ENVS 053 - Pacific Northwest Science Issues

5.0 Credits
High school course that explores current environmental issues in the Pacific Northwest with a focus on the interrelationships between humans, plants, and animals. Emphasis on problem solving, personal responsibility and action. Counts as HS Lab Science or CWP credit (was ENVSC 053).

Course-level Learning Objectives (CLOs)
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

Analyze processes that have caused changes to the features of the Earth’s surface, including plate tectonics, glaciation, volcanism, etc. [REASON]
Explain the factors that influence weather and climate and how these patterns relate to Northwest ecosystems. [REASON]
Describe the complex, integrated and regulated processes (such as photosynthesis and energy transfer in a food web) by which organisms use matter and energy to sustain life. [REASON]
Analyze and describe the living and nonliving factors that affect organisms in ecosystems and the relationships among species within selected Pacific Northwest ecosystems. [REASON]
Describe the process of evolution and the concepts of natural selection, speciation, adaptation and biological diversity. [REASON]
Analyze and explain the effects human activities have on the capacity of Pacific Northwest ecosystems to sustain biological diversity. [REASON]
Conduct systematic and complex scientific investigations and evaluate results of such investigations. [ACT]
Apply scientific knowledge and skills to solve problems or propose solutions to regional environmental challenges in the Pacific Northwest. [ACT]