Environmental Science

Environmental Science Merit Badge Workbook This workbook can help you but but you still need to read the the merit badge pamphlet pamphlet (book). No one can add or subtract from the Boy Scout Scout Requirements #33215. Merit Badge Workbooks and much more are below: Online Resources. Resources. Worksheet developer: [email protected] [email protected].. Requirements revised: revised: 2006, 2006, Workbook updated: April 2008. Scout’s Name: Jason Zerkle_________________________ Zerkle _________________________

Unit: 4_________ 4______________ _________ ______ __

Counselor’s Name: ______________ ______________________ ________________ ___________ ___

Counselor’s Ph #: _____________________ _____________________

1. Make a timeline of the history of environmental science in America. 1500

Native Americans Settled the area and lived off the land

1600

Pilgrims came to America to settle the area.

1700

1800

1900

Ben Cashore was a Professor of An Environment interesting al Mark sketch of the Governance Catesby, one geographical & Political of America's work of Science at first America of Yale was the naturalists, Mr. Freeman first traveled to was found in qraduate Williamsbur the forestry g VA, Geographica Training l Journal program in the US founded in 1900

2000

Mathematica ls Models in Environment al Science for NonMajors.

Identify the contribution made by the Boy Scouts of America to environmental science. Include dates, names of people or organizations, and important events. 1908______Environmental 1908______Environmental Science Merit Badge was created ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1947______The 1947______The troop does epitomixe the Boy Scouts of America at their traditional best -a model program of good, clean, character building fun for boys. Added contemporary meat badges such as Environmental Science. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1984______Also, 1984______Also, the office of the Boy Scouts of America is in a Dallas Suburb. Results from Teats at the site within the th e past several months. Army officials and officials from the Environmental Protection Agency were scheduled to meet at the Egdewater Army Arsenal 1991______The 1991______The Boy Scouts must perform a community service project and earn 11 merit badges.________________________________________________________________________________________

Environmental Science p. 2

Merit Badge Workbook Scout's Name: ________________________

1997______A trustee for the National Youth Science Foundation and committeeman for Boy Scouts of America meet together. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Define the following terms: population, Collection of people in a geographical area

___________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ community, Social group of organisms sharing an environment __________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ ecosystem, Community of organisms together with their environment functioning as a unit. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ biosphere, Part of a planet's terrestrial system and which life processus transformation______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ symbiosis, An interaction between two organisms living together in more or less intimate assotiation or even the merging of two dissmilar organisms ____________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ niche, A position of an organism or groups of organisms within an ecosystem making possible habitation._______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ habitat, Place where an organism lives or grows.________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ conservation, An ethic of resource use, allocation, exploitation, protection____________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ threatened species, An animal/plant that is in threat, but not intiment, of extinction.____



_______________________________________________________________________________________________ endangered species, A species who's population is so small, they're in threat of extinction. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ extinction The species does not exist on the earth anymore. ___________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ pollution prevention, Activity that reduces the amount of pollution generated by a process _______________________________________________________________________________________________ brownfield, Abandoned or a deserted industrial and commercial facilities available for re-use_________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ ozone, Allotrope of oxygen that is much less stable then the diatomic O2____________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ watershed, A region drained into a river, river system, or other bodies of water_____ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ airshed, Part of the atmosphere that behaves in a coherent way with respect to the depersion of emissions. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ nonpoint source, Pollutants that enter out water systems from runoff that can't be traced to a single identifiable point or source __________________________________________ hybrid vehicle, A vehicle that runs on 2 or more power sources___________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ fuel cell.Electrochemical conversion devise______________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Do ONE activity in EACH of the following categories (using the activities in this pamphlet as the bases for planning and carrying out your projects): A. Ecology

1. Conduct and experiment to find out how living things respond to changes in their environments. Discuss your observations with your counselor. -OR2. Conduct an experiment illustrating the greenhouse effect. Keep a journal of your data and observations. Discuss your conclusions with your counselor. -OR-



