Outline

__1st 6-weeks Outline (dropboxed)__

__Units for Sustainability I, II, III and IV__


 * 1) Sustainable Design and Living
 * 2) Sustainable Energy
 * 3) Sustainable Biogeochemical Cycles
 * 4) Sustainable Waste
 * 5) Sustainable Biodiversity

The above 5 themes will provide general structure to the content for each of the 4 years of the curriculum. The details of content will respond to other curricular elements for that grade level.

Rough 4-year outline toc =**__ 9th Grade Sustainability I __**= // A. Module 1. What is Sustainability? // // A brief overview of key scientific, engineering, economic and human geography concepts that are central to understanding sustainability and sustainable approaches to development. Career paths, and analytical tools (problem solving, sketching, spreadsheets) used by scientists, engineers and planners are introduced in this unit. //
 * 1) ** Unit 1 – Introduction to Sustainability **


 * 1) Identify sustainable and unsustainable approaches to resource use. (NC Earth Science)
 * 2) Illustrate, with examples, the limits on the Earth’s resources (NC Earth Science)
 * 3) Understand the interrelationship between sustaining human life and the biosphere. (NC Earth Science)
 * 4) Explain and illustrate with examples how humans have created conditions that are not sustainable. (NC Earth Science)
 * 5) Introduce the uses of data and the analysis of data in spreadsheets (using Excel)
 * 6) Introduce methods for the analysis geographically distributed data (using Google Earth)

B//. Module 2 – Developing a Model of a Sustainable System// // Module 2 introduces the learner to the concept of a system, physical and mathematical models of systems, and mathematical modeling using either // Vensim //or// Stella //software. Students first create a physical model of a dynamic system (water level in a bathtub with open faucet and drain) and then convert the major components of that system to a mathematical model. The model is then used to propose system to create a sustainable system.//


 * 1) Analyze systems of forces and their interaction with matter. (NC Physics)
 * 2) Establish a working definition of homeostasis.
 * 3) Demonstrate that mathematics, creativity, logic, and originality are all needed to improve technology.
 * 4) Explain that a system usually has some properties that are different from those of its parts, but appear because of the interaction of those parts. (11A/H1, Benchmark 2061)
 * 5) Understand how things work and designing solutions to problems of almost any kind can be facilitated by systems analysis. In defining a system, it is important to specify its boundaries and subsystems, indicate its relation to other systems, and identify what its input and output are expected to be. (11A/H2, Benchmark 2061)
 * 6) Learn that the successful operation of a designed system often involves feedback. Such feedback can be used to encourage what is going on in a system, discourage it, or reduce its discrepancy from some desired value. The stability of a system can be greater when it includes appropriate feedback mechanisms. (11A/H3*, Benchmark 2061)
 * 7) Learn that even in some very simple systems, it may not always be possible to predict accurately the result of changing some part or connection. (11A/H4, Benchmark 2061)
 * 8) Mathematical models can be displayed on a computer and then modified to see what happens. (11B/M2, Benchmark 2061)
 * 9) Introduce computer-based mathematical modeling methods.

// C. Module 3 – Lessons from Nature: Biomimicry // // Nature has solved many of today's engineering problems such as hydrophobicity, wind resistance, self-assembly, and harnessing solar energy through the evolutionary mechanics of selective advantages. The field of biomimcry focuses on engineering solutions that can be adapted from nature. In this module students will be introduced to several examples of sustainable biomimetic designs that demonstrate key principles of sustainability. Students will experiment with a lab-based system that mimics the water vapor harvesting technology of the Namib Desert beetle based on the 2012 Toshiba ExploraVision award winning high school student research on amphipathic films. //


 * 1) Explain ways in which organisms use released energy to maintain homeostasis (active transport). (NC Biology)
 * 2) Explain the energetic nature of phase changes. (NC Chemistry)
 * 3) Explain heating and cooling curves. (NC Chemistry)
 * 4) Interpret the data presented in phase diagrams.
 * 5) Analyze the law of conservation of matter and how it applies. (NC Chemistry)
 * 6) Graphs and equations are useful (and often equivalent) ways for depicting and analyzing patterns of change. 11C/H4

// Energy can be found in a number of different forms - chemical energy, electrical energy, heat (thermal energy), light (radiant energy), mechanical energy, and nuclear energy //. //Stored energy is called potential energy**.** Moving energy is called kinetic energy.//
 * 1) ** Unit 2 – Energy **
 * 2) // Module 1 – Introduction to Energy //


 * 1) Compare the concepts of potential and kinetic energy and conservation of total mechanical energy in the description of the motion of objects. (NC Physics)
 * 2) Interpret data on work and energy presented graphically and numerically. (NC Physics)
 * 3) Describe the processes by which energy is transferred to matter and produces heat and electricity.
 * 4) Compare the various methods humans use to acquire traditional energy sources (such as peat, coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear fission, and wood) (NC Earth Science).

// B. Module 2 – Wind Energy // // Module 2 explores wind energy potential through a study of wind potential in the United States and exploration of factors that contribute to efficient wind energy generation. A group design project/competition focuses on the production, measurement of electricity produced by a small-scale wind turbine, the aerodynamic features of wind turbine blades and design methods to improve efficiency of a wind turbine. //


 * 1) The useful energy output of a device—that is, what energy is available for further change—is always less than the energy input, with the difference usually appearing as thermal energy. One goal in the design of such devices is to make them as efficient as possible—that is, to maximize the useful output for a given input. 8C/H6 **(SFAA)**
 * 2) ** During any transformation of energy, there is inevitably some dissipation of energy into the environment. In this practical sense, energy gets "used up," even though it is still around somewhere. 8C/H7 ** (SFAA)
 * 3) Sunlight is the ultimate source of most of the energy we use. The energy in fossil fuels such as oil and coal comes from energy that plants captured from the sun long ago. 8C/H8** (BSL)
 * 4) Evaluate alternative energy technologies for use in North Carolina.

// A. Module 1 – Water and Life // // This module students are introduced to the critical role of water in life, how water passes through living and non-living systems and, how, in the process heat and energy pass around the Earth. Mapping and Satellite data are used to examine water resources and their movements. //
 * 1) ** Unit 3- Biogeochemical Cycles – Water **
 * 1) Graphs and equations are useful (and often equivalent) ways for depicting and analyzing patterns of change. 11C/H4
 * 2) Cyclic change is commonly found when there are feedback effects in a system—as, for example, when a change in any direction gives rise to forces or influences that oppose the change. 11C/H5*
 * 3) The present arises from the conditions of the past and, in turn, affects what is possible in the future. 11C/H6*
 * 4) Most systems above the molecular level Evaluate human influences on water quality in North Carolina’s river basins, wetlands and tidal environments.
 * 5) Trends that follow a pattern that can be described mathematically can be used to estimate how long a process has been going on. 11C/H8** (SFAA)
 * 6) Explain how water is an energy agent (currents and heat transfer).
 * 7) Explain how ground water and surface water interact. (NC Earth Science)
 * 8) Summarize the structure and composition of our atmosphere. (NC Earth Science)

// B. Module 2 – Water and Life // // This module students are introduced to the critical role of water in life, how water passes through living and non-living systems and, how, in the process heat and energy pass around the Earth. Mapping and Satellite data are used to examine water resources and their movements. //


 * 1) Graphs and equations are useful (and often equivalent) ways for depicting and analyzing patterns of change. 11C/H4
 * 2) Cyclic change is commonly found when there are feedback effects in a system—as, for example, when a change in any direction gives rise to forces or influences that oppose the change. 11C/H5*
 * 3) The present arises from the conditions of the past and, in turn, affects what is possible in the future. 11C/H6*
 * 4) Most systems above the molecular level Evaluate human influences on water quality in North Carolina’s river basins, wetlands and tidal environments.
 * 5) Trends that follow a pattern that can be described mathematically can be used to estimate how long a process has been going on. 11C/H8** (SFAA)
 * 6) Explain how water is an energy agent (currents and heat transfer).
 * 7) Explain how ground water and surface water interact. (NC Earth Science)
 * 8) Summarize the structure and composition of our atmosphere. (NC Earth Science)

// C. Module 3 – Modeling the Water Cycle // // This module will expand on student experience with modeling in Unit 1. The characteristics of the atmosphere, cryosphere, oceans, land plants (evapotransiration), soil and lithosphere with respect to biogeochemical cycle will be modeled. The completed model will be used to “experiment” with alterations in the water cycle that result from human interventions and their potential impact on sustainability will be explored through the model. //


 * 1) Explain how ground water and surface water interact. (NC Earth Science)
 * 2) Evaluate human influences on freshwater availability. (NC Earth Science)
 * 3) Explain and illustrate with examples how humans have created conditions that are not sustainable. (NC Earth Science)
 * 4) Explain why biodiversity is important to the biosphere.
 * 5) Explain how human activities impact the biosphere.

// In this module students will be introduced to methods that analyze the impact of waste on the environment. “Cradle to grave” and “cradle to cradle” approaches to industrial design will be evaluated. The effectiveness of current recycling system will also be examined. //
 * IV. **** Unit 4. Introduction to Waste **
 * 1) // Module 1 – Introduction to Waste //
 * 1) Waste management includes considerations of quantity, safety, degradability, and cost. It requires social and technological innovations, because waste-disposal problems are political and economic as well as technical. 8B/H2
 * 2) The development of new materials and the increased use of existing materials by a growing human population have led to the removal of resources from the environment much more rapidly than they can be replaced by natural processes. Disposal of waste materials has also become a problem. Solving these problems requires systematic efforts involving both social and technological innovations. 8B/H7** (SFAA)
 * 3) Evaluate the concept of “reduce, reuse, recycle” in terms of impact on natural resources.
 * 4) Explain and illustrate with examples how humans have created conditions that are not sustainable. (NC Earth Science)

