-Define the following concepts:

Environment
-

The surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or

operates.

Environmental education
-

Environmental education is a process during which values are discovered

and concepts explained in order to develop skills and attitudes pertaining
to an appreciation of the relationship between man, his culture and his
biophysical environment. Environmental education also includes the
practice of decision-making and the formulation of a personal code of
conduct on matters affecting the quality of the environment.

Ecology
-

Ecology is the interaction between living organisms and their environment,

as well as the interrelationship between living organisms.

Health hazards
-

Hazard to the health of those exposed to it or

Any agent or activity posing a potential hazard to health (the free

dictionary)
Biodiversity
-

The variety among living organisms and the ecological communities they
inhabit.

Overpopulation
-

Having too many people living in an area or city.

Urbanisation
-

is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change.

Desertification
-

is the degradation of land in drylands.

Deforestation
-

To clear an area of forest or trees.

Pollution

The presence in the air, soil, or water of a substance with unpleasant or

harmful effects

CHAPTER 1 Environmental Issues + Risks

1.1.

The population is exploding, particularly in developing countries. Also,

the greenhouse effect gone crazy is resulting in the temperature rising by .
5 degrees C. Severe carbon emissions from burning forests in Brazil
further contribute to this problem. Finally, the number of endangered
species has escalated.

1.2.

BIODIVERSITY
Biodiversity is the term used to describe the richness and vast variety of
forms of life on earth. It describes the variety of life in an area, including
the number of different species, the genetic wealth within each species,
the interrelations between them and the natural areas where they occur.
Biodiversity is often defined as the variety among living organisms and the
ecological communities they inhabit.

1.3.

WASTE, LITTERING + RECYCLING

We live in a throw-away society. 3 kinds of waste * biodegrable (2 weeks to
5 months) *combustible plastic + rubber (10 30 years when exposed to
the sun) * noncombustible metal (80 100 years) More than 90% of all
rubbish is disposed on land. Only 30% of waste is recycled. Landfills take
very long to decompose because of no exposure to the sun or air.
Recycling is a better option but is a difficult process.

1.4.

GREENHOUSE EFFECT + GLOBAL WARMING

Carbon dioxide, methane, CFCs, ozone and nitrous oxide all contribute. It
is unknown exactly how the greenhouse effect could change our lives
because it is difficult to do conclusive study. A doubling of C02 could result
in the temperature rising between 1 and 5 degrees. Clouds [automatic
feedback to counteract effects of C02) and oceans [full of C02] are known
to influence the GHE but it is difficult to factor into the global circulation
model.

1.5.

HOLE IN THE OZONE LAYER

Ozone layer is in the stratosphere 20 50 km above earth. Ozone is
made of three oxygen molecules. When O2 reacts with UV rays it creates
ozone. This layer protects the earth from harmful UV radiation that would
make life on earth almost impossible. In 1985 a hole the size of SA was
discovered above Antarctica. This means that the density of ozone had
declined significantly. Chlorine based compounds such as CFCs which rise
high into the atmosphere and then destroy ozone molecules are the main
cause of the hole. In 1988 40 countries signed the Montreal Protocal which
pledged to reduce CFCs by 50% by 1999. CFCs live very long so the ozone
layer is not expected to stabilize till 2060. CFCs in the atmosphere are still
increasing by 4% every year. One CFC molecule can destroy up to 100 000
ozone molecules.

1.6.

FACING A NUCLEAR WINTER

In 1986 in Chernobyl a nuclear reactor exploded [Level 7 disaster]. More
than 9 tons of nuclear material were released into the atmosphere causing
a cloud to cover parts of Europe. Many people died from the radiation. The
radioactivity in that area would last for 100 years and the peak of cancers

1.7.

resulting from the incident was estimated to be reached in 2005. A major

nuclear war would cause firestorms that would send a similar cloud of dust
and radioactive material into the atmosphere, resulting in a nuclear winter.
In 1968 the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons was
introduced. Only the UK, USA, Russia, France and China were allowed
nuclear weapons and no other country was allowed to gain any. Only
peaceful use of nuclear energy is allowed.
PESTICIDES
Humans produce many toxic chemicals. Malaria is a serious disease in
Africa which has been combated by DDT. DDT is non-biodegradable so it
stays in the body of animals until it can finally kill them. By now, it is said
that every person in the world has at least some DDT in their body. Biomagnification occurs when plankton ingest DDT and a trout eats the
plankton and another animal eats the trout etc. The concentration of DDT
increases. DDT is now strictly controlled. It was banned until 2000 when it
was re-introduced to fight malaria.

