This paper reports a study that investigated in which extension the environmental theme is developed in national curriculum documents for high school; continuing a previous similar research undertaken, nevertheless, in national curriculum documents towards elementary school (final years). Curriculum documents' content analysis was conducted in a qualitative approach of educational research. Within high school curriculum documents, the presence of environmental issues is inferior and less significant when compared to the elementary school, as well as with a predominantly conservationist/scientific approach, bringing a reductionist and less politicized/critical view of environmental issues. Distinctively, the new National Curriculum Guidelines for High School advance in the inclusion of a critical environmental education in the national curriculum for basic school.
Environmental thematic; Environmental education; Curriculum