Becky Colegio

Science Learning Activity

Natural Resources

Purpose The purpose of this activity is to give students a basic understanding of natural resources and to help them identify renewable/non-renewable natural resources. Students will conduct a basic investigation to see if they use more renewable or non-renewable resources throughout their day and will record their findings on a simple chart. This lesson will address the misconceptions of what materials are renewable/non-renewable. For example, students will understand that the water and oxygen they use on a daily basis are renewable natural resources and things like the petroleum used to get them to school and nuclear fuels are non-renewable resources. Lesson Goal or Objectives By the end of this lesson, students will understand what a natural resource is. Students will be able to classify renewable/non-renewable resources and explain the differences between the two categories. Lesson Inquiry Question Do we use more renewable or non-renewable resources on a daily basis? Target Group This activity is appropriate for students in third grade. Approximate Time Teacher prep: 30 minuets to gather magazines and book and create charts for students to fill in. Student: Two class periods (about 45 minutes for the first one, and at least 15 minuets for the second) Background Science Information Natural resources come from our natural world. They include include land, water, forests, wildlife, minerals, air and wind. Some are renewable, but some are not. Conservation of all natural resources for their economic, biological and intrinsic value is an important concept children should understand. Resources provide the things needed for a sustainable life, but it is important to find out how to utilize them efficiently. Renewable resources are natural resources that can be replaced once they are used up. Some examples of renewable natural resources are sunlight, wind, air, water, and timber. Non-Renewable resources are those resources that cannot be replaced once they are used up. Some examples of non-renewable natural resources are metal ores, fossil fuels (such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas), and nuclear power. (Retrieved from http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210243/Science%20Station/How%20living%20things%20interact%20 with%20their%20environment/renewable%20and%20nonrenewable%20resources.htm) Blindness is defined as having part loss of or complete los of vision in one or both eyes. It could be

Becky Colegio complete loss of vision or sight/eye diseases such as glaucoma, near-sightedness, or far-sightedness. Discipline-based Content Expectations Inquiry Process: S.IP.03.16 Construct simple charts and graphs from data and observations. Inquiry Analysis and Communication: S.IA.03.13 Communicate and present findings of observations and investigations. Reflection and Social Implications: S.RS.03.18 Describe the effect humans and other organisms have on the balance of the natural world. Content Expectation: E.ES.03.41 Identify natural resources (metals, fuels, fresh water, fertile soil, and forests). E.ES.03.42 Classify renewable (fresh water, fertile soil, forests) and non-renewable (fuels, metals) resources. Materials Needed Enough old magazines for each student to have 1 (they will be cut up) Scissors Newspaper articles/academic articles for children/books with info on natural resources Tape (or glue) Book-The Lorax by Dr. Seuss 1 large poster board for each group (4 or 5 kids to a group) 1 renewable/non-renewable resource checklist for each student (Pre-Assessment) Each student will need their Science Reflection Journal they have been working on through the year 1 Take-home sheet for homework (More renewable or non/renewable resources used at home?) 1 Table for students to fill in of renewable/non-renewable natural resources. Safety Considerations There are no major safety considerations for this lesson/activity. References -APA style Woolhether, Linda. (2012). Ehow. Retrieved from: http://www.ehow.com/info_8017415_sciencenatural-resources-2nd-grade.html ThinkQuest (2012). ThinkQuest.com. Retrieved from: http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210243/Science%20Station/How%20living%20things%20interact%20 with%20their%20environment/renewable%20and%20nonrenewable%20resources.htm

PROCEDURE
Pre-Assessment (and Engage) Students will each take a sort of pre-test (In handouts) in a checklist format in which they will check whether each item on the list is a renewable or non-renewable resource. The teacher will then go through the answers and ask students why they thought their wrong answers were renewable/non-renewable to see what their background knowledge of the subject is. Description of Student Learning Activities 1. Engage (continued): Students will watch a movie clip from the movie The Lorax. This music video from the movie is a great clip to be used: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Slpz0D35oRI. After the clip, the teacher will read the book The Lorax to them. The teacher will have the blind student sit close to the speakers so they can hear, and will sit by the student and explain any question they may have.