1.8.

OVERPOPULATION
It is estimated that the world population will increase to 10 billion before
stabilizing. Too many people puts strain on the environment because they
need food, shelter and clothing. Destruction of the natural environment,
poverty and famine are serious problems in many countries. Biggest
challenge is eliminating povery. WSSD met in 2002 and richer countries
pledged to halving the number of people without drinking water and
sanitization by 2015.

1.9.

URBANIZATION
In ancient times in Africa there were few large cities. Today in SA about 70
% of the population live in urban dwellings. This is attributed to the lack of
agricultural growth, drought, famine and slow rural development. Since
the abolition of apartheid people may choose where to live; many choose
cities. The problem with urbanization is that the cities are incapable of
providing shelter and services to all these people. Many people live in
informal settlements where social conditions are dangerous. Urbanization
also contributes to elevated crime levels. Cities need a huge amount of
energy and make a lot of waste. The advantage of urbanization is that it is
easier for the government to provide basic services to those who live there
than those in the rural setting.

1.10. DEPELETION OF NATURAL RESOURCES

SA has an abundance of natural resources, but these have been depleted
through exploitation, water weeds, poor soil management, dumping of
waste water. These problems can be solved by harvesting the weeds for
food; tapping into new sources of energy such as natural gas or solar; and
exploring IKS to better protect and make use of the environment.
1.11. HEALTH HAZARDS
SA is plagued by many diseases; the worst being TB, Cholera, malaria and
AIDS. AIDS has many consequences: lack of adult workers, sick children,
orphans and financial strain on the government. HIV makes people more
susceptible to TB and Malaria. Education campaigns go a long way
towards reducing AIDS infections. Clean water and sanitization help
prevention Cholera. DOTS and DOTS-plus programs ensure that TB

patients follow their full course of medication to be properly healed.

Elimination poverty is the biggest concern in combating all disease.
1.12. DESERTIFICATION
- Desertification has come about as a result of land degradation, whereby
the biological potential of the soil and its ability to support populations is
diminished.
- Desertification is caused by a combination of natural and human factors.
- Natural causes are drought and desiccation of vegetarian.
- Human causes are unsustainable land uses such as over cropping,
overgrazing, deforestation and poor irrigation practices.
DEFORESTATION
Permanent destruction of indigenous forests + woodlands. Forests now
cover 21 % of our planet. Currently, 12 million hectares of forest are
cleared annually. Causes of deforestation *agricultural land to feed people
* cash crops + cattle ranching * commercial logging * firewood and
building material *animals eating. Consequences include: *alteration of
climate *soil erosion *silting of waterways *extinction of species that
survive in forests *desertification. Some ideas for improvement include:
*selective logging *using recycled paper *education
-

1.13.

POLLUTION
Some authorities state that pollution is an unwelcome concentration of
substances that are beyond the environments capacity to handle.
But the IUCN takes a much stronger view on pollution, stating that
pollution is the poisoning of the environment with anything that reduces
its ability to support life.
These substances are harmful to people and other living things.

POVERTY
The inability to attain a minimum standard of living. It is a vicious cycle
which affects the environment. Poverty is not a static condition and is
affected by circumstances.

