TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION: ............................................................................................................................. 1
PART 1: THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................ 3
1.1) EVALUATING SOIL TEXTURE ............................................................................................. 3
1.2) PHYSICAL CONDITIONS AND DISSOLVED OXYGEN ............................................................ 7
1.3) WATER SAMPLE ANALYSIS .............................................................................................. 11
1.4) INTERPRETING WATER QUALITY DATA FROM THE US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY* ............... 17
1.5) NET PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY AND BIOLOGICAL OXYGEN DEMAND ............................... 21
1.6) CARBON CYCLING BETWEEN FISH AND PRODUCERS ....................................................... 26
1.7) DIURNAL AND SEASONAL POND DYNAMICS .................................................................... 33
1.8) THE POPULATION DYNAMICS OF PARAMECIA ................................................................... 37
1.9) FEED CONVERSION IN MEALWORMS ................................................................................ 40
PART 2: POLLUTION MITIGATION .................................................................................... 45
2.1) ASSESSING POLLUTION AND REMEDIATION WITH YEAST ................................................ 45
2.2) DOSE-RESPONSE TO CARBON DIOXIDE ............................................................................ 52
2.3) BUFFERING CAPACITY ..................................................................................................... 56
2.4) THE NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS CYCLES ..................................................................... 60
2.5) THE CHEMISTRY OF FLUE GAS DESULFURIZATION. .............................. DISK SUPPLEMENT
PART 3: ENERGY ...................................................................................................................... 64
3.1) ENERGY MEASUREMENT ................................................................................................. 64
3.2) TRANSPORTATION ENERGY* ............................................................................................ 72
3.3) BATTERIES AND BIOFUELS* ............................................................................................. 78
3.4) HOUSEHOLD ENERGY CONSUMPTION .............................................................................. 84
3.5) FUEL CELL DYNAMICS .......................................................................... DISK SUPPLEMENT
PART 4: QUALITY OF LIFE ................................................................................................... 87
4.1) QUANTIFYING URBAN SPRAWL* ...................................................................................... 87
4.2) DEVELOPMENT AND QUALITY OF LIFE* ........................................................................... 91
4.3) WORLDWIDE RISK FACTORS AND HEALTH OUTCOMES* .................................................. 97
4.4) U.S.RISK FACTORS AND HEALTH OUTCOMES* .............................................................. 103
4.5) MOVIE: SOYLENT GREEN ................................................................................................ 110
4.6) MOVIE: CONTAGION ....................................................................................................... 112
4.7) DOCUMENTARY: THE RIVER ........................................................................................... 114
4.8) ARTICLE: A SHORT HISTORY OF SATURATED FAT* .................................. DISK SUPPLEMENT
4.9) DOCUMENTARY: COOL IT ..................................................................... DISK SUPPLEMENT
SPREADSHEET TEMPLATES AND POWER POINT INSTRUCTIONS ......................... DISK SUPPLEMENT
*All these activities can be adapted for online use because they only involve a computer. I do not
recommend assigning movies or documentaries online because it deprives students of the social
experience of watching movies together.