Grade 11 Working with Nature

Project
1. There are five topics within this section of work:
The atmosphere and climate change
Water
Food Security
Loss of Biodiversity
Solid Waste Disposal
2. As a team you will investigate how to:
reduce the carbon footprint( atmosphere and climate
change),
reduce water usage ( water quality and availability),
reduce food wastage and increase use of local and
seasonal food ( food security).
use indigenous plants ( biodiversity loss)
reduce waste ( solid waste management)
3. CHOOSE a MIMIMUM of THREE of the five topics mentioned
above and apply to a particular context you decide to explore
within your group.
For example a household, a school/boarding house, a local
business/organisation to which one of you have access.
4. There will be THREE components to your project:
Tangible/concrete handin (group): This can be in any
format (website, blog, word doc, PPT) that you wish but
you need to discuss these options with your teacher.
This forms part of the understanding, application and
overall phases of the rubric.
Presentation of your project (group): This can also be
done in various formats (PP, Prezi, Office Mix, Videos,
music, drama, storytelling) but you also need to discuss
these options with your teacher
This forms part of the communication and overall
phases of the rubric
Reflection on your project (individual): You will be
required to reflect on how you have made an impact in
your project as well as how your project has made an
impact on you.
This will be evaluated by a reflection phase rubric.

ALL MUST BE RELATED DIRECTLY TO

THE CONTEXT YOU HAVE CHOSEN.

Useful Information: CAPS content on Human Impact

on the Environment
Topic

Content

1 The atmosphere
and climate change

- carbon dioxide emissions;

- concept of carbon footprint and the need to
reduce the carbon footprint;
- deforestation;
- greenhouse effect and global warming:
desertification, drought and floods;
- methane emissions;
- ozone depletion.

2 Water

Availability:
Consider how the following aspects affect water availability
- Construction of dams
- Destruction of wetlands
- Poor farming practices
- Droughts and floods
- Exotic plantations and depletion of water table
- Boreholes and effects on aquifers
- Wastage
- Cost of water
Quality:
Consider how the following aspects affect water
- Water for domestic use, industry, agriculture and
mining: pollution, diseases, eutrophication and
algal bloom.
- The effect of mining on quality of water
- Thermal pollution The need for water purification and recycling
- Alien plants, e.g., Eichornia

3 Food Security

Consider how the following aspects affect food security

- human exponential population growth;
- droughts and floods (climate change);
- poor farming practices: monoculture; pest control,
loss of topsoil and the need for fertilisers;
- alien plants and reduction of agricultural land;
- the loss of wild varieties: impact on gene pools;
- genetically engineered foods;
- wastage.

4 Loss of
Biodiversity (the
sixth extinction)

Consider how the following aspects lead to loss of biodiversity

- habitat destruction: farming methods, e.g.,
overgrazing and monoculture, golf estates, mining,
urbanisation, deforestation; loss of wetlands and
grasslands;
- poaching, e.g., for rhino horn, ivory and bush
meat;
- alien plant invasions: control using mechanical,
chemical and biological methods; and
- indigenous knowledge systems and the
sustainable use of the environment e.g., devils
claw, rooibos, fynbos, the African potato (Hypoxis)
and Hoodia.

5 Solid Waste
Disposal

Consider how the following aspects need to be taken into consideration when
considering disposal of solid waste.
- managing dumpsites for rehabilitation and
prevention of soil and water pollution;
- the need for recycling;
- using methane from dumpsites for domestic use:
heating and lighting; and
- safe disposal of nuclear waste.

Useful Information: Think about the points below

when creating your overall narrative/flow of the
project
Where
Where is your context situated?

Who
Who is involved in your chosen context?

Who are the key stakeholders? Family, students, staff,

employers, employees, suppliers.

What
What is your context?

What is the historical background of context?

What are the boundaries or frame of your context?

What are the environmental, social and economic aspects that

need to be considered to understand the situation in the context

you have chosen?
What action has already been taken to address the situation?

How
How have things gotten to be the way they are? Remember

there might be both positive and negative factors to consider.

How have these problems been dealt with in other similar

contexts? And how does your context differ?

Challenges
What are the environmental, social and economic challenges in

your chosen context?

Why is this a complex situation/system?

Fig. 1 The definition of sustainability as described by the National

Framework for Sustainable Development recognising the

embeddedness of the economy, socio-political systems and

ecosystem services all underpinned by a framework of governance
(Source: Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism, 2008)