Describe FIVE things you or learners can do to contribute to improved

sustainable living (provide examples) Describe exactly how each action
can contribute to sustainable living. (20)
1. Water conservation
If we save water more people will have water to drink and less people will be
fighting over clean and fresh water.
It helps prevent water pollution in nearby lakes, rivers and local watersheds.
Conserving water can also extend the life of your septic system by reducing soil
saturation, and reducing any pollution due to leaks. Overloading municipal sewer
systems can also cause untreated sewage to flow to lakes and rivers. The smaller
the amount of water flowing through these systems, the lower the likelihood of
pollution. In some communities, costly sewage system expansion has been
avoided by communitywide household water conservation.
2. Recycling
Recycling does not simply involve recycling paper, but things like plastic, tin and
metal scraps, office supplies like cartridges and more. This ensures that they are
converted into material that is reusable and also puts less pressure on the
environment and its resources.
Reducing our use of wood will allow our forests to serve a more important role collecting and storing carbon from the atmosphere and ameliorating the build up
of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the resulting climate change - not to
mention the role of our forests in providing habitat and allowing biodiversity to
thrive!
Taking simple steps to re-use, reduce and recycle your paper can have a serious
impact on resource use over the span of our working lives. This action will reduce
your contribution to greenhouse gas accumulations in the atmosphere and the
resulting climate change, as well as reducing the amount of toxins (dioxins)
released into the environment from paper mills.
Aligning our behaviour with our beliefs reduces stress and anxiety. Reducing our
use of perishable resources, such as paper, will ease the burden on our forests
and natural systems, slow the onset of climate change and result in fewer
chemical toxins being released into our environment. Saving paper will make you
happier, wealthier and healthier.

3.Saving electricity
Reducing one's use of electricity reduces reliance on coal and petroleum along
with the amount on one's utility bill.
Change a light, and you help change the world. Replace the conventional bulbs
in your 5 most frequently used light fixtures with bulbs that have the ENERGY
STAR and you will help the environment while saving money on energy bills. If
every household in the U.S. took this one simple action we would prevent
greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from nearly 10 million cars.
Green power is environmentally friendly electricity that is generated from
renewable energy sources such as wind and the sun. There are two ways to use
green power: you can buy green power or you can modify your house to
generate your own green power. Buying green power is easy, it offers a number
of environmental and economic benefits over conventional electricity, including
lower greenhouse gas emissions, and it helps increase clean energy supply.
It helps lower air pollution.
4. Growing vegetables
Growing your own vegetables helps you to nurture high quality organic
vegetables with minimum use of chemicals and pesticides. This is not only
beneficial for the environment but also for your own health. This being one of the
most effective ways of how to save the environment.
By growing organic vegetables yourself, you have done the following:
Reduced the power of chemical companies over our lives by reducing demand for
their resource depleting and polluting products,
Reduced the power of food corporations over our food supplies by reducing
demand for their non-sustainable, chemical-dependent farming practices,
Empowered ourselves by taking back some of our rights for healthy, lifesustaining food for ourselves and our children,
Taken the first step towards leading a sustainable lifestyle.
5. Composting
Making use of composting bins in the garden is a great way to prevent littering
as well as providing you with natural manure and fertilizer, that is not harmful to
the environment in any way.
By composting we can eliminate food waste and create natural, healthy soil for
the next generation of food.
Feeding your plants with Casting tea has the added benefit of boosting your
plants immune system as well as the health of the soil in your garden. This keeps
your plants happy, healthy, and productive.

By composting we reduce waste.

Discuss the development of Environmental Education nationally in South Africa
as well as internationally (20)
History of environmental education in South Africa:
In the 19th century the industrial revolution, based on an inexhaustible
consumption of natural resources;
As well as the breeding ground for social ills, squalor and mass production;
changed the world.
Patrick Geddes laid the groundwork for environmental education as we know it
today.
He coined the term ecology

Following Word War Two was a time of incubation for ideas for a new world.
Many organisations were formed.
IUCN World Conservation Union
Word Wildlife Fund (WWF) was formed in 1961 with an emphasis on wildlife
conservation.
They worked with governmental and NGO organizations.
Unesco enjoyed the most fruitful partnership.
They coined the term environmental education.

