Tuesday September 30

Review of Chapter 12 reading
Be sure that you have created (somewhere in your notes) the following:

1. Vocabulary Review Page
2. Legislation/Law Page
3. Acronym List

Be able to create a point-vs-counter point argument for all of the key concepts defined in class. Remember to listen to the voice in the back of your head

1. be precise and concise
2. keep it short and sweet (kiss)
3. read the question and then read your answer....
1. did you answer the question? 
2. did you answer the question without fluff?
3. is your answer easy to find/identify?

Monday September 29

1. Review of Warm-Up #6
1. Scoring Standard Example
2. This Day in History...
1. Rudolf Diesel
1. Who was he?
2. Why does it matter?
3. Homework Assignment- Read Chapter 12 with a focus on
1. The Tragedy of the Commons
2. Rangeland Ecology
3. Sustainable Rangeland Management
4. Tropical Rainforest Management & Protection
5. Forestry Management & Forestry Practices
6. The Spotted Owl
7. Wilderness Management
8. Vocabulary
1. basal zone
2. BLM
3. clear-cutting
4. selective cutting
5. rotational grazing
6. surface runoff
7. erosion
8. feedlots
9. Legislation
1. National Wilderness Preservation System/Wilderness Act
2. Public Rangelands Improvement Act
3. Federal Land Policy and Management Act

Friday September 26

In-Class today...
We will review the Unit 1 test. Please refer to the scoring guide for FRQ information.
Please turn in Warm-Up #6.
Over the weekend, please read Chapter 11 focusing on the 8 key points that we discussed in class today. (Those items are listed under yesterdays date.

Thursday September 25

Importance of Biodiversity & Importance of Developing a Voice

Invasive Species (199)

Exotic Pets & Animal Testing (199-201)

Habitat Alteration (200-201)

Eco-Tourism (203)

Wolf Re-Introduction (213-215)

Debt-For-Nature Swap (217)

The Biodiversity Treaty (219-220)

Playing God with Nature (218)

"To the conservationist, what is civilized in us is not music, literature, cinema, or architecture, although they represent tremendous accomplishment, but a compassion for all living things and a willingness to do more than simply care." -Chiras

Wednesday September 24

Warm-Up #6:

Species such as the dusky seaside sparrow, the passenger pigeon and the wooly mammoth are extinct. Populations of other species have declined to the point where they are designated as threatened or endangered.

1. Identify one threatened or endangered species.
2. Explain why its population has declined.
3. Describe the characteristics of organisms that would (or has) made them particularly vulnerable to extinction.
4. Present three (3) arguments in favor of the maintenance of biodiversity.
5. Name and describe one United States federal law AND one international treaty that is intended to prevent the extinction of species.

                                                                                     
In the news....

Japan has announced plans to continue whaling in the Antarctic.

Liberia and Norway announced a plan to pay for forest conservation.

What is the role of the Polar Bear in the Arctic food chain?

Here are 10 Species that your children might not see in the wild.

Presentation: Species Preservation

Reminder....

1. if you missed the exam last Thursday, you have until tomorrow (Thursday) to make it up. I will be entering grades tonight (0's) if you have not taken care of this. We will review the test on Friday. 
2. There is a "new" homework tab on the right side of the menu bar on the homepage that lists all assignments, due dates and links to additional information!

Tuesday September 23

We do not have class today. Please make sure that you complete the reading and analysis questions for Wednesday. We will have warm-up #6 on Wednesday morning when you come in based on your reading and my lecture on the Endangered Species Act.  Enjoy your day!

Monday September 22

In-class: Complete the Parking Lot Biodiversity Lab and turn in at the end of class.

Homework: Read pages 208-209  in Chiras and answer the questions on page 208. (Typed up and turned in for Wednesday.)

Thursday September 18th

Unit #1 test in class today. When you have completed the test, begin work on the biodiversity lab that we started on Tuesday. The lab is homework and is due on Monday. I hope that you enjoy your long weekend. Take some time for yourself and enjoy some nature!

Wednesday September 17th

Warm-Up #5 (If you were absent, please review this information; if you were in class, you have already earned credit for this one!)
Background
What is the per capita income of the United States?
What is the population of the United States?
What is the per capita income of China?
What is the population of China?
What is GDP?
Write-Up
How can you use the information above to create a "rough" measure of GDP?
How do the US and China compare in terms of per capita income and GDP?
What is the annual salary of a person in the US who earns minimum wage?


You have a unit test tomorrow. Please study up!

Tuesday September 16th

"Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell." -Edward Abbey

Edward Abbey is a renowned natural/environmental writer who loved the American southwest. He was particularly disappointed in the dam(n)ing of the Colorado River in Glen Canyon. Based on the above quote, do you feel differently about increased economic prosperity and the development of natural areas (resource extraction/exploitation)?

One of the impacts associated with human development is a loss of habitat and species. Scientists are able to measure the variety and richness of an ecosystem using the Shannon Diversity Index. Today, you are going to recreate this measure in a lab activity.

1. For today:
1. Please turn in the Carrying Capacity "mini-lab" activity that was assigned yesterday.
2. Please pick-up (or print out if you are absent) the above handout (back of the room). In addition, here is the data collection sheet. (You need two (2) of these; one (1) for a faculty lot and one (1) for a student lot.)
3. Complete the data collection for two (2) lots on campus today. You should complete the first during class and the second during an off-hour. Be sure to describe the lot that you inventoried and the time (hour) that you completed the survey.
2. For Homework tonight...
1. Complete the pre-lab questions (1-3).
2. Complete the first three (3) columns for both of the data collection sheets (i, ni, pi).

