Career and Technology Studies Grades 10-12

Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute tracks changes in Alberta's wildlife and their habitats from border to border, and provides ongoing, relevant, scientifically credible information on Alberta's living resources.

A site from the UK that discusses how the presence of bats is an indication of healthy biodiversity

This guide’s objectives are to: help you to learn more about the benefits that biological diversity provides to your farm or ranch;
and help you identify what you’re already doing and what else you can do to conserve biodiversity.

This Canadian Encyclopedia article explores Canada's biodiversity, including its benefits, threats, and initiatives to preserve this biodiversity. There are several images included in this article.

Life has existed on Earth for over 3.5 billion years. Over 95% of the species that ever existed have gone extinct. So why should we be concerned about current extinction rates and conserving biodiversity? Find out here!

This site provides an excellent definition of biodiversity and links to a data bank of fact sheets and information about Canada's birds and mammals.

Rachel Carson investigated into the misuse of chemicals and their toll on nature. In 1962, she published her findings in “Silent Spring,” which immediately drew both applause and impassioned dissent.

At least a quarter of the world’s land area is traditionally owned, managed, used or occupied by indigenous peoples. But while their knowledge is increasingly being recognized, it is rarely taken into account by researchers and policymakers.

This is Chapter 6 in a textbook, Biodiversity: Science and Solutions for Australia. Aboriginal people shaped the pre-colonial environments of Australia for 50 000 years. It is foolish to ignore Indigenous knowledge in helping shape future biodiversity management and research.

This video from the UN explains why it important to protect Earth's biodiversity. The video also provides some examples of how communities can make a difference.

Scroll down to access the report's summaries, a video and wildlife photography. The report measures Canada’s ecological performance, particularly the health of wildlife and endangered species.

Information from the Government of Canada about conservation, research, regulations, monitoring and permits relating to migratory birds.

A guide from the Alberta government about species in danger of extinction in Alberta.

Our planet’s diverse, thriving ecosystems may seem like permanent fixtures, but they’re actually vulnerable to collapse. Jungles can become deserts, and reefs can become lifeless rocks. What makes one ecosystem strong and another weak in the face of change?

There are three levels of biodiversity: genetic, species, and ecosystem. Try out this interactive to learn more about each of these levels.

This site from the Convention for Biological Diversity is an indepth look at the importance of biodiversity, what is being lost as biodiversity loses ground against human activities and what action can be taken to preserve the biodiversity of Earth's many different ecosystems.

In this video, a scientist explains true diversity in nature and why biodiversity is so important in the natural world.

This site is virtual experience; it uses science-based artwork to show the diminishing biodiversity on Earth. The map shows endangered or extinct species. You will find embedded videos as well.

An article that describes how Indigenous peoples around the world have fostered biological diversity through their traditional knowledge and practices.

The activities within the biodiversity toolkit provide students with an understanding of the importance of nature and how all living things are connected.

This activity asks students to go outside and measure some trees in their community. Students use measurements to come up with a rough estimate of the carbon that is stored within these trees. They will also explore how the amount of carbon stored in trees relates to the amount of carbon emitted by day-to-day activities and the co-benefits of urban forests.

In this final episode of Crash Course Chemistry, Hank takes us on a tour of The Global Carbon Cycle and how it all works. From Carbon Fixation to Redox Reactions, it's all contained within!

This Youtube playlist by UK Research and Innovation features 30 minute podcasts that examine how decisions we make affect the levels of pollution emissions.

This detailed interactive allows you to explore world data on carbon emissions in a variety of formats for comparison.

In the context of environmental, economic and social linkages between Canada, Mexico and the United States, the CEC facilitates effective cooperation and public participation to conserve, protect and enhance the North American environment in support of sustainable development for the benefit of present and future generations.

The Climate Atlas of Canada is an interactive tool that combines climate science, mapping and storytelling to elevate Canadian's knowledge of climate change

Educator resources, lesson plans and course materials looking at the connections between climate change and the world around us.

