Science · 5th Grade · Earth Systems and Human Impact · Weeks 10-18

Natural Resources and Their Uses

Students will identify various natural resources and discuss their importance and sustainable use.

• Common Core State Standards
• 5-ESS3-1

About This Topic

Natural resources are the raw materials that make modern life possible , from the water students drink to the petroleum in the plastic of their pencil cases. Under NGSS standard 5-ESS3-1, fifth graders learn to classify resources as renewable (replenished by natural processes within a human timeframe, like trees and wind) or non-renewable (formed over geologic timescales and not readily replaced, like coal and oil). This classification has direct implications for how we manage each resource type.

Students examine specific US resources and industries: Great Plains wheat, Appalachian coal, the Ogallala Aquifer, Pacific salmon runs, and Great Lakes fresh water. These regional examples help students see that resource availability shapes where people live, what industries develop, and what conflicts arise. They also explore how resource extraction affects Earth's systems, connecting this topic directly to the Earth Systems unit.

Active learning approaches that ask students to research, categorize, and argue the real-world importance of specific resources build both content knowledge and policy-level thinking simultaneously. Students who have weighed the trade-offs of resource use arrive at the design-solutions topic better prepared to propose realistic conservation strategies.

Key Questions

1. Classify different natural resources as renewable or non-renewable.
2. Evaluate the importance of specific natural resources to human society.
3. Justify the need for sustainable practices in resource management.

Learning Objectives

• Classify at least five different natural resources found in the United States as either renewable or non-renewable, providing a reason for each classification.
• Explain the importance of two specific natural resources (e.g., water, timber) to the economy and daily life of a selected US region.
• Analyze the potential environmental impacts of extracting and using a non-renewable resource like coal or oil.
• Propose at least three sustainable practices for managing a renewable resource, such as forests or fisheries.
• Compare and contrast the long-term availability of a renewable resource versus a non-renewable resource.

Before You Start

Basic Needs of Living Things

Why: Students need to understand that living things require resources like water, air, and food, which are often derived from natural resources.

Introduction to Energy Sources

Why: Understanding different forms of energy, including those derived from natural resources like fossil fuels and solar power, is foundational.

Key Vocabulary

Natural Resource	Materials or substances such as minerals, forests, water, and fertile land that occur in nature and can be used for economic gain.
Renewable Resource	A natural resource that can be replenished naturally over time, such as solar energy, wind, or timber.
Non-renewable Resource	A natural resource that exists in finite quantities and is consumed much faster than it can be replaced, such as fossil fuels or minerals.
Sustainability	The practice of using natural resources in a way that meets present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Ogallala Aquifer	A vast underground body of water beneath parts of eight US states, crucial for agriculture in the Great Plains but being depleted.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Renewable means unlimited , it can never run out.

What to Teach Instead

Students often assume that because a resource renews, it can never be depleted. Examining real cases like the Atlantic cod collapse or the shrinking Ogallala Aquifer , a groundwater source that renews far more slowly than it is currently being pumped , helps students understand that even renewable resources have rates and limits.

Common Misconception

Non-renewable resources will run out very soon.

What to Teach Instead

Students sometimes assume fossil fuels are nearly exhausted. Discussing estimated reserves alongside the economic and environmental costs of extraction helps students see that the timeline is complex, and that the consequences of continued use matter regardless of how much remains underground.

Active Learning Ideas

Collaborative Research: The Resource Portfolio

Each group researches one US natural resource (coal, fresh water, timber, natural gas, or wind). They must classify it, explain its primary uses, identify the region most dependent on it, and argue whether current extraction rates are sustainable. Groups present their portfolios and take questions from the class.

60 min·Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Renewable or Non-Renewable?

Post image cards around the room showing solar panels, an oil well, a wind turbine, a cornfield, a coal mine, a river dam, and a fish farm. Students walk the room with a T-chart and classify each as renewable or non-renewable, writing their reasoning. After the walk, the class discusses the genuinely borderline cases, such as fish populations or topsoil.

25 min·Individual

Formal Debate: The Energy Showdown

Divide the class into teams representing coal, natural gas, solar, and wind energy. Each team argues why their energy source should be the primary one used by the school district, citing the resource type, availability, cost, and the human needs it meets. Each team must also address the strongest objection to their source.

40 min·Small Groups

Real-World Connections

• Geologists and mining engineers work to extract non-renewable resources like coal in Appalachia, balancing economic needs with environmental regulations.
• Forestry managers in the Pacific Northwest use sustainable practices to harvest timber, ensuring forests can regrow for future use and to protect wildlife habitats.
• Farmers in the Great Plains rely heavily on water from the Ogallala Aquifer for irrigation, facing challenges as the water table drops due to overuse.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Provide students with a list of 5-7 natural resources (e.g., solar power, diamonds, corn, natural gas, redwood trees, salmon, granite). Ask them to write 'R' for renewable or 'N' for non-renewable next to each and briefly explain their reasoning for two of them.

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are a city planner for a town that relies heavily on a single natural resource. What are the potential benefits and risks of this dependence? How could you encourage sustainable use of that resource?' Facilitate a class discussion, encouraging students to use vocabulary terms.

Quick Check

Present students with a scenario: 'A new factory wants to open in our state, which will create many jobs but also increase demand for water and energy. What questions should we ask them about their resource use and environmental impact?' Have students write down 2-3 questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a renewable and a non-renewable resource?

A renewable resource can be replenished by natural processes in a timeframe relevant to human use , trees can regrow, fish can reproduce, and sunlight arrives every day. A non-renewable resource like coal or petroleum takes millions of years to form. Once used, it is effectively gone on any human timescale, which is why how we manage these resources matters.

Why are some natural resources more important to certain regions of the US?

Natural resources are unevenly distributed. The Great Plains have deep, fertile soil ideal for grain farming. The Gulf Coast sits above large oil and gas deposits. The Pacific Northwest has heavy rainfall and rivers that support hydroelectric power and timber. Where resources are found shapes the economy, culture, and population of each region.

Can we run out of fresh water if it is technically renewable?

Yes. Fresh water is renewable in the sense that rain and snow recharge rivers and aquifers, but many areas draw water faster than precipitation can replace it. Parts of the American Southwest have drawn from ancient groundwater reserves for decades. When the use rate exceeds the recharge rate, even a renewable resource depletes locally.

How does active learning help students understand natural resources?

When students research and then defend a specific resource in front of peers, they connect abstract classification to real-world consequences. Debating energy sources forces them to consider trade-offs between human needs and sustainability , exactly the reasoning required by NGSS science and engineering practices, and the foundation for the conservation design work that follows in this unit.