This class is an easy A if you do your part. You need to memorize a sizeable amount of information, but it is pure memorization. On the midterm, I got a 92% and the mean was 85%, so I already knew I was on track for an A. The lab portion of the grade is an easy A as long as you participate at least once per discussion, do the bare minimum on the group project, and you do the 2-3 worksheets assigned throughout the quarter. I got bailed by not taking the final because I think I would have gotten a B+ on it and maybe ended with an A- instead of an A for my final grade. However, I might just be underestimating myself so just believe in yourself! Professor Gillespie is such a character! He made this class so great I actually looked forward to going to lecture, which is out of the norm for me. He is an amazing professor who gives easy tests as long as you memorize simple and straightforward information. I suggest you guys make a collaborative study guide through the discussion section on CCLE like my class did so you can answer the study guide questions as quickly as possible in order to have more than enough time to study for the midterm and final. All in all, I'd rate this class 10/10! No regrets!

This was one of the best classes I have taken at UCLA! Prof Gillespie was the most engaging prof I have ever had and I attended every lecture bc I legit wanted to. Class is super easy, he offered extra credit for ppl that got below a 70 on the midterm, and altered the class/final in a very fair manner due to the TA strike. Lectures were not recorded but slides are posted, however it’s helpful and fun to be in class. He often ended lectures early and lab rarely took the full 2 hrs. You have a super easy group project, mandatory lab sections a midterm, and a final and that’s it. Wish I could take it again!

All in all, I enjoyed this class. Dr. Gillespie is a funny guy who is super passionate about the material he teaches. As previous reviews have mentioned, he does enjoy ragging on Trump, but he does so purposefully, since he spends a lot of time discussing the state of our environment and energy sources and what we should do to preserve them. Class does end fairly early, and it can be quite common for lecture to end with 20 minutes left to spare or more. There is a midterm and a group project, and they did require some work but I did well on both of them. The final exam was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak, so he and the TAs decided to give everyone a 95 on it to make up for all the chaos. As nice as it was to end the class on that note, I wish the class went into more depth about environmental controversies in Los Angeles, especially during the city's development. Overall, would recommend.

While I needed this class for my major, I would recommend it to anyone needing a lab GE, a GPA boost, or some time off. Professor Gillespie often admits that this is one of the easiest classes at UCLA, and he's absolutely correct. Lectures are funny, easy to digest, and reliably end at least 20-30 minutes early. The study guides DR G gives out are very helpful. While the textbook isn't really essential, it's an easy read, it's the basis for a few questions on each exam, and you can use any edition (I got mine for $7 on Amazon). Lab attendance is mandatory. Lab activities include drawing maps, nature walks, and watching movies. It's a fun time- all UCLA students should take this class.

I really liked this class and it definitely instilled a new found appreciation for our environment and concern for the effects of climate change on our planet. I found the lectures to be really interested, some weeks there are more videos then others but still really manageable. Usually, I would watch all the videos in one day and then take the quiz after, or you could split it up if you prefer to do it that way. The quizzes were really easy if you took notes on the videos, same for the final exam at the end of Week 6. The labs were the only thing that was really time consuming but the instructions are very straight forward and most people received at least a 90 on each one. I would recommend this class for anyone looking for an easy GE or just interested in the environment and climate change.

easiest GE ever, i recommend to anyone that needs it, or even as just a "filler" class for units because of how easy it is. prof would finish lecture wayyyy earlier, because he is so easy going, straightforward, and adds no extra fluff to anything. but his lectures are still insanely engaging i wish every prof was like him with material. you're honestly just learning about biomes, and it is graded on attendance to section, midterm, final, and group project. midterm and final he literally gave the study guides beforehand, and it was an exact replica of each. super easy btw there was not much to stress except memorizing. group project was a slide presentation on an endangered animal of your choosing. again, so insanely easy and stress-free class that was also fun.

Selling book: A Naturalist's Guide to the Tropics

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Looking for a good science GE? This class is great. Gillespie really enjoys what he teaches, and it shows. The class is engaging, easy, and the perfect balance to a tough schedule, especially if you know you've got a bunch of tough essay writing next quarter. You'll learn up-to-date thing about how we are affecting the environment. It's very interesting, and I have a textbook if you need one. *************

Selling slightly used textbook (still in great condition)

Visualizing Environmental Science : $15

email me if interested:
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BEST PROFESSOR EVER! literally trying to take his class every quarter.
I'm selling the textbook for the "indo-pacific coral reef field guide" and "A Naturalist's Guide to the Tropics" by Lambertini.

Text me **********