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Science · Year 10 · Unit 4

Environmental Sustainability

This 11-lesson unit explores one of the defining challenges of our time. You will learn the science of how Earth's climate works and why it is changing, examine the impacts on ecosystems and communities, and evaluate how we respond, through mitigation, adaptation, smarter use of resources, and the sustainable practices Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have used to care for Country for over 60,000 years.

11lessons
4assessments
4-7hstudy
Start Lesson 1 →
Block A, Climate Science (Lessons 1-4)
1
Weather vs Climate
Climate as a long-term average; Australia's climate diversity; reading climate data
2
Natural Climate Variation
Milankovitch cycles, ice cores and proxy records, natural variability
3
The Greenhouse Effect
Natural vs enhanced greenhouse effect; key greenhouse gases; feedbacks
4
Evidence for Human-Caused Climate Change
Keeling Curve, ice-core CO₂, ¹³C fingerprint, attribution science
Q1
Checkpoint 1
Cumulative assessment for Lessons 1-4
Block B, Impacts and Responses (Lessons 5-8)
5
Impacts of Climate Change
Ocean warming and bleaching, sea-level rise, acidification, biodiversity
6
Mitigation Strategies, Renewable Energy
Solar, wind, hydro, storage, nature-based solutions, circular economy
7
Adaptation Strategies
Managed retreat, water-sensitive design, Aboriginal cultural (cool) burning
8
Australia's Role in International Climate Action
Paris Agreement, net-zero targets, emissions, carbon credits
Q2
Checkpoint 2
Cumulative assessment for Lessons 5-8
Block C, Sustainability, Investigation and Synthesis (Lessons 9-11)
9
Sustainability and the Future
Planetary boundaries, circular vs linear economy, intergenerational equity
10
Depth Study, Environmental Science Investigation
Working Scientifically, primary vs secondary data, evaluating sources
11
Unit Synthesis and Review
Connecting science, impacts, action and sustainability principles
Q3
Checkpoint 3
Cumulative assessment for Lessons 9-11
QZ
Unit Quiz
Comprehensive assessment covering all 11 lessons

Unit Snapshot

11lessons
3checkpoints
1unit quiz
1NESA outcome

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Work through the lessons in order, each one builds on the last.

Start Lesson 1 →