BIOLOGY 1110 - Environmental Biology

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION  

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 

 

COURSE MATERIALS

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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 &
Video Tapes

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