Syllabus  pdf version

Scientific Paper Summary  or II
Schedule  (includes weekly reading, labs, and homework) Writing a good answer
Course Learning Objectives Primary Text
Water Quality Project Graphing
Design a solar collector Articles/papers
Online quizzes   Blackboard Web resources
Video Summary   Short Summary Student Resources at Clark
YouTube Video Submission Emergency Plan

Tentative Schedule  (this schedule is for week 1 and provides only a sketch of weeks 2-10.  The link to week 2 is active at present and is set.  The schedule will be updated each week to highlight the current week's activities.) 

Week 1    Getting started with the class and introduction to Earth System Science

 

Welcome to Integrated Studies in Environmental Science.  This week you should:

 

Please read the syllabus first.  Post any questions to the General Questions Discussion Board.

 

Browse through our Primary Text (see link above to the right of the picture)

 

Getting Started:  Look over each course link above to familiarize yourself with course resources.

 

Introductory Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciV6Uaeobxk Earth System Science

Take a look at this picture of a broad definition of the Earth system.

Read each 1 page web page below for an overview of the six "Spheres" of the Earth System [from the Aspen Global Change Institute]

Atmosphere  Biosphere   Hydrosphere   Cryosphere   Geosphere   Anthroposphere  On each link there is a little chalk blackboard image that cycles through some interesting facts about each "sphere".  These are good potential quiz questions.

 

 

Reading:   (Primary Text): Overarching Themes  1.  Earth System Science 2.  The Anthropocene  

Read   "Earth as a Natural/Physical Environmental System and Humans Interacting with the System" and submit a reading summary

 

Work Through this introduction and link to Lab1  on graphing.

Lab Graphing

Online quiz  Quiz 1 (take on blackboard) http://clark.blackboard.com/   In [1. Earth System] content area

************************* End Week 1**********************************

Week 2  Working with systems     Reading (Primary Text):  The tragedy of the commons  4. Shifting baselines. 

Saturday July 10.  Lab on main campus APH 111.  Bring your low cost water quality kit to take samples in the lab.

 

Week 3 Climate Change  part 1  Reading (Primary Text):  Global Environmental Issues: Climate Change.   1. The Ocean and Climate  2.The CO2 Problem   3. Evidence for Global Warming   4. Earth's Radiation Balance

Week 4 Climate Change  part 2  Reading (Primary Text):  Global Environmental Issues: Climate Change. 5. The Carbon Cycle, the Ocean, and the Iron Hypothesis 6. Microbial Food Web 7. Abrupt Climate Change 8. Modeling the Climate System 9. Climate Change Policy Issues

Week 5  Water issues.  Reading (Primary Text):  Groundwater 1. The Hydrological Cycle 2. Groundwater 3. Groundwater Contamination 4. Groundwater Remediation

Saturday July 31  Exam #1

Week 6  Land use change.  Reading (Primary Text):   1. Land Degradation and Arid Regions 2. Desertification in the Sahel 3.Aeolian Transport of Sand and Dust 4. The Dust Bowl and Aftermath 5.Dustiest Places on Earth–Dead and Dying Seas

Week 7  The Atmosphere and the environment:  Reading (Primary Text): Air Pollution and Ozone Depletion 1. Atmospheric Structure and Pollution Sources 2. Atmospheric pollutants 3. Stratospheric Ozone and the Ozone Hole 4. Acid Rain and Acidic Deposition
 

Week 8 Coastal issues

Week 9  Understanding ice ages and current ice sheet changes

Week 10  catch-up/wrap-up

 

 

Saturday August 28  Presentations

 

Syllabus

 
Schedule  (includes weekly reading, labs, and homework) Writing a good answer
Course Learning Objectives Primary Text
Water Quality Project Graphing
Design a solar collector Articles/papers
Online quizzes Web resources
Video Summary Student Resources at Clark
YouTube Video Submission Emergency Plan