Syllabus - Introduction to Environmental Conservation  - FNR 103

 

Instructor:  Dr. John B. Dunning, Jr.                Phone: 494-3565

Office: 212A Forestry Building                         Office Hours: T 2-3, W  10:30-11:30

Email:  bdunning@fnr.purdue.edu                                 Semester:  Spring 2004

 

Text:  Cunningham, W.P. & M.A. Cunningham. 2004. Principles of Environmental

                         Science.  McGraw-Hill. Second edition. 

 

Date     Topic                                                                                                   Reading

Jan       12   Introduction                                                                     

             14   Science and the Environment                                 Chapter 1, pg 4-11

             16   Politics and the Environment                                  Chapter 15, pg 345-352

                                                                                                                       

      19   HOLIDAY – MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY

             21   Environmental Train Wrecks                                 Chapter 6, pg 130-131

             23   Economics and the Environment                Chapter 14, pg 320-327

           

             26   The Mother of All Environmental Problems           Chapter 4

             28   ECOLOGY SECTION -Ecosystem functions QUIZ        Chapter 2, pg 36-45

             30   Ecological patterns: biomes                                   Chapter 5, pg 98-107

 

Feb        2    Ecological patterns: succession                              Chapter 3, pg 69-72

              4    Population characteristics (demography)    Chapter 3, pg 56-64

              6    Population growth & interactions   QUIZ   Chapter 3, pg 56-64

 

              9    Landscape ecology                                                           None

            11    EXAM 1

            13    MANAGEMENT SUBSECTION – multiple use     Chapter 15, pg 350-352

                                                                                                            Also page 274

 

            16   Forest resources                                                    Chapter 6, pg 124-133

            18   Rangeland resources                                              Chapter 6, pg 133-135

            20   Issues: Fire management                                        Chapter 6, pg 132

 

            23   National Parks and wilderness                               Chapter 6, pg 135-140

            25   Mineral resources                          QUIZ               Chapter 11, pg 259-262

            27   Issues: Mining and the environment             Chapter 11, pg 262-264

 

March    1   Air, pollutants, acid rain                                         Chap 9, pg 195-6;209-213

       3   Issues: ozone depletion                                          Chapter 9, pg 212-216

              5   Climate change & greenhouse effect                       Chapter 9, pg 196-209

 

              8   Water quality and management       Quiz                 Chapter 10

            10    Issues: Groundwater & nonpoint pollution Chapter 10, pg 231-237

            12    Energy resources and consumption                        Chapter 12, pg 275-280

 

            15-19   Holiday – SPRING BREAK

 

            22    Issues: solar and wind power                                Chapter 12, pg 283-296

            24    Issues: nuclear power                                            Chapter 12, pg 280-283

            26    EXAM 2

 

March  29   CONSERVATION SUBSECTION – Biodiversity    Chapter 5, pg 107-110

             31   Causes of extinction                                              Chapter 5, pg 119-120

April       2    Habitat fragmentation                                            Chapter 5, pg 112-113

 

              5    Genetic conservation                                             None

              7    Population viability analysis           QUIZ               Chapter 5, pg 119-120

              9    Issues: Endangered Species Act    I                       Chapter 5, pg 118-121

 

             12   Endangered Species Act II                                   Same as above

             14   Ecotoxicology                                                       Chapter 8, pg 179-190

      16    Restoration Ecology                                              Chapter 1, pg 17-19

 

             19   HUMAN RESOURCES - population growth QUIZ         Chapter 4, pg 86-94

             21   Food resources & agriculture                                Chapter 7

             23   Genetic engineering in agriculture               Chapter 7, 149, 163-166

 

             26   Waste management                                               Chapter 13

             28    Land-use conflicts                                                Chapter 14, pg 329-334

             30       Course wrap-up

 

May 3 - May 8     FINAL EXAM PERIOD - Date to be announced

 

 

Grading:          First Exam:                   100 points                    Scale:

                        Second Exam: 100 points                                A    90-100%

                        Final Exam:                   150 points                                B    80-89%

                        6 Quizzes:                      72 points                                 C    70-79%

                        Class Participation:       30 points                                 D    60-69%

                      Total:                            452 points                                F    below 59%

 

Makeup policy on quizzes and exams:  The number of students enrolled in this class, and abuses of prior systems, require that a firm makeup policy be stated for quizzes and exams.  IF YOU HAVE A CONFLICT WITH A SCHEDULED QUIZ OR TEST, YOU MUST MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR MAKING UP THE QUIZ OR EXAM PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULED DATE.  NO MAKEUPS WILL BE ARRANGED FOR MISSED QUIZZES OR EXAMS DUE TO ROUTINE OR PREDICTABLE CONFLICTS WITHOUT PRIOR ARRANGEMENT.  If you miss a quiz or exam due to an unpredictable event or emergency, a makeup will be arranged upon receipt of WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION of the emergency. 

 

Students with disabilities:  If you have a disability that requires some special accommodation, please talk to me in the first three weeks of the semester to discuss the instruction techniques in this class, or any academic adjustments that you may need.  I have usually made accommodations in the past but it is important that we talk at the beginning of semester.

 

Class Participation:   One of the difficulties associated with teaching (and learning) in a large enrollment class is that there is little ability for students to feel personally involved in the learning process during the semester. This spring I will be using new technology called a Classroom Performance System (CPS) that allows each student to offer opinions during class, answer review questions, and otherwise provide feedback to things going on in class. To participate, you will purchase a remote control device along with your textbook.  You should go online to register your textbook and remote control – I will explain the process on the first day of class, and instructions are listed on the webCT version of FNR 103 (you should have access to the webCT version of the class as soon as you register and the webCT course is “populated”).  You should bring the remote to class each day – although I will not use CPS each day, I will try to use it at least once or twice a week starting after the MLK Holiday.

 

The Classroom Performance System allows me to track who is participating in class each time I use it.  I will not use the system to record how you answer each specific question – in other words, it is not a way of quizzing you every day.  [CPS can do that, but not with a class of this size.] Some of the times in class I will be asking for your opinion on a question relevant to an issue presented in class.  In those situations, there is no “right” or “wrong” answer.  I can, however, get a summary of who answered each day – essentially you will be recorded as being present during the days that you participate in the CPS questions.  If you respond during at least 80% of the class sessions in which I use CPS, then you will get the all of the class participation points listed above in the grading section.  Lower levels of participation will result in fewer points. 

 

The system is brand new, and has not been used before at Purdue with such a large class to my knowledge.  I anticipate there will be some glitches in getting the system to work.  I will not use the system during the first week of classes, to make sure everyone has a chance to get registered online.  But I am excited about having an ability to make the class more interactive and get more of a response from you to the issues that I will be presenting.

 

A MAJOR POINT:  you cannot record your answers or opinions to the CPS questions without the remote.  So if you don’t bring it to class, you cannot earn any of the class participation points that day.  Not everyone will remember to bring the remote every day - that’s why I am giving the full points for participating 80% of the time.  There will be some frustration at times if you only bring the remote occasionally, I am sure, since I will not be using CPS each day. I may not use CPS on the day you have, if you only bring it some of the time. Even though I will not be using it each day, it would be best if you have it with you all the time.  MAJOR HINT:  BRING THE REMOTE ON THE DAYS BEFORE SCHEDULED EXAMS AND QUIZZES, BECAUSE I WILL TRY TO SCHEDULE TIME FOR REVIEW ON THOSE DAYS.  ALSO, DAYS BEFORE MAJOR HOLIDAYS OR CAMPUS SOCIAL EVENTS ARE GOOD DAYS TO BE PRESENT AND HAVE THE REMOTE WITH YOU.