Environmental Science
ENVS 169
TUES 6:30 - 9:20
PISB 106
syllabus
Instructor: Nicholas A. Procopio, Ph.D., GISP
e-mail – nick@drexel.edu
Course Description:
This is a lecture-based introductory level course and will introduce the principles of environmental science. It covers such topics as growth of the environmental movement; environmental ethics; principles of ecology and ecosystems; water resources; life in a changing climate (climate change & global warming); atmospheric changes including ozone loss; energy resources; air pollution; solid, toxic and hazardous wastes; and food resources. There will be a focus on human interactions with natural processes, and on the application of science to environmental problems.
This course is designed to encourage students to think broadly about the environment and their place in it. Students will be required to read and participate in discussions of supplementary material.
Learning Outcomes:
- Development of an environmental ethic and perspective.
- Understand how inter-disciplinary sciences regulate the environments and natural systems.
- Understand the basic problems and opportunities in environmental science.
- Relate environmental problems and human impacts to scientific principles.
- Understand that human society exists in the larger context of the ecosystem.
- Learn the varieties of ecosystems, biomes, and communities and the interactions of biotic and abiotic processes.
- Understand energy and materials flow in ecosystems including biogeochemical processes.
Prerequisites:
There are no prerequisites except an open mind to the sciences!
May not be enrolled in one of the following Major(s): Biological Sciences or Environmental Science
Required Text:
Allen, D. W. 2013. GIS Tutorial 2: Spatial Analysis Workbook. ESRI Press.
de Smith et al. Geospatial Analysis - A comprehensive guide. A free web-based GIS resource http://www.spatialanalysisonline.com/
Recommended Text:
Principles of Environmental Science: Inquiry and Applications. 9th Ed. Cunningham and Cunningham
ISBN: 978-1-260-21971-5 (bound edition); 978-1-260-49283-5 (loose-leaf edition)
Course Evaluation:
You will be evaluated based on several components. The percentage each component will contribute to your final grade is shown below:
Tests 60%
Discussions 25%
Discussion Responses 10%
Class Participation 5%
Tests (60%)
There will be one exam in this course. It will be administered during finals week and must be completed to pass the course. It will be available via BlackboardLearn so be sure you can access your account and the class.
Discussions (25%)
You are required to participate in each of the four discussions posted on BBLearn. I will provide the topic and supplemental reading material. You can use that reading material and any other material you find useful to frame your contribution to the discussion. Each student must post their opinion along with supporting thoughts and/or experience to support that opinion. Remember to consider your classmates and respect differences of opinion. The same decorum that you would offer your peers in the classroom is expected on-line as well. Each discussion has a different closing date so pay attention to them. You will not be able to post after the closing date and will subsequently earn 0 points for the discussion. Each discussion is worth up to 20 points. Discussions can earn you up to a total of 100 points. Discussions are available in the Discussions Tab. Class time will be dedicated to discussing each reading.
If you are thinking "what do I have to do to get a 20!", I look for well written, well thought-out posts that explain and document your thoughts and opinions. For a perfect score, you must include a citation to peer-reviewed material. University level citations are not from wikipedia or other websites. Look for citations from the library, etc.
Online Discussion Responses (10%)
You are required to respond to at least one other posting from each of the four discussions on BBLearn. You may post multiple responses to bolster your participation grade. Agree or disagree with the post. Feel free to express your opinion. Have an honest and courteous debate with your peers. Again, the same decorum that you would offer your peers in the classroom is expected here as well. Each discussion has a different closing date so pay attention to them. You will not be able to post after the closing date and will subsequently earn 0 points for the discussion. Your participatory responses to each discussion are worth up to 20 points. Responses can earn you up to a total of 100 points.
If you are thinking "what do I have to do to get a 20!", I look for well written, well thought out posts that explain and document your thoughts and opinions. Participation responses are graded higher when there are more than the 1 minimum requirement. Responses should be detailed and explain why, or why not, you agree with the author or add to the author's points.
