VCE Environmental Science Units 1 and 2: 2016–2020; Units 3 and 4: 2017–2021

VCE Environmental Science: Sample teaching planSample Course Outline – VCE Environmental Science Unit 3: How can biodiversity and development be sustained?Note: This is a sample guide only and indicates one way to present the content from the VCE Environmental Science Study Design over the weeks in each school term. Teachers are advised to consider their own contexts in developing learning activities: Which local fieldwork sites would support learning in the topic area? Which local issues lend themselves to debate and investigation? Which experiments can students complete within the resource limitations of their learning environments?

Week Area Topics Learning activities

1 Is maintaining biodiversity worth a sustained effort?

Importance of biodiversity (biodiversity categories; importance of genetic diversity; ecosystems as a source of renewable services)

Group work case studies: Using a ‘flipped classroom’ approach, students work in groups to research a student-selected conservation project and to develop definitions related to biodiversity; for example, reptile translocation in the UK (Ecology Links), and threats to elephants and lions in Selous (World Wildlife Fund)

Analysis and evaluation of cartoons related to biodiversity Practical work: role of moulds in ecosystems; penicillin/antibiotics

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Biodiversity change over time (evidence of variation in rate and extent of change in biodiversity over time; human impact on species extinction; effects of population isolation)

Scientific modelling: relationship between fires and biodiversity Data analysis: population changes over time – mass extinctions; rapid

species diversification Simulation: biodiversity changes over time Case study: Australian ‘hotspot’ Analysis and prediction: current and future human impact on biodiversity

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5 Measuring changes in biodiversity (sampling methods for assessing species diversity; genetic diversity; measurement of species and ecosystem diversity; conservation classification of species)

Practical activity: biodiversity in the school ground BioBlitz/biodiversity scavenger hunt; class blog page Scientific modelling: different-beans-in-a-jar; use of biodiversity indices Investigation: ant biodiversity

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7 Threats to biodiversity (likelihood of extinction; human and non-human threats to biodiversity; assessment of threat in defining conservation categories)

Flipped classroom research: each student is allocated a different type of biodiversity threat and produces an A4 page to summarise findings – comparisons with others in class8

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VCE Chemistry Units 1 and 2: 2016–2020; Units 3 and 4: 2017–2021 SAMPLE TEACHING PLAN

Data analysis: threats to a selected marine species Problem-based learning: ‘Biodiversity hospital’9

Protection and restoration of biodiversity (strategies for maintaining and growing populations; application of treaties/ agreements/ regulatory frameworks for protection of species; sustainability principles relevant to biodiversity conservation)

Field trip: Melbourne Zoos/Mt Rothwell conservation program Role-play: planning of a national park Debate: farming of GM monoculture crops versus polyculture crops for

maintaining and growing populations Pamphlet: promotion of ‘ugly’ (rather than ‘cute’) threatened species

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Is development sustainable?

Selected environmental science case study (sustainability principles; management of a class-selected environmental science project of local interest – maximum three projects for the class to enable student choice)

Definition clarification: ‘sustainability’ and ‘sustainable development’ – comparison of Brundtland definition with local council, government and organisational contextualised working definitions

Group work research: students divided into four groups to research a sustainability challenge (population; food; water; or energy) – present recommendations for issue resolution to class

Analysis and evaluation: students produce a justified rank order of sustainability principles

Evaluation of a local or global case study: students self-select a case study of interest; results presented to class

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18Unit revision

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