A milestone in the global Environmental Education development was the 1972

United Nations Conference on the Human Environmental held in Stockholm.
It was here that the United Nations Environmental Program was formed and
located on African soil.
The first intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education was held at
Tbilisi in 1977.
They came up with 12 guiding principles for example to name one
To consider the whole environment which includes natural, built, technological
and social.

Important dates:
1980 Global 2000 Report to the President of the United States: entering the
21st century commissioned by Jimmy Carter and rejected by Ronald Reagan
1983 Brandt Commission Report entitled Common crisis North-South:
cooperation for world recovery focused on the different between the rich and
poor countries and the need for fairer distribution of resources
1987 report of the World Commission on Environment and Development
entitled Our Common Future.
1990 Report of the South Commission: the challenge to the South. Also
known as the Nyerere Report.
All these reports added considerable conceptual and intellectual weight to the
growing concerns about uneven distribution of wealth and introduced notions of
sustainable development.

Environmental Education in the international arena: 1990-2002

1992 Earth Summit had a document called Agenda 21 emphasized the need
for widescale environmental Ed, and the process involving teachers and
students.
Sustainable development became a major factor.
A Treaty on Environmental Education for Sustainable Societies recognized the
central role of education in shaping social action and values.
The NGO Forum Principles were formed as a result of this.
1997 a review was done of the progress since the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.
Unesco Published a document entitled education for a sustainable future: a
transdisciplinary vision for concerted action with the aim of spurring debate and
mobilizing action in highlighting the importance of environmental education and
public awareness on sustainability.

We are currently in the Decade for Education for Sustainable

Development (2009-2014) Discuss in detail how at least 4 Tbilisi
principles can contribute to this decade

1. Environmental education should emphasize every individuals responsibility

towards the environment.
When teaching an individual about the environment, we need to be able to
encourage them to live in harmony with the environment, thus creating the
understanding of sustainability; we should not live for ourselves only and we
should never live for the now. When people use organic food from good sources,
they are encouraging the health of the environment and the individual.
Insecticides and herbicides are often washed into rivers and kill the life in those
rivers. Waste management is also important for sustainability. If we can reduce
the amount of waste we create and dispose of our waste in an environmental
manner, we are prolonging the life of our planet. Energy sources should be nontoxic. As the population grows, there is more need for energy and if we can use
energy sources which do not harm our environment, but rather help it, we will be
living for sustainability.

2. Environmental education should emphasize the value of cooperation in

solving environmental problems.
Honouring diversity
Achieving optimal health
Balance the flow of resources
Unity and integrity in common life

3. Environmental education should consider the environment in its totality

Environmental education should cater to all ages and socio-professional groups
in the population. It should be addressed to:

the general non specialist public of young people and adults whose daily
conduct has a decisive influence on the preservation and improvement of the
environment;
particular social groups whose professional activities affect the quality of
the environment; and
scientists and technicians whose specialised research and work will lay the
foundations of knowledge on which education, training and efficient
management of the environment should be based.

4. Environmental education should sensitize learners to the environment;teach

knowledge,skills and values

1. A prime goal of outdoor education is to teach a commitment to human

responsibility for stewardship or care of the land, to treat the land and all its
resources with respect at all times and on all occasions.
2. Related to the goal of a land ethic or commitment to stewardship must be the
belief in the importance of knowing certain facts or concepts. The cognitive purpose
of outdoor education must be that of the interrelationship of all facets of the
ecosystem. The understanding of basic ecological, sociological, and cultural
principles is prerequisite to the commitment to an ethic of land stewardship.
Concurrently, outdoor education does not mandate specific choices in ecological
ethics. It teaches people how to make choices based on facts. It recognizes the
difficulty in making choices relative to ecological matters, and prepares people to
choose carefully after weighing the impact of the action on the environment,
culture, and humanity.
3. The third aspect of outdoor education philosophy relates to the perspective of the
human being in the outdoor environment. Not only do we need to know the natural
environment for the survival of the species, we need to know it as a medium
through which we spend many hours of leisure. That leisure is enhanced when the
quality of the outdoor recreation experience is directly related to the quantity of the
knowledge about the out-of-doors.
4. A fourth philosophical belief is that outdoor education is a continual educational
experience. It is not just one field trip, one week at outdoor school, or even a oncea-year event. It must be taught at all levels and pursued throughout life.

