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Environmental Science A

Course Description:

In Environmental Science, Semester A, you will learn about the importance of environmental science as an interdisciplinary field. You will describe abiotic and biotic factors of an ecosystem. You will describe the importance of biodiversity for the survival of organisms and the importance of the food chain and the food web in the ecosystem. You will learn about ecological interactions and succession. You will discuss the effects of climate change and explore different types of adaptation. Further, you will describe the steps of the water cycle, and discuss how carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorous cycle in the global environment.

Course Details:

Course Title (District): Environmental Science A
Course Title (NCES SCED) : Environmental Science
Course Provider : City of Harper Woods Schools
Content Provided By : My Virtual Academy
Online Instructor Provided By : My Virtual Academy
Standards Addressed : Michigan Merit Curriculum, Common Core State Standards
Academic Terms : Semester, Trimester, Open Entry / Open Exit, Accelerated
NCES SCED Code : 03003
Subject Area : Life and Physical Sciences
Course Identifier : Environmental Science
Course Level : High School (Secondary)
Available Credit : 0.5
Sequence : 1 of 2

How To Enroll:

Enrollment Website : https://www.myvirtualacademy.com/programs/specialized-programs/specialized-programs-application/
Email : [email protected]
Phone : 800-297-2119

Students and Parents: It is important to work closely with your local school counselor or registrar to follow the school's enrollment procedures. By clicking the "Start Registration Request" button below, you will be able to notify the school of your interest in registering for the online course. However, it is the responsibility of the district or school to review the registration request and approve or deny the request. Please make a note to follow up with your school after submitting a registration request.

Start Registration Request

Additional Course Information:

Additional Cost: $0.0

Additional Cost Description:

None

At the end of this course students will be able to: Discuss the history of environmental science and the use of the scientific method in environmental science. Describe abiotic and biotic factors of an ecosystem. Describe the characteristics of major biomes on Earth. Describe the significance of the food chain, the food web, and biodiversity in the ecosystem. Explain how succession takes place over a period of time in an ecosystem. Discuss factors that determine a region’s climate and the effects of climate change. Discuss adaptation of organisms to environmental pressures. Describe how water, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorous cycle in the global environment.

iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Courses

Academic Content Standards and Assessments Rating Comments
The goals and objectives clearly state what the participants will know or be able to do at the end of the course. The goals and objectives are measurable in multiple ways. Fully Met Syllabus provided in the course for students and parents to access.
The course content and assignments are aligned with the state’s content standards, Common Core curriculum, or other accepted content standards set for Advanced Placement® courses, technology, computer science, or other courses whose content is not included in the state standards. Fully Met
The course content and assignments are of sufficient rigor, depth and breadth to teach the standards being addressed. Fully Met
Information literacy and communication skills are incorporated and taught as an integral part of the curriculum. Fully Met
Multiple learning resources and materials to increase student success are available to students before the course begins. Fully Met Student orientation, pacing guide, and syllabus along with communciation from Advocate or Teacher.
Course Overview and Introduction Rating Comments
Clear, complete course overview and syllabus are included in the course. Fully Met Syllabus provided to students upon enrollment in the course. Units have specific objectives and overall course goals.
Course requirements are consistent with course goals, are representative of the scope of the course and are clearly stated. Fully Met
Information is provided to students, parents and mentors on how to communicate with the online instructor and course provider. Fully Met Syllabus is provided to students, parents, and mentor which includes email and a telephone number to reach the online instructor and course provider.
Legal and Acceptable Use Policies Rating Comments
The course reflects multi-cultural education, and the content is accurate, current and free of bias or advertising. Fully Met
Expectations for academic integrity, use of copyrighted materials, plagiarism and netiquette (Internet etiquette) regarding lesson activities, discussions, and e-mail communications are clearly stated. Fully Met Documents are loaded in Edmentum for students to view.
Privacy policies are clearly stated. Fully Met Privacy policy is provided on the Edmentum site.
Instructor Resources Rating Comments
Online instructor resources and notes are included. Fully Met Resources are available for students in the software program and teachers upload notes in individual assignments. Teacher guides are also provided to each teacher per course being taught.
Assessment and assignment answers and explanations are included. Fully Met
Instructional and Audience Analysis Rating Comments
Course design reflects a clear understanding of all students’ needs and incorporates varied ways to learn and master the curriculum. Fully Met There are a variety of materials to expose students to content (projects, videos, interactive games, tutorials, problems, quizzes, etc.).
Course, Unit and Lesson Design Rating Comments
The course is organized by units and lessons that fall into a logical sequence. Each unit and lesson includes an overview describing objectives, activities, assignments, assessments, and resources to provide multiple learning opportunities for students to master the content. Fully Met All materials are accessible to students at any time during the course. Each unit has an overview of objectives to be mastered by the student.
Instructional Strategies and Activities Rating Comments
The course instruction includes activities that engage students in active learning. Fully Met The course has games built in.
The course and course instructor provide students with multiple learning paths, based on student needs that engage students in a variety of ways. Fully Met Course provides multiple opportunities for multiple learning styles.
The course provides opportunities for students to engage in higher-order thinking, critical reasoning activities and thinking in increasingly complex ways. Fully Met
The course provides options for the instructor to adapt learning activities to accommodate students’ needs. Fully Met The course is provided with reading tools. Along with a translator.
Readability levels, written language assignments and mathematical requirements are appropriate for the course content and grade-level expectations. Fully Met The course is provided with reading tools. Along, a translator.
Communication and Interaction Rating Comments
The course design provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student interaction, including opportunities for timely and frequent feedback about student progress. Fully Met Students can interact with their instructor via phone, email, text, instant message, and collobration board.
The course design includes explicit communication/activities (both before and during the first week of the course) that confirms whether students are engaged and are progressing through the course. The instructor will follow program guidelines to address non-responsive students. Fully Met Policy states that students will communicate with their instructor multiple times during a week to ensure engagement and learning within the course.
The course provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student and student-student interaction to foster mastery and application of the material. Fully Met Teacher-student interaction is available. Student to student interaction consists of daily posts, colloboration and discussion boards.
Resources and Materials Rating Comments
Students have access to resources that enrich the course content. Fully Met Each course is provided with multiple resources for reading and understanding the course. Students have access to resources on the Edmentum site.
Evaluation Strategies Rating Comments
Student evaluation strategies are consistent with course goals and objectives, are representative of the scope of the course and are clearly stated. Fully Met Throughout the course there are multiple self graded activities for the student to evaluate. Self check activities and reflection opprotunities provided in course
The course structure includes adequate and appropriate methods and procedures to assess students’ mastery of content. Fully Met There are mastery tests with every tutorial along with post tests to every unit.
Feedback Rating Comments
Ongoing, varied, and frequent assessments are conducted throughout the course to inform instruction. Fully Met There are mastery tests with every tutorial along with post tests to every unit.
Assessment strategies and tools make the student continuously aware of his/her progress in class and mastery of the content. Fully Met REF!
Assessment Resources and Materials Rating Comments
Assessment materials provide the instructor with the flexibility to assess students in a variety of ways. Fully Met There are set expecations within the course and mastery tests.
Grading rubrics are provided to the instructor and may be shared with students. Fully Met Rubrics are provided within the course.
The grading policy and practices are easy to understand. Fully Met Students able to see a progress report anytime while taking the course.
Course Architecture Rating Comments
The course architecture permits the online instructor to add content, activities and assessments to extend learning opportunities. Fully Met
The course accommodates multiple school calendars; e.g., block, 4X4 and traditional schedules. Fully Met
User Interface Rating Comments
Clear and consistent navigation is present throughout the course. Fully Met A student orientation is provided at the beginning of the course.
Rich media are provided in multiple formats for ease of use and access in order to address diverse student needs. Fully Met Videos and photos make the course content enhanced.
Technology Requirements and Interoperability Rating Comments
All technology requirements (including hardware, browser, software, etc...) are specified. Fully Met
Prerequisite skills in the use of technology are identified. Fully Met
The course uses content-specific tools and software appropriately. Fully Met
The course is designed to meet internationally recognized interoperability standards. Fully Met
Copyright and licensing status, including permission to share where applicable, is clearly stated and easily found. Fully Met Copywright and licensing information is visible on the screen.
Accessibility Rating Comments
Course materials and activities are designed to provide appropriate access to all students. The course, developed with universal design principles in mind, conforms to the U.S. Section 504 and Section 508 provisions for electronic and information technology as well as the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility guidelines (WCAg 2.0). Fully Met Edmentum is compliant
Data Security Rating Comments
Student information remains confidential, as required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Fully Met
Accessing Course Effectiveness Rating Comments
The course provider uses multiple ways of assessing course effectiveness. Fully Met
The course is evaluated using a continuous improvement cycle for effectiveness and the findings used as a basis for improvement. Fully Met
Course Updates Rating Comments
The course is updated periodically to ensure that the content is current. Fully Met Courseware is continually updated to maintain its high standards and to remain current.
Certification Rating Comments
Course instructors, whether faceto-face or virtual, are certificated and “highly qualified.” The online course teacher possesses a teaching credential from a state-licensing agency and is “highly qualified” as defined under ESEA. Fully Met
Instructor and Student Support Rating Comments
Professional development about the online course delivery system is offered by the provider to assure effective use of the courseware and various instructional media available. Fully Met
The course provider offers technical support and course management assistance to students, the course instructor, and the school coordinator. Fully Met Technical support is available through the provider as well as the course creator.
Course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, have been provided professional development in the behavioral, social, and when necessary, emotional, aspects of the learning environment. Fully Met All staff attend ongoing professional development sessions throughout the year to remain current with students and families needs.
Course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, receive instructor professional development, which includes the support and use of a variety of communication modes to stimulate student engagement online. Fully Met
The provider assures that course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, are provided support, as needed, to ensure their effectiveness and success in meeting the needs of online students. Fully Met
Students are offered an orientation for taking an online course before starting the coursework. Fully Met