// This module focuses on waste products that result from extraction industries and in particular, the mining of coal in West Virginia using the method of mountain top removal. Post-extraction cleanup requirements will be evaluated for sustainability. //
 * 1) // Module 2 – Mining //


 * 1) Understanding how human influences affect the lithosphere.
 * 2) Explain how water is an energy agent (currents and heat transfer).
 * 3) Explain the consequences of human activities on the lithosphere (such as mining, deforestation, agriculture, overgrazing, urbanization, and land use) past and present.
 * 4) Explain and illustrate with examples how humans have created conditions that are not sustainable. (NC Earth Science)

// This module introduces basic concepts in biodiversity studies and provides examples of human impacts of biodiversity. Connections between biodiversity and sustainability will be explored using computer simulations, human health impacts (NASA’s CHANGEviewer tool at //[|//http://climatechangehumanhealth.org/changeviewer///]// ), and field activities. //
 * 1) ** Unit 5. Biodiversity and Sustainability **
 * 2) // Module 1 – Biodiversity //


 * 1) Technological innovations. 8B/H7 **(SFAA)**
 * 2) ** Evaluate the concept of “reduce, reuse, and recycle” in terms of impact on natural resources. **
 * 3) ** Explain and illustrate with examples how humans have created conditions that are not sustainable. (NC Earth Science) **

VI. Unit 6. Group Design-Redesign Project ** // A group design project is recommended during the final 2-3 weeks of this course. Recommended design (or redesign) projects will be provided. //

=**__ 10th Grade – Sustainability II __**=

// A. Module 1 – The Human Footprint // In Module 1 students begin the process of quantitatively evaluating human impacts. This will be the first in a series of formal auditing tools. The human footprint assesses impacts due to consumption, waste, energy and transportation, habitat loss.
 * I. Unit 1 – Introduction **


 * 1) Identify sustainable and unsustainable approaches to resource use. (NC Earth Science)
 * 2) Illustrate, with examples, the limits on the Earth’s resources
 * 3) Understand the interrelationship between sustaining human life and the biosphere. (NC Earth Science)
 * 4) Explain and illustrate with examples how humans have created conditions that are not sustainable. (NC Earth Science)
 * 5) Introduce the uses of data and the analysis of data in spreadsheets (Excel)
 * 6) Introduce methods for the analysis geographically distributed data (Google Earth)

// B. Module 2 – The Built Environment // // Module 2 uses case studies of design, architecture and urban planning to reduce the impacts of sustainability. Case studies will include the North Carolina Botanical Gardens, Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, NC as well as interviews with North Carolina architects and planners. //


 * 1) Analyze systems of forces and their interaction with matter. (NC Physics)
 * 2) Establish a working definition of homeostasis.
 * 3) Demonstrate that mathematics, creativity, logic, and originality are all needed to improve technology.
 * 4) Explain that a system usually has some properties that are different from those of its parts, but appear because of the interaction of those parts. 11A/H1
 * 5) Understand how things work and designing solutions to problems of almost any kind can be facilitated by systems analysis. In defining a system, it is important to specify its boundaries and subsystems, indicate its relation to other systems, and identify what its input and output are expected to be. 11A/H2
 * 6) Learn that the successful operation of a designed system often involves feedback. Such feedback can be used to encourage what is going on in a system, discourage it, or reduce its discrepancy from some desired value. The stability of a system can be greater when it includes appropriate feedback mechanisms. 11A/H3*
 * 7) Employ technical diagrams and sketching.
 * 8) Communicate STEM concepts in writing, film or in other media.

// C. Module 3 – If a Building were like a Tree // // Returning to the field of biomimcry and focusing on engineering solutions that can be adapted from nature, in this module, students will design changes to existing buildings to meet LEED and other sustainability standards. //


 * 1) Explain ways that organisms use released energy to maintain homeostasis (active transport). (NC Biology)
 * 2) Analyze the law of conservation of matter and how it applies. (NC Chemistry)
 * 3) Graphs and equations are useful (and often equivalent) ways for depicting and analyzing patterns of change. 11C/H4

//This unit introduces key concepts in// // energy, including units of energy, measurement of energy and methods used to generate energy and an application of these concepts in a demonstration alternative energy project. //
 * II. Unit 2 – Energy **

// A. Module 1 – Earth’s Energy Budget // // In this module students will investigate Earth’s energy budget by direct measurement of reflected light, infrared energy from surfaces and additional field collected data. They will compare their results to remote sensing data. //

// B. Module 2 – Climate Change and Sustainability // // Module 2 explores the role of atmospheric gases, Earth surfaces and human activity in the changing climate and it’s potential impact on sustainability. //
 * 1) Interpret data on work and energy presented graphically and numerically. (NC Physics)
 * 2) Describe the processes by which energy is transferred to matter and produces heat and electricity.
 * 3) Compare the various methods humans use to acquire traditional energy sources (such as peat, coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear fission, and wood) (NC Earth Science).
 * 4) Introduce the greenhouse effect and the role of greenhouse gases in regulating planetary climates.
 * 5) Compare conditions on neighboring planets.
 * 6) Understand the absorption of energy by bonds in molecular structures.

