CLASS:  BIOL 1040-001 Environmental Science    

 

DESCRIPTION:  A survey of the major environmental issues and concerns facing our planet in the

last years of the 20th century.  From a background study of natural ecosystems and human population, the course will survey the environmental, social, and economic consequences of energy generation, resource consumption and pollution.  Numerous local field trips will be a major part of course.  Three lecture and three field/laboratory hours are required per week.

 

LECTURE MEETING:  Lecture MWF 11:15 – 12:10 in Watlington Field Station

LAB MEETING: Monday 1:30 – 4:20 in Watlington Field Station

                       

PROFESSOR:  Dr. Le-Ellen Dayhuff

OFFICE HOURS:  TH 1 – 4, W 1 – 2:20, F 12:20 – 1:30

PHONE:  452-8600 or 888-335-8722 extension 2155, fax: 230-3292

E-MAIL:  Le-Ellen.Dayhuff@volstate.edu

OFFICE:  Administration Building, Room 128

 

 

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS:  Visualizing Environmental Science by Berg & Hager

ADDITIONAL READING:   Literature will be placed on reserve in library throughout semester.

 

GENERAL EDUCATION GOAL:            The general education goal of this course is to provide scientific information and instruction in the thought processes involved in the scientific method of inquiry.

 

GENERAL EDUCATION OUTCOMES:            As a result of completing this course successfully, students will have demonstrated an acceptable level of mastery of designated scientific facts, concepts and principles and demonstrated an understanding of and ability to apply the scientific method.

 

OTHER GOALS:  Additionally, this course attempts to place the body of scientific knowledge in a historical context and to show the impact of environmental choices on the cultural and social development of the human species.  Further, it is hoped that the student's ability to locate and obtain stored information will be enhanced, as will his/her ability to identify and solve problems.  Finally, written communications skills will be reinforced in the course.

 

OUTCOME STATEMENTS: Upon completion the student will have demonstrated her ability to:

  • Identify present environmental dilemmas
  • Define environmental sustainability and discuss how  human values can challenge environmental sustainability
  • Discuss overview of environmental history, politics, and economics
  • List the most common environmental hazards and discuss how they are determined using risk analysis
  • Define an ecosystem & discuss how evolution effects a population
  • Understand the severity and impacts of human population growth and that it drives all other environmental dilemmas
  • List and understand different types of air pollution with their cause and effects
  • Differentiate different perspectives on global climate change and understand factors thought to be driving and effected by global climate change
  • List strategies to reduce effects of global climate change
  • List and the steps on the Hydrologic cycle and discuss how global climate change is causing more extreme weather
  • Describe different types of water pollution effecting freshwater and ocean including causes and effects, and strategies to reduce pollution
  • Discuss the importance of environmental geology and geography
  • Explain the significance of technology on agriculture and food sources including genetic engineering of foods
  • List factors required to make a food organic and why organic food may be safer
  • Define biodiversity and its long term significance
  • Differentiate different types of waste and discuss how waste streams can be reduced
  • Compare and list renewable and nonrenewable energy sources
  • Discuss and compare pros and cons of different types of renewable energy sources

 

 

LABORATORIES:  Comprise 25% of your grade.  Approximately one half our labs will be held off campus and will begin at the specified location in the Gallatin or Hendersonville area at an announced time (often 2pm).  You are responsible for providing you own transportation to off campus labs and encouraged to carpool.   Laboratory performance will be measured by two examinations (8% each) over the field and laboratory experiences and through attendance, participation, and lab write-ups (together 9%).  You can’t complete a lab write-up if you didn’t attend a lab.  One missed lab or the lowest lab write-up will be dropped.  Be sure to arrive on time for all labs.  The lab schedule often has to be adjusted due to weather and scheduling challenges and will hopefully be confirmed one week in advance. 

 

TESTS:  Four tests comprise 40% of your grade and the comprehensive final exam compromises 10% of the grade. A typical exam will include multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions.  Questions on the comprehensive final exam will be discussion or essay questions that will indicate your overall understanding and interplay of key environmental concepts.

 

HOMEWORK:  Comprise 10% of the grade.  Homework may often consist of internet research, web activities, case studies, and/or articles summaries.  The lowest/missed homework grade is dropped. 

 

PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY:  Comprises 10% of the grade.  Each student or group of students (no larger than 3 student per group) must select an environmental responsibility that they feel is needed in their community.  You will keep a paper journal in which you will develop a title for your project, develop a detailed plan with required resources, and document how your project is being implemented.  You will take pictures throughout your project and prepare a poster presentation to present your environmental responsibility accomplishment.  More information will be discussed in class regarding your environmental responsibility.

