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VCE Environmental Science Units 1 and 2: 2016–2020; Units 3 and 4: 2017–2021 VCE Environmental Science: Sample teaching plan Sample Course Outline – VCE Environmental Science Unit 2: How can pollution be managed? 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 When does pollutio n become a hazard? Characteristics, sources and transport mechanisms of pollutants (difference between wastes, contaminants and pollution; physical and chemical characteristics of common pollutants; persistence, mobility, toxicity, bioaccumulation; pollutant resulting in bioaccumulation; air- or water-borne pollutant) Experiment: design and perform experiments related to effectiveness of different methods for cleaning up oil spills or the effects of oil spills Case study: mercury pollution – case of Minamata Simulation: accumulation of DDT within organisms and its magnification up a food chain 2 3 Measurement and monitoring of pollutants (physical, chemical and biological indicators for monitoring ecosystems or environmental issues; salinity levels; pollution intolerant species; introduced species; safety standards related to hazardous concentrations of chemicals; risk assessment tools, monitoring technologies and remediation techniques; evaluation strategies for measuring pollution impacts) Fieldwork in a local context: collection of field data for three environmental indicators for streams (pH, biological oxygen demand, turbidity) or soils (pH, salinity, number of earthworms) Experiment: effects of different pollutant dosages on the germination of radish seeds or survival of water fleas Risk assessment: complete a risk assessment using a provided template for a familiar activity (for example, riding a bike or playing a sport) and follow up with a case 4 5 © VCAA 2017

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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 2: How can pollution be managed?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

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When does pollution become a hazard?

Characteristics, sources and transport mechanisms of pollutants (difference between wastes, contaminants and pollution; physical and chemical characteristics of common pollutants; persistence, mobility, toxicity, bioaccumulation; pollutant resulting in bioaccumulation; air- or water-borne pollutant)

Experiment: design and perform experiments related to effectiveness of different methods for cleaning up oil spills or the effects of oil spills

Case study: mercury pollution – case of Minamata Simulation: accumulation of DDT within organisms and its magnification

up a food chain

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3Measurement and monitoring of pollutants (physical, chemical and biological indicators for monitoring ecosystems or environmental issues; salinity levels; pollution intolerant species; introduced species; safety standards related to hazardous concentrations of chemicals; risk assessment tools, monitoring technologies and remediation techniques; evaluation strategies for measuring pollution impacts)

Fieldwork in a local context: collection of field data for three environmental indicators for streams (pH, biological oxygen demand, turbidity) or soils (pH, salinity, number of earthworms)

Experiment: effects of different pollutant dosages on the germination of radish seeds or survival of water fleas

Risk assessment: complete a risk assessment using a provided template for a familiar activity (for example, riding a bike or playing a sport) and follow up with a case study related to a pollutant

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6 Treatment and management of pollutants (bio-physical and/or chemical inactivation, substitution or elimination of pollutants; pollution sinks; factors affecting rate of removal or decay of pollutants; new technologies that reduce pollution

Student design, building, testing and evaluation of a water purification system

Creation of an infographic that visually summarises a new technology (students register different technologies)

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8 What makes pollution management so complex?

For this area of study, students will investigate a question related to each of air, water and soil pollution. For each student, one question will be investigated as a class, a second question will be investigated in a group and a third question will be investigated individually so that students are supported to work with increasing independence.

Class activity: Using a ‘flipped classroom’ approach, students undertake background research out-of-class and summarise findings in a ‘What I know/don’t know/would like to know’ chart. Work in class to identify and evaluate the sources, nature, transport mechanism, effects and treatment of the pollutant being investigated.

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© VCAA 2017

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

Class activity: Class agrees on a question for investigation related to one of air, water or soil pollution.

Group activity: Teacher facilitates brainstorming activity to generate questions of interest from the two categories of air pollution that were not investigated in the class activity.

Individual student activity: Students investigate a question of interest that relates to the pollution category that they did not

10 Group activity: Students work in small groups to investigate questions of interest using a ‘jigsaw’ approach to explore different aspects of the questions, for example, background information about the pollution issues associated with the question being investigated; significance of the issue; nature of the pollutants; and interviews with stakeholders involved with, or who may be affected by, the issue. Students work together to explore and evaluate different management options. Response to the question is presented to the rest of the class.

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13Individual student activity: Students register an investigable question of interest with the teacher. Response is presented in a format that is appropriate for a specified audience.14

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Case studyCase study of local interest (selection of a local case study involving management of a pollutant of local interest; clarification of purpose for investigating selected case study and identification of target audience and purpose of communication; characteristics of effective science communication; primary and/or secondary sources of information including surveys, interviews; generation and evaluation of possible solutions to issues related to management of pollution; development of effective communication; evaluation of communication to target audience)

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18Unit revision

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© VCAA 2017 Page 2