Accurate education about climate and energy topics has never been more important, and it can be challenging to locate reliable, vetted educational materials to use in your classroom. CLEAN is here to help you find the resources that you need, without wondering about their scientific credibility or educational value.

In this episode of Crash Course Climate and Energy, we’ll take a look at efforts to count all greenhouse gas emissions, reduce them, and capture the ones we can’t avoid.

Nearly a third of all our greenhouse gas emissions come from generating electricity. In this video, we’re going to tell you about some of the ways scientists and engineers are decarbonizing the electricity supply with renewable sources such as solar, wind, nuclear, and hydroelectric and the benefits and drawbacks of each.

Now that we know how complex and interwoven climate change is with society globally, we can begin to see it everywhere. In this video, we break down what needs to happen in our governments, corporations, and communities to slow the increase of Earth's average temperature.

This Youtube playlist by UK Research and Innovation features 30 minute podcasts that examine how decisions we make affect the levels of pollution emissions.

Information from the Canadian government about climate change

This detailed interactive allows you to explore world data on carbon emissions in a variety of formats for comparison.

This is a one-stop shop for climate change info, from basic intro content to practical guides and raw data; good for middle schoolers and up.

Check out this interactive map using data from Global Forest Watch reports about how the forest is changing around the world. You can be more specific and zoom in on Canada or Alberta.

High-Adventure Science brings several of the big unanswered questions in Earth and space science — think climate change, the availability of freshwater, land management and more — to middle and high school science classrooms.

Easy-to-use classroom activities that focus on climate science.

A 1600 word article from the Climate Atlas of Canada that explains how Indigenous peoples were amongst the first to notice climate change and argues that they have critical knowledges for navigating and adapting to it.

America produces more waste per capita than any other country in the world. And recycling, which was once considered the solution to that problem, isn’t really working anymore. It’s becoming more and more clear that everybody-- manufacturer and consumers-- “over-believe” in recycling.

The targets of the first period of the Kyoto Protocol are presented

In this animated video, the game board is Earth and all the Tetris blocks represent CO2, a greenhouse gas that is piling up as we burn fossil fuels. The video explains how this overload of CO2 leads to climate change and reminds us that, unlike Tetris, we won't get an opportunity to start over.

In this passionate call to action, 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg explains why, in August 2018, she walked out of school and organized a strike to raise awareness of global warming, protesting outside the Swedish parliament and grabbing the world's attention.

Clearing forests for agriculture and development can have severe consequences for our environment. "Learn the value of large-scale forest landscapes and their role in the carbon cycle. Discover how reforestation can impact climate change by decreasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere."

When the ocean changes, the planet changes -- and it all starts with microbes, says biological oceanographer Angelicque White. Backed by decades of data, White shares how scientists use these ancient microorganisms as a crucial barometer of ocean health

This video explains why scientists often describe the Arctic as the “canary in the coal mine” when it comes to climate change. The Arctic is a unique and remote region that can be both an early indicator of the climate of the rest of the Earth and a driver for weather patterns across the globe.

The Government of Alberta has a page for those wanting to know more about wildfires and monitor the wildfire situation in Alberta. There are a number of resources here (including videos) about wildfire prevention, management and status.

This interactive map provides information related to forest fire hotspots in Canada, as well as areas of low to high risk for forest fires.

Before removal from their traditional lands, Indigenous Peoples used controlled burns to manage forests and rangeland.

For millenia, fire was integral to many Indigenous peoples’ way of life. Fire was a tool that promoted ecological diversity and reduced the risk of catastrophic wildfires.

Prescribed fire is a colonial adaptation of cultural burning practiced by many different Indigenous groups in Canada. While some of the objectives may be the same, there are many differences between the two.

Prior to the European colonization of the Americas, indigenous peoples used fire to modify the landscape. What was initially perceived by colonists as "untouched, pristine" wilderness in North America was the cumulative result of the Indigenous use of fire, creating an mosaic of grasslands and forests across North America, sustained and managed by the peoples indigenous to the landscape.

This video explains some of the benefits of wildfire. Due to the way they grow, some trees (like lodgepole pines) need fire to survive. Learn about how wildfires contribute to the ecosystem.

Information from the Government of Canada about environmental indicators on air, climate, water, nature, and human influence

Conservation Magazine is all about discovering and connecting with the people and research that impact the conservation of Alberta’s fish, wildlife and the places they call home.

The RASC has developed formal guidelines and requirements for three types of light-restricted protected areas: Dark-Sky Preserves, Urban Star Parks and Nocturnal Preserves.

DU began in 1937 during the Dust Bowl when North America's waterfowl populations had plunged to unprecedented lows. Determined to act, a small group of sportsmen joined together to form an organization that became known as Ducks Unlimited. Its mission: habitat conservation. Ducks Unlimited is now the world's largest and most effective private waterfowl and wetlands conservation organization.

This is a section on the Ducks Unlimited site filled with resources for educators and students. You will find lesson plans, programs and activities.

Scroll down to explore an overview (with images) of grasslands, including why these ecosystems matter, current threats to Canada's grasslands and action being taken to conserve this ecosystem.

The Energy Dialogues interactive site allows students to view a series of videos that explore topics such as wind energy and hydraulic fracturing. Guiding questions that encourage critical thinking and analysis of current environmental and natural resource issues.

This activity involves utilizing an online tool to determine the degree of heat loss from homes in various communities. Students will then conduct their own home energy audit to evaluate the degree of energy efficiency in their own homes as well as take stock of their individual conservation behaviors.

High-Adventure Science brings several of the big unanswered questions in Earth and space science — think climate change, the availability of freshwater, land management and more — to middle and high school science classrooms.

The One Square Inch Project was started by Gordon Hempton, who began traveling around the country looking for places that met the criteria of 'quiet places'.

Indigenous peoples have wide-ranging knowledge of the land and its ecology. Through collaboration with Indigenous partners, Parks Canada and Canadians are benefitting from traditional knowledge systems that have been handed down over many thousands of year

Lands inhabited by Indigenous Peoples contain 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity. Indigenous Peoples’ traditional knowledge and knowledge systems are key to designing a sustainable future for all.

Federal and provincial governments come and go and take with them their particular view of the value of protecting the environment. Indigenous Peoples on the other hand who do not come and go (have been here since time immemorial) place an extremely high value on protecting the environment and the resources that are important to them.

A PhD candidate at the University of Alberta is encouraging the government and other agencies to consider a pathway through climate change using the thoughtful approach of Indigenous knowledge for conservation and resource management.

Parks Canada conserves and restores ecosystems on land and in water. Learn about these initiatives through this government portal.

Explore the world's national parks, wilderness areas and world heritage sites. Use the interactive map to explore different areas of the world. This was created through a UN partnership with the International Union of Conservation of Nature, as well as other organizations.

Silence just might be on the verge of extinction. In “Sanctuaries of Silence,” join Gordon Hempton on an immersive listening journey.

Explore what makes trees a vital part of cities, and how urban spaces throughout history have embraced the importance of trees.

This video explains what International Dark Sky Parks are and the reasons why dark skies deserve protection.

WCS Canada saves wildlife and wild places in Canada through science, conservation action, and by inspiring people to value nature.

Elinor Ostrom, who holds a Nobel prize in Economics, explains the Tragedy of the Commons and how it can be solved.

If you’ve never heard the term “environmental justice” before, or if you just want to know more about it, watch our video.

An American article about the recent influence of Indigenous perspectives on the practice of environmental law.

This collection of readings the Environmental Law Centre, links to the Social Studies 10, 20, and 30 curriculum in Alberta. It is designed to be used after the Fundamentals of Environmental Law

This collection of readings the Environmental Law Centre, links to the Social Studies 10, 20, and 30 curriculum in Alberta. It is designed to be used after the Fundamentals of Environmental Law

This collection of readings the Environmental Law Centre, links to the Social Studies 10, 20, and 30 curriculum in Alberta. It is designed to be used after the Fundamentals of Environmental Law

This collection of readings the Environmental Law Centre, links to the Social Studies 10, 20, and 30 curriculum in Alberta. It is designed to be used after the Fundamentals of Environmental Law

This collection of readings the Environmental Law Centre, links to the Social Studies 10, 20, and 30 curriculum in Alberta. It is designed to be used after the Fundamentals of Environmental Law

This lesson plan, from the Environmental Law Centre, links to the Social Studies 10 and 30 curriculum in Alberta. It is a good way to encourage students to work their way through the website as it is an amalgamation of numerous environmental law issues

This lesson plan, from the Environmental Law Centre, links to the Social Studies 10 and 30 curriculum in Alberta. It is designed for use after the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms lesson plan. The objective of this session is to familiarize students with the law and legal concepts underlying the Court process.

This lesson plan, from the Environmental Law Centre, links to the Social Studies 10 and 30 curriculum in Alberta. It is designed to be used after the Fundamentals of Environmental Law

Could overfishing, super germs, and global warming have the same cause? Garrett Hardin thought they might!

An animated video for elementary students that explains environmental justice without using any words.

The Indigenous Environmental Justice project explains what Indigenous environmental justice is and who it involves.

An umbrella species is a species whose wellbeing and population numbers are suggestive of the entire ecosystem’s health.

Meet the animal influencers that play an oversize — and often surprising — role in shaping our world.

As a keystone species, blue wildebeests are essential in keeping this African prairie a carbon sink and their recent recovery is one of the greatest success stories in conservation. Learn more in this article and in its companion video.

This is a story that shows how all life is connected and any changes in the web of life effect all other species, even the way that rivers flow.

Keystone plant genera are unique to local food webs within ecoregions. Remove keystone plants and the diversity and abundance of many essential insect species, which 96% of terrestrial birds rely on for food sources, will be diminished. The ecosystem collapses in a similar way that the removal of the “key” stone in ancient Roman arch will trigger its demise.

A keystone species helps define an entire ecosystem. Without its keystone species, the ecosystem would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether. Learn who some of the keystone species are.

What do gray wolves, elephants, and parrotfish have in common? They're all keystone species, which means they have an especially large impact on their habitat. SciShow explores how these animals keep their ecosystems running.

What happens when two apex predators meet? Find out in this video

The Umbrella species concept is a brilliant conservation strategy to use a single species to protect an entire ecosystem, but how effective is it?

Educators can create free accounts to gain access to hundreds of high quality educational resources that tie directly to the K-12 curriculum

These are the resources for teaching environmental education to K to 12 students and other audiences.

Students can virtually explore the ways in which human activity is permanently changing the Earth’s natural systems using augmented and virtual reality, interactive art, photography and film.

A rich database of information about many species from Texas A&M University

An educational site from Environment and Climate Change Canada

A free three-week extension course designed for high school students focused on how to get to net-zero emissions. This is an Open Education Resource.

This is a section on the Ducks Unlimited site filled with resources for educators and students. You will find lesson plans, programs and activities.

Each environmental science lab on this site includes several lesson plans you can use in your classroom.

This website provides K-12 students and educators with access to quality homework resources, lesson plans and project ideas for learning and teaching about the environment from the US EPA.

On this site, you will find topic rooms about science. Topic Rooms are hubs for in-depth exploration of a range of topics, from life sciences to scientific communication and career planning. Topic Rooms include introductory summaries of key concepts, evidence-based readings on advanced topics, and more.

This resource connects teachers and students to engaging outdoor activities that explore themes described in each of the nature guides.

A list of lesson plans, articles, videos, and interactive activities for students from grades 9-12 to explore the science of rising sea levels.

