Environmental Issue Instruction
Science:
Biology (9th), Chemistry (10th), AP Biology, AP Environmental Science, Ecology of the Bay, Ornithology (electives)
Math:
Algebra 2 (11th), AP Calculus (elective)
History:
Ancient and Medieval History(9th), AP US History (11th), Ethics, Government (electives)
Arts:
Carving, Photography (electives)
World Languages:
Spanish 3(10th), AP Spanish (12th)
Biology (9th), Chemistry (10th), AP Biology, AP Environmental Science, Ecology of the Bay, Ornithology (electives)
Math:
Algebra 2 (11th), AP Calculus (elective)
History:
Ancient and Medieval History(9th), AP US History (11th), Ethics, Government (electives)
Arts:
Carving, Photography (electives)
World Languages:
Spanish 3(10th), AP Spanish (12th)
Science
Biology Waterfront Restoration Monitoring Biology students are involved in an annual monitoring of Gunston's 300' living shoreline restoration project. Students collect data to track establishment, mortality, and immigration of plants. The restoration was completed in the summer of 2013 and has been monitored annually since then. Press release, student work Bay Studies Curriculum Connection Biology students had the opportunity to reflect on their weeklong Bay Studies program and connect it to topics covered in biology. Students made posters, videos, and wrote papers. Bay Studies Curriculum Connection poster, Bay Studies Curriculum Connection PDF Chemistry Environmental Chemistry - Acid Base Titration of Eggshell Chemistry students see first hand the impact of acid precipitation on eggshells during this lab. The lab analysis helps them connect this learning to environmental issues. Acid Base Titration Student Work Ecology of the Bay Final Project Proposal Ecology of the Bay is a hands-on science class focused on exploring Gunston's campus and learning more about watershed science. Students research and present in-depth proposals to improve Gunston's campus as their final project. Many of these proposals are submitted to the Board for incorporation into Gunston's master plan. Ecology Final Project Student Work Ornithology Window Collision Proposal Ornithology is a field based lab class in our ideally situated watefront campus. Students learn the basics of birding on weekly bird walks. The class has identified an issue of our new construction: large glass windows in the new atrium as causing a high number of bird mortalities. Students researched and wrote proposals to address the situation. The most effective solutions will be submitted to the Headmaster for implementation into the final design. Window Collision Assignment, Window Collision Student Work AP Biology Ecology Unit The AP Biology curriculum is heavily focused on cell biology but does include a basic unit on Ecology. AP students reviewed this content (covered extensively in their first Biology course) and complete and free response question to help them prepare for the AP exam. AP Bio Ecology unit, AP Bio Ecology Unit student work AP Environmental Science Design/build tidal power turbine AP Environmental science is an advanced science elective that is solely focused on the topic of environmental education. Students engage in many hands-on, field based labs throughout the year. Students are also involved in service projects such as Maryland Grows Oysters and horseshoe crab spawning monitoring programs in the Delaware Bay. After taking the AP exam in 2014, the juniors in the class began a design/build project focused on developing a prototype tidal power turbine to be deployed in the Corsica River on Gunston's campus. AP Environmental Science Design/Build project |
Math
Algebra II
Student's homework problem sets include real world and environmental applications
Student Work
AP Calculus
Student's homework problem sets include real world and environmental applications
Student Work
Algebra II
Student's homework problem sets include real world and environmental applications
Student Work
AP Calculus
Student's homework problem sets include real world and environmental applications
Student Work
History
Ancient and Medieval History
Impact of the Wheeled Plow
Through class discussions, students explore the impact of the wheeled plow on transforming agriculture and society in medieval England.
Year 1000 Assignment, Year 1000 reading excerpt
Government
Save the Bay Unit
Government is an advanced elective offered in the history department. The class focuses on the role of government on protecting, monitoring, and restoring the Chesapeake Bay. Students finish the unit by writing a proposal for the disbursement of 1 billion dollars to aid restoration efforts.
Save the Bay Unit, Save the Bay Student Essays
Ethics
Environmental Ethics
Ethics is a required course of all Gunston students. During the Environmental Ethics unit, students grapple with questions such as: What are the major dilemmas facing the Earth's natural resources? What and who are the major contributors these challenges? Who is responsible? Who are the stakeholders? Whose "happiness" counts - ours,
our children's, our grandchildren's, etc? Is sustainable living possible?