bit about Education for Sustainable Development, like that there is tension between the
need for sustainability and the need for development, blah, blah blah... "emphasize the
complexity of environmental problems and thus the need to develop critical thinking and
problem-solving skills". (Remember, we're discussing IN DETAIL) - No problem is as
simple as we would like it to be, there is no quick-fix or short answer to the fact that
society grows, more people are going to bed hungry and we need to find a way to feed
them without depleting natural resources, cutting down more trees, destroying natural
habitats and creating plants which put others into extinction. This principle encourages
us to see the problem for what it is, COMPLEX; the path we take to rectify a problem, may
affect another part of our environment. Creating more problems by fixing another, we are
not living for sustainability. Critical thinking and problem-solving skills are essential to
this process, if we can look at a problem and find a solution which will solve a problem
without creating more problems, we are living in sustainability.

Do you agree with the allegation that peoples faith

can have a powerful influence on their attitude
towards the environment and the way they treat it?
Support your argument by focussing on the influence
of the following religions on attitudes towards the
environment:
Yes, I do, for every religion believes differently and therefore
treat the environment differently according to their believes .

1. Hinduism

Hindus believe in the equality of all life.

All living beings are interdependent with one another,
and the actions of each affect all other beings.
Hindus believe in human ecology which amounts to a
confluence of seven facets of human existence namely: Forest plendour
- Spirituality
- Culture
- Heritage
- Pilgrimage
- Human welfare
- Human ecology
Hindus believe that although all living beings may not
have the same material importance, they are on the
same spiritual level, and they are equally important.
Animals are not simply dumb beings placed here to
provide for human needs; they are living expressinos of
the spirit.
The rights of plants and animals to a life of their own is
recognised, and humans can earn merits for a future life
by such actions as planting a tree.

2. Judaism

Jews believe that biodiversity must be cherished.

The living things form a hierarchy from the lowest to the
highest, and man, as the crown of creation assumes the
highest place in the hierarchy.
People are responsible for the active preservation of all
life
Human beings and the earth are dependent on one
another.
Creation should be respected and no wastage or

destruction may be allowed .

3. Buddhism

Buddhism is an environmentally friendly religion that

gives clear rules about the way we should utilise, protect
and appreciate the environment and about what our
disposition towards it should be.
It prescribes that all living beings should be treated with
love and respect.
For the reason of being reincarnated as an animal in the
next life it is important to be kind to animals, and thus
earn merits for the life to come.
No beings that breathe may be killed.
Buddhists believe that incorrect treatment of the
environment now will have negative results in the
future.

4. Islam

Muslims believe that everything has been created in

balance.
Humans are part of nature and, for this reason, are also
subject to the laws of nature.
The laws of nature are dictated not by nature but by God
(Allah).
Muslims believe that water is a precious product that
should be used with great discretion.
Different kinds of soil must be used differently.
It is unlawful to catch an animal for the purpose of
keeping it in a cage, as a pet, or to make money out of
it.
Plants may be used on condition that no one else is
disadvantaged or runs short.
Deposits of minerals such as salt, antimony, pitch and so
on are common property and cannot be assigned by the
government to single individuals.

5.Christianity

Christians believe that the environment is an object that

can be manipulated at the discretion of human beings.
Saint Thomas believed that the humans were the
pinnacle of the hierarchy and their domination of nature
was part of Gods logical plan.
He also believed that humans had been placed here to
change the natural environment as part of Gods divine
plan to tame the wilderness, thereby improving nature.
The reformer Calvin stated that in five days God had
prepared the earth perfectly for the coming of human

beings and that therefore everything had been created

for the sake of humankind.
Most christians believe that the approaches of the past
were based on erroneous interpretations of the Christian
religion, and that God has indeed clearly spelt out the
correct attitudes towards the environment that He
requires of humans.