Becky Colegio 2. Explore: Students will go through the articles/papers/books with information on natural /renewable/non-renewable resources and write down what the learned on a sheet of paper. Each students will have their own source of information and be required to write down at least 3 resources (whether they be renewable or non-renewable) and write down at least 5 facts they learned. They will then have about 5 minuets to share what they learned within small groups (based on seating) then share what they learned as a group with the class. The teacher will read an article to the student and have him/her say things they learned from the reading, and the teacher will place that student in a group and have them work together sharing ideas. 3. Explain: The teacher will expand on what the students said about what they learned and clear up any misconceptions they ay have and will clear up the misconceptions discovered during the preassessment if they were not already cleared up. The blind student will sit close to the teacher to hear well. Expand or Elaborate: Students will be put into groups of 3 to 4 students. Each group will be assigned either the category of renewable or non-renewable natural resources. They will each fill out a table of renewable or non-renewable resources they wish to include in their poster. They should fill it out together as a group. Each group will create a poster of their resource with pictures from magazines and will write facts about the pictures and why those things in the pictures are considered the type of resource they are. Each group will then present their poster and their findings to the class. The pictures and info they collect should be new and not something students or the teacher have already mentioned in class. The teacher will have the blind student placed in a group where he/she will fit in well and feel comfortable. The student will be given the opportunity to share ideas and thoughts, and will tell things he/she wants to include in the poster so the other kids can help look for a picture of it. The teacher will give that group more attention and will make sure that the kids include the blind student in discussions and in making the poster by picking out resources.

4.

Real-World Connections Students will understand what renewable/non-renewable resources are, and will understand how renewable resources can affect the earths environment., including their own homes. They will also be able to apply this knowledge to recycling (They will have a better understanding of why recycling is so important and about what types of things are recyclable as well as what kinds of things are made from these renewable resources). Students can connect to this lesson because most of them have probably seen the movie or at least read the book The Lorax. Also, when students do the take-home assignment they will be evaluating their own lives and how much they use renewable/non-renewable natural resources. This makes it personalized to each student because each student will use different resources in their homes. Post-Assessment (Evaluate) Students will write in their Science reflection journals. They will be required to list at least 5 renewable/non-renewable natural resources and describe why they are renewable/non-renewable. For each renewable resource, students must explain the process by which that material is renewed. Students will also be required to define the following terms in their own words: Natural resources, Renewable resources, and non-renewable resources. Students will already know that their science reflection journals will be graded at the end of each science unit based on if they completed the assignment and on if they understood the concepts they wrote about. It will be graded on a 100-point scale, and 5 points will be taken off from each term not included/done wrong, and 10 points off for not correctly recording data in their journals.

Becky Colegio Accommodations (For a blind child in the classroom) For a blind student in the classroom, this lesson can be modified for him or her in the following ways: -Have the student sit close to the speakers when watching the video so they can hear the audio clearly to understand what the video is about. -Have the student sit close to the teacher during the book reading so he/she can hear clearly. -After reading the book, talk to the student to make sure he/she understood what the book was about. If available and if the students knows how to read it, get a brail version of the book for that child to look at on their own (but only if they want to-do not make them read it. It is extra work the other students do not need to do). -The teacher should carefully place the disabled student into a group (for making the posters) with responsible students who work well and have experience helping out the disabled child. That child should be actively involved in the group by sharing ideas. The teacher should try to spend the most time with this group. -The student may have his or her parents help with the take-home homework assignment. -The teacher will go through the pre-assessment (checklist) with the disabled child.

Renewable/Non-Renewable Checklist
Place a checkmark next to the natural resources listed below that are renewable. Water Oxygen Fossil Fuel Coal Animals Timber Leather Nuclear Fuel

Becky Colegio

Wind Corn Petroleum

Renewable/Non-Renewable Checklist
Place a checkmark next to the natural resources listed below that are renewable. (Teacher Answer Key) X Water X Oxygen Fossil Fuel Coal X X Timber X Leather Nuclear Fuel X Animals

Becky Colegio

Wind X Corn Petroleum

In the blanks in the table below, list at least 10 natural resources. They must either be renewable or non-renewable (The teacher will tell you which resource your group is assigned to). Discuss these resources with your group.

Natural Resources List

Becky Colegio

What about you? Do you use more renewable or non-renewable natural resources on a daily basis? Fill in the below chart with as many renewable/non-renewable resources. We will discuss our findings in class. Come up with at least 20 resources. Some examples are oxygen in the air you breathe or the gas in the school bus or car used to take you to school today. r

What About You?

Becky Colegio

Becky Colegio