Pollution - Eutrophication, Plastic, Greenhouse effect and Climate Change

THIS RESOURCE IS FREE (AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN THIS TOPIC)
I believe it is our collective responsibility to deliver this topic with as much impact as possible, ensuring that students truly grasp the significance of our actions against the environment. By giving students a voice to discuss these issues and empowering them to actively contribute to the creation of a sustainable future, they can start to inspire change in themselves, others and hopefully (one day) the wider world.

✓ Engaging presentation
✓ Recaps previous learning
✓ Lots of short AFL tasks
✓ Exam question examples

This lesson on Pollution is designed for KS4 Science students enrolled in the CIE Cambridge IGCSE Biology 0610 (2023-25) course. This is the third lesson in the topic 20 Human Influences on Ecosystems.

The lesson recaps previous learning from other linked topics to ensure students have a strong foundation before diving into the material. It also includes concise and easy-to-understand information and a variety of quick assessment for learning tasks to help students solidify their understanding of the topic. There is a strong emphasis on answering exam questions, with examples and the mark scheme included in the presentation.

Objectives:

• Describe the effects of untreated sewage and excess fertiliser on aquatic ecosystems
• Describe the effects of non-biodegradable plastics, in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
• Describe the sources and effects of pollution of the air by methane and carbon dioxide, limited to: the enhanced greenhouse effect and climate change
• Explain the process of eutrophication of water, limited to: increased availability of nitrate and other ions; increased growth of producers; increased decomposition after death of producers; increased aerobic respiration by decomposers; reduction in dissolved oxygen; death of organisms requiring dissolved oxygen in water

This lesson would also be adaptable for all GCSE students (whether AQA, Edexcel, OCR) and great for KS3 Science or as a GCSE revision resource.