1. Sunlight is the ultimate source of most of the energy we use. The energy in fossil fuels such as oil and coal comes from energy that plants captured from the sun long ago. 8C/H8 **(BSL)** 2 . Analyze the impacts that human activities have on global climate change (such as burning hydrocarbons, greenhouse effect, and deforestation). 3 . Attribute changes in Earth systems to global climate change (temperature change, changes in pH of ocean, sea level changes, etc.). 4. Evaluate alternative energy technologies for use in North Carolina. 5. Summarize the structure and composition of our atmosphere. 6 . During any transformation of energy, there is inevitably some dissipation of energy into the environment. In this practical sense, energy gets "used up," even though it is still around somewhere. 8C/H7 (SFAA)

// C. Module 3 – Solar Energy // // This module introduces the basic technologies that are used to collect and store solar energy. Solar potential will be evaluated using mapping and site-specific data relevant to solar collection. Students will build and test solar units and explore factors related to solar design through virtual tours and case studies. //

// In this unit the cycling of nutrients and other essential substances through the Earth’s systems will be introduced. Explorations will focus on the nitrogen cycle and the implications of a variety of human impacts on fresh water through excess nitrogen fertilizer use that leads to eutrophication, and the sustainability of global water supplies. Either Vensim or STELLA model of the nitrogen cycle will be generated and used to evaluate water cycle impacts. // // In this module students are introduced to the critical role of nitrogen in life, how nitrogen passes through living and non-living systems and, how, in the process excess nitrogen has accumulated in lakes and rivers. Mapping and Satellite data are used to examine water resources and their movements. //
 * 1) During any transformation of energy, there is inevitably some dissipation of energy into the environment. In this practical sense, energy gets "used up," even though it is still around somewhere. 8C/H7 (SFAA)
 * 2) Sunlight is the ultimate source of most of the energy we use. The energy in fossil fuels such as oil and coal comes from energy that plants captured from the sun long ago. 8C/H8 (BSL)
 * 3) Evaluate alternative energy technologies for use in North Carolina.
 * III. Unit 3- Biogeochemical Cycles – Nitrogen **
 * # // Module 1 – Nitrogen and Life //

// B. Module 2 – The Nitrogen Cycle // // This module will expand on student experience with modeling 9th grade. The characteristics of the atmosphere, oceans, land plants (nitrogen fixation, animal waste), soil and lithosphere with respect to biogeochemical cycle will be investigated. The completed model will be used to “experiment” with alterations in the nitrogen cycle that result from human use of fertilizers, soaps and other nitrogen containing compounds, the effect of urbanization and impervious surfaces on the distribution of excess nitrogen and the potential impact of excess nitrogen loading in fresh water systems on sustainability will be explored through the model. //
 * 1) Graphs and equations are useful (and often equivalent) ways for depicting and analyzing patterns of change. 11C/H4*
 * 2) Cyclic change is commonly found when there are feedback effects in a system—as, for example, when a change in any direction gives rise to forces or influences that oppose the change. 11C/H5*
 * 3) The present arises from the conditions of the past and, in turn, affects what is possible in the future. 11C/H6*
 * 4) Evaluate human influences on water quality in North Carolina’s river basins, wetlands and tidal environments.
 * 5) Trends that follow a pattern that can be described mathematically can be used to estimate how long a process has been going on. 11C/H8** (SFAA)
 * 6) Explain how ground water and surface water interact. (NC Earth Science)
 * 7) Summarize the structure and composition of our atmosphere. (NC Earth Science)


 * 1) Explain how ground water and surface water interact. (NC Earth Science)
 * 2) Evaluate human influences on freshwater availability. (NC Earth Science)
 * 3) Explain and illustrate with examples how humans have created conditions that are not sustainable. (NC Earth Science)
 * 4) Explain why biodiversity is important to the biosphere.
 * 5) Explain how human activities impact the biosphere. ||

// A wide range of pollutants continues to degrade our ecosystems and burden public health. Transforming the “waste sector” into a “materials management sector” is a key goal of sustainability efforts. This unit introduces information about current practices hat generate waste that make human industry and cities unsustainable. A group project focuses on the impacts of mining and extraction processes on the lithosphere and our unsustainable dependence on coal mining. //
 * IV. Unit 4. Waste and Pollution **

