ICSE Class 10 Environmental Science Syllabus

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (82)

Candidates offering Environmental Applications (Group III) are not eligible to offer
Environmental Science (Group II).
Note: The Syllabus for this Subject has not been changed.
CLASS X
There will be one written paper of two hours duration carrying 80 marks and Internal Assessment of 20 marks.

1. Controlling Air Pollution (c) Strategies for controlling growth of

population.
(a) From domestic combustion.
Strategies to include family planning and
Reducing pollution from domestic cooking;
birth control, health care, education,
clean cooking - kerosene as a desirable
economic development; women-centered
cooking fuel in rural areas.
human development.
(b) From industries.
(d) Development framework for poverty
Measures for controlling industrial air alleviation.
pollution - technological measures (energy
Social mobilisation, agricultural
efficient devices, clean technologies),
development, small-scale industries, human
meteorological controls; zoning strategy;
development. Not to be tested, for knowledge
penalties and subsidies.
and understanding only.
Case Study: the Taj Trapezium.
3. Managing the Urban environment
(c) From vehicles.
(a) Urbanisation - a challenge to the future.
Vehicle emission control - modify engine
design (catalytic converters, four stroke Sustainable cities: the need of the hour.
engines), clean fuels, public transport options,
(b) Planning environmental improvement.
traffic management, economic policy
measures. Efficient land use, planning energy, shelter
and transport; water supply management,
2. Addressing Population wastewater and sanitary waste management,
(a) The link between growing population and construction activities.
environmental degradation. (c) Rural development to counter migration.
UN’s population projections for 2050, the Self-explanatory.
climate link, the choice of alternative futures.
Growing population in the developing (d) Development of secondary cities to counter
countries and rising consumption in the migration.
developed countries. Self-explanatory.
(b) The demographic transition. (e) Community participation and contribution of
Stages of transition, transition stages of private enterprises.
certain developed nations and developing
nations (such as India, China, Korea, Community participation in keeping
Malaysia). Not to be tested, for knowledge surroundings clean, participation of private
and understanding only. enterprises in city improvement, measures to
increase private enterprise participation.

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4. Managing Soil and Land Mixed cropping – advantages and
disadvantages; regenerative farming
(a) Conserving soil.
techniques - intercropping, crop rotation,
Erosion control techniques - terracing, agroforestry, polyvarietal cultivation and
contour ploughing, dry farming, tree planting, polyculture.
bunds, gullies, wind-breaks, use of organic Conservation tillage farming - meaning of
fertilisers. conservation tillage, advantages and
Soil conservation techniques - land-use disadvantages.
management, vegetative and mechanical Trickle drip irrigation – need for a trickle drip
practices, conserving soil and water together; irrigation system; operation of a drip
appropriate cropping systems – cropping irrigation system; advantages and
patterns (strip cropping), tree crops, and disadvantages.
foliage crops.
New organic fertilizers – integrated nutrient
(b) Land reforms. supply programme, organic fertilizers - bulky
Meaning, measures enforced in India to give organic manures, green manures, bio-
land to the landless. fertilizers, and sewage sludge.

(c) Integrated rural development. Gene banks – what are gene banks; objectives
of maintaining gene banks.
Objectives, self-help schemes like social and
community forestry. (b) Problem of global food security, food aid.

(d) Role of women and community in Global food imbalance, distributional

conservation. inequality; role of food aid in achieving global
food security.
Self-explanatory.
(e) Combating deforestation. 6. Biodiversity
Reforestation, energy plantations, forest (a) Biodiversity at risk due to human actions.
harvesting of non-timber forest products, Reasons for loss of biodiversity; Man - the
exploring alternative sources of livelihood, super consumer: impact of his actions on the
change in consumption patterns. earth’s resources; reasons for concern:
(f) Managing forest grazing. economic, ecological and aesthetic.

Causes and consequences of overgrazing, (b) Conserving our genetic resource: in-situ and
controlled forest grazing as in National ex-situ; harvesting wildlife.
Forest Policy, 1988. In-situ - wildlife sanctuaries, national parks
(g) Alternatives to timber. and biosphere reserves.

Recycling of timber and paper. Ex-situ – zoological parks, botanical gardens,

gene banks in agricultural research centres
5. Food and forestry institutions.
(a) Sustainable agriculture. Harvesting wildlife to meet commercial needs.
Integrated pest management – understanding (c) Conservation strategies at national and
the term, aims, advantages, disadvantages. international levels.
Genetically modified organisms, application Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, Project Tiger
in plants and animals and environmental 1973, IUCN, the Ramsar Convention on
risks. Wetlands, 1971, CITES, The Convention on
Biological Diversity.
New crop strains – high yielding varieties and
their viability, hybrid varieties.

