Environmental Science and Biocomplexity

An innovative high school curriculum designed around the dynamics of complex and evolving coupled natural and human (CNH) systems

TERC and the Institute for Ecosystem Studies are developing an innovative high school curriculum designed around the dynamics of complex and evolving coupled natural and human (CNH) systems. Materials are drawn from research at the Long-Term Ecological Research sites. The integrated, inquiry-based curriculum consists of a series of cases relating to biocomplexity and climate change—designed around cases in urban, suburban/agricultural, tropical and polar systems, in which students address land use and resource use challenges increasingly confronted by society. Students gather evidence and marshal arguments in support of possible solutions. Teacher materials increase teachers’ content knowledge and support instructional strategies that promote learning the key ideas and students have the opportunity to apply skills and knowledge gained from the mathematics, life science, and social science disciplines to address the complexities in the fabric of relationships between humans and the environment.