Over the two-year course, students will study a wide range of ecosystems and environmental issues locally and globally. Topic areas include systems and models, human population growth, conservation, pollution management, and environmental value systems. The course aims to develop students' scientific skills and raise awareness of environmental issues. Students' practical work will be internally assessed based on eight criteria.

1. Environmental Systems
And Societies
I
IB Standard Level
Markham College Student Course Guide
2011 – 2012

2. So what's it all about then?
The main purpose of this course is to give you a coherent perspective on the interrelationships
between the environment, systems and societies. So what does this mean? It means that we
won't just say "here is an environmental problem, isn't it terrible.." To really understand the
causes and effects of environmental problems, and how people try to manage them, you will need
to look at the issues from many angles (e.g. scientific, ethical, historical, economic, cultural and
socio-political). This is called taking a 'holistic' approach. Don't believe people who tell you this is
an easy subject, though, studying issues holistically is very complex.
This is why the idea of a 'system'
is so important in this course.
Ecosystems function as a whole
and the systems approach shows
this. A systems approach is
common to many humanities
subjects too, like economics,
geography, sociology and
politics.
Environmental Systems and Societies is a transdisciplinary subject (it draws on knowledge,
methods and skills from a variety of different disciplines,) so the systems approach is a good way
to link these all together.
By the end of this course you will be able to adopt an informed personal response to current
environmental issues (i.e. know where you stand and why). You will also understand the impact of
the choices and decisions you make in your own lives on the environment.
Over the next two
years you will study a
huge range of different
ecosystems and
environmental issues
at many different
scales, ranging from in
depth studies of local
ecosystems, to
understanding global
management and
mismanagement of
oceans, tundra, and
climate destabilisation.
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3. So what will we actually study?
Topic 1: Systems and Models
Topic 2: The Ecosystem
Structure, measuring abiotic and biotic components of the system, biomes,
function, changes, measuring changes in the system.
Topic 3: Human Population, carrying capacity and resource use
Population dynamics, resources—natural capital, energy resources, the soil
system, food resources, water resources, limits to growth, environmental
demands of human populations.
Topic 4: Conservation and biodiversity
Biodiversity in ecosystems, evaluating biodiversity and vulnerability,
conservation of biodiversity
Topic 5: Pollution management
Nature of pollution, detection and monitoring of pollution, approaches to
pollution management, eutrophication, solid domestic waste, depletion of
stratospheric ozone, urban air pollution, acid deposition.
Topic 6: The issue of global warming
Topic 7: Environmental value systems
For a more detailed outline of the course please refer to the Official IB Course Syllabus
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4. Aims of the course
It is the aim of Environmental Systems to:
I provide opportunities for scientific study and creativity within a global context which will
stimulate and challenge students
s provide a body of knowledge, methods and techniques which characterize environmental
systems
s enable students to apply and use a body of knowledge, methods and techniques which are
characteristic of environmental systems
c develop an ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesise scientific information
d engender an awareness of the need for, and the value of, effective collaboration and
communication during scientific activities
c develop experimental and investigative skills
d develop and apply the students’ information technology skills in the study of the subject
d raise awareness of the moral, ethical, social, economic and environmental implications of
using science and technology
u develop an appreciation of the possibilities and limitations associated with science and
scientists
s encourage an understanding of the relationships between scientific disciplines and the
overarching nature of the scientific method.
Assessment
1. Internal Assessment of written work
Internal assessment of theoretical work will occur at teacher discretion. Generally, there will
be a short test or quiz every few weeks. You will also be asked to write essays, carry out research
assignments and give short presentations.
2. Internal Assessment of practical work
The practical scheme of work (PSOW) is the practical course planned by the teacher and
acts as a summary of all the investigative activities you carry out throughout your course.
Standard level students are required to spend 40 hours on practical activities (excluding time
spent writing up work). This must be spread out through the course and written evidence of
all this work must be kept in a log-file. Students are entirely responsible for their own
work and should accept ownership and take pride in the work they complete. The
teacher is required to ensure that all the work submitted is the candidate’s own. If in doubt,
authenticity may be checked by one or more of the following methods:
a discussion with the student
d asking the student to explain the methods used and to summarise the results
a asking the student to repeat the investigation.
All the practical work reports will be assessed internally by the teacher using the following
eight assessment criteria:
e planning (a) – Pl(a)
p planning (b) – Pl(b)
p data collection – DC
d data processing and presentation – DPP
d conclusion and evaluation – CE
c manipulative skills – MS
m personal skills (a) – PS(a)
p personal skills (b) – PS(b)
Each student will be assessed at least twice on each of the eight criteria. The two best marks
for each of the criteria are added together to determine the final mark out of 48 for the
Internal Assessment (IA) component of the course. This will then be scaled by the external
Moderators.
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