Greenhouse effect and global warming

-

The greenhouse effect refers to the natural warming effect that certain
gases have on the temperature of the earths atmosphere under normal
conditions.
Sunlight passes through the earths atmosphere and reaches the ground.
Once it strikes and warms the earths surface, long-wave radiation is given
off and reflected back into the atmosphere.
Gases in the upper atmosphere, particularly carbon dioxide form a
protective blanket that traps the outgoing long-wave radiation in order
to keep the earth warm enough to sustain life.
This is called the greenhouse effect, the earth would be a frozen, lifeless
planet with an average temp of 16 C.

Die grootste hoeveelheid omgewingsopvoeders lyk of hulle

kurrikulumontwikkeling benader van die standpunt van die sosiaalkritiese benadering. As n omgewingsopvoeder in wording, brei uit oor
elk van die volgende.
1. Kurrikulumontwikkeling as n oop-einde processs.
- The notion of a curriculum being an open- ended process it allows for
reflection and regular reviews of the curriculum
-

Contextualisation: Professional development must take into account the

social, educational and environmental context in which it occur. Teachers
use and refer to things that come directly from their own socio-political,
biophysical and educational contexts.

Participation: The function of the spiral model relies on active participation

by teachers in cluster and individual activ. Example include discussion and
familiarisation with current policy; discussing and negotiating aspects of
professional development.

Reflectiveness: Reflecting critically on previous actions, we learn to do

better.

Flexibility: A model that responds to needs as they arise, and allows for
ongoing modification and adjustment of professional development

processes, encourages continuous updating of skills and competences and

lifelong learning.
-

A constructivist approach: It is important to recognise that there is not one

single right way that can be adopt uncritically.

Continuous learning: Lifelong learning is a concept embraced by the new

education and training policy framework.

2.

Curriculum development for social change

-

A number of researchers see environmental education as a vehicle

towards social change or reconstruction
Why is social change necessary? The knowledge that shapes our
educational practice and our actions in the environment is socially
constructed and hence open to review.
Points to 3 different categories of calls for change
1.
economic needs
2.
the state of society
3.
the self-concept of young people
The above calls for change can be addressed by environmental education.
It seems as if environmental education is not always high on the agenda of
education departments and needs a louder voice to contribute to change.
It is believed that teachers can act as agents for change by adopting a
social critical orientation to the environment and drawing on the ideas of
critical pedagogy.

3. The outcomes-based education

The outcomes-based education (OBE) that are compatible with environmental
education include:

Learner-centredness
OBE is learner-centred and the emphasis is on what the learner should be
able to know, understand, do and become.
Learning programmes
In practice, a learning programme will consist of sets of learning activities
in which the leaner becomes involved while working towards the
achievement of one or more specific outcomes.
Role of teachers
Teachers play a facilitating role in the learning process: instead of teaching
according to a centrally designed curriculum, teachers will have the
freedom to develop their own learning programmes based on guidelines
provided by the Education Department.
Learning activities
Learning activities are more important than teaching activities.

Textbook bound teaching where the focus is on the content only will be out
of place, and teachers will need to teach within less rigid time frames,
include a good number of group activities and provide opportunities for
active hands-on learning.
Content
Little specific content will be prescribed and the focus will be on achieving
the learning outcomes. Teachers, learners and the community will be able
to participate in a selection of appropriate learning content.
Assessment
Assessment will need to be continuous and a variety of assessment
strategies will need to implement to determine whether the learning
process has led to the attainment of the critical and specific learning
outcomes.