Class Participation (5%)
A personal introduction is required in order for you to introduce yourself to the class. You will find this in the discussions tab on BBLearn. Additionally, class participation includes attendance, answering questions when asked, participating in classroom discussions, and exhibiting appropriate non-disruptive behavior. You will be given class participation for each week of class. You will automatically receive full credit for class participation. It is your responsibility to keep the credit. You will lose credit for class participation if you are disruptive or exhibit inappropriate behavior.
Grading Scale:
97-100 A+
93-96 A
90-92 A-
87-89 B+
83-86 B
80-82 B-
77-79 C+
73-76 C
70-72 C-
67-69 D+
60-66 D
<60 F
Academic Integrity:
For Drexel’s full policy on academic integrity visit:
https://drexel.edu/provost/policies/academic-integrity/
It is assumed that ALL work is to be solely that of the individual student whose name is associated with the work. ANY form of cheating (copying, using another’s work, permitting another student to use his/her work, providing examination questions or answers to other students, falsifying data, plagiarizing, etc.) will result in failure of the assignment in question (grade of 0) at the first instance, and course failure on any subsequent instance. Furthermore, students in violation of these policies will be sent before the University Conduct Board. Note that plagiarism is defined as presentation of the ideas of another person without attribution, and the verbatim presentation of text without quotation marks and attribution. Simply stated, there is no room for dishonesty, both academic and professionally.
Academic Accommodations:
Academic Accommodations can include, but are not limited to, testing accommodations, note-taking assistance, accessible reading materials, classroom modifications, distraction reduced testing, adaptive technology and course substitutions. For more information about receiving and using these accommodations, contact Disability Resources at 215.895.1401 or disability@drexel.edu.
Students with disabilities requesting accommodations and services (e.g. extra time for exams) need to present a current accommodation verification letter (AVL) before accommodations can be made. This will need to be done at least two weeks in advance of the first exam. https://drexel.edu/oed/disabilityResources/students/
Drop/Add: Please review the University policies on dropping a course at: http://www.drexel.edu/provost/policies/course_drop.asp
Course Policies:
Attendance:
- Attendance is expected at all class sessions. Leaving class early does not count as having attended.
- Attendance is taken immediately upon arrival and will not be taken again during lecture. Each late arrival will therefore result in a half percentage point (0.5) deduction from your overall grade.
- If you have a University approved and documented reason for missing class, please contact me via email at least 24 hours before class.
- Students representing the university in outside events (e.g. athletes; performing arts) should bring their schedule to me at the start of the quarter.
- There are NO makeup exams in this course. If you miss an exam, your grade for the missed exam will be a zero.
- You are encouraged to communicate via email. Emails are a great way to track conversations, keeping both the instructor and student on the same page.
- Students can generally expect responses to emails within 24 hours.
- Do not expect email replies over the weekend or on holidays.
- Unexcused absences/missed classes are exactly that, missed. As a student, do not send emails asking me to summarize what you missed. In most cases it was several hours of content. Instead, ask a fellow student or ask me in person after you have:
- visited BBLearn.
- referred to the syllabus schedule.
- consulted with a classmate.
- Laptops may be used during class. I expect that you will use your computer for course related activities. If you are caught using your computer in an unacceptable manner (checking email, web surfing, and watching YouTube for example), I reserve the right to ask you to leave the class.
- Set cell phones to silent or just turn them off! Text messaging is obvious from my vantage point in the front of the class. Cell phone use during lectures is disruptive to both me and your classmates.
- Participating in interactive class discussions is encouraged. However, at all other times, please do not talk as it is disruptive to both me and your classmates., as this is disruptive to the instructor and your fellow students.
- If you distract me while lecturing, I reserve the right to ask you to leave as you are indicating that something more pressing has your attention and in such cases you should attend to that.
- Participation points may be deducted whether I directly tell you about it or not.
- It is expected that you will communicate respectfully with your peers and your instructors.
- If you disrupt an exam you will be removed from the exam and receive a zero (F) on the exam.
Tentative Schedule:
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Date
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Finals Week
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Lecture Topic
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Text
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Lab Exercises
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Supplementals
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