People, Environment, and Sustainability: Glossary
135 words, listed in the order you meet them in Courseversity lessons.
All words in this topic
Grade 1
environment
From Grade 1
the world around us
Learn it in: Our surroundings (Grade 1), Natural environments (Grade 2), Environmental impacts (Grade 3)
built environment
From Grade 1
places made by people
Learn it in: Natural and built environments (Grade 1), Built environments (Grade 2)
city
From Grade 1
a large town
Learn it in: Natural and built environments (Grade 1), Urban communities (Grade 2), Urban settlements (Grade 3)
natural environment
From Grade 1
places not made by people
Learn it in: Natural and built environments (Grade 1)
village
From Grade 1
a small community in the countryside
Learn it in: Natural and built environments (Grade 1), Rural communities (Grade 2), Rural settlements (Grade 3)
litter
From Grade 1
rubbish left on the ground
Learn it in: Waste and litter (Grade 1), Waste reduction (Grade 2)
recycle
From Grade 1
to make into something new
Learn it in: Waste and litter (Grade 1), Environmental responsibility (Grade 2), Responsible resource use (Grade 3)
reuse
From Grade 1
to use again
Learn it in: Waste and litter (Grade 1), Environmental responsibility (Grade 2)
save
From Grade 1
to use carefully and not waste
Learn it in: Saving water (Grade 1), Saving money (Grade 2)
habitat
From Grade 1
the natural home of an animal
Full explanation with examples and practice →
Learn it in: Caring for animals (Grade 1), Natural environments (Grade 2), Forests (Grade 4)
public
From Grade 1
for everyone to use
Learn it in: Shared spaces (Grade 1), Public institutions (Grade 4)
goal
From Grade 1
what we want to achieve
Learn it in: Community care project (Grade 1), Cooperation in communities (Grade 2), Saving money (Grade 2)
project
From Grade 1
a task planned and carried out over time
Learn it in: Community care project (Grade 1), Community history project (Grade 2)
Grade 2
canopy
From Grade 2
the top layer of leaves in a forest
Learn it in: Forest communities (Grade 2), Forests (Grade 4)
conserve
From Grade 2
to protect and use carefully
Learn it in: Forest communities (Grade 2), Caring for shared resources (Grade 2), Natural resources (Grade 4)
forest
From Grade 2
a large area covered with trees
Learn it in: Forest communities (Grade 2), Forestry (Grade 3), Forests (Grade 4)
timber
From Grade 2
wood used for building
Learn it in: Forest communities (Grade 2), Forestry (Grade 5)
erosion
From Grade 2
wearing away of land by water or wind
Learn it in: Coastal communities (Grade 2), Environmental impacts (Grade 3), Soil erosion (Grade 4)
harbour
From Grade 2
a sheltered place where boats stay
Learn it in: Coastal communities (Grade 2), Capital and important settlements (Grade 3), Settlement locations (Grade 3)
port
From Grade 2
a place where ships load and unload
Learn it in: Coastal communities (Grade 2), Transportation and trade (Grade 3), Transportation networks (Grade 4)
grassland
From Grade 2
a large open area covered with grass
Learn it in: Grassland communities (Grade 2)
savannah
From Grade 2
tropical grassland with scattered trees
Learn it in: Grassland communities (Grade 2)
altitude
From Grade 2
how high a place is above the sea
Learn it in: Mountain communities (Grade 2), Mountains (Grade 4), Climate zones (Grade 6)
mountain
From Grade 2
very high, steep land
Learn it in: Mountain communities (Grade 2), Mountains (Grade 4)
terrace
From Grade 2
a flat step cut into a slope for farming
Learn it in: Mountain communities (Grade 2), Human modification of landscapes (Grade 4)
season
From Grade 2
a time of year with its own kind of weather
Learn it in: Weather and daily life (Grade 2)
weather
From Grade 2
what the air and sky are like today
Learn it in: Weather and daily life (Grade 2), Climate regions (Grade 4), Climate zones (Grade 5)
stilts
From Grade 2
tall posts that lift a house off the ground
Learn it in: Housing and environment (Grade 2)
thatch
From Grade 2
a roof made of dried grass or leaves
Learn it in: Housing and environment (Grade 2)
adapt
From Grade 2
to change to fit a place or situation
Learn it in: Adaptation to places (Grade 2), Environmental influences (Grade 4)
desert
From Grade 2
a very dry place with little rain
Learn it in: Adaptation to places (Grade 2), Deserts (Grade 4)
tundra
From Grade 2
a cold treeless place with frozen ground
Learn it in: Adaptation to places (Grade 2)
Grade 3
land use
From Grade 3
the way people use land