Monday September 15th

“All ethics so far revolved around a central premise: that the individual is a member of a community of interdependent parts. . . . The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively: the land. . . . In short, a land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect for his fellow members, and also respect for the community as such.”
                                                            -Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac

Notice that Leopold speaks of "interdependent" parts... how do we change the way that we think of ourselves to allow for the idea that we are as important as the banana slug or polar bear or microbe?

The Plan for the Week:

1. Evolution & Species Interaction
1. Mini-Lab Activity
1. Vocabulary
1. carrying capacity
2. primary productivity
3. ecosystem
4. acre -vs- hectare
5. diameter at breast height (dbh)
6. population density
7. succesion
2. Complete the graph and data analysis questions in class.
2. Biodiversity Lab
1. Vocabulary
1. biodiversity
2. 
   
2. Review the Sustainability Research Question
3. Review of Warm-Up #4
4. Introduction of Warm-Up #5
5. Unit #1 Test on Thursday

Thursday 9/11

Review of Warm-Up #4

Link to hours of daylight....

Wednesday September 10

9/10/14

1. Climate Change & Species Interactions
1. Go to this National Geographic article.
2. Create a google document (share it with me and one other person)
3. For each of the 7 species listed: 
1. identify their habitat (biome)
2. identify the cause of the threat
4. for one of the species, 
1. identify the difference between specialization and generalization (as it relates to the ability of the species to adapt/survive.
2. identify the animals place within the food chain/web
3. explain the direct or indirect role of humanity
5. Follow a link (within the article) to one of NatGeo's other stories about the animal and summarize the information contained in the adjoining article.
2. Review your partners google doc using this rubric.

On Tap for next week....

1. Warm-Up & Write-Up #5 (Monday)
2. Unit 1 Test (Thursday)
1. Review the following:
1. Chapter 1
2. Chapter 2
3. Chapter 4
4. Chapter 24
5. Notes on discussions/presentations
6. Warm-up Activities
7. Sustainability Research Question
8. Biome Presentation

Tuesday, September 9

1. A Review warm-up #2 and #3.

1. The Ebola Virus
1. putting words with numbers
2. vaccine development
3. immunity
2. Population Change in the USA
1. mortality & natality
2. emigration & immigration
2. Warm-Up & Write-Up #4
1. precise & concise
2. re-read my question & your answer.... do they match?
3. Review of your sustainability and environmental ethics research question.
1. comments & feedback for you tomorrow...
2. next draft (last? maybe) due on Monday 9/15
4. Review of your social networking environmental challenges.
1. examples & idea sharing
2. decision time!
3. how will we communicate it and how will we share it?
5. Introduction to Unit #2: Species Interactions & Evolution (tomorrow or Thursday)

September 8

This week in APES...

1. A Review warm-up #2 and #3.
1. The Ebola Virus
1. putting words with numbers
2. vaccine development
3. immunity
2. Population Change in the USA
1. mortality & natality
2. emigration & immigration
2. Warm-Up & Write-Up #4
1. precise & concise
2. re-read my question & your answer.... do they match?
3. Review of your sustainability and environmental ethics research question.
1. comments & feedback for you
2. next draft due on Monday 9/15
4. Review of your social networking environmental challenges.
1. examples & idea sharing
2. decision time!
5. Introduction to Unit #2: Species Interactions & Evolution

September 4

The continuing discussion of the "commons" and the impacts of population growth on biome functioning.

Please look at this data set about population.

1. Identify the areas described in the data set. (In other words, be sure that you can recognize where each of the regions in the data set are found on a map.)
2. Create a google spreadsheet (share it with me) and enter the data for each of the eight years and each of the six regions plus global totals.
3. Choose a graph (other than the pie graph presented) that you think will describe the population trends. 

Analysis Questions:

1. What region do you think is the most limited (in terms of population growth) by natural resource scarcity? Why
2. What region do you think has the most capacity for growth (according to the data)? Why?
3. Where do you think a population decrease is most likely? Why?
4. What does the term "carrying capacity" mean? 
5. Does the Earth have a carrying capacity for humanity? Explain your thoughts.
6. Has humanity reached the carrying capacity yet? How will we know?

For tonight and this weekend...

1. Please re-read and review the Garret Hardin article. (tonight)
2. Please read pages 540-553 in Chiras. (this weekend)
1. Individual Action Counts... you all know about the ice bucket challenge, so here is my variation: use the weekend to create your own challenge that will allow for the silliness of social media to be appeased but will spread the word about an environmental issue of your choosing. You may post to twitter, FB, google+, instagram, etc. 
3. Final read and revision of the sustainability research question. Please turn in on Monday.

September 2

Happy September....One month down and nine to go!

This week we will wrap up our ecology unit and transition to "Species Interactions & Evolution".  Your HW for the week is as follows:

1. Matter/Nutrient Cycle
1. carbon
2. nitrogen
3. water
4. phosphorus
2. Tragedy of the Commons (Reading)
3. Graphing Population Trends
4. Warm-Up & Write-Up (Ebola)

We will start today with this presentation....it will take us several days to complete, so this will evolve as needed. There are links for all of the HW assignments on the presentation. I will add the links to the above list.