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Northstar Academy

A fully accredited private online
Christian school for grades 4-12

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AP® Environmental Science

  • Name:

    AP® Environmental Science (SCIE500)

  • Department:

    Science

  • Credits:

    1.0 (yearlong course)

  • Suggested Prerequisites:

    A grade of an 85% or higher in the subject area course taken the previous year

AP® Environmental Science

Description:

God gave man dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:26-28) and He calls us to be good stewards over that which He gave us claim to. For this reason, it is important for students to discover the state of Earth’s systems and the consequences that our human activities have on those systems. AP® Environmental Science provides students with a global view of their world and their role in it. Designed to be the equivalent of a one-semester, introductory college course in environmental science, students will engage with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships between ocean, land, and atmosphere that guide the natural world and allow Earth to be a planet suitable for life. The course requires that students identify and analyze natural and human-made environmental problems, evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and examine alternative solutions for resolving or preventing them, determining their own ecological footprint in the world to discover how their activities affect the world around them. Laboratory activities within the course support learning of these relationships through reflective, hands-on, or virtual experiences. Students evaluate the relative risks associated with environmental problems and examine alternative solutions including clean energy, sustainable practices, and conservation, for resolving or preventing future environmental problems. Environmental science is interdisciplinary, embracing topics from geology, biology, environmental studies, environmental science, chemistry, and geography. This course has a lab component.

Special Notes:

If you are planning to take the AP® exam associated with this course, then be aware that beginning in Fall 2019 the College Board requires that all students register in October of each school year to take the exam which is held in early May. You must make your decision early. There are penalties associated with late registration and with registering and then deciding not to take the exam at a later date. Please plan accordingly. For more information or if you have more questions, please visit  https://apcentral.collegeboard.org . Once on the site, search Home-Schooled Students to find information on locating testing locations near you.

As an online school, NorthStar Academy is not a testing center. We are a certified AP® course provider. Students must locate a face to face school in their local area that will allow them to sit the exam with their students.

This version of the course is not Dual Credit eligible. To receive Dual Credit, you must register for the DC version of this course, if available.

FROM THE TEACHER

Did you know that climate change is not a new phenomenon? In fact, it’s been happening since the beginning of time. Did you know there is another global environmental issue occurring, and it’s not ‘Climate Change’? Do you know how ‘carrying capacity’ relates to Earth’s population? In AP® Environmental science you will learn more about the environmental issues facing society.

Environmental Science is one of the most critical subjects to study. Our society is influenced by it every day. A persons’ overall health is affected by the quality of the environment they live in, from the cleanliness of the air they are breathing, to the purity of the water available to drink, to the habitat they live in. Presently environmental issues are embodied in all aspects of our culture, from the political arena to everyday social settings. My goal in AP® Environmental science is to raise awareness on the global and local environmental issues we face today, and the interdisciplinary studies involved in solving issues.

This course is designed to provide in-depth explorations that will get you to think critically and make informed decisions that will help you and your community to work towards a sustainable future.

I want to personally invite you to sign up for AP® Environmental Science. Upon completion of this course, you will have a firm grip on the major environmental issues facing the world, you will be able to recognize them as you move through life, and you will have a greater appreciation for our home – planet Earth! There’s only one Earth, and we need to be better caretakers of it.

If there are books and materials for this course, they can be purchased from our Online Bookstore.

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