// In this module students will be introduced to methods that analyze the impact of waste on the environment. “Cradle to grave” and “cradle to cradle” approaches to industrial design will be evaluated. The effectiveness of current sewage and wastewater treatment will be reviewed. Through case studies, the effectiveness of riparian and wetland restoration projects will be evaluated. //
 * 1) // Module 1 – Biological Waste //
 * 1) Waste management includes considerations of quantity, safety, degradability, and cost. It requires social and technological innovations, because waste-disposal problems are political and economic as well as technical. 8B/H2
 * 2) The development of new materials and the increased use of existing materials by a growing human population have led to the removal of resources from the environment much more rapidly than they can be replaced by natural processes. Disposal of waste materials has also become a problem. Solving these problems requires systematic efforts involving both social and technological innovations. 8B/H7** (SFAA)
 * 3) Evaluate the concept of “reduce, reuse, recycle” in terms of impact on natural resources.
 * 4) Explain and illustrate with examples how humans have created conditions that are not sustainable. (NC Earth Science)

// This module focuses on waste products that result from municipal waste and sewage treatment and review projects that have successfully reduced waste by converting the waste to energy through methane capture, waste incineration and other methods. //
 * 1) // Module 2 – Energy from Waste //
 * 1) Explain the consequences of human activities (such as mining, deforestation, agriculture, overgrazing, urbanization, and land use) past and present.
 * 2) Explain and illustrate with examples how humans have created conditions that are sustainable from waste.
 * 3) Evaluate the concept of “reduce, reuse, recycle” in terms of impact on natural resources.

// This unit introduces students to evidence of extensive pressure on wetlands, and the services provided by wetlands. Pressures include over fishing, pollution, urbanization, loss of habitat, and climate change returning to the theme interconnectedness from Unit. //
 * VI. Unit 5. Biodiversity and Sustainability **

// This module addresses the importance of ecosystem services and biodiversity to sustainability and provides examples of human impacts on wetlands and, through case studies, examines successful and unsuccessful restoration projects. Connections between biodiversity and sustainability will be explored using computer simulations. Human health impacts will be studied using NASA’s CHANGE Viewer and lessons. //
 * 1) // Module 1 – Wetlands and Ecosystem Services //


 * 1) Explain and illustrate with examples how humans have created conditions that are not sustainable. (NC Earth Science)

// A group design project is recommended during the final 2-3 weeks of this course. Recommended design (or redesign) topics connected to nitrogen reduction and wetland restoration will be provided. //
 * VII. Unit 6. Project **

=**__ 11th Grade – Sustainability III __**=

// Unit 1 focuses on sustainable solutions in an urban setting and the potential of sustainable planning and design to reduce the human footprint in cities. //
 * I. Unit 1 – Population Growth and our Urban Future **

// A. Population Dynamics and Momentum // // Module 1 is an intensive review of human population dynamics globally and by region. Demographic factors that contribute to social, environmental and political strains are analyzed. Resources used in this module include Internet-based data sources and the module relies on extensive Excel spreadsheet-based lessons and expands graphing skills to include population-related representations of data over time. //


 * 1) Explain the effects of uncontrolled population growth on the Earth’s resources. (NC Earth Science)
 * 2) Infer how human activities (including population growth, pollution, global warming, burning of fossil fuels, habitat destruction and introduction of nonnative species) may impact the environment. (NC Biology)

// B. Module 2 – Smart Growth // // Module 2 introduces the principles of Smart Growth and through mapping, data collection and case studies evaluates the success and potential of smart growth to reduce the human footprint. //

//__ Smart Growth Principles __//


 * 1) Identify sustainable and unsustainable approaches to resource use. (NC Earth Science)
 * 2) Illustrate, with examples, the limits on the Earth’s resources
 * 3) Understand the interrelationship between sustaining human life and the biosphere. (NC Earth Science)
 * 4) Explain and illustrate with examples how humans have created conditions that are not sustainable. (NC Earth Science)
 * 5) Introduce the uses of data and the analysis of data in spreadsheets (Excel)
 * 6) Introduce methods for the analysis geographically distributed data (Google Earth)

//This unit introduces the detailed processes involved in an energy audit and provides practical experience with tools used to conclude audits////. //
 * II. Unit 2 – Energy **

// This module presents energy audit techniques and methods. //// An energy audit is an inspection, survey and analysis of energy flows for energy conservation in a building, process or system to reduce the amount of energy input into the system. Audit components include: //
 * 1) // Module 1 – Energy Audit //
 * 1) Interpret data on work and energy presented graphically and numerically. (NC Physics)
 * 2) Describe the processes by which energy is transferred to matter and produces heat and electricity.
 * 3) Compare the various methods humans use to acquire traditional energy sources (such as peat, coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear fission, and wood) (NC Earth Science).
 * 4) Compare conditions on neighboring planets.
 * 5) Understand the absorption of energy by bonds in molecular structures.

