Preparing for the AP Environmental Science Exam

1. Preparing for the AP EnvironmentalScience Exam

2. Getting Organized to Study • You are putting information in long term memory! • You are coordinating ideas under broader concepts • You are connecting these ideas and concepts • You are striving for a better understanding of the whole • Use the Major Themes as a guide! • Make good study notes to use in May!

3. Facts about the exam Part one: Multiple Choice • Time: 90 minutes • 100 questions with options a-e • 60% of total grade • NO CALCULATOR • Be sure to have a good eraser: smudges can confuse the machine

4. Facts about the Exam Part Two: Free Response • Time: 90 minutes • 4 Questions • 40% of total grade • NO CALCULATORS • All four questions are weighted equally • About 22 minutes for each

5. Common Verbs • Compare: point out similarities and differences, to examine 2 or more objects and consider the likenesses. • Explain: Tell how to do( steps), tell the meaning of or why.. Give reasons for • Describe: to give a picture or account of in words • Discuss: to consider from various points of view

6. What to know about the multiple choice • No penalty for wrong answers • It may be to your advantage to guess if you can eliminate at least two • It is not expected that everyone will finish so DO NOT spend too much time on difficult questions • Use your time effectively

7. What to know for the Free Response • Read all four essays first, pick the one you know best and start with that one • DO NOT RESTATE the question • Follow the directions EXACTLY • Underline the key words. If it says two only answer two • Give Clear and Concise answers • Do NOT make lists. You must give the answer in complete sentences • Do NOT use buzz words without an explanation, example- bioaccumulate

8. More on Free Response • Know the common APES language, example- reduce or remediate • Do NOT give up on a question there is a point there for you • Make sure you do all your work in the PINK booklet • Where explanation or discussion is required, support your answers • Be aware of “negative” questions such as “ all of the following except”

9. Math Problems • Remember NO CALCULATORS • Problems are simple multiplication, division and addition • Show every calculation in the PINK booklet • Do NOT give up because you’re afraid of the math • Read the free response carefully it’s not completely math so there can be points even if you can’t do the math

10. Designing an Experiment • Hypothesis- If…….Then statement. • Example – If the number of gypsy moths increase then the number of acorns will decrease. • Control- Clearly indicate a control and the experiment • Independent and dependent variable- • Independent – the variable that is being changed • Manipulative variable ( pH) What treatment will you apply • dependent - the one that you are testing • Responsive variable ( Frog) What will you measure • Data or description of experiment – describe how you will take data, materials, organism etc. How it will be graphed an analyzed. • State how you will draw a conclusion. Your experiment needs to be at least theoretically possible. • Be consistent throughout.

11. Free Response Graphs • Set up the graph with the independent variable along the x-axis and dependent along the y-axis • Mark off axes in equal increments and label with proper units • Plot points and attempt to sketch in the curve (line) • If more than one curve is plotted, write a label on each curve ( this is better than a legend) • Label each axis • Give your graph an appropriate title( what is it showing)

12. Types of Free Response • Data- analysis • Document based • Synthesis and evaluation

13. Biosphere, the living world Cycling of matter Population Food Agriculture & Soils Solid Earth Land & Water Use Atmosphere/pollution Water/pollution Human Health Energy Laws & Influential people MAJOR THEMES

14. General Misconceptions • Niche & Habitat • CO2 & CFC’s • Atmospheric Ozone & Ground level Ozone • Fission & Fusion • Origin of Acids in the Atmosphere,Sulfuric & Nitric acids • Convention & Alternative energy • Passive and Solar energy

15. Most Common Names • Rachel Carson – water pollution, Silent Spring • Barry Commoner – Ozone, Closing Circle • Hugh Bennet-soil conservation • Lois Marie Gibbs – Love canal • Al Gore – The Inconvenient Truth • Garrett Hardin – Tragedy of the Commons • John Muir – naturalist • Gifford Pinchot – US Forest Service • Theodore Roosevelt – set aside land national forests

16. Most Common Laws • Air • Clean Air Act 1955 • Montreal Protocol 1987 – cut CFC’s • Kyoto Protocol 1997- greenhouse gases • Water • Clean Water Act 1972 • Safe drinking Act 1974

17. More Laws • Wildlife Conservation • Endangered Species Act 1973 • Lacey Act 1990 • Toxic Substances • Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, & Liability Act 1980 ( CLERCA) Superfund • Hazardous Materials Transportation Act 1975, (HAZMAT)

18. More laws • Pesticides • Federal Insecticide, Fungicide,& Rodenticide Act 1947, ( FIFRA) • Noise • Noise Control Act 1965 • Solid Waste • Mining Act 1872 • Solid Waste Disposal Act 1965

19. Environmental Agencies • Bureau Of Land Management ( BLM) • Center for Disease control (CDC) • Department of Energy (DOE) • Food & Drug Administration (FDA) • National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) • Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) • Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) formerly Soil Conservation Service • United States Geological Survey ( USGS)