Social Studies · Grade 4 · Physical Regions of Canada · Term 2

Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources

Identifying renewable and non-renewable resources and their economic importance to different Canadian regions.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• ON: People and Environments: Political and Physical Regions of Canada - Grade 4

About This Topic

Renewable resources, such as solar energy, forests, and fish stocks, replenish through natural processes over human timescales, while non-renewable resources, including oil, natural gas, and metallic minerals, exist in limited quantities that deplete with extraction. Grade 4 students identify these in Canadian contexts, like hydroelectric power in Quebec, timber in British Columbia, and potash in Saskatchewan. They connect resources to regional economies, noting how Alberta's oil drives energy sectors and Ontario's nickel supports manufacturing.

This topic supports Ontario's Grade 4 curriculum on Political and Physical Regions of Canada within the People and Environments strand. Students map resource distribution, analyze economic roles through GDP contributions, and consider long-term risks of non-renewable dependence, such as supply shortages or habitat loss. These inquiries build geographic literacy, economic understanding, and foresight for sustainability.

Active learning suits this topic well. Sorting picture cards of resources into categories clarifies distinctions, while building regional models or simulating depletion with counters reveals economic patterns and consequences. Group mapping fosters collaboration, making complex regional interconnections tangible and memorable for young learners.

Key Questions

1. Differentiate between renewable and non-renewable natural resources.
2. Analyze how specific natural resources contribute to regional economies.
3. Predict the long-term consequences of relying heavily on non-renewable resources.

Learning Objectives

• Classify Canadian natural resources as either renewable or non-renewable, providing at least two examples for each category.
• Analyze the economic contribution of specific natural resources (e.g., oil, timber, minerals) to at least two different Canadian regions.
• Explain the concept of resource depletion and predict one potential long-term consequence for a Canadian region heavily reliant on a non-renewable resource.
• Compare the sustainability of using renewable versus non-renewable resources for energy production in Canada.

Before You Start

Introduction to Canadian Geography

Why: Students need a basic understanding of Canada's geography and its different regions to connect resources to specific locations.

Basic Economic Concepts (Needs vs. Wants, Goods and Services)

Why: Students should have a foundational understanding of how resources are used to produce goods and services that meet human needs and wants.

Key Vocabulary

Renewable Resource	A natural resource that can be replenished naturally over a short period, such as solar energy, wind, water, forests, and fish.
Non-Renewable Resource	A natural resource that exists in limited quantities and is consumed much faster than it can be formed, such as fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas) and minerals.
Resource Depletion	The exhaustion of a resource, especially one that is non-renewable, faster than it can be naturally regenerated.
Economic Importance	The value or significance of a resource to a region's economy, often measured by jobs created, revenue generated, or industries supported.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Renewable resources never run out completely.

What to Teach Instead

Renewables can deplete if harvested faster than they regenerate, like overfished stocks. Hands-on simulations with regrowing plants versus finite counters help students see sustainable rates, while group debates refine their understanding of balance.

Common Misconception

Non-renewable resources are only fossil fuels.

What to Teach Instead

Minerals and metals also count as non-renewable due to slow geological formation. Sorting activities with diverse examples from Canadian mines clarify this, as peer teaching during rotations corrects narrow views.

Common Misconception

All regions rely equally on resources.

What to Teach Instead

Economic dependence varies, like energy in Prairies versus tourism in Atlantic Canada. Mapping tasks reveal disparities, with discussions helping students connect physical geography to diverse livelihoods.

Active Learning Ideas

Sorting Stations: Resource Classification

Prepare stations with image cards of Canadian resources like trees, oil rigs, wind turbines, and coal mines. Small groups sort cards into renewable or non-renewable bins, justify choices with evidence from labels, then share one example per category with the class.

35 min·Small Groups

Map It Out: Regional Resources

Provide blank Canada maps and resource lists tied to provinces. Pairs research and label two renewables and two non-renewables per region, add economic notes like 'oil exports jobs,' then gallery walk to compare maps.

45 min·Pairs

Depletion Demo: Finite Supplies

Use candies or beans as non-renewable resources and seeds as renewables. Whole class extracts 'resources' from bowls over rounds, tracking depletion on charts, then discusses economic slowdowns as supplies dwindle.

25 min·Whole Class

Economy Role-Play: Resource Reliance

Assign provinces to small groups with resource profiles. Groups present economic strengths and predict issues from non-renewable overuse, using props like toy factories, then vote on class sustainability pledges.

40 min·Small Groups

Real-World Connections

• Workers in Fort McMurray, Alberta, are employed in the oil sands industry, extracting bitumen which is a major non-renewable resource contributing significantly to Canada's energy exports.
• Forestry companies in British Columbia harvest timber, a renewable resource, to produce lumber and paper products, supporting many rural communities and export markets.
• Hydroelectric dams in Quebec generate clean electricity from water power, a renewable resource, supplying power to millions of homes and businesses across the province.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Provide students with a list of 10 natural resources found in Canada. Ask them to write 'R' next to renewable resources and 'N' next to non-renewable resources. Then, ask them to choose one 'N' resource and explain why it is non-renewable in one sentence.

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'Imagine a town in Saskatchewan relies almost entirely on potash mining (a non-renewable resource). What are two things that might happen to that town in 50 years if the potash runs out?' Encourage students to share their predictions and justify their reasoning.

Exit Ticket

On one side of a card, students draw a symbol representing a renewable resource and label it. On the other side, they draw a symbol for a non-renewable resource and label it. They must also write one sentence explaining how one of these resources is important to a specific Canadian region.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are examples of renewable and non-renewable resources in Canada?

Renewables include forests in BC for lumber, wind in Ontario, and hydro in Quebec, which regenerate naturally. Non-renewables encompass Alberta oil sands, Saskatchewan uranium, and northern diamonds, which deplete without replenishment. Students classify these to grasp regional economic ties, using maps to visualize distribution across physical regions.

How do natural resources shape Canadian regional economies?

Resources drive jobs and exports: Alberta's oil funds infrastructure, BC timber supports housing, and Ontario mines supply auto industries. Grade 4 analysis through data charts shows GDP links, while predictions of non-renewable decline prompt ideas for diversification like eco-tourism.

How can active learning help teach renewable and non-renewable resources?

Activities like resource sorting stations and depletion simulations make abstract categories concrete, as students handle visuals and track changes hands-on. Collaborative mapping builds spatial skills, while role-plays connect economics to real regions. These approaches boost retention and critical thinking over lectures alone.

What are long-term consequences of relying on non-renewable resources?

Heavy dependence risks job losses, economic slumps, and environmental damage from extraction, like oil spills or mine tailings. Students predict shifts via simulations, learning transitions to renewables foster sustainability. Curriculum links emphasize planning for resource futures in Canada's diverse regions.