Lesson Plan
Lesson 1: What Are Natural Resources?
A 60 minute lesson in which students will identify some natural resources and where they come from.
Lesson Plan
Tuning In
- Display slide 4 (the title slide) of the Introduction to Natural Resources PowerPoint. Encourage the students to look carefully at the image on the slide. After a few minutes, ask the students:
- What do you notice about the image?
- Which aspects of the image are familiar to you?
- Which aspects of the image are you unsure about?
- How does the image make you feel?
- What message do you think this image is trying to convey?
- Draw the students’ attention to the title of the PowerPoint. Ask the students:
- What might a natural resource be?
- Why do you think this?
- Why might we be learning about natural resources?
Teacher Instruction
- Display and discuss the definition of a natural resource, as outlined on slide 5. Encourage the students to identify some of the natural resources that are essential for human survival, as well as those that are used to make our daily lives more comfortable.
- Read through the key information about natural resources on slides 6-8. Ensure that the students understand:
- the meaning of the terms ‘renewable’ and ‘non-renewable’ in relation to resource use
- what raw materials are and where they come from
- where natural resources come from.
- Watch the Natural Resources of the Earth video on YouTube. After watching, revise the renewable and non-renewable resources discussed in the video.
Guided/Independent Learning
- Display and discuss the class activity on slide 9. Allocate a small amount of time for the students to search the classroom for items made from timber, cotton, water and metal. Reassemble as a class and encourage the students to share their findings.
- Display and discuss the independent activity on slide 10. Provide the students with a copy of the Where Do Natural Resources Come From? Worksheet and read through the instructions as a class.
- Monitor and support the students as they complete the worksheet. Once the students have finished, discuss the answers to the worksheet as a class.
Wrapping Up
- As a class, use the Learning Goal Poster to set a Geography goal to achieve by the end of the unit. Display the agreed goal in the classroom and refer to the goal throughout the unit.
Differentiation
Extending Students
- Encourage fast finishers to conduct some independent research into a natural resource of their choice.
Supporting Students
- Allow students with lower literacy levels to complete the worksheet in a small group with the support of a teacher or teacher aide.
Assessment Strategies
Suggested Assessment Strategies
- used strategic whole class or individual questioning
- observed student participation during learning activities
- recorded student progress on a checklist
- annotated student work samples
- collected and reviewed student work samples
- facilitated whole class or peer feedback sessions
- encouraged student self-reflection
- administered formal assessment tasks.
Resources
NSW Curriculum alignment
- GE2-3
Examines differing perceptions about the management of places and environments
Australian Curriculum alignment
- ACHASSK090
The use and management of natural resources and waste, and the different views on how to do this sustainably
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I’ve only just started working on this unit. My students are already so involved in it that it’s goung to take me longer than the prescribed amount of time to teach owing to the fact that they want to find out about more of what is in the lesson plans.
An excellent resource.
Comment by Lynn Mckenzie on July 27, 2018 at 7:28 am
Your positive feedback has made my Friday, Lynn! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. This unit is indeed very involved and took a great deal of planning by our team. I hope your students become deeply engaged with the content and learn many valuable lessons about sustaining our planet!
Official comment by Stephanie (Teach Starter) on July 27, 2018 at 8:10 am