INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE LAB

1 Semester Hour

COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF BALTIMORE COUNTY

Division on Mathematics, Science

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Course : ENVS 102 - Introduction to Environmental Science Lab
Monday: 1:30 – 4:25

Materials : Students need a 3 ring binder (not larger than 1 inch).
Lab exercise sheets will be supplied by the instructor.

Semester : Spring 07

Instructor : Christine De Stefano

Office : F522

Telephone : 410-780-6611

e-mail : cdestefano@ccbcmd.edu

Office Hours :
Monday through Friday 7:30-8:00 am
Monday 12:00 – 1:15
Thursday 12:30 – 1:45

(Other times available by appointment)

ENVS 102, "Introduction to Environmental Science Laboratory", provides the student with a hands-on, direct personal experience with the principles and topics covered in ENVS 101, "Introduction to Environmental Science". Students in ENVS 102 will investigate specific environmental systems and solutions in greater detail using observation, research, and analysis.

The course includes visits to natural ecosystems, human impacted systems, or environmental treatment facilities. The student will explore real-world application of principles and concepts of environmental science. Students will be challenged by the realities of interfaces between society, technology and the environment.

Co-requisite: ENVS 101

Personal transportation, carpooling, or campus vehicles are used to visit off campus sites.

Description:

Students enrolled in ENVS 102 will experience concepts and principles of environmental science in a direct, hands-on manner. ENVS 102 provides students with laboratory experiences, field trips, and special assignments to demonstrate the principles, processes, techniques, and technologies of natural environmental systems and solutions.

Overall Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of ENVS 102, a student will be able to:

1. Demonstrate how natural systems operate and interrelate with one another.

2. Critically evaluate how human activities affect natural systems.

3. Apply the scientific method in experiment design and analysis.

•  Describe how technology solves environmental problems.

•  Engage in real-world, interdisciplinary problem solving.

•  Utilize the Internet and related computer applications to research and evaluate environmental issues.

•  Critically assess environmental news, information, and data sources

•  Explain how environmental problems relate to socioeconomic diverse populations.

•  Compose technical, scientific research papers on environmental issues.

•  Relate natural systems and environmental concerns to the student's daily experience.

Topical Outline:

The course will explore the following topics with field trips, lab exercises, or special assignments.

Atmosphere – composition, structure, global warming, ozone, acid rain
Biosphere - ecology, biodiversity, endangered species
Hydrosphere – freshwater, saltwater, water treatment and pollution
Lithosphere – soils, minerals, land, erosion, solid & hazardous waste
Human Population
Natural Resource Consumption
Environmental Change and Impacts
E nvironmental Policy
Environmental Technology
Sustainable Development

Course Requirements:

This class will include the following:

1. 10 field trips/laboratory exercises
2. 10 laboratory reports
3. 2 exams: 1 midterm and 1 final
4. 1 group, collaborative project on the Chesapeake Bay

Other Course Information:

ENVS 102 must be taken with, or after, ENVS 101 or with the permission of the instructor.

ENVS 102 satisfies the General Education requirement in the Biological and Physical Sciences.

GRADING POLICY:

The student's final grade for ENVS 102 will be based on a total accumulation of points with a maximum score of points. Points will be distributed as follows:

100 points-Midterm exam
100 points-Final exam
500 points-Lab notebook (Mid-semester; due at beginning of class)
500 points-Lab notebook (End of semester; due at beginning of class)
100 points – Seminar

•  points – Total points

NOTE: Notebooks will drop one letter grade for each day late.

1170 – 1300 = A
1040 – 1169 = B
0910 – 1039 = C
0780 – 0909 = D
0000 – 0779 = F

ATTENDANCE POLICY:

It is expected that each student will be present at the specified starting time and prepared with any assignment(s) given. Likewise, it is expected that each student will arrange his/her schedule to permit remaining in class the full allotted time. Late arrival or having to leave early may result in missing the full period. Make-ups of missed labs will NOT be possible because they call upon the time and facilities of other parties who cannot be asked to give “repeat performances”. Consequently, a missed lab will have a negative impact on your notebook grade (NOTE: Students will not earn more than 25 points for a missed lab) and probably on your test scores as well. You will be responsible for obtaining notes from other class members for a missed lab and Xerox copies of other students lab sheets will not be accepted.

Furthermore, being absent for one lab will NOT be an excuse for coming unprepared with any assignment for the next lab. In the case of an absence, it will be YOUR responsibility to contact the instructor and get the assignment. Simply leaving a message, asking the instructor to reach you will not be acceptable. It is your responsibility to reach the instructor, not the instructor's responsibility to reach you.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR KEEPING YOUR LAB NOTEBOOK:

A scientist is one who observes and strives to make logical connections between what he/she observes and other things that are known thus constructing an overall framework of understanding. Keeping a notebook is an integral part of being a scientist.

Purchase (or use a recycled notebook) and bring to class every time a three-ring notebook. This notebook should contain only work for Environmental Science Lab. Keeping this notebook will constitute about 50% of your grade.

•  Setting up your notebook

•  Number all pages sequentially as in a book.

•  Page 1. Use as a title page including your name, address and phone number to facilitate return should you mislay your notebook

•  Pages 2-3. Label as “Table of Contents”. The title of each lab will be listed here with the page on which it begins just as in a book.

•  (Optional) Students may put syllabus material next

•  ILab sheets are placed next in notebook in order of

•  For each lab

•  Put title of the lab and date boldly at the top of the page.

Each lab should include the following

•  Purpose: A general statement of what we are trying to learn/understand.

•  Methods: A description of where we went and/or what we did.

•  Observations: A description of what you observed using your basic senses. The more complete the better.

•  Discussion: A paragraph or more giving a subjective evaluation/interpretation regarding what you have learned. What does it mean to you? Others? Etc.

