Eco+Summary+&+Syllabus

(Interactive Link to Curriculum) [|NJ Environmental Science Standard]
 * Course Title:** Eco-connection

**Overview:** The eco-connections course is designed to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies to understand the interrelationships of the natural world. The intent is for students to gain a global awareness of the confounding variables that exist in the environment and examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing conflict among such variables. Because all humans have a stake in the future of the environment, such exploration will enable students to reflect about personal choices and the impact these choices have on the environment.

**Assessment methodologies:** Project based assessments both in the classroom laboratory and in the field will provide students with opportunities to test concepts and principles that are introduced in the classroom. In these experiences students of all learning styles will be able to explore and reinforce fundamental concepts and principles using various field, digital, and laboratory mediums.

**Topics of study:** Study of the Terrestrial Ecosystem: Lithosphere Study of the Aquatic Ecosystem: Hydrosphere: Study of the Atmospheric Ecosystem: Study of Energy: Study of Human Population:
 * Humans work within the ecosystems. Composting; organic gardening; land reclamation; rebuilding degraded lands; tree planting project.
 * Chemical and physical characteristics of soil and what is necessary for plant growth.
 * Relationships between different soil types and how they influence plant growth.
 * Water supply and quality: uses and safety; general water resource problems; study of national and international water problems/issues; learn techniques for evaluating the quality of water; conservation of water resources; stream quality assessment, stream ecology; dissolved oxygen and primary productivity.
 * Watershed ecology: water and nitrogen cycles, bioregions and aquatic habitats, exotic species invasion, water and air pollution, habitat loss, and ecological restoration are some of the areas that will be studied.
 * Water pollution: natural and human causes, water pollution and human disease.
 * Human activities disrupting the carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur biogeochemical cycles, the effects of air pollution on human health, plants, and animals.
 * Greenhouse effects and global warming.
 * Air pollution: primary and secondary air pollutants.
 * Renewable and nonrenewable energy resources: advantages and disadvantages of using fossil fuels, energy alternatives: solar, hydroelectric, wind, geothermal, biomass, hydrogen gas, and nuclear fission.
 * Population: birth, death, fertility, and migration rates.
 * The effects on the earth from a rapidly growing population: impact on natural resources, energy demands, and biodiversity.

Study of Sustainability:

 * Environmental Economics, Business and Environment.
 * Assessing Risk
 * Environmental Ethics