This live online AP Environmental Science class is for high school homeschoolers who have completed both a high-school-level Biology course and a high-school-level Chemistry course. It can be taken live or in an asynchronous manner.
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The College Board has structured the year-long AP Environmental Science to be equivalent to a one-semester college course, with topics studied including ecosystems, biodiversity, earth systems and resources, pollution and global change. This course is designed to provide students with a foundation in fundamental environmental science concepts and will introduce them to investigative scientific methods.
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Class Details
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AP Environmental Science | Traditional, full-year, live, lab-science class
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Tuition & Materials:
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Tuition: $750
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See all required class resources HERE.
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Co-Instructors: Bekah Hilton and Ashley Porter
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Dates: August 19, 2024 - May 2025 (AP Exam)
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Weekly Classes: Live or asynchronous option (choose one or the other at registration)
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Live option: Thursdays @ 3-4:30 p.m. Eastern
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Students attend live classes, actively participate, and are expected to keep cameras on
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Asynchronous option:
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Students watch the recording of each week's live class and complete a discussion forum with their async classmates related to the week's live class content.
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Please note:
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The asynchronous option is NOT a self-paced class.
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The instructional content, assignments, and deadlines are the same for live and asynchronous.
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Students will register for one mode (live or async) and keep that mode during the year.
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Optional Live Study Halls (available to live AND asynchronous students)​
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Every other Thursday @ 1-3 p.m. Eastern (Hilton)
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Every Thursday @ 6-8:30 p.m. Eastern (Porter)
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Grade Level: 10th-12th (15+)
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Prerequisites:
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Successfully completed a high school-level Biology class and a high school-level Chemistry class
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Completion of Algebra 2 is not required but is highly recommended.
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Class size: 15-20
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See our FAQ for:​
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a complete list of days, times, and breaks
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a list of CA charter schools where this course is a-g approved (coming soon!)
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Format:
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Students share an interactive online classroom and meet live on Zoom.
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Students who attend live will be expected to keep their webcams on.
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Live sessions will be recorded for those choosing the asynchronous mode of instruction.
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Average weekly time estimate: 8 hours including recorded and live instruction
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All Blue Tent science courses are NCAA-approved.
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This AP Environmental Science class complies with the AP course audit and has been approved by the College Board.
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Foundational Elements
This course is designed to help students:​​
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Develop a thorough understanding of the ecosystem concept and how living and nonliving things interact
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Apply knowledge of environmental processes to human-ecosystem interactions
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View science as a process rather than an accumulation of facts
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Acquire personal experience in scientific inquiry
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Recognize unifying themes that integrate the major topics of environmental science
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Apply biological knowledge and critical thinking to environmental and social concerns
Each week, the instructors will post a summary of topics, assignments, and supplementary resources on the online classroom.
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The AP Environmental Science classroom will be the course hub, where students access class material, participate in online discussions, and collaborate with their classmates.
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Since APES is a college-level course, students should expect college-level pacing. They will need to be disciplined in completing their weekly reading and assignments so they can come prepared and make the most of live classes--being ready to ask questions and discuss the week's material with the instructors and their peers.
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The instructors will be available to answer questions throughout the week via study halls, online class messaging, discussion forums, or email.
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A Variety of Resources and Labs
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Core and Supplemental Resources
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​The class textbook is the newest edition of Bedford, Freeman & Worth's Environmental Science for the AP Course (2023, 4th edition) by Friedland & Relyea.
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This comprehensive text is designed specifically for the AP curriculum framework, and students have the option to purchase a hardcopy of the text on their own or purchase the ebook through Blue Tent.
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The ebook can be accessed on or off line and has a number of helpful interactive features such as allowing a student to highlight, take notes, change the font, and listen to the text content using its audio reader.
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Labs, Case Studies & Projects
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A variety of labs--both hands-on and virtual--will allow students to explore and apply their learning to real-world circumstances as they make observations, construct hypotheses, collect and analyze data, and formalize conclusions.
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Many of AP Environmental Science's labs will be virtual or research-based--with an emphasis on critical thinking and guided and independent inquiry.
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In addition to completing virtual and wet labs, students will undertake research projects, case studies, and presentations throughout the year.
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In their online classroom, students will interact and collaborate with their instructors and peers every week. Blue Tent AP Environmental Science is designed to be a class where advanced homeschoolers will enjoy sharing, comparing, and learning with class friends.
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