Natural Resources: What They Are and How We Use Them

Tim Herber
nd
2 grade / Social Studies

Common Core Standards:

Key Ideas and Details

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1
Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and
adults in small and larger groups.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.2
Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points,
and provide a concluding statement or section.

Structure:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.2.A
Capitalize holidays, product names, and geographic names.

Ohio Learning Standards: Social Studies, Geography Strand

5. Maps and their symbols, including cardinal directions can be interpreted to answer questions about locations
of places.

Ohio Learning Standards: Social Studies, Geography Strand

7. Human Activities alter the physical environment, both positively and negatively.

Ohio Learning Standards: Social Studies, Economics Strand

14. Resources can be used in various ways.

Integrating Knowledge:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.6
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with
others.

Lesson Summary:

This lesson is designed to introduce and discuss the different kinds of natural resources that exist in the United
States, both renewable and non-renewable. A teacher-led discussion on the advantages and drawbacks of
certain types of resources will occur. Discussion on whether certain resources can be re-used, reduced (used
less) or recycled into new products or not. Students will conclude with producing a 3-fold-display of a natural
resource, depicting where it is found (using maps found online), how we use it, and whether it is sustainable.
Frequent use of online maps, online videos and images will occur to test technological proficiency.

Estimated Duration:

Two 45-minute class periods.

One 60-minute presentation period.

Commentary:
To “hook” the students, I will begin the lesson with having handed out 20-30 (depending on the size of the
class) different household items, and ask the students to hold them, asking them the question “What is the one
thing in common with all these items?” If students are unable to find the answer, we will proceed to show that
each item that was handed out contains natural resources. Furtherly we shall discuss the different types of
natural resources, what we use them for, etcetera. Videos of coal mining or solar and wind farms will be
displayed during the lecture. We will then transition into the main lessons.

Instructional Procedures:

Day 1:
First 10 minutes: Introductory activity- We will first begin with giving out house-hold items to the children and
allow them to observe and investigate them. Pre-Assessment will occur.
Main Lesson (roughly 20 minutes): After going over with them that each one of the items I handed to them
contain natural resources, we will begin discussing what natural resources are. Discussing resources such as
wind, water, sun, coal, aluminum, cotton, et cetera. Videos of windfarms and coal mining will be displayed to
show the way in which humans harvest these resources for our uses. Lecture materials such as online maps will
be used to display where we can find certain natural resources (I.E., cotton in Georgia, wind farms prevalent in
Texas, wheat in the Midwest, etcetera…). Introduction to what a renewable and non-renewable resource is.
Discussion (15 minutes): We will conclude class with a 15 minute class discussion, in which groups will be
provided a resource to discuss (6 groups of 5, 3 will be presented with renewable resources, 3 with non-
renewable), and will answer questions and discuss the advantages and drawbacks of using that resource (I.E.,
air pollution from the production of coal, or potential water pollution as a result of the farming of wheat or
cotton).

Day 2:
First Half (roughly 20 minutes): Class will be oriented about ways to perform the 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse,
Recycle. Students will answer questions to determine whether a given resource is reduceable, reusable, or
recyclable. Lecture material will focus on what constitutes a resource to be reusable, reduceable, or recyclable
Second Half: Research (25 minutes): Class will transition to using classroom provided computers and printers
to find images and maps relevant to their 3-fold diorama activity. Teacher will direct each student on how to
use and interact with the images and maps, and assist with printing, but students will produce most of the
research. Students are encouraged to conduct the remainder of their research at home, if necessary.
Day 3: (60 minute class period to allow for presentation)

Presentations (Roughly 45 minutes): Students will display their 3-fold cardboard dioramas about their chosen
natural resource, to demonstrate critical thinking processes.
Questions about presentations (in between presentations, time-permitting): Students will answer questions
posed by the teacher, if applicable, to clarify their thought processes and encourage them to reason their
responses.

Pre-Assessment:

The pre-assessment will be completed on the first day and will consist of a “shout it out” activity, with students
naming which natural resource a household item uses. We will also have the students determine as a group
whether a resource is renewable or not.

Scoring Guidelines:
Scoring for the pre-assessment will primarily be participation based; as long as there is an active engagement
in the class material with this activity, all students will receive full-points.

Post-Assessment:
The post assessment will consist of either a 3-fold diagram on a particular natural resource or an online-created
presentation about a particular resource, both which will answer the following questions:

1. What is this natural resource?

2. Where can we find it in the United States?
3. What can this natural resource be used for? (clothing, housing, energy, transportation?)
4. Is the natural resource renewable or non-renewable?

Scoring Guidelines:
The presentation / diorama must answer each of these questions sufficiently, and there must be at least
one image / illustration that is relevant to the presentation. A critical thinking process must be
demonstrated, showing a logical thought process of determining the answers for each question. For
each question that is not answered, 4 points will be deducted from the 20 point total (4 points for each
question, and 4 for the relevant image or illustration).

Differentiated Instructional Support

Describe how instruction can be differentiated (changed or altered) to meet the needs of gifted or accelerated
students:
To introduce an additional challenge to my gifted students, I would instead ask they make a simple online
presentation (with instructor assistance if necessary) in the same realm of the 3-fold diagram required by other
students. Perhaps engaging with students who may be struggling with the lesson material as well, to enhance
their understanding and help the student they are assisting understand the material for themselves.

Discuss additional activities you could do to meet the needs of students who might be struggling with the
material:
I would probably include more at-home activities to encourage understanding of recycling, or flash cards to
hand out to students to help reinforce vocabulary to enhance their understanding of natural resources.

Extension
Kids Corner | SWACO, OH
This is a simple website for children to play games relevant to recycling, on a Central Ohio based waste
management website.

Homework Options and Home Connections

Students can identify certain natural resources within their homes, such as with cereal boxes or aluminum cans,
and are encouraged to perform at-home sorting activities, sorting renewable and non-renewable resources.

Interdisciplinary Connections

Science –
Students can focus on the potential environmental impacts of the use of natural resources.
Mathematics –
Students will be introduced to large-scale numbers in terms of natural resources. Concepts of multiplying with
large numbers could be introduced.

Materials and Resources:

For teachers Internet-capable computers, cardboard, applicable presentation software (such as

PowerPoint), household items (20-30, one for each student) that contain applicable
natural resources, paper to record discussion points

For students Household items that contain applicable natural resources (aluminum cans, cereal
boxes, plastic bottles), either a computer to complete an electronic presentation, or
cardboard to produce a 3-fold diorama (may also be provided by the teacher)
Key Vocabulary
Renewable Resources
Non-Renewable Resources
Pollution
Natural Resources
Recycling