Students begin their environmental science journey with safety rules and regulations they can apply to work safely and efficiently in a laboratory setting. Students will also learn to recognize federally mandated hazardous communication symbols and differentiate between the components of Safety Data Sheets.

This module discusses how scientists collect environmental samples from water, soil and air to monitor environments and identify trends. Students will learn to choose appropriate environmental sampling techniques and to interpret resulting data using statistical analysis.

In this module, students will develop an understanding of the connection between meteorology and the environment. Specifically, students will explore aspects of meteorology like atmospheric conditions and discover how air pollution contributes to the greenhouse effect and climate change.

This module covers the important characteristics of soil, soil composition and its impact on groundwater supply. By the end of this module, students will be able to:

• understand different land uses and capability factors
• describe the process of soil formation
• perform a soil survey
• evaluate methods of groundwater protection
• determine soil’s potential for filtration and flooding based on its physical qualities.

Chemistry can help us to understand, monitor, protect and improve the environment through tools and techniques for measuring air and water pollution.

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• explain and summarize how chemistry affects the quality and function of air, water and soil
• asses how various wetlands are formed based on the different kinds of soil and water chemistry present
• evaluate a sample’s soil chemistry.

Biodiversity is the amount of variety of life on Earth. Students will explore how to determine an ecosystem’s biodiversity score and why it is important when assessing the impacts of habitat loss and overpopulation.

In this module, students will evaluate the damage caused by pollution and discuss how to remediate severely affected areas. Students will learn to distinguish between point and nonpoint source pollutants and determine how to classify and properly dispose of hazardous pollutants.

Clean water is one of the most important natural resources on the planet. Wastewater is also a valuable resource, though it contains many harmful substances and cannot be released back into the environment until it is treated. In this module, students will explore the methods and components of proper wastewater treatment, including composting, landfill procedures, recycling and options for solid waste.

This module examines the advantages and disadvantages of conventional and alternative energy sources and their impact on the environment. Students will evaluate the effects of burning fossil fuels, the carbon cycle imbalance and energy consumption.

Recent environmental issues have risen to new heights, affecting economies and policies worldwide. In this module, students will become familiar with policies addressing greenhouse gas emissions, fracking and shale oil, and they will learn how to devise new policies for the future.

This module surveys environmental policy in the United States. Students will learn about the advocacy groups and federal agencies responsible for enacting environmental policies, as well as examine specific pieces of legislation that shaped those policies.

While populations and habitats grow and change, environmental agencies turn to GIS technology to help maintain sustainable natural resource and environmental management. By the end of this module, students will be able to:

• define GIS and other relevant terms
• explain the types of data and maps associated with GIS
• list the applications of GIS and careers associated with its use.