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Teacher: Troy Hopkins, email: hopkins@harwich.edu
Prerequisites: Earth Science and Biology required, Chemistry recommended
Course description:
In this course, students
apply scientific concepts from previous science classes by conducting individual
and group investigations around local environmental issues. The course
is organized into five units: local environment, human population, alternative
energy, food and water, and waste management.
Useful Links:
Nature
Walks of Cape Cod
Web
Resources for Environmental Technology
Massachusetts
Environmental Education Page
Environmental
Education on the Internet
Environmental
Careers - EPA Office of Solid Waste
Advanced Technology
Environmental Education Center
Office
of the Harwich Harbor Master
E/The
Environmental Magazine
Executive
Office of Environmental Affairs - Bob Durand, Secretary
The
Global Directory for Environmental Technology
Global
Network of Environment and Technology
NOAA Environmental Technology Laboratory
Text Link:
Environmental
Science: Earth as a Living Planet, Botkin amd Keller
Course Content:
Local Environment
Guiding Question
– How do the components and processes of the environment interact to maintain
a life-sustaining balance?
Broad Concept –
The characteristics of an ecosystem: productivity, energy flow, species
diversity,
succession and restoration,
are all indicative of environmental health.
Ecological Interactions -
Unit 2: DuBay
Biomes - Unit 3: DuBay
Earth as a System - Part II:
Botkin/Keller
Life in the Environment -
Part III: Botkin/Keller
An
Electronic Atlas of the Cape Cod Environment - The Woods Hole Research
Center
Ponds and Harbors in Harwich,
Map
of Harwich
Maps of Massachusetts
Ponds
Biodiversity
- Why is it important? MassWildlife
BIODIVERSITY
and CONSERVATION - A Hypertext Book by Peter J. Bryant, University of California,
Irvine
Measuring
Population Density
- local marine
invertebrates and vertebrates
Mercenaria
mercenaria (Nothern Quahog)
Callinectes
sapidus (Blue Crab)
Limulus
polyphemus (Horseshoe Crab)
Carcinus
maenas (Green crab)
- trees and marsh
plants - Tree
Identification Guide What
are Salt Marshes? How
Healthy is the Marsh?
Tidal
Marshes of Long Island Sound
Sagamore
Marsh Restoration
Boat
Meadow Creek Salt Marsh Restoration. Eastham, MA
- Massachusetts
Amphibians and Reptiles Amphibians
and Reptiles at Cape Cod National Seashore
- Life
in Vernal Pools
- The
Cape Cod Connection: Connections for Birders Mass
Audubon Bird Sightings
-
Patuxent Bird Indentification InfoCenter
- National
Wildlife Federation mammals
Center
for Biological Diversity
Ecosystems and Succession
Environmental
Careers
Article
- Exotic Species are Decimating America's Native Wildlife: Sally
Deneen
"Dirty
Dozen" (some of America's least wanted alien species)
Groups Concerned
about the Environment:
Association
for the Preservation of Cape Cod
Environmental
League of Massachusetts
Groundwater
Guardians
Harwich
Conservation Commission
Conservation
Law Foundation
Massachusetts
Division of Marine Fisheries - minimum size and possession limits
Massachusetts
Audubon Society
Human Population
Guiding Question
– How has the changing population of Cape Cod and the World influenced
other environmental issues?
Broad Concept
– Human population growth is the fundamental environmental issue that brings
about other challenges
that can be analyzed and solved by scientific knowledge and thinking.
Human Population - Ch. 13:
DuBay
Human Population as an Environmental
Problem - Ch. 5: Botkin/Keller
Human
Population Growth Explanations
Losing
Cape Cod - Land Use Changes (Wood's Hole Research Center)
Cape
and Islands Census 2000
Current
World Population
Population
Connection - Education and Action for a Better World
Population, Health and the Environment
World
Factbook 2002 - Countries data!
Globastat
- Rankings of Countries in several categories!
