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What is AP Environmental Science?

The College Board has set the following description for the AP Environmental Science course:

"The AP Environmental Science course is designed to be the equivalent of a one-semester, introductory college course in environmental science, through which students engage with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships within the natural world. The course requires that students identify and analyze natural and human-made environmental problems, evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and examine alternative solutions for resolving or preventing them. Environmental science is interdisciplinary, embracing topics from geology, biology, environmental studies, environmental science, chemistry, and geography."

🌱 To read more about the AP Environmental Science course, please click here to download the AP Environmental Science Course Description.

AP Environmental Science Big Ideas

AP Environmental Science is based around the 4 BIG IDEAS.

⚡️ Energy Transfer (click to reveal)

Energy conversions underlie all ecological processes. Energy cannot be created; it must come from somewhere. As energy flows through systems, at each step, more of it becomes unusable.

🌎 Interactions Between Earth Systems (click to reveal)

The Earth is one interconnected system. Natural systems change over time and space. Biogeochemical systems vary in ability to recover from disturbances.

🏞 Interactions Between Different Species and the Environment (click to reveal)

Humans alter natural systems and have had an impact on the environment for millions of years. Technology and population growth have enabled humans to increase both the rate and scale of their impact on the environment.

♻️ Sustainability (click to reveal)

Human survival depends on developing practices that will achieve sustainable systems. A suitable combination of conservation and development is required. The management of resources is essential. Understanding the role of cultural, social, and economic factors is vital to the development of solutions.

As you work through the course, you will notice that everything you learn comes back to these 4 BIG IDEAS.

AP Environmental Science Practices

You will also spend time working through the following 7 science practices, which are interwoven into each module and your Capstone project.

⓵ Concept Explanation (click to reveal)

- - EXPLAIN environmental concepts, processes, and models presented in written format.
    - A - DESCRIBE environmental concepts and processes.
    - B - EXPLAIN environmental concepts and processes.
    - C - EXPLAIN environmental concepts, processes, or models in applied contexts.

⓶ Visual Representations (click to reveal)

- - ANALYZE visual representations of environmental concepts and processes.
    - A - DESCRIBE characteristics of an environmental concept, process, or model represented visually.
    - B - EXPLAIN relationships between different characteristics of environmental concepts, processes, or models represented visually: in theoretical contexts and in applied contexts.
    - C - EXPLAIN how environmental concepts and processes represented visually relate to broader environmental issues.

⓷ Text Analysis (click to reveal)

- - ANALYZE sources of information about environmental issues.
    - A - IDENTIFY the author’s claim.
    - B - DESCRIBE the author’s perspective and assumptions.
    - C - DESCRIBE the author’s reasoning (use of evidence to support a claim).
    - D - EVALUATE the credibility of a source (not assessed): recognize bias and scientific accuracy.
    - E - EVALUATE the validity of conclusions of a source or research study (not assessed).

⓸ Scientific Experiments (click to reveal)

- - ANALYZE research studies that test environmental principles.
    - A - IDENTIFY a testable hypothesis or scientific question for an investigation.
    - B - IDENTIFY a research method, design, and/or measure used.
    - C - DESCRIBE an aspect of a research method, design, and/or measure used.
    - D - MAKE OBSERVATIONS or COLLECT DATA from laboratory setups (not assessed).
    - E - EXPLAIN modifications to an experimental procedure that will alter results.

⓹ Data Analysis (click to reveal)

- - ANALYZE and INTERPRET quantitative data represented in tables, charts, and graphs.
    - A - DESCRIBE patterns or trends in data.
    - B - DESCRIBE relationships among variables in data represented.
    - C - EXPLAIN patterns and trends in data to draw conclusions.
    - D - INTERPRET experimental data and results in relation to a given hypothesis.
    - E - EXPLAIN what the data implies or illustrates about environmental issues.

⓺ Mathematical Routines (click to reveal)

- - APPLY quantitative methods to address environmental concepts.
    - A - DETERMINE an approach or method aligned with the problem to be solved.
    - B - APPLY appropriate mathematical relationships to solve a problem, with work shown (e.g., dimensional analysis).
    - C - CALCULATE an accurate numeric answer with appropriate units.

⓻ Environmental Solutions (click to reveal)

- - PROPOSE AND JUSTIFY SOLUTIONS to environmental problems.
    - A - DESCRIBE environmental problems.
    - B - DESCRIBE potential responses or approaches to environmental problems.
    - C - DESCRIBE disadvantages, advantages, or unintended consequences for potential solutions.
    - D - USE data and evidence to support a potential solution.
    - E - MAKE A CLAIM that proposes a solution to an environmental problem in an applied context.
    - F - JUSTIFY a proposed solution, by explaining potential advantages.

While each of these Science Practices undeniably has an environmental science slant, they are broad skills that will prove useful to you as you move throughout your future studies, science and otherwise.

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