BIOL 2650

Environmental Biology

Spring 2007

Instructor: Tommi Lou Carosella    Office: S250     Phone: 667-3596

e-mail: tcarosel@csustan.edu   textbook website: http://www.aw-bc.com/envscience

Office Hours:  Mon 9:05, Tues 11:15, Wed 10:10, or by appointment

Text: Essential Environment 2e. Brennan and Withgott

Tentative Course Schedule   revised 5/22

Week Date Topic
1 2/14 Introduction, Chap 1  Study guide Chapter 1     Initial Survey
1 2/16 Chap 1  Read Easter Island essay pg. 8-9   Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
2 2/19 Chap 2  Environmental Economics and Policy,  in class Group Activity 1   Study Guide Chapter 2
2 2/21 Chap 2  Do reading for Group Activity 2    
2 2/23 Chap 2   in class Group Activity 2
3 2/26 Chap 3  Environmental Systems,  Study Guide Chapter 3  
3 2/28 Chap 3  
3 3/2 Chap 4 Evolution, Biodiversity, Populations Study Guide Chapter 4
4 3/5

Chap 4 St. Matthew Island Reindeer    Please read and jot down dates and population numbers. We will make a graph in class. 

4 3/7 Chap 5  Species Interactions and Community Ecology    Study guide Chapter 5
4 3/9 Chap 6   Human Population Growth  Group Exercise 3
5 3/12 Ecological Footprint video      (These websites are not required information  CA pop projection 2010    CA pop projection 2020    State Populations  )  
    5 3/14 Chap 6 Group Exercise 3 in class   Study Guide Chapter 6   Ecological Footprint Site
5 3/16 Chap 6      PEER EVALUATION FORM
6 3/19 Exam 1: Chap 1-6, video  Bring Scantron 882  Sample Questions
6 3/21 Chap 7    Soils, Agriculture, Food    Study Guide Chapter 7  Community Alliance with Family Farmers   
6 3/23 Chap 7     Fair Trade Coffee    Fair trade Cocoa  Group Exercise 4
7 3/26 Chap 7    The Meatrix   
7 3/28 in class Group Activity 4    Chap 7 
7

   3/30

Holiday- no class 
8 4/2 finished Chap 7  
8 4/4 Chap 11  Freshwater and Marine resources   Fresno Bee Article       Study Guide 11      Safe fish Monterey Bay Aquarium Site
8 4/6 Chap 11        Mono lake- new site      Group Exercise 6 
9 4/9-13 Spring break- no class
10 4/16 Chap 11 Video: CA Water    CA Delta image       Extra Credit Assignment
10 4/18 Chap 11       CA Relief Map     CA Canals       in class Group Exercise 6 
10 4/20 Chap11  Great lakes map     http://www.water.ca.gov/maps/allprojects.cfm
11 4/23 Chap11    
11 4/25  Exam 2: Chap 7, 11,  video
11 4/27 Chap 8   Biodiversity and Conservation    CA Map Exercise due Friday May 4   
12 4/30 Chap 8   Biodiversity and Conservation            Study Guide Chapter 8
12 5/2 Chap 8   Biodiversity and Conservation
12 5/4 Chap 10   Study Guide Chapter 10
13 5/7 Chap 10 Environmental Health and Toxicology     Extra Credit 2
13 5/9 Chap 12  Atmosphere, Air Pollution, Climate Change    Study Guide 12
13 5/11 Warrior Day no class  
14 5/14 Chap 12     News on CO2 and warming   http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18601954/  
14 5/16 Chap 13   Nonrenewable Energy    Energy Sources US  Study Guide Chapter 13
14 5/18

Chap 13      Energy Sources California     Summary of Energy Sources

15 5/21 Chap 14  Renewable Energy     Study Guide Chap 14
15 5/23 Chap 14
Exam 5/30 Exam 3: Chap 8, 10, 12, 13, 14   11:15am-1:15pm   Grade Distribution

Check this web page often for updates and assignments!

Note: You may take this class for either a letter grade or credit/no credit. Please decide by Mar. 23. As in most science courses; 90% and above = A, 80 – 89% = B, 70 – 79% = C, 60 – 69% = D, below 60% = F. Cr = C or above, NC = D or F. 

Read the University catalog for rules applying to withdrawal from the course. Those rules will be followed by this instructor, no exceptions. If you are ill, or have a family emergency that causes you to miss a quiz or exam, you must notify the instructor within 24 hours, either by e-mail, phone, or in person.  I may ask you for proof before I allow you to take a makeup exam.

There will be 3 exams, each worth about100 points.

In addition, there will be frequent IN CLASS ASSIGNMENTS, where you will work in groups that are assigned by the instructor. For some of these, you will need to prepare at home, the day or night before, or do follow up work to be discussed in the next class period. You should be willing to interact with your peers, and answer questions in class. Therefore, I expect you to be here and be paying attention! Your group will turn in exercises that will be graded.  In addition, you will be asked to evaluate your group members. Your individual grade on the assignments will be the group grade multiplied by a % that is the average of the grade your peers give you, for preparedness and participation. For example, your group receives 10/10 points on an exercise. Your group members assign you a 3, which is equivalent to an 85%. Your individual grade for that exercise is 8.5/10. (If you are absent for an exercise, you get zero points for it.)

The Peer evaluation scale is as follows:

4 = 100% student is always prepared, makes an excellent contribution to group exercises

3 = 85%  student is usually prepared, makes a good contribution to group exercises

2 = 70% sometimes prepared, okay contribution

1 = 55% rarely prepared, little or no contribution to group

Please do expect your peers to be honest. If your peer grades are way out of line with your exam grades, or if there appears to be "grade fixing", I will reassign  or reshuffle group members.

This is a difficult and fast paced course, and like most science courses, it is very content oriented. If you want to do well, DO NOT MISS CLASS!

I will not tolerate foul language, disrespect for others, or cheating in my class. Once an exam begins, you may not leave the room until you turn in your exam. Please turn off your cell phone before class. You will not be allowed to answer or check your cell phone once an exam begins.

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