Learn it in: Land use (Grade 3), Land use (Grade 4), Agriculture and land use (Grade 5)
protected area
From Grade 3
land kept safe for nature and people
Learn it in: Land use (Grade 3), Protected areas (Grade 4), Conservation (Grade 5)
commercial farming
From Grade 3
growing crops or raising animals mainly to sell
Learn it in: Farming (Grade 3), Agriculture and settlements (Grade 4), Agriculture and land use (Grade 5)
crop
From Grade 3
a plant grown for food or other use
Learn it in: Farming (Grade 3), Atlantic connections (Grade 5)
subsistence farming
From Grade 3
growing food mainly for the farmer’s family
Learn it in: Farming (Grade 3), Agriculture and settlements (Grade 4), Agriculture and land use (Grade 5)
fishing
From Grade 3
catching fish and other water animals for food or sale
Learn it in: Fishing (Grade 3)
deforestation
From Grade 3
clearing forests permanently
Learn it in: Forestry (Grade 3), Deforestation (Grade 4), Forestry (Grade 5)
reforestation
From Grade 3
planting trees to replace those cut down
Learn it in: Forestry (Grade 3), Deforestation (Grade 4), Forestry (Grade 5)
ore
From Grade 3
rock that contains useful minerals
Learn it in: Mining introduction (Grade 3), Mineral and other natural resources (Grade 5), Mining and resource extraction (Grade 5)
hydroelectric power
From Grade 3
electricity made from moving water
Learn it in: Water resources (Grade 3)
water cycle
From Grade 3
the way water moves between the sea, air and land
Learn it in: Water resources (Grade 3), Water management (Grade 4)
water source
From Grade 3
a place where water is found or collected
Learn it in: Water resources (Grade 3)
site
From Grade 3
the exact place where a settlement is built
Learn it in: Settlement locations (Grade 3), Settlement patterns (Grade 4)
situation
From Grade 3
where a settlement is in relation to other places
Learn it in: Settlement locations (Grade 3)
non-renewable resource
From Grade 3
a resource that cannot be replaced quickly
Learn it in: Responsible resource use (Grade 3), Resource management (Grade 5), Natural resources (Grade 6)
renewable resource
From Grade 3
a resource that can be replaced naturally or by people
Learn it in: Responsible resource use (Grade 3), Resource management (Grade 5), Natural resources (Grade 6)
recommendation
From Grade 3
advice on what should be done
Learn it in: Local environmental enquiry (Grade 3), Presenting recommendations (Grade 3), Preparing recommendations (Grade 5)
Grade 4
biodiversity
From Grade 4
the variety of living things in a place
Learn it in: Natural environments (Grade 4), Forestry (Grade 5)
decomposer
From Grade 4
a living thing, like a fungus or bacterium, that breaks down dead plants and animals
Learn it in: Natural environments (Grade 4)
ecosystem
From Grade 4
a community of living things and the non-living things around them
Learn it in: Natural environments (Grade 4), Human-environment relationships (Grade 5)
food chain
From Grade 4
a line showing how energy passes from one living thing to another by eating
Learn it in: Natural environments (Grade 4)
balance
From Grade 4
a fair mix that meets different needs
Learn it in: Human land use (Grade 4), Rights and responsibilities (Grade 6)
footprint
From Grade 4
the mark that a person or group leaves on the environment
Learn it in: Human land use (Grade 4)
habitat loss
From Grade 4
the destruction of the natural home of plants and animals
Learn it in: Human land use (Grade 4), Deforestation (Grade 6)
agroforestry
From Grade 4
growing trees together with crops or animals
Learn it in: Deforestation (Grade 4), Agriculture and land use (Grade 5), Deforestation (Grade 6)
runoff
From Grade 4
water that flows over the ground instead of soaking in
Learn it in: Soil erosion (Grade 4)
topsoil
From Grade 4
the rich, dark upper layer of soil with nutrients for plants
Learn it in: Soil erosion (Grade 4)
borehole
From Grade 4
a deep narrow hole drilled to reach water underground
Learn it in: Water management (Grade 4)
freshwater
From Grade 4
water that is not salty, such as in rivers, lakes and underground
Learn it in: Water management (Grade 4), Water scarcity (Grade 6)
fossil fuel
From Grade 4
coal, oil or gas formed from ancient plants and animals
Learn it in: Resource conservation (Grade 4)
renewable energy
From Grade 4
energy from sources that do not run out, such as sun, wind and water
Learn it in: Resource conservation (Grade 4)
ecotourism
From Grade 4
travel that respects nature and benefits local people
