Welcome to Mr. Tredinnick's Environmental Policy Course!
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This semester-long course examine the political landscape of the United States, through a specific emphasis of how the government develops and establishes policies regarding the environment. The course begins with an overview of the guiding principles of the formation of the government, before examining the role of different governmental and non-governmental agencies in formulating policies and legislation. Students will also examine how the policy of the United States contrasts to international frameworks on the environment. The varying levels of government will also be examined to see how policy is implemented at state, local, national, and international scales.
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Unit IV - Environmental Legislation
Unit IV Schedule
Unit IV Assignments
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Week 18: Project Presentations
(Dec 17-21) Monday: A Day Finals - Project Presentations + All A Day Environmental Policy students present Tuesday: B Day Finals - Project Presentations + Half of 3B Environmental Policy students present Wednesday: B Day Finals - Project Presentations + Other Half of 3B Environmental Policy students present Thursday: Make-Up Day Friday: Make-Up Day | ||||||||
Unit IV Resources
Unit III - State and Non-Governmental Environmentalists
Unit III Schedule
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Week 11: Lower Levels of Government
(Oct 29-Nov 2) Monday: State and Local Government - Forum 3.1 - Its a State Issue - Sub-Federal Levels of Government (Notes) - State Environmentalists (Assignment) HW: Unit III Discussion due Friday, Dec 1st + OPS Students to Complete RSP Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Political Parties - Forum 3.2 - Differences Between the Parties - Geoinquiry - Voting Trends (Assignment) + 2016 Election Geoinquiry + ESRI - Community Analyst - Purpose of Political Parties (Notes) HW: Research an Issue (Assignment) + Whitehouse - Domestic Issues + GovTrack Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Orientation/Senior Project Week 14: Zoos and Aquariums
(Nov 19-23) Monday: Working Within A System - Forum 3.6: Government Compliance - Guest Speaker: Jenn Wilson - Zoo Registrar HW: Unit III Discussions (Due 12/1) Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: No School - Staff Development Thursday: No School - Thanksgiving Break Friday: No School - Thanksgiving Break |
Week 12: Non-Government Actors
(Nov 5-9) Monday: Influential Institutions - Forum 3.3 - Keeping the Government Honest - Elizabeth Warren Rips Think Tanks - The Media + Politifact + Colbert and Campaign Spending - The Ivory Towers (Assignment) + Top Environmental Science Schools Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Ordinary Citizens - Forum 3.4 - Effect of Ordinary Citizens - Citizen Created Change (Assignment) + What exactly are people marching for when they march for science? + Time-Lapse Proof of Extreme Ice Loss + Leonardo Dicaprio: UN Speech + Bill Nye: Climate Change 101 Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Orientation/Senior Project 
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Week 13: Contributions of NGOs
(Nov 12-16) Monday: Making Voices Heard - Forum 3.5 - The Rules of the Game - Interest Groups and Lobbyists (Notes) HW: Lobbying for Zoos (Assignment) + Association of Zoos and Aquariums Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Environmental NGOs Grade Check-Ins - Forum 3.6 - Handling Specific Issues - Non Government Organizations (Notes) - Examining an ENGO (Assignment) + Present Key Findings for last 15 min of class HW: Come up with 5 Questions for Speaker - Zoo Registrar Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Orientation/Senior Project Week 15: Finish Unit III
(Nov 26-30) Monday: Review Day Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Finish Unit III - Unit III Test - State and Non-Governmental Environmentalists - Unit III Discussion Due Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Orientation/Senior Project |
Unit III Notes
Unit IV Review
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Unit III Assignments
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Unit III Resources
Unit II - Scale and Influence of the Federal Government
Unit II Schedule
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Week 6: Roles of the Legislature
(Sept 24-28) Monday: The Legislative Branch - Forum 2.1 - Legislative Requirements - Roles of the Legislative Branch (Notes) - Bill to Law Flow Chart (Notes) + Schoolhouse Rock: I'm Just a Bill - Current Environmental Legislation (Assignment) GovTrack - Environmental Protection HW: Current Environmental Legislation Action Plan (Section 3 of Worksheet) Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Congressional Committees - Forum 2.2 - Committees on the Environment - Committee Work (Assignment) *Links in Unit II Resources* Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Orientation/Senior Project 
Week 9: The Role of Collective Citizens
(Oct 15-19) Monday: Case Study: NEPA - Forum 2.7 - Environmental Considerations - Finish and Discuss Federal Scientific Agencies - National Environmental Policy Act (Notes) HW: Dakota Access Pipeline (Assignment) + Dakota Pipeline (Overview of DAPL) + Indian Country: DAPL Illegal + Forbes: Let DAPL Remain Operational Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Case Study: EPA - Forum 2.8 - Environmental Protector - Gutting the EPA (Assignment) + The Environmental Protection Agency + Media Bias/Fact Check HW: Discussion Posts Due Thursday, Oct 26th Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Orientation/Senior Project |
