Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 12

Lesson Video

This page supports the lesson note with a companion video and a short classroom-ready summary.

For class groups and homework, share this lesson page so learners also get the summary, objectives, and full lesson context.

Performance objectives

• Define and explain different types of pollution.
• Discuss the impacts of pollution on health and ecosystems.
• Explain the causes and consequences of biodiversity loss.
• Describe the causes and effects of climate change in South Africa.
• Evaluate strategies to mitigate environmental damage.

Lesson summary

Human environmental interactions are at the heart of many of the challenges and opportunities facing South Africa today. From managing our precious water resources in the face of drought, to mitigating the impacts of pollution on our communities, to conserving our rich biodiversity for future generations, understanding how humans interact with and respond to the environment is crucial. This week, we will focus specifically on human impacts on the environment, including pollution, loss of biodiversity, and climate change.

Lesson notes

2.1 Pollution: Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that causes adverse change.

We will focus on several types: Water Pollution: The contamination of water bodies (e.g., lakes, rivers, oceans, groundwater) usually as a result of human activities.

Sources: Industrial waste discharge (e.g., from mining operations releasing heavy metals), agricultural runoff (e.g., fertilizers and pesticides), sewage discharge (especially from inadequate sanitation in informal settlements), oil spills (though less frequent, devastating when they occur), and plastic pollution. A significant source in South Africa is acid mine drainage.

Impacts: Human health problems (e.g., waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid, especially prevalent in areas with poor sanitation), ecological damage (e.g., eutrophication leading to fish kills, contamination of aquatic food chains).