As a student who is greatly interested in the awareness and action surrounding climate change, it is an unfortunate truth that environmental science is downplayed in the Ontario secondary science curriculum. Even in the environment unit, much of the course is strictly knowledge-terminology based, rather than an interactive real-world component. This is partially also due to minimal specific environmental science courses beyond the Grade 10 year. Not only should the environmental science unit involve real-world applications, but all units should involve some relation to climate-related issues.

Some examples of the aforementioned: 

• A real-world soil test lab to understand the detriment of pesticides on the environment.
• A water sample analysis activity.
• A habitat survey of various ecosystem (examination of species growth, and factors leading to the endangerment of species.) 
• Examination of Reuseable Power Source Plants (hydropower, solar power & wind power) and the progress these power sources have made in the local area. 

The benefit of this is not only to improve general scientific understanding, but we can improve our understand of climate change in our province and what it means for our ecosystems. 

It should not be up to the class to go out of their way to individually plan these activities. This should be a provincial matter, because all students need to understand the effects climate change does - and will continue to do to our planet.