Environmental Ethics Curriculum Map
AP US History
Dust Bowl Lesson
Students in AP US History watch The Grapes of Wrath and identify historic and environmental issues presented in the film. Students construct an analytical essay documenting their conclusions.
Dust Bowl Lesson
Ancient and Medieval History
Impact of the Wheeled Plow
Through class discussions, students explore the impact of the wheeled plow on transforming agriculture and society in medieval England.
Year 1000 Assignment, Year 1000 reading excerpt
Government
Save the Bay Unit
Government is an advanced elective offered in the history department. The class focuses on the role of government on protecting, monitoring, and restoring the Chesapeake Bay. Students finish the unit by writing a proposal for the disbursement of 1 billion dollars to aid restoration efforts.
Save the Bay Unit, Save the Bay Student Essays
Ethics
Environmental Ethics
Ethics is a required course of all Gunston students. During the Environmental Ethics unit, students grapple with questions such as: What are the major dilemmas facing the Earth's natural resources? What and who are the major contributors these challenges? Who is responsible? Who are the stakeholders? Whose "happiness" counts - ours,
our children's, our grandchildren's, etc? Is sustainable living possible?
Environmental Ethics Curriculum Map
AP US History
Dust Bowl Lesson
Students in AP US History watch The Grapes of Wrath and identify historic and environmental issues presented in the film. Students construct an analytical essay documenting their conclusions.
Dust Bowl Lesson
English
English 10
Setting Paper
Students explore the important role that setting and sense of place play in Huckleberry Finn.
Student Work
Poetry
Living Writers
The two weeks leading up to Earth Day we read selections from John McPhee, Barry Lopez, and Barbara Kingslover in addition to reading environmental poetry by Louis Gluck and Emily Wilson. This is a collection of student poems that mimic the style of and themes of the poetry we read. Students also had an opportunity to write a their own essay mimicking the style and themes of longer handouts we read.
Student Work
English 10
Setting Paper
Students explore the important role that setting and sense of place play in Huckleberry Finn.
Student Work
Poetry
Living Writers
The two weeks leading up to Earth Day we read selections from John McPhee, Barry Lopez, and Barbara Kingslover in addition to reading environmental poetry by Louis Gluck and Emily Wilson. This is a collection of student poems that mimic the style of and themes of the poetry we read. Students also had an opportunity to write a their own essay mimicking the style and themes of longer handouts we read.
Student Work
Fine Arts
Wood Carving Wood Carving is an advanced art elective and is anchored in the Eastern Shore tradition of carving waterfowl decoys. Students study decoys made by famous carvers and base their own designs from photographs or taxidermy animals available in the studio. Photography Sense of Place Photography students in Photo 1 and 2 undertake many projects to master basic photography skills. The setting for each of the sessions is Gunston's waterfront campus. The focus of the assignment may be depth of field or stopping motion. The photographs are collected and exhibited together to document the sense of place that this time in the field offers students. |
World Languages
Spanish 3
Helping in the Community
Throughout these chapters students talk in Spanish about volunteer work, recycling, and other ways to protect the environment. They also talk about what people say, what people did for others, and understand cultural perspectives on volunteer organizations. Cumulative activities are reading an article in Spanish about Habitat for Humanity and making a poster announcing a community-service project that invites students to participate in the project using the grammar and vocabulary studied.
Helping in the Community Assignment, Helping in the Community student work
AP Spanish
World Challenges
As a part of the curriculum the class studies a topic named World Challenges. Within this main topic students read magazines and newspaper articles and listen to news broadcast about the environment in the hispanic world. One of the goals is to compare this information with environmental issues or innovation occurring in their community.
Spanish World Challenges Unit
Spanish 3
Helping in the Community
Throughout these chapters students talk in Spanish about volunteer work, recycling, and other ways to protect the environment. They also talk about what people say, what people did for others, and understand cultural perspectives on volunteer organizations. Cumulative activities are reading an article in Spanish about Habitat for Humanity and making a poster announcing a community-service project that invites students to participate in the project using the grammar and vocabulary studied.
Helping in the Community Assignment, Helping in the Community student work
AP Spanish
World Challenges
As a part of the curriculum the class studies a topic named World Challenges. Within this main topic students read magazines and newspaper articles and listen to news broadcast about the environment in the hispanic world. One of the goals is to compare this information with environmental issues or innovation occurring in their community.
Spanish World Challenges Unit