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Environmental Systems

 

Environmental Systems

Environmental Systems is a two year course at standard level which provides students with a scientific perspective on the environment. This enables them to adopt an informed stance on the environmental issues that they face and students will develop a profound understanding which is based on a scientific, rather than journalistic, approach. 

The course is divided into two sections: core and options.  The core examines the fundamental structure and functioning of natural systems, through scientific theory and experimental work, and the options enable pupils to study certain aspects in more detail.  The option areas will be at the chosen at the teacher’s discretion. 

The core consists of four major areas;

  • Systems and models
  • The ecosystems
  • Global cycles and physical systems
  • Human population and carrying capacity.

The options studied in Whitchurch are;

  • Analysing ecosystems
  • Conservation and biodiversity.

Assessment Outline

Assessment is carried out by a combination of external examinations conducted at the end of the two years, and internal assessment carried out throughout the course.  External assessment makes up 76% of the course and internal assessment 24%.

External Assessment
Component Weighting (%) Details
Paper 1 20% 30 multiple choice questions on the core
Paper 2 32% Data-based, short answer and extended response questions based on the core
Paper 3 24% Several short answer questions on the options
 
Internal Assessment
I.A. 24% 40 Hours practical work including group 4 project (10-15 hours)

Environmental systems is intended to develop scientific principles as well as encouraging moral and political responses from students.  The course naturally leads students to an appreciation of major environmental issues and how decisions they make in their own lives affects those issues.