Grade 11-12 Environmental Science
Curriculum Topics, Programs, and Strategies
Unit Topics
Key Learning
Ecosystems
Water and
Watersheds
Energy
Natural Resources
Species
Interaction
The abiotic
characteristics of an
ecosystem
determine the type
of life that can be
found there.
Clean water is
essential to the
survival of living
organisms.
Dependence on
nonrenewable
energy sources is
not sustainable.
The earth provides the
raw materials for our
everyday needs.
All living organisms
are interdependent.
Unit EQ: Why is a
rainforest
different than a
desert?
(Chapter 5:
Biomes of the
World; Workbook
27-34)
Programs/
Resources
Concept:
Components of
Ecosystems—pp. 8284; Workbook 15;
Unitedstreaming
video: Elements of
Biology:
Biomes: The
Adaptation of
Organisms
Concept: Major
Biomes—Chapter 5;
Unitedstreaming
video: Biomes: Our
Earth’s Major Life
Zones
Concept:
Succession—pp.
112-115
Unit EQ: Why are
watersheds
important?
Unit EQ: What
energy source is
best?
(Chapter 8: Water
Resources and
Water Pollution;
Workbook 47-51);
Unitedstreaming
video: Sources of
Life: Water in Our
Environment
(Chapter 7:
Energy;
Workbook 4046);
Unitedstreaming
video: Power
Up; Energy in
Our
Environment
Concept: Fossil
Fuels—pp. 255260
Concept:
Alternative
Renewable Energy
pp.267-276
Concept:
Alternative
Nonrenewable
Energy—pp. 261265
Concept: Energy
Management—pp.
281-284
Concept: Wetlands
pp. 206-207;
Unitedstreaming
video: Freshwater
Wetlands: Water, A
User’s Guide
Concept:
Watersheds—pp.
294-298
Concept: Aquatic
Biology—pp. 308312
Concept: Aquatic
Chemistry—
Investigation 8 pp.
306-307
Concept: Water
Resource
Management—pp.
Unit EQ: How did the
earth’s resources
provide the “stuff” I
buy at the mall?
Concept: Renewable
and Nonrenewable
Resources—pp. 227231
Concept: Solid Waste
Management—Chapter
10; Workbook 57-61)
Concept:
Sustainability—Chapter
13; Workbook 74-78)
Unit EQ: What
would happen if all
the insects died?
(Chapter 4: the
Diversity of Life;
Workbook 21-26)
Concept: Food
Webs—pp. 91-100;
Workbook 16-17
Concept:
Adaptations—pp.
104-108
Concept: Habitat
Essentials—
Concept: Symbiosis
pp. 143-147
300-305; 316-325;
Unitedstreaming
video: Stuff Happens
with Bill Nye:
Bathroom
Concept:
Groundwater—pp.
308-315
Text: Environmental Science, Student Workbook and Lab Manual (Pearson/AGS Globe Publishers);
Unitedstreaming Videos
Unit Topics
Key Learning
Biodiversity
Agriculture and
IPM
Human Impact
on the
Environment
Biodiversity benefits
humans and all
organisms.
Today’s food and
fiber system is a
highly technical
global industry.
Humans have caused
many environmental
problems in the past.
What we do today
will determine
whether these
problems continue in
the future.
Unit EQ: How do
my actions
threaten wildlife?
(Chapter 12:
Protecting
Biodiversity;
Workbook 68-73)
Programs/
Resources
Concept: Threats to
Biodiversity—pp.
431-458;
Unitedstreaming
video: Threats to
Biodiversity: Why
We Should Care
Concept: Benefits of
Biodiversity—pp.
149-154
Concept: Preserving
Biodiversity—pp.
459-466
Unit EQ: What is
necessary to feed
the more than 6
billion people on
our planet?
(Chapter 11:
Feeding the
World)
Concept: Land Use
Concept: Pest
Management—p.117
Concept: Soil—pp.
399-402; Workbook
63
Concept: Food and
Fiber System--
Unitedstreaming
Series: EnviroTacklebox
Unit EQ: What is
the greatest
environmental
problem caused by
humans?
Unitedstreaming
Video: TLC
Elementary School:
People and the
Environment
Concept: Air
Pollution--Chapter
9;Workbook 52-56)
Concept: Water
Pollution—Chapter 8
Concept: Human
Population Growth—
pp. 216-226;
Workbook 36-39
Text: Environmental Science, Student Workbook and Lab Manual (Pearson/AGS Globe Publishers);
Unitedstreaming Videos