ORIENTATION AND DEADLINE DATES
This is an information sheet only, not the course syllabus.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This
course is an interdisciplinary study of the environment investigating how
nature works and how things are interconnected.
Based on an understanding of ecological concepts and principles, you
will examine lifestyle issues and critically analyze the relationship among
population, natural resources, land use, agriculture, biodiversity,
industrialization, and pollution.
Environmental problems are examined from scientific, ethical, economic,
and sociological perspectives to enable you to understand the relevance of
biology to contemporary issues in human society.
Prerequisites:
None
4 Credit
Hours
Follow the instructions below to locate information on the textbook and other materials for this course.
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9. Click on the Section Name and Title link.
10. Click on Click here for prices of required textbook(s) and supplies and course material information will be displayed.
Alternatively, you can visit the COD Bookstore website to find this information.
VIDEOTAPES/AUDIOTAPES
Ten one-hour videos from the Race to Save
the Planet series
Lesson 1 -- The Environmental Revolution
Lesson 2 -- Only One Atmosphere
Lesson 3 --Do We Really Want to Live This Way? – optional lesson
Lesson 4 -- In the Name of Progress – optional lesson
Lesson 5 -- Remnants of Eden
Lesson 6 -- More for Less
Lesson 7 -- Save the Earth – Feed the World
Lesson 8 -- Waste Not – Want Not
Lesson 9 -- It Needs Political Decisions
Lesson 10 -- Now or Never
OTHER MEDIA
Twelve one-hour streaming videos from the Journey to Planet Earth series
Episode
1 -- Rivers of Destiny
Episode 2 -- The Urban Explosion
Episode 3 -- Land of Plenty, Land
of Want
Episode 4 -- On the Brink
Episode 5 -- Seas of Grass
Episode 6 -- Hot Zones
Episode 7 -- Future Conditional
Episode 8 -- State of the Planet
Episode 9 -- State of the Planet’s
Wildlife
Episode 10 -- State of the Ocean's
Animals
Episode 11 -- State of the
Planet’s Oceans
Episode 12 – Plan B: Mobilizing to Save Civilization
ORIENTATION/ATTENDANCE
Orientation is required.
EVALUATION/GRADING
Eight laboratory assignments, five exams
COURSE OUTLINE
|
Topic |
Text Chapters & |
Laboratory Exercise |
|
Historical Roots & Environmental Worldviews |
Chapters 1 & 6 RTSTP Lesson 1 JTPE Episode 8 |
LAB 1: Exploring Your Connections to the Earth |
|
Structure & Function in Ecosystems |
Chapters 2, 3, 4, & 5, |
|
|
|
EXAM 1 |
|
|
Agricultural Systems & Food Choices |
Chapters 9 & 10 RTSTP Lesson 7 JTPE Episode 3 and 5 |
LAB 2: Understanding Your Foodshed |
|
Water: Use & Pollution |
Chapters 15 & 16 JTPE Episode 1 and 11 |
LAB 3: Down the Drain |
|
|
EXAM 2 |
|
|
Air: Use & Pollution |
Chapters 17 & 18 RTSTP Lesson 2 |
|
|
Energy: Choices & Consequences |
Chapters 19 & 20, & 21 RTSTP Lesson 6 |
LAB 4: Hot House Planet |
|
|
EXAM 3 |
|
|
Stability, Change & Crisis in Biomes and Communities |
Chapters 3, 11 & 12 RTSTP Lesson 5 JTPE Episode 9 and 10 |
LAB 5: Biomes & Biodiversity |
|
Environmental Health: Toxicology, Risk Assessment, and Policy Making |
Chapters 7 & 14 JTPE Episode 6 and 7 |
|
|
Resources: Use, Misuse, & Waste Management |
Chapter 22 RTSTP Lesson 8 |
LAB 6 : Opposing Viewpoints |
|
|
EXAM 4 |
|
|
Human Population and Resource Consumption |
Chapters 1, 3, 6, & 8 RTSTP Lesson 9 JTPE Episode 4 |
LAB 7: Questioning Consumption |
|
Land Use issues |
Chapter 13 JTPE Episode 2 |
LAB 8: Suburban Dream or the Nightmare of Urban Sprawl |
|
Sustainable Solutions |
Chapters 6 & 24 RTSTP Lesson 10 JTPE Episode 12 |
|
|
|
EXAM 5 |
|
10/1/2011