Week 7: The Branches of Government
(Oct 1-5) Monday: The Executive Branch - Forum 2.3 - Presidential Actions - The Roles of the Executive (Notes) - Commander in Green (Assignment) + How Trump is Changing the Environment + CNBC: Trump Paris Accord Exit is Good News for the Environment + Time: Is Obama Bad for the Environment + WP: Obama on Saving Energy Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Executive Departments - Forum 2.4 - Shared Responsibility - Presidential Environmentalists (Assignment) + Theodore Roosevelt and the National Parks + Theodore Roosevelt and Conservation + Executive Branch Reading Room HW: Unit II Discussion - Environmental Legislation (Post 1 Due by 11:59 Fri, October 6th, All posts due Thursday Oct 26th) Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Orientation/Senior Project 
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Week 8: Role of Independent Agencies
(Oct 8-12) Monday: Role of the Judicial Branch - Forum 2.5 - Endangered Species Act - The Supreme Court (Notes) HW: Cases of Importance (Assignment) - Oyez: Resource Site Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: NOAA, NASA, and the USGS - Forum 2.6 - Scientific Responsibilities - Federal Scientific Agencies (Assignment) + NASA + NOAA + USGS HW: Federal Scientific Agencies Thought Question Thursday: No School Staff Development Friday: No School Staff Development 
Week 10: End of Unit II
(Oct 22-26) Monday: Review Day - Forum 2.9 - Linkage Institutions - Present Committee Work - Study Time + Unit II Study Guide - Scale of Influence of the Federal Government Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Finish Unit II - Unit II Test - Scale of Influence of the Federal Government - Unit II Discussion Due Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No School |
Unit II Notes
Unit II Review
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Unit II Assignments
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Unit II Resources
Unit I - American Philosophies of Democracy
Unit I Schedule
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Week 1: Theories and Concepts
(Aug 20-24) Monday: Course Introduction - Forum 1.1 - Knowing the Ropes - Government Around You: Walking Tour - Arguing a Policy (activity) + City Redevelopment Discussion (Notes) HW: Review Syllabus HW: Beginning of Class Bios HW: Unit I Discussion - Principles of American Democracy (Due Sept 22) Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Core American Values - Forum 1.2 - American Core Values - Class Constitution (Assignment) - Core American Values (Class Discussion) HW: Core American Values (Assignment) Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Orientation/Senior Project Week 4: Six Big Ideas of Government
(Sept 10-14) Monday: Scale of Opinions - Popular Sovereignty - Forum 1.7 - Advantages of Citizenship - Principles of Citizenship (Notes) + ISideWith + US Citizenship Test (Quizlet Live) + US Citizenship Test (Kahoot) + USCIS Citizenship Test Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: The American Identity - Forum 1.8 - American as a United Nation? - Creating an Identity (Assignment) + Tufts Magazine: Up in Arms Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No School - Staff Development |
Week 2: Six Big Ideas of Government
(Aug 27-31) Monday: Scale of Government - Federalism - Forum 1.3 - Benefits of De-Centralization - Creating the US Constitution (Notes) - Debating Federalism (Activity) HW: Debating Federalism - Question 5 + Crash Course Government: Federalism Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Scale of Opinions - Republicanism - Forum 1.4 - Having Your Voice Heard - Principles of a Republic (Notes) - Trusteeship vs. Delegate Model (Assignment) + Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Delegate vs. Trustee HW: Party Power Politics (Assignment) + Leadership in Congress + US Senate - Majority and Minority Leaders HW: Class Action Project: Planning Survey HW: First Discussion Post due by Friday @12 Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Orientation/Senior Project 
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Week 3: Six Big Ideas of Government
(Sept 3-7) Monday: No School - Labor Day Tuesday: Scale of Power - Limited Government - Forum 1.5 - Importance of Writing Down Rights - Bill of Rights Poster (Assignment) - Federal Protection of Rights (Notes) HW: Influence of the Constitution (Assignment) + Constitutional Rights: Origins and Travels Wednesday: No Class "B" Day Thursday: Scale of Power - Checks and Balances and Separation of Powers - Forum 1.6 - Independent Branches - System of Checks and Balances (Assignment) + US Senate: Veto Count + How is Power Divided + Crash Course: Checks and Balances - Environmental Checks and Balances (Assignment) + Resisting the Deregulation of Environmental Protection Friday: No Class "B" Day Week 5: End of Unit I - Principles of American Democracy
(Sept 17-21) Monday: Review Day - TEDEd - How is Power Divided? - Watch Movie and Pick out Themes (Assignment) + Crash Course: The Constitution Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Unit I Test - Principles of American Democracy - Unit I Test - Principles of American Democracy - Unit I Discussion Due Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Orientation/Senior Project |
Unit I Notes
Unit I Review
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Unit I Assignments
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Unit I Resources
Environmental Policy Course Resources
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Class Forum
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Helpful Websites
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Political News Sources
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