Untitled

Web Schedules

Fall 2024
Spring 2024
Summer 2024

One Credit Courses

Fall 2024
Spring 2024
Summer 2024

No Cost Textbook/Resources Courses

Fall 2024
Spring 2024
Summer 2024

Low Cost Textbook/Resources Courses

Fall 2024
Spring 2024
Summer 2024

Course Planning by Program

2024-25

Essential Objectives

Course Syllabus


Revision Date: 29-Jul-24
 

Fall 2024 | ENV-1010-VM01 - Introduction to Environmental Science


In Person Class

Standard courses meet in person at CCV centers, typically once each week for the duration of the semester.

Location: Montpelier
Credits: 3 (45 hours)
Day/Times: Monday, 08:30A - 11:15A
Semester Dates: 09-09-2024 to 12-16-2024
Last day to drop without a grade: 09-16-2024 - Refund Policy
Last day to withdraw (W grade): 11-04-2024 - Refund Policy
This course has started, please contact the offering academic center about registration

Faculty

Ryan Zajac
View Faculty Credentials

Hiring Coordinator for this course: Ryan Joy

General Education Requirements


This section meets the following CCV General Education Requirement(s) for the current catalog year:
VSCS Natural Science
    Note
  1. Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.
  2. Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

This course is a multidisciplinary study of the interrelationship between living things and their environment. The fundamentals of biology, chemistry, geology, and energy flow are studied so that current environmental issues can be understood and discussed from a scientific perspective. Emphasis is placed on maintaining and restoring sustainable ecosystems.


Essential Objectives

1. Identify concepts of ecology as they relate to environmental issues.
2. Summarize the foundations of nutrient cycling and energy flow as they relate to the movement of matter and energy within ecosystems.
3. Analyze the impacts of population changes on ecosystems, including issues of human population growth.
4. Identify the role of atmospheric thermodynamics and chemistry as they relate to the biosphere.
5. Analyze the causes and effects of major ecological issues and outline strategies to restore ecosystem balance.
6. Compare and contrast methods, impacts, and sustainability of traditional and alternative energy.
7. Discuss the history behind the creation of public lands in the United States and how scientific discoveries influenced the laws and policies behind the modern environmental movement.
8. Analyze the influence of science, economics, ethics, and culture on environmental management and social justice issues.
9. Evaluate environmental issues and solutions from a global, national, local, and personal perspective.
10. Explore educational, career, and professional options in the field of environmental science through assignments such as informational interviews, job shadows, or other career-exploration activities.
11. Demonstrate proficiency in understanding, interpreting, applying, and evaluating the accuracy of data and information sources.
12. Explain how knowledge created in the natural sciences has contributed to the creation, maintenance, and dismantling of social inequalities and discuss the impacts of diversity and inclusion on scientific research and practice.


Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.


Required Textbooks and Resources


*** This is a no cost textbook or resource class. ***

This course only uses free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials. For details, see the Canvas Site for this class.


Methods

  • Weekly reading assignments
  • In-Class Participation
  • Take Home Quizzes/Assignments
  • Midterm and Final Exam

Evaluation Criteria

25% Midterm Exam

25% Final Exam

20% Take Home Quizzes

15% Participation in weekly Lectures

15% Attendance


Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

 HighLow
A+10098
A Less than 9893
A-Less than 9390
B+Less than 9088
B Less than 8883
B-Less than 8380
C+Less than 8078
C Less than 7873
C-Less than 7370
D+Less than 7068
D Less than 6863
D-Less than 6360
FLess than 60 
P10060
NPLess than 600


Weekly Schedule


Week/ModuleTopic  Readings  Assignments
 

1

Introductions and Orientations

  

Nothing

  
 

2

Building Blocks of the Environmental Sciences: Ecology

  

Unit 4 of The Habitable Planet (Ecosystems)

  

Submit Course Orientation Quiz and Home Observation Component Selection. Readings, Class Activities

 

