Thursday, January 26, 2012

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE: ABIOTIC CYCLES





ABIOTIC CYCLES

MULHOLLAND'S DREAM

Environmental Science students are studying the impacts of water delivery systems on the environment and human civilization. They have received a worksheet that contains questions based upon a video, shown on class, called "Mulholland's Dream", which is based, in part, on a famous book by late environmentalist Marc Reisner, called "Cadillac Desert".

For students who were not in class when the video was shown, or who wish to see the entire (unedited) program again, I have provided the following links:




















In addition to completing the worksheet, Environmental Science students must research and answer the following questions:

1. What is the estimated current population of Los Angeles County? Make sure you tell me the source of your estimate!

2. Water has many uses, but let’s just focus on drinking water. Find a source that estimates the amount of water in liters needed by a single human being, each day. Tell me the source, and provide the estimate.

3. Using your research from questions 1 and 2, estimate the total amount of drinking water in liters required annually by the population of Los Angeles County. SHOW YOUR WORK!

4. Based on your answer to question 3, do you think that Los Angeles County will have to find new sources of water in the future? Give a reason to support your claim.

5. Los Angeles relies on aqueducts and canals to obtain most of its water. What are the sources of water here in Fresno County?


Wednesday, January 25, 2012

POWER POINT: PROBABILITY!

Here is the (brief) Power Point discussing, and giving examples of some basic principles of probability. This is, of course, math....but an essential tool, also, for doing science.




PLEASE NOTE: BOTH MY BIOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE CLASSES SHOULD HAVE THESE NOTES!!

Monday, January 16, 2012

BIOLOGY: THE SPRING SEMESTER BEGINS

Welcome back to all of my students from last semester, and an additional greeting to those of you who are joining my classes for the first time!

It is my custom in Biology to provide a syllabus for each unit. Students should receive a copy of the syllabus in class which is three-hole punched to keep in their binders, and a bitmap image will be posted of the syllabus at about the same time. Here's what you can expect in this unit: