Grade 11 University/College Environmental Science Online | SVN3M

Course Curriculum

What you'll cover in SVN3M

• Scientific Solutions to Environmental Challenges: Science as a Problem-Solver - Students investigate how scientific research is used to identify, monitor, and address environmental problems, from water quality testing to the remediation of contaminated sites. They evaluate the reliability of environmental data, examine how governments and industry set standards, and assess the effectiveness of real Ontario and global responses to environmental damage.
• Human Health and the Environment: How Surroundings Shape Health - Students examine the links between environmental quality and human health, including air and water contaminants, heavy metals, pesticides, and indoor pollutants. They study how exposure is measured, how dose relates to effect, and how communities, regulators, and public health agencies work to reduce environmental risk for vulnerable populations.
• Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry: Producing Food and Fibre Responsibly - Students explore soil science, crop and livestock production, forest ecology, and harvesting practices, comparing conventional and sustainable approaches. They analyse the environmental costs of intensive agriculture and logging, evaluate certification and land-management programs, and consider how Ontario’s farms and forests can stay productive without exhausting the resources they depend on.
• Reducing and Managing Waste: Where Our Garbage Actually Goes - Students track the life cycle of everyday products and follow waste through landfill, incineration, recycling, and composting systems. They examine hazardous and electronic waste, wastewater treatment, and the economics of municipal waste programs, then design and defend a practical waste-reduction strategy for a household, school, or workplace.
• Conservation of Energy: Using Less and Getting More - Students compare renewable and non-renewable energy sources, analyse Ontario’s electricity supply, and calculate energy use and efficiency in buildings and transportation. They evaluate conservation technologies and behaviour change, and assess the environmental, economic, and social trade-offs behind decisions about how energy is generated and consumed.