Learn it in: Protected areas (Grade 4)
national park
From Grade 4
a large protected area owned and cared for by a country
Learn it in: Protected areas (Grade 4)
wildlife
From Grade 4
wild animals and plants living in their natural homes
Learn it in: Protected areas (Grade 4)
cooperative
From Grade 4
a group that works together and shares benefits
Learn it in: Sustainable livelihoods (Grade 4)
crop rotation
From Grade 4
growing different crops in turn on the same land to keep soil healthy
Learn it in: Sustainable livelihoods (Grade 4)
Grade 5
sustainability
From Grade 5
meeting today’s needs without harming the ability of future generations to meet theirs
Learn it in: Human-environment relationships (Grade 5)
rehabilitation
From Grade 5
restoring land after mining or other use
Learn it in: Mining and resource extraction (Grade 5)
royalty
From Grade 5
a payment made to the country or community for the minerals taken
Learn it in: Mining and resource extraction (Grade 5)
coastal erosion
From Grade 5
the wearing away of land by waves and tides
Learn it in: Coastal environments (Grade 5)
catchment
From Grade 5
the area of land from which rain flows into a river or lake
Learn it in: Water resources (Grade 5)
water stress
From Grade 5
when there is not enough clean water to meet demand
Learn it in: Water resources (Grade 5)
waste hierarchy
From Grade 5
the order of best actions for waste: reduce, reuse, then recycle
endangered species
From Grade 5
a kind of plant or animal at risk of dying out
Learn it in: Conservation (Grade 5)
cost-benefit analysis
From Grade 5
comparing the costs and benefits of a choice to decide if it is worthwhile
Learn it in: Economic and environmental trade-offs (Grade 5)
externality
From Grade 5
a cost or benefit that falls on people who did not make the decision
Learn it in: Economic and environmental trade-offs (Grade 5)
indicator
From Grade 5
a measure that shows progress towards a goal
Learn it in: Sustainable development project (Grade 5)
project plan
From Grade 5
a written plan with goals, steps, roles, time and resources
Learn it in: Sustainable development project (Grade 5)
sustainable development
From Grade 5
improving lives today without harming the planet or the chances of future generations
Learn it in: Sustainable development project (Grade 5), Sustainable development (Grade 6), Global connections review (Grade 6)
Grade 6
ecosystem services
From Grade 6
benefits that people get from nature, such as clean water and pollination
Learn it in: Natural resources (Grade 6)
geology
From Grade 6
the structure of rocks and landforms under and on the Earth
Learn it in: Resource distribution (Grade 6)
groundwater
From Grade 6
water stored underground in soil and rock
Learn it in: Water scarcity (Grade 6)
plastic waste
From Grade 6
discarded plastic items that persist in the environment
Learn it in: Pollution (Grade 6)
recycling
From Grade 6
processing used materials so they can be made into new products
Learn it in: Pollution (Grade 6)
greenhouse gas
From Grade 6
a gas in the air that traps heat, such as carbon dioxide
Learn it in: Climate change and society (Grade 6)
mitigation
From Grade 6
actions that reduce the causes of climate change
Learn it in: Climate change and society (Grade 6)
consultation
From Grade 6
asking people for their views before deciding
Learn it in: Environmental justice introduction (Grade 6)
environmental justice
From Grade 6
the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in environmental decisions and benefits
Learn it in: Environmental justice introduction (Grade 6)
vulnerable
From Grade 6
more easily harmed because of circumstances
Learn it in: Environmental justice introduction (Grade 6)
enforcement
From Grade 6
making sure that rules are followed
Learn it in: Conservation policies (Grade 6)
quota
From Grade 6
a limit on how much can be taken or caught
Learn it in: Conservation policies (Grade 6)
pillar
From Grade 6
one of the main parts that support an idea, here social, economic or environmental
Learn it in: Sustainable development (Grade 6)
SDGs
From Grade 6
the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations in 2015
Learn it in: Sustainable development (Grade 6)
synergy
From Grade 6
when different actions support one another and give more benefit together
Learn it in: Sustainable development (Grade 6)
implementation
From Grade 6
putting a plan into action
Learn it in: Environmental decision-making project (Grade 6)