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Dr. Nancy E. Todd Office: BR 228 A Phone: 323-5121 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.geocities.com/elephaslady |
SPRING (2005, 2007) Class: M, R: Office Hours: See Webpage |
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course will be an introduction to
environmental issues from a global perspective. Environmental issues are
treated very differently in different areas of the world, depending on
economics, resources and human attitude toward the environment. Specific ecological and environmental
problems and possible solutions in major regions of the world will be examined.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Cunningham, W. P., M. Cunningham, and B.
W. Saigo. 2003. Environmental
Science, A Global Concern.
Additional readings on reserve at the library.
Southwick, C. H. 1996. Global Ecology in Human Perspective.
Mackenzie, F. 2003. Our Changing Planet, An
Introduction to Earth System Science and Global Environmental Change.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
covering that material. There may also be additional handouts or reading assignments to accompany the reading and lecture material.
Attendance and Class Participation: Students are required to attend two (2) lectures each week. Good attendance is required and will be noted. Students are expected to answer questions and offer discussion when appropriate.
Current Events and short exercises: Each week, students are expected to come to class
with media articles that they have found pertaining to material covered in this
class and to their project. There will also be several short exercises that will complement the course lectures.
Exams: There will be 3 exams based on the lecture material.
Written work: Students will work on a semester-long project comparing several areas of
the world and their environmental problems. This project will involve search for articles and sources in the library and on the internet. Students will keep a journal of their material, will create a final poster on their topic.
Conservation Week: Students will exhibit posters of their work during this week, and will
be required to participate in activities that are part of this week on campus.
BLACKBOARD: Students will be required to enroll in Blackboard
at Manhattanville. This is an online system for downloading assignments,
checking web pages and announcements and discussion. To enroll in the class, go
to http://blackboard.mville.edu/.
If you dont have an account, click on Create account and follow the
directions. Once you have an account, click on Course catalogue.
Select Biology and look for this class in the list. Click on the Enroll
button to the far right. The password is global.
CLASS CONDUCT: Students are expected to do their own work on the exams, written work and lab reports. Even though the lab projects will be done in teams, each student is responsible for his/her own write-up of the project. Copying or plagiarism will result in a failing grade for the class. All students must read, print and sign the Biology Honor Code Contract, which can be found at http://www.mville.edu/biology/honorcode.html. This is to be handed in to the lecture instructor, Dr. Nancy Todd, but applies to BOTH class and lab.
THERE WILL BE NO MAKEUP EXAMS. If you are going to miss a lecture or lab exam, you must contact me before the exam takes place, and you must produce a written excuse from your doctor or the dean's office. If you miss an exam and do not contact me before the exam, you will receive a zero (0) for that exam.
LATE WORK: All work is due on specified dates. Late submission will result in a 5 pts. per day penalty. Work submitted more than 2 weeks beyond the specified due date will not be accepted.
ALL WORK is due on the last day of class. Work submitted beyond this date will not be accepted.
Graded Material:
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3 Exams |
60% |
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Written work Individual Journals Final paper and poster |
10% 20% |
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Class participation, attendance and current events |
10% |
LECTURE SCHEDULE
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Class Schedule |
Topics |
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Week 1 |
Introduction |
Chap. 1 |
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Week 2 |
Environmental ethics and sustainable development |
Chap. 2 |
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Video: Planet of Life |
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Week 3 |
Earth and the biosphere World regions |
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Matter, Energy and Life |
Chap. 3 |
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Week 4 |
Ecological Communities |
Chap. 4 |
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World Biomes |
Chap. 5 |
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Week 5 |
Population dynamics Student project
proposal due |
Chap. 6 |
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Human population |
Chap. 7 |
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EXAM #1 |
Chap. 1-7 |
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Week 6 |
Ecological Economics |
Chaps. 8 |
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Environmental health and toxicology |
Chap. 9 |
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Week 7 |
Food and agriculture |
Chap. 11 |
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Pesticides Bibliography Due
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Chap. 12 |
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Week 8 |
SPRING BREAK |
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Week 9 |
Biodiversity |
Chap. 13 |
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Forests Rough draft/outline of poster due |
Chap. 14 |
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Week 10 |
Ecotourism |
Chap. 15 |
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EXAM #2 |
Chaps. 11, 12, 13, 14, 16 |
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Week 11 |
Environmental Geology |
Chap. 16 |
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Air, weather and climate |
Chap. 17 |
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Week 12 |
Air pollution |
Chap. 18 |
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Water resources and pollution |
Chap. 19-20 |
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Week 13 |
Energy POSTER EXHIBITS
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Chap. 21-22 |
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Solid waste POSTER EXHIBITS |
Chap. 23 |
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Week 14 |
Video: Amazon
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Video: |
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Week 15 |
Urbanization |
Chap. 24 |
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What to do? Earth |
Chap. 25 |
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Final exam will be
given during Finals Week in May
RESEARCH PROJECT
Students will work on this project throughout the semester. Each student will pick three countries of the world for a comparative study in environmental problems and issues, and will keep a journal for creating a poster.
JOURNAL INFORMATION
The journal will be organized in a 3-ring binder.
Content:
Current events
internet sites and information
articles
pictures and maps
annotated bibliography
other relevant information
Required exercises (additional exercises may also be included)
Journals will be turned in midway through the course and at the end for a grade.
POSTER INFORMATION
Requirements:
1. 10
primary sources, as many other sources as necessary
2. The
poster must use in-text citation method using a Works Cited
Page. All information MUST be correctly cited.
3. No quotations
4. Introduction, Description of each country, Comparative discussion of environmental problems, Conclusions - each section must have a header
5. Correct spelling, grammar
6. Correct use of charts, figures, tables
More of this will be discussed throughout the semester.