Ontario's Natural Resources
Students identify key resources like minerals, timber, and water that drive Ontario's economy.
Key Questions
- Differentiate between the natural resources found in Northern versus Southern Ontario.
- Explain the process of transforming raw materials into finished products.
- Predict the economic and environmental consequences if a major natural resource becomes depleted.
Ontario Curriculum Expectations
About This Topic
Ontario is a province rich in natural resources, which are the foundation of our economy. This topic introduces students to the 'big three' of Ontario's resources: minerals (like gold and nickel), timber from our vast forests, and water (for both drinking and hydroelectric power). Students learn where these resources are located, often noting the concentration of mining and forestry in Northern Ontario and agriculture in the South.
Understanding resources helps students see the connection between the land and the jobs people have. They also begin to explore the concept of sustainability: how we can use these resources today without running out of them for the future. This topic is particularly effective when students use hands-on modeling to simulate the process of extracting a resource and the environmental choices that come with it.
Active Learning Ideas
Simulation Game: The Mining Challenge
Students use 'cookie mining' (using a toothpick to remove chocolate chips) to simulate the difficulty of extracting minerals while trying to keep the 'land' (the cookie) intact. They discuss the costs and the environmental impact.
Gallery Walk: Where Does it Come From?
Display everyday items (a pencil, a nickel, a glass of water, a cereal box). Students move around to guess which Ontario natural resource was used to make each item and where in the province it might have come from.
Think-Pair-Share: Renewable vs. Non-Renewable
Students are given cards with different resources. They must decide with a partner if the resource can 'grow back' or if it is 'gone once it's used,' then sort them on a class board.
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionResources will last forever because Canada is so big.
What to Teach Instead
Resources like minerals are finite, and even forests can be over-harvested. A simulation showing a 'shrinking pile' of resources can help students understand the need for careful management and recycling.
Common MisconceptionResources are only found in the wilderness.
What to Teach Instead
Water is a resource found everywhere, and fertile soil is a vital resource in Southern Ontario's farmland. Mapping different resources across the whole province helps students see that resources are everywhere.
Suggested Methodologies
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most important natural resources in Ontario?
How can active learning help students understand resource management?
Why is Northern Ontario so important for resources?
What is the difference between a raw material and a product?
Planning templates for Social Studies
5E Model
The 5E Model structures lessons through five phases (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate), guiding students from curiosity to deep understanding through inquiry-based learning.
unit plannerThematic Unit
Organize a multi-week unit around a central theme or essential question that cuts across topics, texts, and disciplines, helping students see connections and build deeper understanding.
rubricSingle-Point Rubric
Build a single-point rubric that defines only the "meets standard" level, leaving space for teachers to document what exceeded and what fell short. Simple to create, easy for students to understand.
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