Environmental Science with Lab/Field Study

Class Time:​ 10:00 – 11:00

* Field Study one hour per week on own and one or two hours biweekly or once per month as a class offsite

Grade level: 9th - 12th

Prerequisite Courses: None

Prerequisite/Required Skills: Independent study and research ability, collaboration, communication, willingness to participate and follow instructions well, enjoyment of the outdoors, and not afraid to get dirty.  Students will be expected to come to class fully prepared having read the assigned reading and/or completed the research necessary to better participate during lecture and field study.  

Instructor: ​ Tracy Niess

Contact Information:​ tracyniess@gmail.com

Course Description:​ This high school environmental course covers the branch of zoology and ecology and its principles of science that are related to the life, growth, structure or anatomy and classification of individual animal species while also addressing our understanding of how the earth and the various ecosystems function and/or affect the environment.  Specifically, the book breaks into: (1) Zoology and Ecology Basics; (2) Zoology and Ecology of Mammals, Birds, Fish, Reptiles and Amphibians;  and (3) Conservation and Management. Typical class format will include lecture, student presentations, and field study.

A large focus of this course is to cultivate an awareness of what impact we make on wildlife around us in relation to the impact made on our shared environment.  Sustainability and conservation have become twenty-first century key topics; this course will line up in ways that provide awareness towards those topics and methods to become better stewards of the world we live in now and in the future.  

This course is suitable for students who want to pursue or have a desire towards conservation, environmental studies, zoology, wildlife, forestry, aquatics, soil, climate or just those who love animals and the outdoors that are looking for a science class along with a way to participate as or become a citizen scientist.  

Lab/Field Study:  Due to the nature of this instruction, labs will be held outside of class locally along with some on your own at home.  Labs will require a field journal, appropriate shoes, binoculars as needed, a willingness to get up close to nature and dirty through the process, and ultimately, it requires a great attitude and love and respect for God’s creation! 

Tuition:  $400 Materials Fee:  $65

Class Size:  8 - 15 

Course Materials: 

Instructor’s Textbook:  Fish & Wildlife:  Principles of Zoology and Ecology, by L. Devere Burton, Third Edition

Student Notebook: Student textbook TBD, but a possibility of no purchase necessary.  Students will receive material as PDF as well as links for required reading.

Student Required Literature: Two books will be required reading for this class, both of which provide further insight into conservation:

• Nature’s Best Hope by Douglas Tallamay
• Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold

Student’s Class Participation:  Includes weekly interactive quizzes following lecture, presentations of research performed, field study and observation. Writing will be an important piece to this class.  A scientist is required to track and present their findings and their method in doing so is through a Scientific Journal Article.  Students will receive instruction and create using this method.

Teacher Qualifications:​ Tracy Niess graduated Summa Cum Laude from Duquesne University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management and a minor in Marketing.  After a number of great years in the corporate world serving in a number of Sales/Marketing roles including her favorite as Director of Corporate Events and Communications for more than 10 years, through the Lord’s prompting and provision, Tracy chose to become a teacher.  Starting as a preschool teacher at her church, the love of teaching was ignited and she became certified preparing her for the full-time homeschool journey that finished in May 2023 as her youngest started college.  The homeschool journey included teaching everything from unit studies, writing, drama, and history at various co-ops to even creating her own science co-op.  Mrs. Niess found she loves teaching kids of all ages most any material, but through her love of God’s creation in the outdoors and her son’s career interests in the sciences, she has found science and the outdoor field studies as some of her favorites.   More recently, Tracy taught high school Biology, Principles of Zoology and Ecology and led a high school team in the nation’s largest natural resource competition, Envirothon.  Other environmental involvement includes becoming a certified Stream Monitor through Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and serving along with her son in their amphibian, herpetology, and salt watch programs.  Tracy and her husband have always participated/coached in all sports their children participated in and she currently provides coaching assistance to her son’s homeschool track/cross country team.  Mrs. Niess is an active member and Elder at Ashburn Presbyterian Church where she participates on the Worship Team and Choir, leads VBS and children’s choir, provides direction for and assists with Youth Group and other church wide events and serves as the Wedding Coordinator.  When she has extra time, you will find Mrs. Niess in her vegetable or flower gardens, loving and caring for her sheep and chickens on their farm, creating/designing anything from nature for display or gifts, playing board games with her family, reading a book or exercising/running on the trail behind their home.  She lives in Leesburg with her witty, hardworking husband, Bill, and her athletic, outdoor son, Cooper, and their sweet but lazy rescued dog, Louie.