High School Environmental Science Curriculum
A college-prep high school track usually includes three years of science credits, but many high schoolers interested in science will aim for four. Time4Learning offers an online environmental science course as a two-semester elective.
This page provides information on the Time4Learning environmental science curriculum, why the study of environmental science is important, and what you can expect your high schooler to learn in this course.
Note: This course is also available as an elective for middle school students.
Why Study Environmental Science in High School?
An introduction to Environmental Science offers students the opportunity to apply scientific knowledge to practical current problems. It helps them better understand the relationship between humans and the world in which we live.
The study of environmental science pulls from knowledge of multiple other science disciplines, allowing high schoolers to apply the knowledge they’ve acquired in biology, physical science, and earth sciences. It is particularly appealing to students who have a natural curiosity about environmental topics such as sustainability, biodiversity, and how humans are impacting the earth. Careers involving environmental studies have boomed in the last few decades, so this course can help a high schooler determine if this might be an appropriate career path for them.
What Do You Learn in High School Environmental Science?
High school environmental science lessons cover a broad scope of topics including ecology, the biosphere, land, forests and soil, water, energy and resources, and societies and policy. Some of the goals of the course include:
- Understanding how systems in the natural world are interconnected.
- Examining the natural cycles of energy flow and evaluating how human interaction affects these cycles.
- Modeling real-world situations and recognizing possible consequences of specific actions.
- Defending the best choices to protect the environment with changing trends in human population.
- Interpreting evidence and learning to report on environmental conditions and hazards.
High School Environmental Science Curriculum Scope & Sequence
- Scientific Inquiry
- Laboratory Tools and Safety
- Scientific Measurement
- Scientific Models
- Critical Thinking in Science
- Skills Lesson: Interpreting Observations
- The Study of Environmental Science
- Environmental Scientists and Ecologists
- Careers in Environmental Science
- Ecology 101
- Ecology 102
- Trophic Levels and Food Webs
- Adaptation
- Global Connection: Changing Migratory Patterns
- Skills Lesson: Contrasting Observations or Objects
- Organismal Relationships
- Biodiversity
- Land Habitats
- Aquatic Habitats
- Population Size
- Population Genetics
- Determining Population Size
- Measuring Populations
- Global Connection: Human Impact on Population Size
- Skills Lesson: Making Comparisons
- Characteristics of Biomes
- Desert and Desert-Scrub Biomes
- The Chaparral
- Alpine and Taiga Biomes
- The Tundra
- Savanna and Grassland Biomes
- Deciduous Forests
- The Rainforest
- Freshwater and Marine Biomes
- Global Connection: Why Invasive Species Thrive
- Skills Lesson: Modeling Systems and Cycles
- Systems of the Biosphere
- Patterns in Systems
- The Cycles of Matter
- The Water Cycle
- Effects of Cycles on Ecosystems
- Global Connection: Recycling on Earth
- Skills Lesson: Evaluating Explanations
- Atmospheric Pollution
- Ozone
- Air Quality
- Succession
- Climate and Change in Ecosystems
- Global Change
- A History of Global Climate Change
- Global Connection: Algal Blooms
- Skills Lesson: Plotting Trends and Patterns
- Life and Earth’s Crust
- Plate Tectonics
- Weathering and Erosion
- Human Use of Land
- Minerals and Mining
- Urban Growth
- Land Management and Planning
- Global Connection: Deforestation in Haiti
- Cumulative Exam
- Skills Lesson: Constructing Valid Criticisms
- The Importance of Trees
- Rainforest Loss
- Modern Forestry
- Fire and Nature
- What is Soil?
- Soil Formation
- Soil Around the World
- Soil and Agriculture
- Global Connection: Microflora and Microfauna
- Skills Lesson: Proposing Solutions
- Ocean Exploration
- Salt Marshes and Mangroves
- Coral Reefs
- Issues Affecting Marine Ecosystems
- Pools, Ponds, and Lakes
- Streams and Rivers
- Wetlands
- Global Connection: Water Management and Katrina
- Skills Lesson: Proposing Logical Alternatives
- Nonnative Species In Aquatic Ecosystems
- Changing Waterways
- The Water We Use
- Water Pollution
- Groundwater
- Water Policy
- Energy Transformation
- Energy Transfer
- Photosynthesis in Plants
- Global Connection: Deep Sea Ecologies
- Skills Lesson: Conducting Valid Internet Research
- What Are Natural Resources?
- Nuclear Power
- Resource Conservation
- The Social Costs of Resource Use
- Governments and Business
- Informed Policy
- Impact of Policy
- Milestones and Turning Points
- Global Connection: Newfoundland Cod Fishery Collapse
- Skills Lesson: Forming a Valid Hypothesis
- Limiting Factors and Humans
- Humans and the Energy Cycle
- Societal Consequences
- The Environment and the Individual
- Other Influences on Personal Health
- Natural Events and the Environment
- Human Events and the Environment
- Sustainability
- Effects of Technology
- Success Stories
- Global Connection: Nuclear Fuel
- Cumulative Exam
Why Choose Time4Learning’s High School Environmental Science Curriculum?
Time4Learning’s environmental science elective uses unique activities and material to help high school students connect scientific theory and concepts to current, real-world dilemmas. The college-preparatory curriculum emphasizes the application of scientific thinking to current-day issues and challenges, preparing students to think and reason scientifically.
If your high schooler is interested in environmental science, Time4Learning’s online option offers:
- 8 chapters and more than 650 activities which cover many aspects of environmental science.
- The activities merge lesson materials with real world issues related to the environment.
- Standards-based curriculum with visual supports and note-taking guides and tools.
- Self-paced online instruction that uses video, printed material and virtual lab work to keep different types of learners engaged.
- Interactive lessons that use the talents of experienced teachers to provide engagement, support, and encouragement.
- The opportunity to apply learning through virtual labs.
- Parent access to planning and recordkeeping tools for more effective and efficient homeschooling.
- The opportunity to boost scientific skills to identify and analyze environmental issues.
Additional High School Electives
- List of Electives Overview
- Sociology
- Intro to Communications and Speech
- Art History I
- Psychology
- Concepts in Probability and Statistics
- Intro to Art
- Contemporary Health
- Foundations of Personal Wellness
- Lifetime Fitness
- Strategies for Academic Success
- Healthy Living
- Economics
- Personal Finance
- Computer Applications – Office 2019
