Hydrology	Chapter 9
12	22 Apr	Agriculture	Chapter 10
13	23 Apr	Watersheds
14	24 Apr	Biodiversity	Chapter 11
15	25 Apr	Biodiversity	Chapter 11
16	29 Apr	Conservation and Preservation	Chapter 12
17	30 Apr	Conservation Organizations
	1 May	No Class
	2 May	No Class
18	6 May	Fossil Fuels	Quiz 2 / Chapter 13
19	7 May	Impacts of Oil
20	8 May	Fossil fuels	Chapter 13
21	9 May	None	Midterm Exam
22	13 May	Nuclear & renewable energy	Chapter 15
23	14 May	Renewable energy
24	15 May	Human health	Chapter 16
25	16 May	Water pollution	Chapter 18
26	20 May	Water pollution	Chapter 18
27	21 May	Stream Chemistry
28	22 May	Solid waste	Chapter 19
29	23 May	Hazardous waste	Chapter 20
	27 May	No Class – Memorial Day
30	28 May	Groundwater contamination
31	29 May	Atmospheric Impacts	Quiz 3 / Chapter 21
32	30 May	Atmospheric Impacts	Portfolios due / Chapter 22
33	3 June	Economics and politics	Chapter 23
34	4 June	Sustainability	Chapter 24
35	5 June	Sustainability	Chapter 24
36	6 June	None	Final Exam / Project

*Note: This schedule is subject to change and additions. Only an overview is provided here.