Course: Applied Environmental Science
Target Group: Grades 11-12
Description: Environmental Science is an elective course that promotes understanding through hands-on learning opportunities. Since this is an elective course, the projects will vary depending on the seasons. For example, students will be learning the chemistry and craft of harvesting and preserving foods in the fall, animal tracking in the winter, and maple sugaring in early spring. This seasonal curriculum is unlike other courses, because it has students discover, design, and apply their skills to be used in a real-world setting.
Main Goals: This mini-course will be divided into seasonal lectures:
Fall: Students will learn the chemistry and physical properties of vinegar that make it useful at preserving foods.
Winter: Students will apply observations and draw inferences from animal tracks.
Spring: Students will learn the process and properties of maple sap that make it beneficial for syrup production.
Early Summer: Students will learn soil chemistry and nutrient balance when planting a garden.
This course seeks to engage students in applicable skills that will benefit them in their day to day life beyond their schooling years. It will consist of hands on projects, online mini lectures, and assessments to check for understanding.