// A wide range of pollutants continues to degrade our ecosystems and burden public health. Transforming the “waste sector” into a “materials management sector” is a key goal of sustainability efforts. This unit focuses on major industrial chemicals and processes in order to evaluate waste outputs. //
 * III. Unit 3. Industrial Waste **

// A. Module 1. Hydrocarbons // // In this module students will explore the energy content, processing and uses of fossil fuel sources. Topics covered will include: carbon compounds, identifying and separating hydrocarbons fractional distillation, products of crude oil distillation, polymers and plastics in waste streams. //

// B. Module 2. Refrigeration // // This module presents the chemistry and by products of refrigeration including: evaporative cooling effects of liquid and basic refrigeration systems. //
 * 1) Explain the factors that affect the rate of a reaction (temperature, concentration, particle size and presence of a catalyst).
 * 2) Explain the conditions of a system at equilibrium.
 * 3) Infer the quantitative nature of a solution (molarity, dilution, and titration with a 1:1 molar ratio).
 * 4) Summarize the properties of solutions.
 * 5) Explain the solution process.

// C. Module 3. Metals // // In this module the processing, uses and environmental impacts of metal extraction and refining will be addressed. //
 * 1) Explain heating and cooling curves (heat of fusion, heat of vaporization, heat, melting point, and boiling point).
 * 2) Interpret the data presented in phase diagrams.
 * 3) Explain the energy content of a chemical reaction.
 * 4) Analyze quantitatively the composition of a substance (empirical formula, molecular formula, percent composition, and hydrates).

// D. Module 4. Recycling Mission // // In this module the NASA engineering project, **Transportation and Space: Reuse and Recycle** will be used to explore issues related to space garbage and the potential commercialization and reuse options for these materials. //// When humans colonize space, they will need to adapt the technologies and processes of disposing and using waste and natural resources to overcome the challenges of this new environment. //
 * 1) Infer the quantitative nature of a solution (molarity, dilution, and titration with a 1:1 molar ratio).
 * 2) Summarize the properties of solutions.
 * 3) Explain the solution process
 * 4) Analyze quantitatively the composition of a substance (empirical formula, molecular formula, percent composition, and hydrates).


 * 1) Students will develop an understanding of the characteristics and scope of technology.  (ITEA/STL 1) - Inventions and innovations are the results of specific, goal-directed research. (1L) - Most development of technologies these days is driven by the profit motive and the  market. (1M)
 * 2) Students will develop an understanding of the relationships among technologies and the  connections between technology and other fields of study. (ITEA/STL 3)  - Technological ideas are sometimes protected through the process of patenting. (3I)
 * 3) Students will develop an understanding of the cultural, social, economic, and political  effects of technology. (ITEA/STL 4)
 * 4) Students will develop an understanding of effects of technology on the environment.  (ITEA/STL 5)
 * 5) Students will develop an understanding of the role of society in the development and use  of technology. (ITEA/STL 6)
 * 6) Students will develop an understanding of the role of troubleshooting, research and development, invention and innovation, and experimentation in problem solving. (ITEA/STL 10) - Technological problems must be researched before they can be solved. (10J)
 * 7) Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select and use information and communication technologies. (ITEA/STL 17)

(//Technology:// Standards for Technological Literacy (STL) //(ITEA, 2000/2002/2007)// // The impact of industrial-style agriculture production on ecosystems and the sustainability of these practices will be evaluated in this unit. //
 * IV. Unit 4. Agriculture and Biodiversity **

// In this module students will study agriculture methods and their impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems including the Green Revolution, monoculture, pesticide use, Genetically Modified Organisms and cloning. //
 * 1) // Module 1 – Agricultural Method //


 * 1) Explain and illustrate with examples how humans have created conditions that are not sustainable. (NC Earth Science)
 * 2) Explain how the use, protection and conservation of natural resources by humans impact the environment from one generation to the next. (NC Biology)
 * 3) Explain various ways organisms interact with each other (including predation, competition, parasitism, mutualism) and with their environments resulting in stability within ecosystems. (NC Biology)

// A final group design project is recommended during the final 2-3 weeks of this course. Recommended topical outlines will be provided. //
 * V. Unit 5. Group Project **

=**__ 12th Grade – Sustainability IV __**=

// This unit introduces examines the energy demands of transportation and the potential efficiency gains of smart grid innovations. //
 * 1. Unit 2 – Efficiency Energy Use **

// C. //// Module 1 – Transportation // // This module examines existing solutions to transportation energy and space demands as well as possible future solutions. A group project directs students to research transportation solutions that can be used in designing the carbon neutral city in their final project. //

