N4/5 Environmental Science

National 4

Living Environment

The key areas covered are: interdependence; adaptation for survival; the impact of population growth and natural hazards on biodiversity; and the nitrogen cycle and the environmental impact of fertilisers

Earth’s Resources

The key areas covered are: the responsible use and conservation of non-renewable and renewable resources; the formation and use of fossil fuels; the derivation and uses of materials derived from crude oil; the risks and benefits of different energy sources, including those produced from plants; the carbon cycle and processes involved in maintaining the balance of gases in the air, and the causes and implications of changes in the balance.

Sustainability

The key areas covered are: the sustainability of key natural resources and possible implications for human activity; the interaction between humans and the environment and the impact of human activity on an area; the role of agriculture in the production of food and raw material and its environmental impacts and sustainability; society’s energy needs and the impact of developments in transport infrastructure in a selected area; and development of sustainable systems.

National 5

Living Environment

In this Unit, learners will develop knowledge and skills and carry out practical and other learning activities related to the living environment. This will be within the main themes of ecosystems, inter-relationships, and biodiversity. Practical activities will include fieldwork to sample and identify living things and measure non-living factors in an ecosystem. The Key areas covered are: Investigating ecosystems and biodiversity, Interdependence and Human influences on Biodiversity. Topics are studied from a local and global perspective.

Earth’s Resources

In this unit the key areas covered are: an overview of Earth systems and their interactions; the geosphere; the hydrosphere; the biosphere and the atmosphere.

This includes studies of the water, carbon, rock and nitrogen cycles. Renewable energy sources. Applications of biofuels.

Sustainability

In this Unit, topics are studied and skills developed in the context of local and global sustainability. Learners will research issues and communicate information related to their findings, which will develop skills of scientific literacy. The key areas covered are: an introduction to sustainability; food; water; energy and waste management.

Key areas include agriculture, aquaculture, waste management practices and global issues around water and energy security.