Biocomplexity and the Habitable Planet—An Innovative Capstone Course for High School

CSE is directing the research and evaluation activities for TERC and the Institute of Ecosystem Studies’ Biocomplexity and the Habitable Planet project. This project is developing a set of instructional materials that engages students, teachers, and their parents in the science of coupled natural human (CNH) systems. The inquiry-based investigations are designed around four cases in urban, agricultural, tropical, and polar systems, in which students address environmental management challenges increasingly confronted by society. Students choose scenarios to support and marshal arguments and evidence to defend their choices. The curriculum provides material for a yearlong high school capstone course; however, the modules can also be used individually.