// B. Module 2 – Smart Grids // // “Smart grids” are technologies that use computer-based remote control and automation. These systems are made possible by two-way communication technology and computer processing that has been used for decades in other industries. This unit will examine the benefits to utilities and consumers -- mostly seen in big improvements in energy efficiency on the electricity grid and in the energy users’ homes and offices. //
 * 1) Interpret data on work and energy presented graphically and numerically. (NC Physics)
 * 2) Describe the processes by which energy is transferred to matter and produces heat and electricity.
 * 3) Compare the various methods humans use to acquire traditional energy sources (such as peat, coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear fission, and wood) (NC Earth Science).
 * 4) Compare energy and environmental impacts of transportation options
 * 5) Calculate greenhouse gas emissions that result from fossil-fuel based transportation methods
 * 6) Understand the absorption of energy by bonds in molecular structures.
 * 1) Sunlight is the ultimate source of most of the energy we use. The energy in fossil fuels such as oil and coal comes from energy that plants captured from the sun long ago. 8C/H8 (BSL)
 * 2) Analyze the impacts that human activities have on global climate change (such as burning hydrocarbons, greenhouse effect, and deforestation).
 * 3) Attribute changes in Earth systems to global climate change (temperature change, changes in pH of ocean, sea level changes, etc.).
 * 4) Evaluate alternative energy technologies for use in North Carolina.
 * 5) During any transformation of energy, there is inevitably some dissipation of energy into the environment. In this practical sense, energy gets "used up," even though it is still around somewhere. 8C/H7 (SFAA)
 * 6) Evaluate the role of computing and advances in technology as tools to reduce the human footprint.

// In this unit the limits on exploitation of biogeochemical cycles will be examined. The cumulative impacts that exceeding these limits are anticipated to produce in the form of additional or even catastrophic degradation of the ability of the Earth to sustain large human populations (tipping points). //
 * II. Unit 2- Biogeochemical Cycles – Testing the Limits **

// In this module students will use a series of primary source, peer-reviewed journal articles and secondary review papers that address the limits of nutrient and other important biogeochemical cycles. Students will produce annotated bibliographies and summary reports that together will form a resource tool for the treaty negotiating activity. //
 * 1) // Module 1 – Evaluating The Limits of Biogeochemical Cycles //


 * 1) The nature of science.
 * 2) Technical writing.
 * 3) Graphs and equations are useful (and often equivalent) ways for depicting and analyzing patterns of change. 11C/H4*
 * 4) Cyclic change is commonly found when there are feedback effects in a system—as, for example, when a change in any direction gives rise to forces or influences that oppose the change. 11C/H5*
 * 5) The present arises from the conditions of the past and, in turn, affects what is possible in the future. 11C/H6*
 * 6) Trends that follow a pattern that can be described mathematically can be used to estimate how long a process has been going on. 11C/H8 (SFAA)
 * 7) Representing very large or very small numbers in terms of powers of ten makes it easier to perform calculations using those numbers. 11D/H1*
 * 8) Because different properties are not affected to the same degree by changes in size, large changes in size typically change the way that things work in physical, biological, or social systems. 11D/H2*

III. Unit 3. Rethinking Waste // This unit focuses on strategies that have been used to restore environmentally degraded land in urban settings and on industrial process design approaches that aim to reduce or even eliminate harmful waste from industrial processes. //

// In this module students will study the principles of urban reclamation and recovery of urban Brownfields. The role of economics and other social factors are considered as a key factor in evaluating the sustainability of urban renewal efforts. //
 * 1) // Module 1 – Urban Reclamation and Brownfields //
 * 1) Waste management includes considerations of quantity, safety, degradability, and cost. It requires social and technological innovations, because waste-disposal problems are political and economic as well as technical. 8B/H2
 * 2) Evaluate the concept of “reduce, reuse, recycle” in terms of impact on natural resources.
 * 3) Explain and illustrate with examples how humans have created conditions that are not sustainable. (NC Earth Science)
 * 4) Brownfields and urban restoration policy and processes.

// There are five categories of criteria for certification designed to align with the Cradle to Cradle principles: Material Health, Material Reutilization, Renewable Energy Use, Water Stewardship, and Social Responsibility. The Cradle to Cradle design protocol calls for materials to be defined as technical or biological nutrients that are safe and healthy for humans and the environment. Working with the product manufacturer and suppliers, each product formulation is mapped out and broken down into its chemical constituents. Students will practice the Cradle to Cradle design protocol while reviewing case studies. //
 * 1) // Module 2 – Cradle to Cradle //
 * 1) Explain the consequences of human activities (such as mining, deforestation, agriculture, overgrazing, urbanization, and land use) past and present.
 * 2) Explain and illustrate with examples how humans have created conditions that are sustainable from waste.
 * 3) Evaluate the concept of “reduce, reuse, recycle” in terms of impact on natural resources.
 * 4) Apply the principles of Cradle to Cradle design protocols on sample chemical manufacturing processes.
 * 5) Summarize the properties of solutions. (NC Chemistry).