•  If a handout is given in class include this handout in your notebook with all blanks filled in

SEMINAR:

You will be asked to give a 5-7 minute seminar on the Chesapeake Bay . Each student will present one aspect of the Chesapeake Bay and it must include environmental issues. This will be a class project and students will decide amongst themselves who will present what subject matter and in what order. You may use overheads, poster board, etc. for your presentation.

DROP/AUDIT POLICY

NOTE: The deadline for withdrawing from a course or changing to an audit for the spring 2007 semester is Wednesday, April 18, 2007 . Failure to officially withdraw from a class you have stopped attending may result in an "F" grade. The SIMON online system is unavailable after the first day of classes, and as such, an official change of schedule form must be completed and processed by the Records and Registration office for any schedule changes .

Course Repeat Policy

The policy on repeated courses, as the 2006-2007 CCBC online catalog states, is as follows: “Students may be restricted from registering for a course for a third or subsequent attempt. When a student repeats a course, only the higher grade is computed into the Quality Point Average (QPA). All grades will remain on a student's transcript. Before a student is permitted to register for a course for a third or subsequent attempt, the student must have the permission of the academic dean (or his/her designee) responsible for the course. If the course is developmental, the student's record must be reviewed by a support team, which will make a recommendation to the dean regarding registration.” Please note: The instructor does not have the authority to grant permission to register for a third attempt at the course.

Disabled Students

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, CCBC is committed to providing an environment that is conducive to learning for all students. Any student who is disabled and requires special accommodation should contact the appropriate campus as follows:

Code of Academic Integrity

For the College to make its maximum contribution as an institution of high learning, the entire college community must uphold high standards of integrity, honesty, and ethical behavior. In seeking the truth, in learning to think critically, and in preparing for a life of constructive service, honesty is imperative. Each student has a responsibility to submit work that is uniquely his or her own, or to provide clear and complete acknowledgement of the use of work attributable to others. To these ends, the following actions are expected of students:

•  Complete all work on exams without assistance.

•  Follow the professor's instructions when completing all class assignments.

•  Ask for clarification when instructions are not clear.

•  Report to the instructor any unauthorized information related to an exam.

•  Provide proper credit when quoting or paraphrasing.

•  Submit only one's own work.

Students who do not accept responsibility for the integrity of their own work will experience sanctions, including a written reprimand, failure of the assignment, failure of the course, and/or dismissal from the program. For repeat and extreme offenses, the College reserves the right to suspend or expel students.

Writing Policy 

The College recognizes that clear, correct, and concise use of language is characteristic of an educated person. Therefore, whenever possible, faculty members in all disciplines should require written assignments in their courses in order to encourage effective writing by their students. Also, instructors should consider the quality of writing in determining a grade for a written assignment. Poor writing can be a sufficient cause for a failing grade on a paper and, in extreme cases, a failing grade in a course.

Inclement Weather/Emergency Closing Policy

In the event that the college (or a specific campus) opens late due to weather-related or other emergency conditions, classes will commence at the announced opening time and resume the normal schedule thereafter for the remainder of the day. Faculty, students, and classified staff should report to wherever they would normally have been at the announced opening time. **

Students and faculty engaged in field placement programs (such as internships, clinical placements, etc.) should discuss the handling of emergency situations at the beginning of the placement period. Both the requirements of the program and the safety of persons involved should be considered in planning a course of action in those cases where students are expected to report to off-campus locations.

** For example, if you had a class that began at 9:35 and the college opened at 10:00 because of snow, you would report to your 9:35 class at 10:00.

When the college closes because of severe weather or emergency conditions, announcements of class cancellations are made on local radio and television stations and the college website ( www.ccbcmd.edu ). Closings and delays will also be recorded on the campus weather lines:

Tutoring Services

Students are encouraged to seek help from their instructors whenever they encounter academic difficulty (either during scheduled office hours or by appointment). In addition, each campus offers free academic support services.  For more information, contact:

CIVILITY AND COMMUNITY BUILDING EXPECTATIONS

Creating a Culture of CARE©

(Compassion, Appreciation, Respect, Empowerment)

As members of the CCBC community of learners, we are expected to act with respect, honesty, responsibility and accountability. Each of us is expected to be aware of the impact our behavior has on the community. CCBC wishes to each learner to commit to the following actions:

• Become an active and engaged learner

• Celebrate the richness of our diversity

• Respect the campus and its code of conduct

• Practice empathy and compassion

• Promote the empowerment of others

Major Religious Holiday Policy

Students not attending class because they are observing major religious holidays shall be given the opportunity, to the maximum extent possible, to make up, within a reasonable amount of time, any academic work or tests they miss. Arrangements between the student and the faculty member(s) for the student to make up missed assignments or tests must be made in advance of the religious holiday, at the initiation of the student.

Student E-Mail Accounts

CCBC has joined the ranks of the very few community colleges in Maryland who provide email accounts to all credit students. Each student who is registered in credit classes now has an email account and up to 5 Mb of storage in their mail box. This account will not be deleted even if the student graduates or leaves CCBC for any reason.

For information about the system and how students can determine their email address, go the CCBC Home Page and click on “Student Email”. From here students can find their email address, get to an on-line user manual and access instructions on how to forward the CCBC email to the system of choice (AOL, Comcast, Hot Mail, etc.)

SCHEDULE OF EXERCISES AND ASSIGNMENTS:

The following is a tentative schedule of lab exercises and the preparation you should do before coming to class. Additional details, instructions, or assignments may be given in class

For all classes identified as field trips dress appropriately (including footwear and rain gear) to spend 2-3 hours walking outdoors. Field trips will go as schedule except in the case of extremely heavy and continuous rain or bad road conditions due to ice and/or snow.