Countries
Data - Clean water and Sanitation
Gross
National Income per Capita - Countries 2000 data
Mass
GIS - maps and satellite images
GIS software
GPS
Satellite imagery
An
Internet Geo-Image Library for the Massachusetts Coast
MSN- terra server
Topographic
Maps Information Topographic
Maps of Harwich
DCPC - District of Critical
Planning Concern
The
Housing Land Trust for Cape Cod
Alternative
Energy
Guiding Question
– What can be done locally, nationally, and internationally to reduce dependency
on environmentally damaging energy sources?
Broad Concept
– Increased efficiency in the use of energy, conservation, and the expanded
use of alternative
energy sources are essential goals for effective future energy plans.
Air Environment - Part VII: Botkin/Keller
Air and Noise Pollution - Ch. 22:
DuBay
Energy Resources - Unit 5: DuBay
Energy - Part V: Botkin/Keller
Basics
of Electricty
Problem energy sources
Brayton
Point Power Station
Clean
up Brayton Point
Estimated
Public Health Impacts (Salem Harbor and Brayton Point Power Plants)
Unequal
Exposure to Ecological Hazards: Environmental Injustices in the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts
Yucca
Mountain Project - Nuclear Waste Disposal
Home
Power Magazine
Nuclear
Power in Massachusetts
Nuclear
Power Plants Around the World
U.S.
Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network
Massachusetts
Renewable Energy Trust
Watts
on Schools Energy Calculator
Solar
American
Solar Energy Society
Wind
How Wind Turbines Work
Wind
Farm Debate: a close look at the claims (Cape Cod Times)
Wind
Energy Resource Atlas of the United States
Cape
Wind - Company proposing Horseshoe Shoal Wind Farm
American
Wind Energy Association
Hydroelectric
Geothermal
Geothermal
Education Office
Biomass
Hydrogen
Fuel
Cell Basics
Food and
Water
Guiding Question
– What is happening locally, nationally, and internationally to protect
water quality
and to supply all people with proper nutrition?
Broad Concept
– In order to sustain an increasingly large human population on Earth adequate
clean water must
be available and adequate food must be produced through various agricultural
methods many of which
have harmful environmental effects.
Feeding the
World - Ch. 14: DuBay
World Food Supply - Ch. 10:
Botkin/Keller
Effects on Agriculture on
the Environment - Ch. 11: Botkin/Keller
Water Supply, Use, and Management
- Ch. 19: Botkin/Keller
Water - Ch. 20: DuBay
Food
and Agricultures of the World
Ocean
Arks International - Ecological solutions for the twenty-first century
Aquaculture – Tilapia and
Mercenaria mercenaria
Harwich
Shellfish and Aquaculture
Harwich
Water Department
Hydroponics
Genetically
Modified Foods
Nitrogen
Loading and Eutrophication
Harwich
Sea Lettuce Control Project
Skinequit
Pond Project
Massachusetts Military
Reservation
Ground
Water and Drinking Water - United State Environmental Protection Agency
Water Resoucres
of Rhode Island and Massachusetts - USGS
Massachusetts
Water Resources Authority
Online Mariner.com
Article
- Water, Water Everywhere: Elaine Robbins
Article
- Who Will Feed China?: Lester R. Brown
Waste Management
Guiding Question
– How can we as individuals exist contentedly without damaging the environment?
Broad Concept
– Environmental economics need consideration when analyzing environmental
issues. Because
the world is becoming increasingly urbanized, it is important to improve
urban
environments making
cities healthier places in which to live while reducing undesirable effects
on the
environment.
In order to accomplish this careful land-use planning, including waste
management strategies,
will be necessary.
Water Pollution and Treatment
- Ch. 20: Botkin and Keller
Water Pollution - Ch. 21:
DuBay
Land Pollution - Ch. 19: DuBay
Waste Management - Ch 27:
Botkin /Keller
Environment and Society -
Part VIII: Botkin/Keller
Managing Human Impact - Unit
7: DuBay
Treatment
An
Introduction to Septic Tank Sewage Treatment Systems
Deer
Island Sewage Treatment Plant
Reuse
Composting
United
States Environmental Protection Agency Composting Page
Earthship Biotecture
Tyson
Foods - Poultry Waste Treatment Case Study
Restorer
Technology