This course is based on examining and discussing environmental science case studies. These case studies will include topics such as:

• American Bison
• American Chestnut
• Bald Eagles
• Beavers
• Brook Trout in the Adirondacks
• Earthworms
• Eating at a Different Trophic Level
• Firewood
• New Jersey Black Bears
• New Jersey White-Tailed Deer
• The Human Population
• Wild Harvest Protein Potential of the United States
• Wild Horses
• Wild Turkeys
• Yellowstone Grizzly Bears
• American Alligators
• Asbestos
• Benthic Macroinvertebrates
• Climate Change
• Earth's Climate
• Nuclear Energy
• Oysters
• Pebble Mine
• Periodical Cicadas
• Photochemical Smog
• Radon
• Solid Waste
• Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
• Sustainable Agriculture
• The Great Stink
• Water
• Wind Power

In addition, we will perform hands-on activities to reinforce what we learn through the case studies. These activities will include such things as:

• Local Tree and/or Plant Identification
• Carbon Cycle
• Nitrogen Cycle
• Dorito Calorimetry
• Soil Your Undies
• Island Biogeography
• Benthic Machinvertebrates Diversity and Water Quality
• Natural Selection
• Pasta Transect
• Cemetery Survivorship Analysis
• Geologic Time Scale
• Soil Particle Composition
• Soil Profiling
• Soil Properties and Macronutrients
• Tragedy of the Commons?
• How Much Space is Required to Feed You?
• Virtual Mining
• Ecological Footprint
• Build a Simple Electricity Generator
• Desalination
• Solar Oven
• Automobile Exhaust
• Particulate Air Pollution
• Acid Rain
• Noise Pollution
• Fecal Coliform Bacteria
• Eutrophication
• Water Disinfection
• Design Your Own Water Filter
• LD50
• Albedo
• Thawing Permafrost & CO2 Emissions
• Ocean Acidification
• Experimental Design: Invasive Species

This is a secular class.

Prerequisites

Elementary school science.

Schedule

This class will meet from 2:30am to 4:00pm on Tuesdays.

We will proceed at a pace dictated by the interests of the class and the availability of seasonal resources. Each day's lesson will consist of discussion and/or hands-on activities to reinforce and illustrate the points discussed.

The ability to attend class regularly will be important for continuity of information. If your student is unable to attend a class, they will be expected to cover the material themselves. Please arrive promptly, prepared to hit the ground running.

Masks will be not be required, except in the most extreme of circumstances. They will be optional, however.

There will be planned time off during the course of the class. These times will often not be during regular public school vacations. We like to travel during unpopular times! We will NOT observe most of the little holidays that normally fall on Mondays and Fridays.

Cost

Tuition is paid monthly, due by the first class of the month.

Attendance

We will take attendance, but only for our own internal accountability. Spaces are limited, so only sign up if you intend to attend regularly, as you will be taking a slot that could have been occupied by somebody else.

Assignments and Grading

There will be homework - students will be expected to read the case study before class and come prepared to discuss the issues. We can issue a formal grade for the class, which will be based on classroom and lab performance. Alternately, parents are welcome to assign their own grade for their child based on our feedback, but this will not be on a Winston Hall Academy transcript.

Students will need to have access to a computer, internet and a Google account. If your student does not have an email account, we can provide one @winstonhall.org. Students should also have access to a webcam with the ability to meet online. It would not be the intended method, but can be a good alternative for when weather is poor or otherwise dictated by various circumstances. We can also use online meetings for homework help/office hours.

Involvement by parents is key, but I will not expect you to do any of the teaching, other than reinforcing lessons learned when the opportunity arises. What I will expect from parents is this:

• Respond promptly to my emails, usually in the form of "Got it"
• Get your student(s) to class on time
• Don't get mad if we run overtime. Feel free to come in and pull your student(s) out if you need to go, though
• Be responsive if I ask something and abide by the written policies of the school, which will be provided to you prior to registering
• Parents are not required to stay for class, but are welcome to stay if they wish. We intend to provide a comfortable place for parents to wait, or they may actually attend the class.

Involvement by your student is even more important. What I will expect from students is this:

• Be attentive in class
• Ask questions

I highly encourage questions. We ask a lot of questions in my current classes. Many of the questions are seemingly unusual and lead us down unplanned paths, but they all educate.

New students will require an in-person interview before being accepted into the class. Students may be denied entry into the class at my sole discretion, for reasons which may include lack of age-appropriate maturity, lack of interest in science or inability to maintain a sense of decorum in class.

Class Materials

All class materials required for class will be provided.