3. Discuss what is an ecosystem. Tell how it is maintained in nature and how it survives. Combination of physical/biological componets of an environment. Everything has a niche and sustains the environment.__________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ B. Air Pollution

1. Perform an experiment to test for particulates that contribute to air pollution. Discuss your findings with your counselor. -OR2. Record the trips taken, mileage, and fuel consumption of a family car for seven days, and calculate how many miles per gallon the car gets. Determine whether any trips could have been combined ("chained") rather than taken out and back. Using the idea of trip chaining, determine how many miles and gallons of gas could have been saved in those seven days. -OR3. Explain what is acid rain. In your explanation, tell how it affects plants and the environment and the steps society can take to help reduce its effects. Deposition of wet and dry components of acidic components. It destroys houses, gardens, food, wood, and anything it can touch, naturally deteriorating it._ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ C. Water Pollution 1. Conduct an experiment to show how living things react to thermal pollution. Discuss your observations with your counselor. -OR-



2. Conduct an experiment to identify the methods that could be used to mediate (reduce) the effects of an oil spill on waterfowl. Discuss your results with your counselor. -OR3. Describe the impact of a waterborne pollutant on an aquatic community. Write a 100word report on how that pollutant affected aquatic fife, what the effect was, and whether the effect is linked to biomagnification. Water pollution occurs when a body of water is adversely affected do to the addition of large amounts of materials to the water. When it is unfit for its intended use, water is considered polluted. Usually if the body of water is polluted, then the animals that live there no longer remain in that area. They either die or move to another spot. Then that effects us as humans. We lose our food and then we go hungry. Let's say that people are spraying pesticides around the rivers. Then the pollution would be linked to biomagnification. That's how it would be effected.__________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ D. Land Pollution

1. Conduct an experiment to illustrate soil erosion by water. Take photographs or make a drawing of the soil before and after your experiment, and make a poster showing your results. Present your poster to your patrol or troop. (Per National, “troop” means “unit”.) -OR2. Perform an experiment to determine the effect of an oil spill on land. Discuss your conclusions with your counselor. -OR3. Photograph an area affected by erosion. Share your photographs with your counselor and discuss why the area has eroded and what might be done to help alleviate the erosion.

______________________________________________________



The wind and storms have eroded at this place. There is nothing that can be done to help alleviate the erosion.______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ E. Endangered Species

1. Do research on one endangered species found in your state. Find out what its natural habitat is, why it is endangered, what is being done to preserve it, and how many individual organisms are left in the wild. Prepare a 100-word report about the organism, including a drawing. Present your report to your patrol or troop. -OR2. Do research on one species that was endangered or threatened but which has now recovered. Find out how the organism recovered, and what its new status is. Write a 100word report on the species and discuss it with your counselor. -OR3. With your parent's and counselor's approval, work with a natural resource professional to identify two projects that have been approved to improve the habitat for a threatened or endangered species in your area. Visit the site of one of these projects and report on what you saw. The Southwestern Willow Flycatcher is a bird that usually lives near the San Francisco River. It's endangered due to habitation loss from people cutting down trees and bushes to create living homes. The birds to compete for their habitat with the Alder Flycatchers where their ranges overlap. The bird's song is a sneezed fitz-bew. The call is a dry whit. National Wildlife preserve is helping protect it by buying up land and keeping it nice for the birds as a national park. ___ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ F. Pollution Prevention, Resource Recovery, and Conservation 1. Look around your home and determine 10 ways your family can help reduce pollution. Practice at least two of these methods for seven days and discuss with your counselor what you have learned. -OR2. Determine 10 ways to conserve resources or use resources more efficiently in your home, at school, or at camp. Practice at least two of these methods for seven days and discuss with your counselor what you have learned. -OR3. Perform an experiment on packaging materials to find out which ones are biodegradable. Discuss your conclusions with your counselor.