Review Conducted By: My Virtual Academy
Date of Review: 07/11/2017

Unit 1: Earth’s Environment Unit 2: Ecological Pyramids, Interactions, and Succession Unit 3: Environmental Change and Adaptation Unit 4: Biogeochemical Cycles

Term Type Enrollment Opens Enrollment Ends Random Draw Date Enrollment Drop Date Course Starts Course Ends # of Seats Course Fee Potential Additional Costs
Open Entry / Open Exit 04/02/2024 12/02/2024 500 $400 $0
Drop Policy Completion Policy Term Type Enrollment Opens Enrollment Ends
Must pass course with D- (60%) or higher. Open Entry / Open Exit 04/02/2024 12/02/2024
In order to be successful in our program, it is important for the student to remain in constant communication with the online instructor. The online instructor will be communicating with the student 1-2 times per week. Communication between the student and online instructor will be phone, email, texting, and/or discussion boards. Online instructors provide families with their weekly office hours and My Virtual Academy is open Monday – Thursday from 8 AM – 8 PM, Friday from 8 AM – 4 PM and Saturday from 8AM – 2 PM with staff available to answer questions/concerns. Messages received after hours will be returned the next school day. Parents/Guardians/Students will have access to the curriculum and gradebook 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
School Year Enrollment Count Pass Count Completion Rate Notes
23-24 0 0 0.0%
19-20 0 0 0.0%
17-18 0 0 0.0%

My Virtual Academy Tech Support is available Monday - Thursday, 8 AM - 8 PM, Friday 8 AM - 4 PM, and Saturday 8 AM - 2PM. Browser: Edge (latest), Internet Explorer® 11, Chrome (latest), Firefox (latest), and Safari (latest). Plug-Ins: Adobe Flash®, Java, Office compatible software. For a small percentage of our legacy content, you may need the following plug-ins: Shockwave® and/or Plato® Xtras. Pop-Up Blockers: How to turn off pop-up blockers Mobile Browser Support: We support the following tablet configurations: OS - Android; Browser- Chrome (Latest version) OS - iOS; Browser - Safari (Latest version) Please note, voice recorder for World Languages works with Flash.