GeoInquirie are short, standards-based inquiry activities for teaching map-based content. This collection supports the map-based concepts found in high school environmental science like speciation, pollution, population ecology, and energy.

Bees are the world’s greatest pollinators, and they help with the pollination of one-third of the food we consume. They are also a massive part of our global economy. But there isn't just one type of bee, to truly understand bees you need to be able to distinguish between the most common types of bees.

Students can learn why bees make honey, about the colony and different bees in the colony. Along with colourful images, this site has additional information about bees and sustainability.

This animated TED video takes a look at the disappearance of honey bees, colony collapse disorder, possible causes and effects to our food supply.

This brochure has useful information about bears in the parks and how to be safe when encountering a bear.

This brochure provides lots of useful information about cougars and what to do if you encounter a cougar in the wild.

Information for staying safe while visiting the backcountry in Alberta

No activity requires a safe mind-set more than being in or on the water. This workbook looks at some of the equipment, the rules, and the regulations that keep us safe while on the water.

Fire safety practices to follow when you are camping or staying in Alberta parks.

Sound advice for preparing for any hike.

This book will go over some of the basic fundamentals of knot tying, common types of knots, how to tie them and when and where they may be useful.

Advice about being safe while hiking or camping during electrical storms from the government of Canada

Tips from Parks Canada about what to do when you encounter a bear

However, water conservation in agriculture has become increasingly important for the health of the environment and the sustainability of agriculture. By using water more efficiently, better-yield crops can grow while using less water, contributing to preserving one of nature's most valuable resources.

This page has compiled resources from all over the website that are particularly suited to teaching. The resource materials are introduced with a few sentences below, and then then link to the materials.

Virtual water is the amount of water that is embedded in food or other products needed for its production. This overview provides you with information about virtual water in Alberta. At the bottom of the page is a link to a study that was done about our virtual water.

Find local watersheds, learn about watersheds in the 101 section and read about the different open and closed watersheds in Canada. The Themes section looks at climate change, quantity, quality, biological diversity and economic possibilities. There is also a section filled with learning resources.

An interactive water education website complete with games, videos, facts, and more to help you learn about the role of water in our lives.

This Government of Alberta site provides information about safe drinking water, wetlands, groundwater and water management.

This page offers a comprehensive look at Canada's water resources. The site describes the uses, sources, quality and research of water; it also addresses water management.

Groundwater quality mapping helps to understand how well-connected aquifers are to surface water bodies, how active groundwater flow systems are, and how quality could be changing over time.

This video, created by Inside Education, is a review of "groundwater in Alberta. Topics include quality, distribution, uses in the province, and how it links to the hydrologic cycle." (site)

This collection of readings the Environmental Law Centre, links to the Social Studies 10, 20, and 30 curriculum in Alberta. It is designed to be used after the Fundamentals of Environmental Law

Learn about Josephine Mandamin, the water defender, who began walking around the Great Lakes to raise awareness about water pollution.

This education kit explores the science of water use in Alberta and now contains new information about climate change, energy development and stewardship. The resource includes a poster to project in your classroom, worksheets and a teacher’s guide full of activities.

A list of lesson plans, articles, videos, and interactive activities for students from grades 9-12 to explore the science of rising sea levels.

The Story of Bottled Water describes the environmental and financial impact of using bottled water instead of tap water.

Explore the Amazon rainforest’s flying rivers, and dig into why these invisible waterways are essential to life on Earth.

A team of Cree, Blackfoot and Nakota Elders, as well as both Indigenous and Western scientists, collaborated to create lesson plans about the spiritual significance of relationships to water. Guided by Indigenous worldviews, these lessons are also important environmentally.

Award-winning Canadian TV series about two eco-adventurer brothers who travel the world to explore humans’ relationship with water. Watch episodes online, download teacher’s guides, or check out their interactive learning portal, Dive Deeper.

Information from the Government of Canada about Canada’s water ecosystems and the research efforts to keep them healthy.

This article introduces the issue of water stress and discusses how if affects international relationships between countries.