 

ATTENDANCE & CLASS DISCUSSIONS:  Comprise 5% of the grade.  Prompt and regular attendance in lecture, labs, and field trips is expected and is the key to success.

 

MAKE-UP POLICY:  Tests and assignment should be taken/ turned in at the scheduled time. 

Arrangements can be made in advance, to take a test or turn in an assignment early.  If you miss a test then the comprehensive final exam will replace the missed test score. One homework and one lab will be dropped.  Assignments turned in late will be lowered one letter grade for each day the assignment is late.

 

GRADING SCALE:    A:  90-100          B:  80-89        C:  70-79       D: 60-69     F: below 60

 

BEHAVIOR: Disruptive behavior in the classroom will not be tolerated!  Any student who disrupts the class by their actions will be reprimanded.  A second disruption will cause the student to be removed from the classroom for the remaining of the class period.  A third disruption will cause the student to be removed from the classroom until the student has met with the Dean of Student Services, Patty Powell.  Class disruptions include, but are not limited to: unnecessary conversation with others, arguments over course policy or procedure, asking unnecessary or irrelevant questions, and demanding more than one’s fair share of class time.  Students removed from the classroom are responsible for contacting Professor Dayhuff about homework/ assignments that are made during the remainder of the class period.  Assignments due the following class period will still be due even though a student was removed from the classroom for disruptive behavior.  Students who cannot behavior appropriately can be permanently removed from a class.

 

NOISE:  Cellular telephones are not to be used during class for any purpose, including making or receiving calls, photographs, text messages, or playing games.  The use of any electrical or other noise- or light-emitting device that can distract or disturb its owner or others, such as beepers, palm pilots, headphones/ear buds, games, etc. are also prohibited.  Points will be deducted from your test score if your cell phone sounds:  first time cell phone sounds – 1 point deduction; second time cell phone sounds – 2 point deduction; third time cell phone sounds – 3 point deduction; etc.  Exceptions can be made for illness if you tell Professor Dayhuff before class.

MID-TERM DEFICIENT: Any student with an average below 70

 

DATES:         Labor Day: Sept 1st   NO CLASS

Fall Break: Oct 10th – 14th  NO CLASS

Last day to drop this course with a W: Nov 4th, 2008

Thanksgiving: Nov 27-28th   NO CLASS

Final Exam:  Wednesday December 10th from 10:30 – 12:30

 

 

CHEATING:  Students are expected to do their own work on examinations and assignments, unless cooperative efforts are authorized by the instructor.  Any divergence from this is considered cheating.  Any student caught cheating may be dismissed from the class and receive a grade of F for the course. 

 

ADA Statement:  According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, it is the student’s responsibility to self identify with the Office of Disability Services in order to receive accommodation. Only those students with appropriate documentation will receive services. 

 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT:  Volunteer State Community College is an equal

opportunity Affirmative Action Educational Institution.  No person shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefit of, or subjected to discrimination under any program or activity of the College because of race, color, national origin, age, or handicap.  .

 

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY:  If the College is officially open, any class or laboratory session will meet as scheduled, all assignments will be due and any scheduled exams will be given.  If the College is officially closed, all lecture & lab assignments will be due and examinations will be given the next regular meeting.

 

EXTRA CREDIT:  Extra credit may not exceed 20 bonus points per test.

 

  • Give a 1-2 minute summary presentation about a published article that relates to the environment.  You must turn in the article, or copy of article, with publication information. Each article presentation is worth 2 bonus points on a test.  You may receive up to 10 total bonus points from article presentation per test.  Professor reserves right to award partial credit depending on quality of presentation about article.  Reading the article to the class will not get you extra credit.

 

  • Present information about a topic that your professor indicates in class can be worth extra credit.  The information or answer may be from published or non-published source(s).  You must turn in literature used to address the question/information with its source.  Each presentation is worth 2 bonus points on a test.  You may receive up to 10 bonus points from article presentation per test.  Professor reserves right to award partial credit depending on quality of presentation about article.  Please tell your professor at the beginning of class if you have information to present.

 

BIOL 1040 - LABORATORY/ FIELD TRIPS   (May include but are not limited to)

Scientific Method – Black Box Experiment

Campus Environmental Tour

Water Treatment Facility Tour                             

Waste Water Treatment Facility Tour

Stream Ecology Biotic Index (real and/or simulated)                             

Creek/pond water sampling and chemical analysis

US Department of Agriculture – Environmental Programs Presentation

Soil sampling and analysis

Tennessee Valley Authority Fossil Fuel Plant Tour

Old Hickory Dam and Hydropower plant

Overview and hike at Bledsoe Creek State Park

Waste Disposal Facility/ Incineration or Landfill Tour

Bioengineered and organic foods

Passive or Active Solar House or Building Tour

Auto Emission Testing Center Tour