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AP Environmental Science | 24-25

World environment day concept_ Two human hands holding earth globe and heart shape of tree

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

  • AP Environmental Science | Traditional, full-year, live, lab-science class

  • Tuition & Materials: 

    • Tuition: $750

    • See all required class resources HERE.

  • Co-Instructors: Bekah Hilton and Ashley Porter

  • Dates: August 19, 2024 - May 2025 (AP Exam)

  • Weekly Classes: Live or asynchronous option (choose one or the other at registration)

    • Live option: Thursdays @ 3-4:30 p.m. Eastern

      • Students attend live classes, actively participate, and are expected to keep cameras on

    • Asynchronous option:

      • 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.

      • Please note:

        • The asynchronous option is NOT a self-paced class.

        • The instructional content, assignments, and deadlines are the same for live and asynchronous.

        • Students will register for one mode (live or async) and keep that mode during the year.

  • Optional Live Study Halls (available to live AND asynchronous students)​

    • Every other Thursday @ 1-3 p.m. Eastern (Hilton)

    • Every Thursday @ 6-8:30 p.m. Eastern (Porter)

  • Grade Level: 10th-12th (15+)

    • Prerequisites:

      • Successfully completed a high school-level Biology class and a high school-level Chemistry class

      • Completion of Algebra 2 is not required but is highly recommended.

  • Class size: 15-20

  • See our FAQ for:​

    • a complete list of days, times, and breaks

    • a list of CA charter schools where this course is a-g approved (coming soon!)

  • Format:

    • Students share an interactive online classroom and meet live on Zoom.

    • Students who attend live will be expected to keep their webcams on.

    • Live sessions will be recorded for those choosing the asynchronous mode of instruction.

  • Average weekly time estimate: 8 hours including recorded and live instruction

  • All Blue Tent science courses are NCAA-approved.

  • 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:​​

  • Develop a thorough understanding of the ecosystem concept and how living and nonliving things interact

  • Apply knowledge of environmental processes to human-ecosystem interactions

  • View science as a process rather than an accumulation of facts

  • Acquire personal experience in scientific inquiry

  • Recognize unifying themes that integrate the major topics of environmental science

  • 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.

  • The AP Environmental Science classroom will be the course hub, where students access class material, participate in online discussions, and collaborate with their classmates.

  • 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.

  • 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

  • Core and Supplemental Resources

    • ​The class textbook is the newest edition of Bedford, Freeman & Worth's Environmental Science for the AP Course (2023, 4th edition) by Friedland & Relyea.

      • 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.

      • 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.

  • Labs, Case Studies & Projects

    • 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.

    • Many of AP Environmental Science's labs will be virtual or research-based--with an emphasis on critical thinking and guided and independent inquiry.

    • 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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