10- Lower the A/C *



9- Turn off the TV for a while * 8- Unplug cell phone and electronic chargers 7- Leave water off while you brush your teeth 6- Leave fridge closed 5- Shorter showers 4- Leave lights off 3- Recycle whenever you can 2- Squeeze toothpaste at the end of the tube 1- Run dishwasher when full * = Practiced________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Choose two outdoor study areas that are very different from one another (e.g., hilltop vs. bottom of a hill; field vs. forest; swamp vs. dry land). For BOTH study areas, do ONE of the following: a. Mark off a plot of 4 square yards in each study area, and count the number of species found there. Estimate how much space is occupied by each plant species and the type and number of non-plant species you find. Study Plot Location: Outside house________________ Number of Species: 2___________________ Species # Space each occupies Found Bugs 17 2 inches by 1 inch Birds

3

1 foot by 4 inches



Non-plant species type Number

Number

Weeds

1 _________________________________________________

36

Non-plant species type

_______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ -OR- b. Make at least three visits to each of the two study areas (for a total of six visits), staying for at least 20 minutes each time, to observe the living and nonliving parts of the ecosystem. Space each visit far enough apart that there are readily apparent differences in the observations. Keep a journal that includes the differences you observe. Then, write a short report that adequately addresses your observations, including how the differences of the study areas might relate to the differences noted, and discuss this with your counselor. Visit 1 Date:_________________ Time Started: ______________ Time Ended: ____________

Observations of living parts: __________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Observations of nonliving parts: ______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Differences noted:____________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Visit 2 Date:_________________ Time Started: ______________ Time Ended: ____________

Observations of living parts: __________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Observations of nonliving parts: ______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Differences noted:____________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Visit 3 Date:_________________ Time Started: ______________ Time Ended: ____________

Observations of living parts: __________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Observations of nonliving parts: ______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Differences noted:____________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________



Then, write a short report that adequately addresses your observations, including how the differences of the study areas might relate to the differences noted, and discuss this with your counselor._______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Using the construction project provided or a plan you create on your own, identify the items that would need to be included in an environmental impact statement for the project planned.______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. Find out about three career opportunities in environmental science. Advisor for Chemistry, Toxicology and Related Sciences _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Bioformatics__________________________________________________________________________________ Global Change Ecologist Associate or Full Professor___________________________________________ Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession. ___ Bioformatics - Requires PhD in Bioinformatics, computer science, or a related scientific discipline. Strong public record. Experience in the bioinformatics algorithms and software tools that are commonly used in the curation, assembly, and annotation of sequencing data sets. Familiarity with current- generation and emerging ultruhigh-thoughput sequencing technology and software tools. Experience in software development and programming. A demonstrated ability to work with a diverse multidisciplinary team to solve complex problems. Excellent Communication skills and demonstrated experience in proposal development and writing. A strong motivation to tackle science and technology challenges of national importance. _________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Discuss this with your counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you._________ It uses technology and I'm into that area of intrest._________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Online Resources (Use any Internet resource with caution and only with your parent’s or guardian’s permission.) Boy Scouts of America: ►scouting.org ►Guide to Safe Scouting ►Age-Appropriate Guidelines

►Safe

Swim Defense



►Safety Afloat  Rank Videos Class ►First Class Boy Scout Merit Badge Workbooks: usscouts.org -or- meritbadge.org Merit Badge Books: www.scoutstuff.org ►Scout

► Tenderfoot

►Second

Advocacy Organizations: http://www.saveourenvironment.org Earth 911: http://www.earth911.org Endangered Species: http://endangered.fws.gov Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov Keep America Beautiful: http://www.kab.org Leave No Trace Center: http://www.LNT.org Nat. Climatic Data Center: http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/ncdc.html Nat. Fish and Wildlife Foundation: http://www.nfwf.org Nat. Park Service: http://www.nps.gov Natural Resources Cons. Service: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov Sierra Club: http://www.sierraclub.org Society of American Foresters: http://www.safnet.org U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: http://www.fws.gov USDA Forest Service: http://www.fs.fed.us Wildlife Conservation Society: http://wcs.org World Wildlife Fund: http://www.worldwildlife.org

Environmental Science

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