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.

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