NATURAL

RESOURCES
Grade 7
 Unit Learning Goals

• Students will be able to:

• List and explain different types of natural resources including renewable,
non-renewable and flow resources
• Discuss the different types of natural resources
• Analyze aspects of the extraction/harvesting of natural resources
• Explain how natural resources are extracted and harvested
• Use inquiry to investigate issues relating to the extraction/harvesting of
natural resources
• Use an inquiry based learning approach
Unit Success Criteria
• I can identify Earth’s renewable, non-renewable, and flow
resources
• I can describe ways that people use the natural environment
• I can identify the effects of extraction and harvesting on people
and the environment
• I can discuss challenges with society and the environment that
come from the use of natural resources
 Unit Success Criteria cont’d
• I can analyze and construct maps
• I can create questions to guide my inquiry process
• I can gather and organize data from a variety of sources
• I can draw conclusions from researched evidence
What is a natural resource?
• To answer this question, we must first look at what is a resource?

• A resource is something that is useful to people

• Let’s take a look at this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LfD_EKze2M&list=PL3-
Ima1DdaCNL5uYYJixELFu9oC7XUaJi
Natural resources
• A material found in nature that has usefulness and economic
value
Renewable resources
• A resource that can be replaced fairly quickly
• Examples:
• Sun
• Wind Advantages Disadvantages
• Water Sustainable Difficult to produce large
• Soil quantities
• Plants
Requires little maintenance The reliability of supply is often
dependent on weather
Produces little waste
Non-renewable resources
• A resource that cannot be replenished once it is used up
• Examples:
• Coal
• Oil Advantages Disadvantages
• Diamonds
Supplies are abundant so the Non sustainable. We will run out
• Fossil Fuels
cost is cheap
Can produce large amounts of The use of them can produce
energy pollutants
Flow resources
• A resource that can be used and replenished at the same time.
These resources must be used when and where it occurs in
nature
• Examples: Advantages Disadvantages
• Sunlight
Offer constant and clean No regenerative capability
• Water
alternatives to non-renewable
• Wind
fuels such as oil, gas and coal
Help decrease greenhouse Must be used where it occurs
emissions
Used to generate power
Today’s Challenge
• There will be 2 teams
• Each team will create 5 quiz questions based on today’s lesson
• These questions may be true/false, multiple choice or fill in the
blank
• You must also come up with the answers to your own quiz
questions
• I will take your quiz questions and answers
• I will ask your questions to the other team
• Each question will be worth 1 point
• The team with the most points wins
BONUS POINT
• How are flow resources different from non-renewable
resources?
Quick Recap
• What are natural resources?
• What are renewable resources? What are some examples?
• What are non-renewable resources? What are some examples?
• What are flow resources? What are some examples?
Lesson 2: Natural Resources in
Canada
Today’s Task
• 1. You will be given a province
• 2. You will research the natural resources found in that province
• 3. You will categorize the natural resources into renewable, non-
renewable and flow resources
• 4. You will draw on the map of Canada where those resources
can be found within the province
• 5. You will make a connection between the natural resources
and the physical environment
Lesson 3: Needs and Wants
What is a need?
• A need is something that is required because it is essential.
• What are some examples of needs?
What is a want?
• A want is something that is not required, but there is a desire to
possess it
• What are some examples of wants?
How do we use the natural
environment to meet our needs?
How do we use the natural
environment to meet our wants?
Lesson 4: Extraction & Harvesting
What impact do you think humans
have on the environment ?

Why do you think humans have

this impact on the environment ?
Lesson 5: Considering Perspectives
Deforestation
• Deforestation is the action of clearing a wide area of trees
• How do you feel about deforestation?
• How does deforestation affect our environment ?
• Pretend that you own a multinational foresting company, how
would you view the issue of deforestation?
Lesson 6: Sustainability
What is sustainability?
• Sustainability- the ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5r4loXPyx8
Why do you think sustainability is
important? Is it important?
Think about it: Deepwater Horizon Oil
Spill
• The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill began on April 20th 2010 in the Gulf of
Mexico. It is considered to be the largest marine oil spill in the history of the
petroleum industry. The US Government estimated the total discharge at 4.9
million barrels. After several failed efforts to contain the flow, the well was
declared sealed on September 19th, 2010. Due to the month long spill
extensive damage to marine and wildlife habitats and fishing and tourism
industries were reported.
Think about it: Deepwater Horizon Oil
Spill
• How would the oil spill affect the people living in that environment?
• How would the oil spill affect the animals living in that environment?
• What are some ways we can prevent disasters such as oil spills from
happening?
Tasks:
• Complete Sustainability handout
• Finish up any handouts you still need to hand in to me
• Tomorrow I will introduce your project
Culminating Task
• How can we get people to care about sustainability?
• What can we do to encourage people to take note of their use
of natural resources?
• Your task: create a plan for sustainability
How to get people to care:
• The knowledge of how the extraction and use of natural
resources is impacting the physical environment is not something
that is new. Many people understand the impact that it has, but
there really has not been much of a change. How can you get
people to care about their use of natural resources and about
the impact that some attraction techniques have on the physical
environment?
Why should people care?
• Using your knowledge that you have gained throughout this unit,
identify why people should care about sustainability and the
impact that our use of natural resources is having on supplies of
natural resources and the physical environment.
Your use of natural resources:
• Identify some of the ways that you can improve your use of
natural resources or how you can help to preserve natural
resources.
Contributing to more sustainable
natural resource extraction:
• Identify some of the ways that you can contribute to more
sustainable natural resource extraction
Rubric
Rubric