The question is often asked: How do we know whether a community is living

sustainably? These indicators are classified into three categories: the ecological,
social and spiritual dimensions of life. Bespreek:
Ecological indicators

People are deeply connected to the place in which they live, its boundaries,
strengths, weaknesses and rhythms are clear and human beings live in
synchrony and harmony within the ecological system of which they are a
part. Natural life, its systems and processes are respected, the wildlife and
botanical habitat is preserved, human lifestyles regenerate, rather than
diminish, the integrity of the environment.
Food comes primarily from local or bioregional sources, is organic, free of
contaminants, and provides nutritional balance.
Consumption and generation of waste are minimized.
A clean, renewable water supply is available. The community is aware of its
water source- respecting, protection and conserving it.
Human waste and wastewater are used and disposed of to the benefit of
the environment and community.
Renewable, non-toxic sources are used to heat and power the community.

Social indicators

There is a sense of social stability and dynamism in community life; a

foundation of safety and trust enables individuals to freely express
themselves to the benefit of all. Spaces and systems are available that
support and maximise communication, relationships and productivity.
There are adequate opportunities/technologies for communication within
the community and for connecting, as is appropriate, with the worldwide
community.

The talents, skills and other resources of the community are shared freely
within the community, and offered outside of the community to serve the
greater good.
Options for restoring, maintain or improving health (physical, mental,
emotional and spiritual) are available and affordable, including natural
remedies and alternative practices, such as meditation and body work.
The flow of recourses, giving and receiving of funds, goods and services, is
balanced to meet the communitys needs and wishes. Surpluses are
shared.

Spiritual indicators

Cultural vitality is sustained through artistic and other cultural activities

and celebrations.

1. Biodiversity

Learning outcomes

Students will identify examples of biodiversity in their environment

Students will communicate an understanding about the effect people have
on their natural environment.
Identifies and describes the structure and function of living things and
ways in which living things interact with other living things and their
environment.

Learning area

Science: Living world: Ecology

Social sciences: Place and environment

Understanding that biodiversity is the variety of life on earth, and the variety of
ecosystems which support that life.
Introduce the idea of variety by giving the students a one minute challenge to
write the names of all the plants, animals and insects they know.
Explain that 'diversity' is the name that we give to this variety. Develop the idea
that this diversity is what makes life interesting.
Introduce students to the concept of variety in nature.
Can they imagine a world where there was only one type of tree or bird? e.g. only
pine trees and magpies.
Can they imagine a world with only buildings and roads and no green spaces in
our towns and cities? What would it be like to live in this type of environment?
Explain that this variety of life is called biodiversity (short for biological
diversity).
Challenge students to expand the following examples of biodiversity:
the differences between animals or plants of the same species, e.g. different
types of ducks
different species who live in a particular area, e.g. birds, fish, insects, plants,
fungus could all live in a wetland
differences between different environments (ecosystems) e.g. forests, wetlands,
lakes etc.

Using the school and the local environment as a resource have students identify
examples of the three different categories of biodiversity, e.g.
birds, insects, trees, animals
living in the local area
identify and count the number of different bird species
identify and name particular environments within a local area ( bush, wetland,
stream).

2c Baseline assessment will take place before learning commences and I will use
it to determine what learners know and can do. I will use this knowledge to know
where to begin the teaching and learning process.
Diagnostic assessment takes place at any time and through this I will determine
barriers to learning and/or learning difficulties and /or learning that is in place.
Formative assessment determines the progress of learners towards achieving the
outcomes and the appropriateness of learing acquired. It takes place during the
learning process and it informs planning of future learning activities.
Summative assessment determines the overall achievement of learners and
learning success. It takes place at the end of the learning programme or learning
phase.
Continuous assessment includes all the above types of assessment and is
directly aligned with the outcomes. It takes place at any time during the learning
process, whenever it is necessary or appropriate, and is used to inform the
learning process. It can also be used to provide continuous feedback to learners

2d Dictionaries, Biodiversity letters on cardboard, magazines, newspapers,

travel brochures, old calendar, Chalkboard, Transparencies, Music/songs,
Poetry/rhymes, Maps,

2e Values: Universal values, specific values,ecological values, personal values

Skilss: communication skills, number skills, problem-solving skills, information
skills
Content: The importance of biodiversity,varieties, differences, species, resources
Attitudes: Cognative, volitional, affective, general, specific, individual, group
,subconscious,