3

Building Blocks of the Environmental Sciences: Primer/Crash Course on the Physical Sciences

  

History of Chemistry paper (posted in Canvas)

  

Readings, discussion, and Class measurement activity,

 

4

Building Blocks of the Environmental Sciences: Understanding the Atmosphere

  

Selection from Unit 2 of The Habitable Planet

  

Readings, Class Activities, submit proposal on Home Observation Log Measurement

 

5

Core Themes of the Environmental Sciences: Climate

  

See detailed course syllabus in Canvas

  

News summary, Class Activities,

 

6

Building Blocks of the Environmental Sciences: Mid-Term

  

See detailed course syllabus in Canvas

  

Mid-Term, Class Activities,

 

7

Building Blocks of the Environmental Sciences: Nutrient Cycling

  

See detailed course syllabus in Canvas

  

Readings, Class Activities, Midterm Exam

 

8

Core Themes of the Environmental Sciences: Population

  

Read pages 1 - 19 in Unit 5 of The Habitable Planet textbook

  

Readings, Class Activities,

 

9

Core Themes of the Environmental Sciences: Food and Agriculture

  

Read Unit 7 of The Habitable Planet

  

Readings, Class Activities,

 

10

Core Themes of the Environmental Sciences: Energy

  

Read Unit 10 of The Habitable Planet

  

Readings, Class Activities,

 

11

Core Themes of the Environmental Sciences: Pollution

  

Read Unit 6 of The Habitable Planet

  

Readings, Class Activities,

 

12

Socio-Political Components of the Environmental Sciences: "Jurisdictions" and boundary markers on the landscape

  

See detailed course syllabus in Canvas

  

Readings, Class Activities,

 

13

Socio-Political Components of the Environmental Sciences: Environmental Law Review

  

See detailed course syllabus in Canvas

  

Readings, Class Activities,

 

14

Socio-Political Components of the Environmental Sciences: Careers

  

See detailed course syllabus in Canvas

  

Final Exam

 

15

Summary and conclusion of the course. Reflections and plans as we disembark from the class and head out into the world equipped to understand and tackle the challenges facing Vermont.

  

See detailed course syllabus in Canvas

  

None

 

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

  • In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
  • Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
  • Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.


Participation Expectations

Full participation requires active and thoughtful engagement in class each week. The following habits and skills are important.

  • Attend class regularly, on-time and for the full session
  • Complete all of the week's reading and assignments before the start of class
  • Listen to others attentively and with an open mind
  • Positively contribute to class discussions and activities
  • Ask questions and seek help when you need it
  • Challenge yourself to do your best work

Do not hesitate to ask for extra help if you need it or clarification if you don't understand something. It may help me to clarify things for others, too. I am available for questions through email and we can set aside some time to connect on the phone or Zoom, as well. Also, you can use the Q & A section in the discussion forum where you can ask other students questions. The tutoring center is also available.



Missing & Late Work Policy

Please plan to attend lecture each week knowing that regular attendance and active participation are key components to your learning and successful achievement of a satisfactory grade in the course. Please plan to submit all other coursework on time, and be in contact with me as soon as you know of any unforeseen circumstances that may impact your ability to to complete an assignment by the posted due date.

Do not hesitate to ask for extra help if you need it or clarification if you don't understand something. It may help me to clarify things for others, too. I am available for questions through email, Zoom, or the phone. The tutoring center is also available and CCV Academic Services is there to help you be successful in the class.


Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:


CCV strives to mitigate barriers to course access for students with documented disabilities. To request accommodations, please
  1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
  2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
  3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.


Academic Integrity


CCV has a commitment to honesty and excellence in academic work and expects the same from all students. Academic dishonesty, or cheating, can occur whenever you present -as your own work- something that you did not do. You can also be guilty of cheating if you help someone else cheat. Being unaware of what constitutes academic dishonesty (such as knowing what plagiarism is) does not absolve a student of the responsibility to be honest in his/her academic work. Academic dishonesty is taken very seriously and may lead to dismissal from the College.