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7. Energy (d) Role of multinational corporations.
(a) Fossil fuels used to produce electricity. Definition of MNCs, their contribution to
development and debatable contribution to
Electricity: energy on demand; dwindling
environment; case study - Bhopal gas
supplies of fossil fuels; renewable and non-
tragedy; measures to regulate activities of
renewable energy resources. Not to be tested,
MNCs in developing countries.
for knowledge and understanding only.
(b) Nuclear energy. 10. Towards a Sustainable Future
Nuclear fission, advantages and (a) Global interdependence – economic and
disadvantages of nuclear energy; safety environmental.
concerns (the Chernobyl disaster); Concept of economic and environmental
nuclear fusion. global interdependence; global
(c) A sustainable energy future. environmental health – the shared
responsibility of nations; trade and aid as
Energy conservation; alternative energy ways of reducing world inequalities.
sources - solar energy, wind energy,
hydroelectricity, geothermal energy, biomass, (b) International cooperation.
liquid fuels from biomass- methanol, ethanol, The Montreal Protocol; the Global
gasohol, CNG, hydrogen. Environmental Facility (GEF) support; the
Earth Summit, UN’s International
8. Waste Conference on Population and Development
(a) Solid waste: the throwaway society. (Cairo); the Kyoto Treaty.

Solid waste, biodegradable and non- (c) Sustainable development.

biodegradable materials; where does the The concept of sustainable development,
trash go - landfills and incinerators. sustainable development and developed
countries; sustainable development and
(b) Solid waste: options for the future.
developing countries.
Producing less waste, reusing, recycling,
(d) Role of non-governmental organisations.
composting, vermiculture, biotechnology;
finding alternatives to materials we use. Self-explanatory.
(e) Technology that sustains.
9. Environment and Development
Satellite imagery as a means of monitoring the
(a) Global environmental pollution. global environment: satellite remote sensing,
Who is responsible - developed or developing advantages in collecting environmental data,
countries? Need for mutual cooperation. applying data in areas of environmental
damage as deforestation, desertification, land
(b) Economic development and environmental degradation, wastelands, mining, ozone layer
degradation. depletion and predicting droughts and floods.
Role of developed and developing countries; The concept of alternate technology, adopting
contrasting views of developed and alternate technology to create self-sustaining
developing countries; debt trap. societies in the developed and developing
(c) International trade. world.
Its link to environmental deterioration – Role of biotechnology in achieving global
unfair trade practices. food security.

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 INTERNAL ASSESSMENT EVALUATION
A minimum of three assignments as prescribed by the The assignments/project work are to be evaluated by
teacher, need to be completed. the subject teacher and by an External Examiner.
(The External Examiner may be a teacher nominated
Suggested Assignments by the Head of the school, who could be from the
1. Make a field study of the effect of human faculty, but not teaching the subject in the
interaction on the natural environment and write a section/class. For example, a teacher of
project report (1500 words) on the likely impact of Environmental Science of Class XI may be deputed to
the interaction on the global environment. be an External Examiner for Class X, Environmental
Science projects.)
2. Prepare an original study/essay (2000 words) on
The Internal Examiner and the External Examiner will
an area of the prescribed curriculum that is
assess the assignments independently.
indicative of his/her appreciation/concern for
environmental issues and make a functional model Award of Marks (20 Marks)
to support the above. Subject Teacher (Internal Examiner) 10 marks
External Examiner 10 marks
The total marks obtained out of 20 are to be sent to the
Council by the Head of the school.
The Head of the school will be responsible for the
online entry of marks on the Council’s CAREERS
portal by the due date.

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 INTERNAL ASSESSMENT IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE - GUIDELINES FOR MARKING WITH GRADES
Criteria Preparation Investigation/ Analysis/Inference Solutions Presentation Marks
Gathering Data Alternatives/
Innovations
Grade I Follows instructions with Is able to ask right Analyses Innovative Accurate. Feasible, 4 marks
understanding, modifies if questions. Knows whom systematically. Can ideas neat, well labelled
needed. Background to ask, when and how. see sequences or presented. diagrams. Index and
information correct. Level Can deal with more than correlation. Can Alternatives references given.
of awareness high. one variable. segregate fact from suggested.
opinion.
Grade II Follows instructions step- Is able to ask questions Makes observations Alternatives Accurate. Neat, well 3 marks
by-step. Awareness is and identify whom to ask correctly. Analysis presented. labelled diagrams,
good. Background when and how. Can fair. Innovative but index and references
information correct. handle two variables not practical. given.
only.

Grade III Follows simple instructions Needs help with the Observation - help Obvious A bit disorganised, 2 marks
only. Awareness basic. investigations. Has needed. Needs solutions but neat and
Background information suggestions but cannot guidance to see presented. Not accurate. Either
sketchy. decide. correlations or innovative. index or references
sequence. missing.

Grade IV Follows some instructions Needs to be told what Detailed instructions Thinks of Poorly organised. 1 mark
but confused. Has to be questions to be asked, required to draw solutions under Some things
made aware. Background whom to ask or where to inferences. Charts guidance. missing. Index and
information incorrect in gather the data from. have to be made. references missing.
places.

Grade V Confused about Gets stuck at every step. Even with help, Solutions not Overall impression 0 mark
instructions. Has to be Questionnaire has to be analysis is not clear. forthcoming. very poor. Not very
made aware. Needs help formulated. Takes teacher’s word accurate.
with background for it.
information.