Winter 2025 Environmental Science Syllabus

Hybrid Online/Thursday Evening In-Person; 6pm-8pm.  Building 18 Room 201

Instructor Contact Information

Name: Professor Joseph Colón (Professor Joe)
External email: jcolon@tacomacc.edu
Phone: 253-566-5002
Office Location: F1-34
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday 1:00pm-3:00pm
Electronic and Phone Response Times: 48 hours or less

Suggested Materials (bring to class every class meeting)

College ruled paper

Pens and pencils

Any worksheets handed out in class

All assigned work (graded and ungraded)

Brain - ready to engage and properly fueled by nutrition and exercise

Course Description

This theme based English course integrates reading, writing, listening, speaking, and critical thinking skills around assignments and activities focusing on Environmental Science. Topics include population, ecology, climate change, sustainability and pollution. Students will specifically focus on environmental issues related to the Pacific Northwest. Laboratories and field trips are included. This competency-based class allows students to work at their own pace, exit at a level appropriate to demonstrated skills and knowledge, and earn possible high school completion Lab Science, Science, Contemporary World Issues, English and/or elective credits.

Course Outcomes

At the end of the course the student will:

• Evaluate information scientifically in the context of his/her own life.
• Explain the importance of observation and hypothesis testing in the scientific process, and distinguish between science and non-science practices.
• Perform scientific investigations in lab setting, gather, analyze and critically evaluate scientific data, and communicate scientific results according to appropriate academic standards.
• Define basic principles used in community and ecosystem ecology, and compare the biodiversity of several different habitat types
• Identify and evaluate instances where population growth and humans' use of resources impacts the natural environment.
• Use the concept of sustainability to critique global and local environmental issues, and identify the steps that can be taken to improve environmental conditions and actively participate in solutions to environmental problems.
• Interpret and explain basic scientific data represented in graphs and charts

College and Career Readiness Standards

• CCRs Reading Anchor(s): Level D (All)
• CCRs Writing Anchor(s):Level D (All)
• CCRs Speaking/Listening Anchor(s): Level D (All)
• CCRs Language Anchor(s): Level D anchor 1, 2, 3
• CCRs Math Level(s): Level C number and operations, Ratio/Proportion, Represent and interpret Data

Course Expectations

You are expected to be five minutes early to class ready to put 100% into whatever we are doing that day. Respect should be shown to all individuals and equipment in the classroom. 

As a student, you will:

• Set goals at the beginning of the quarter; revisit those goals and make adjustments
• Complete self-evaluations (reflecting on your successful student habits and learning)
• Reflect on your progress in your final portfolio
• Discuss your progress and goals with your instructor during end of quarter conferences

Canvas will be used as a way to communicate information about classroom policies, assignments, schedule, and grades. Please check your TCC Email and Canvas account daily for messages from your instructor. There are several places on campus that provide computer resources such as the library (Building 7), Information Commons computer lab (Building 16), and the CAL Lab (Building 7, Room 2).

Attendance

Attendance and respectful participation will positively influence your grade.  This means coming to class prepared, staying on task, engaging in class discussion, and completing assignments ON TIME.  

Successful students attend every class and come to class five minutes early! MISSING CLASS DOES NOT EXTEND A DEADLINE OR DUE DATE. If you know you are going to miss due dates, you may hand in your assignments early.

Format Standard for Assignments

MLA unless otherwise stated

Late Work Policy

Late work is not recommended. Previous experience has shown that people who turn in assignments late are less successful in completing the course. I will accept late work, but you get a week grace period without penalty.  After that every day it is late will result in 25% deducted from your score. Students who turn in more than five late assignments can earn no higher than a C in this course. This is because earning a B or higher means that you can take more challenging English classes, but other professors will except you to turn in assignments on time regularly. Please talk to me if you encounter difficulties with due dates, deadlines, or assignments. I'm willing to work with you- but you must complete all assignments.

Academic Integrity

The ideas you present and the writing that you submit in this course must of course be your own.  When you present someone else’s ideas as your own (without citation) either in a single quote or a paraphrase, you are committing plagiarism.  In accordance with TCC policy, plagiarism will not be tolerated. We will discuss in class (and with handouts) what qualifies as plagiarism or cheating. First offense: Failure of the assignment. Second offense: Failure of the course and the incident will be referred to the appropriate authorities and may result in expulsion. This includes generative AI such as ChatGPT.

TCC Reasonable Accommodations for Religion/Conscience

Students who will be absent from course activities due to reasons of faith or conscience may seek reasonable accommodations so that grades are not impacted. Such requests must be made within the first two weeks of the quarter and should follow the procedures listed in the Leave for Faith & Conscience policy webpage.

 Support Resources

All Students are responsible for all requirements of the class, but the way they meet these requirements may vary. 

If you have established disability accommodations with the Access Services office, please share your approved accommodations with me at your earliest convenience. You can request that Access Services email your Letter of Accommodation to me, or you can provide me with printed copies.

If you have a disability or health condition and have not established services, please contact Access Services at (253) 460-4437 or access@tacomacc.edu.

Access Services coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities.

Additionally, all students have access to the following services:   

            Writing and Tutoring Center (Bldg 7)                        253.566.6032

                        By appointment or drop in

            Reading/Study Skills Center                                      253.566.5143

            Math & Advising Resource Center                            253.566.5145

            Career Center                                                              253.566.5027

            Counseling Center                                                       253.566.5122

            Job Assistance Center                                                 253.566.5191

            Employment Security Services                                   253.566.5146

            Children’s Center                                                         253.566.5180

CAL Lab: individualized computer aided practice

Study Groups: work with others inside and outside class

Assignments and Grading

Papers (40%): You will complete two major projects or papers in the MLA format.

Homework and classwork including labs (30%):   Throughout the quarter you are expected to complete the assigned activities and writing inside and outside of class. This work will include summaries, responses, vocabulary development, paragraphs, graphic organizers, grammar/writing/test taking practice exercises and more. This section also includes quizzes. 

Online work and research (10%) You will learn how to find credible and equitable information and not to use WIKIPEDIA.

Final Portfolio (10%): For your final assignment your classwork will be assembled into a final portfolio. A portfolio is a collection of your work that shows your skills (as a reader, writer, learner, and scientist) and documents how your writing has improved over the quarter.  You need to save all of your work you complete this quarter for potential use in your final portfolio. 

Grading Scale:

94%-100% = A        83%-87% = B          73%-77% = C        Below 60% = E

90%-93% = A-        80%-83% = B-          70%-73% = C-     

88%-89% = B+       78%-79% = C+         60%-69% = D      

The goal is 75% or better.

Withdrawal: 

Withdrawals must be done officially through the registrar's office by March 6th. If you just stop coming to class and taking exams, you will receive a grade of E. This can negatively impact your financial aid in the future.

 

Incompletes:  

The ‘I’ grade is given at the discretion of the instructor when the student has completed more than 60% of the quarter and has a plan to finish the remaining work. The student and instructor must fill out a contract form that contains the specific requirements to be completed, the time allowed for completion, and the grade to be assigned if the contract is not completed.

 

 

PLEASE NOTE: State and college guidelines only allow students to remain at one level for 3 quarters.  If progression after 3 quarters has not occurred, we will assist you in looking at alternative options. If you have read this far, email me a picture of a cat for ten extra credit points.

 

      BE CONFIDENT!                     ASK FOR HELP!                 BELIEVE YOU CAN DO IT!

 

 “Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death.” Albert Einstein