HASS · Year 3

Active learning ideas

Natural Resources and Their Use

Active learning helps Year 3 students grasp natural resources by making abstract concepts tangible. When students map, sort, design, and explore, they connect classroom ideas to real-world contexts across Australia, building deeper understanding of finite and renewable resources.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9HASS3K04

• 30–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Plan-Do-Review
• 45 min · Pairs

Mapping Activity: Australian Resources

Provide maps of Australia. Students locate and label key natural resources like bauxite, coal, and water sources. In pairs, they note uses and one environmental impact per resource, then share with the class.

Explain the concept of a natural resource and provide examples from Australia.

Facilitation Tip

During the Mapping Activity, provide labeled resource icons for students to place on a blank map of Australia, reinforcing spatial understanding of where resources are found.

What to look for

Provide students with a picture of an Australian landscape (e.g., a mine, a farm, a forest). Ask them to write down one natural resource visible or implied, state if it is renewable or non-renewable, and suggest one way people use it.

• Remember
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Plan-Do-Review
• 30 min · Small Groups

Sorting Game: Resource Categories

Prepare cards with images and names of resources, uses, and impacts. Small groups sort into renewable/non-renewable and sustainable/unsustainable piles. Groups explain choices and adjust based on class feedback.

Analyze the impact of human use of natural resources on the environment.

Facilitation Tip

In the Sorting Game, use real objects or pictures of items like a wooden spoon, cotton shirt, or plastic bottle to help students physically group resources by renewable or non-renewable categories.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine our town needs more water. What are two ways we could get more water, and what are the pros and cons of each for our local environment?' Guide students to discuss options like building a new dam versus collecting rainwater.

• Remember
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Plan-Do-Review
• 50 min · Small Groups

Design Challenge: Sustainable Plan

Choose a resource like water. Small groups brainstorm and draw a plan for sustainable use, including steps like collection, conservation, and monitoring. Present plans and vote on the most practical.

Design a plan for sustainable use of a specific natural resource.

Facilitation Tip

For the Design Challenge, set clear constraints such as budget or environmental impact to focus students on practical sustainable solutions.

What to look for

Show students images of different products (e.g., a wooden table, a plastic toy, a glass jar, a metal car). Ask them to identify the primary natural resource used to make each item and whether it is renewable or non-renewable.

• Remember
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making
• Self-Awareness

Activity 04

• Plan-Do-Review
• 40 min · Whole Class

Field Walk: Local Resources

Walk school grounds or nearby area to identify natural resources. Students photograph or sketch findings, note uses, and discuss sustainability in whole class debrief.

Explain the concept of a natural resource and provide examples from Australia.

Facilitation Tip

On the Field Walk, bring a simple checklist of local features to observe, such as trees, soil, or water sources, to guide student attention.

What to look for

Provide students with a picture of an Australian landscape (e.g., a mine, a farm, a forest). Ask them to write down one natural resource visible or implied, state if it is renewable or non-renewable, and suggest one way people use it.

• Remember
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teaching this topic works best when students first experience resources in context. Begin with concrete examples students know, like water or wood, before introducing less familiar ones like iron ore or wind power. Avoid overwhelming them with too many examples at once. Research shows that hands-on, inquiry-based activities build stronger retention than lectures, especially for young learners exploring environmental concepts for the first time.

Successful learning is visible when students can identify Australian resources on a map, categorize them correctly, explain their uses in daily life, and propose sustainable alternatives. They should also recognize the limits of non-renewable resources and the importance of conservation.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Mapping Activity, watch for students who assume resources like minerals are everywhere on the map.

  Use the Mapping Activity to highlight limited locations by providing a map with only specific resource icons to place, then ask students to explain why some areas have no resources marked.

• During Sorting Game, watch for students who believe all human uses of resources are safe and harmless.

  During the Sorting Game, include images of polluted rivers or deforested areas alongside regular products to prompt discussion about harmful effects.

• During Design Challenge, watch for students who think sustainability means stopping all resource use.

  During the Design Challenge, require students to include a conservation strategy in their plan, such as crop rotation or recycling, to reinforce the idea of balanced use.

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Methods used in this brief

• Plan-Do-Review