 * IV. Unit 4. Conservation Strategy to Sustain Biodiversity **

// This module focuses on restoration biology and strategies for preserving diversity through habitat protection, wildlife preserves and wildlife management practices. //
 * 1) // Module 1 – Conservation Strategies //


 * 1) Explain and illustrate with examples how humans have created conditions that are not sustainable. (NC Earth Science)
 * 2) Explain how the use, protection and conservation of natural resources by humans impact the environment from one generation to the next. (NC Biology)
 * 3) Explain various ways organisms interact with each other (including predation, competition, parasitism, mutualism) and with their environments resulting in stability within ecosystems. (NC Biology)

// Unit 5 focuses on local, international and national policy initiatives to respond human impacts on the sustainability of Earth’s resources. //
 * V. Unit 5 – National and International Sustainability Programs **

// A. National and International Policy // // Module 1 provides an overview of policy issues and initiatives on the local, national and international level. Students will explore the implications of these policies. Topics covered will include climate change policies and initiatives, carbon markets and trading; Fishing policies, treaties and agreements; REDD and international forest conservation efforts; biodiversity conservation efforts. //


 * 1) Infer how human activities (including population growth, pollution, global warming, burning of fossil fuels, habitat destruction and introduction of nonnative species) may impact the environment. (NC Biology)
 * 2) Identify policy options and responses to sustainability.

// B. Module 2 – Carbon Neutral Cities // // Module 3 uses case studies of design, architecture and urban planning to reduce the human footprint of urban communities. Case carbon neutral settlement/cities like Masdar, in the United Arab Emirates, will be used to explore urban planning concepts. The module builds knowledge towards the final project - to design a small carbon neutral city with team members filling the roles of key planning professionals. //


 * 1) Analyze systems of forces and their interaction with matter. (NC Physics)
 * 2) Establish a working definition of homeostasis.
 * 3) Demonstrate that mathematics, creativity, logic, and originality are all needed to improve technology.
 * 4) Explain that a system usually has some properties that are different from those of its parts, but appear because of the interaction of those parts. 11A/H1
 * 5) Understand how things work and designing solutions to problems of almost any kind can be facilitated by systems analysis. In defining a system, it is important to specify its boundaries and subsystems, indicate its relation to other systems, and identify what its input and output are expected to be. 11A/H2
 * 6) Learn that the successful operation of a designed system often involves feedback. Such feedback can be used to encourage what is going on in a system, discourage it, or reduce its discrepancy from some desired value. The stability of a system can be greater when it includes appropriate feedback mechanisms. 11A/H3*
 * 7) Employ technical diagrams and sketching.
 * 8) Communicate STEM concepts in writing, film or in other media.

// C. Module 3 – The Use Models and Simulations in Support of Global Policy // // In Module 2 students evaluate policy approaches using C-Learn Simulation (Vensim) //[|//http://forio.com/simulation/climate-development///]


 * 1) Identify sustainable and unsustainable approaches to resource use. (NC Earth Science)
 * 2) Illustrate, with examples, the limits on the Earth’s resources
 * 3) Investigate the strengths and weaknesses of data driven simulations and mathematical modeling as policy support tools
 * 4) Understand the interrelationship between sustaining human life and the biosphere. (NC Earth Science)
 * 5) Explain and illustrate with examples how humans have created conditions that are not sustainable. (NC Earth Science)
 * 6) Introduce the uses of data and the analysis of data in spreadsheets (Excel)
 * 7) Introduce methods for the analysis geographically distributed data (Google Earth)

// D. International Climate Change Negotiating // //In this module, students take parts in a simplified international negotiating meeting where participants play the role of delegates from different regions of the world and work together to reach a global accord. A "UN Secretary General" receives pledges from three different "blocs", asks her or his technical staff to simulate them in the// [|//C-ROADS//] //climate simulation (or its simpler version,// [|//C-Learn//]//), and informs delegates of results, often sending them back for another round of debate, strategizing, and collaboration.//


 * 1) Identify sustainable and unsustainable approaches to resource use. (NC Earth Science)
 * 2) Illustrate, with examples, the limits on the Earth’s resources
 * 3) Investigate the strengths and weaknesses of data driven simulations and mathematical modeling as policy support tools
 * 4) Understand the interrelationship between sustaining human life and the biosphere. (NC Earth Science)
 * 5) Explain and illustrate with examples how humans have created conditions that are not sustainable. (NC Earth Science)
 * 6) Apply data and the analysis of data to policy-based decision-making.
 * 7) Apply geographically distributed data to support policy options.
 * 1) Apply geographically distributed data to support policy options.

// A final group design project is recommended during the final 2-3 weeks of this course. The goal of the project is to design a carbon neutral campus, town or city by applying the various principles of sustainability. Student teams are composed of specific professional categories and individual students take responsibility for the design and collaboration role for their assigned, or selected, professional and technical job categories. Wherever possible, assessment of the projects should require an oral presentation of final reports with input from local professionals during the evaluation process. // The final project is a summary practical experience.
 * 1) ** Unit 6. Final Project **