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:
review the syllabus
become familiar with our primary text (free online)
start to become familiar with Earth as a system
Work through the lab activity to review or learn some basic graphing skills important to reading, making, and understanding graphical information.
Think about a site location for the Term Project on water quality. A location that is convenient for you, on public lands, and safe should be identified.
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