Important Updates
Support for Students and Schools Impacted by Coronavirus
In response to school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re providing free, live AP online classes and review lessons. We’ll also offer at-home testing for 2020 AP Exams. Note that any related adjustments to 2020 AP Exams, such as length or content covered, may not be reflected on all AP Central pages. Visit at Taking Online AP Exams for the latest exam information.
Updated Course and Exam Description
The AP Environmental Science Course and Exam Description (CED) has been updated to accurately reflect all available resources for AP Environmental Science teachers and students.
New AP Resources
AP Classroom is now available. Designed with AP educators, it helps you provide students daily practice and personalized feedback throughout the year. Sign in to access AP unit guides with aligned resources, topic questions, personal progress checks, the progress dashboard, and your question bank.
Course Overview
Students cultivate their understanding of the interrelationships of the natural world through inquiry-based lab investigations and field work as they explore concepts like the four Big Ideas; energy transfer, interactions between earth systems, interactions between different species and the environment, and sustainability.
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AP Environmental Science Course at a Glance
Excerpted from the AP Environmental Science Course and Exam Description, the Course at a Glance document outlines the topics and skills covered in the AP Environmental Science course, along with suggestions for sequencing.
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AP Environmental Science Course and Exam Description—Fall 2019
This is the core document for this course. It clearly lays out the course content and describes the exam and the AP Program in general. It now reflects the new unit structure for 2019-20.
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Errata sheet for the AP Environmental Science Course and Exam Description
This document details the updates made to the course and exam description (CED) in September 2019. It includes printable copies of the updated pages, which can be used as replacement sheets in your CED binder.
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AP Environmental Science CED Scoring Guidelines
This document details how each of the sample free-response questions in the 2019-20 CED would be scored.
Course Content
Based on the Understanding by Design® (Wiggins and McTighe) model, this course framework provides a clear and detailed description of the course requirements necessary for student success. The framework specifies what students must know, be able to do, and understand, with a focus on big ideas that encompass core principles and theories of the discipline. The framework also encourages instruction that prepares students for advanced environmental science coursework.
The AP Environmental Science framework is organized into nine commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. As always, you have the flexibility to organize the course content as you like.
Unit |
Exam Weighting (Multiple-Choice Section) |
|
Unit 1: The Living World: Ecosystems |
6%–8% |
|
Unit 2: The Living World: Biodiversity |
6%–8% |
|
Unit 3: Populations |
10%–15% |
|
Unit 4: Earth Systems and Resources |
10%–15% |
|
Unit 5: Land and Water Use |
10%–15% |
|
Unit 6: Energy Resources and Consumption |
10%–15% |
|
Unit 7: Atmospheric Pollution |
7%–10% |
|
Unit 8: Aquatic and Terrestrial Pollution |
7%–10% |
|
Unit 9: Global Change |
15%–20% |
Science Practices
The new AP Environmental Science framework included in the course and exam description outlines distinct skills, called science practices, that students should practice throughout the year—skills that will help them learn to think and act like environmental scientists.
Skill |
Description |
Exam Weighting (Multiple-Choice Section) |
Exam Weighting (Free-Response Section) |
| 1. Concept Explanation | Explain environmental concepts, processes, and models presented in written format | 30%–38% | 13%–20% |
| 2. Visual Representations | Analyze visual representations of environmental concepts and processes | 12%–19% | 6%–10% |
| 3. Text Analysis | Analyze sources of information about environmental issues | 6%–8% | Not assessed in free-response section. |
| 4. Scientific Experiments | Analyze research studies that test environmental principles | 2%–4% | 10%–14% |
| 5. Data Analysis | Analyze and interpret quantitative data represented in tables, charts, and graphs | 12%–19% | 6%–10% |
| 6. Mathematical Routines | Apply quantitative methods to address environmental concepts | 6%–9% | 20% |
| 7. Environmental Solutions | Propose and justify solutions to environmental problems | 17%–23% | 26%–34% |
AP and Higher Education
Higher education professionals play a key role developing AP courses and exams, setting credit and placement policies, and scoring student work. The AP Higher Education site features information on recruitment and admission, advising and placement, and more.
This chart shows recommended scores for granting credit, and how much credit should be awarded, for each AP course. Your students can look up credit and placement policies for colleges and universities on the AP Credit Policy Search.
Meet the Development Committee for AP Environmental Science.