Science · 6th Grade · Human Impact and Engineering · Weeks 28-36

Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources

Comparing renewable and non-renewable resources and the environmental costs of their extraction.

• Common Core State Standards
• MS-ESS3-1

About This Topic

Natural Resource Management explores the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources and the environmental impact of their use. Students learn about the extraction and processing of minerals, fossil fuels, and timber, and the trade-offs involved in energy production. This topic aligns with MS-ESS3-1 and MS-ESS3-4, focusing on the distribution and consumption of resources.

Students investigate how the uneven distribution of resources around the world has shaped human history and modern economies. They also look at the 'hidden costs' of resource use, such as habitat destruction and pollution. This unit encourages students to think as global citizens and consider how sustainable practices can protect resources for future generations.

Students grasp this concept faster through structured discussion and peer explanation, especially when they can participate in simulations that model the depletion of shared resources.

Key Questions

1. Differentiate between renewable and non-renewable resources with examples.
2. Explain why some resources are considered non-renewable while others are not.
3. Analyze the environmental impact of extracting fossil fuels.

Learning Objectives

• Compare the environmental impacts of extracting and using renewable versus non-renewable resources.
• Explain the geological processes that form non-renewable resources like fossil fuels over millions of years.
• Analyze the trade-offs between energy production methods and their effects on ecosystems.
• Classify common energy sources as either renewable or non-renewable, providing justification for each classification.

Before You Start

Earth's Systems and Cycles

Why: Understanding basic geological processes and the formation of materials is foundational to grasping how non-renewable resources are created.

Energy Forms and Transformations

Why: Students need to know about different forms of energy and how they are converted to understand the purpose of various energy resources.

Key Vocabulary

Renewable Resource	A natural resource that can be replenished naturally over a short period, 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 formed, such as fossil fuels or minerals.
Fossil Fuels	Combustible organic materials, like coal, oil, and natural gas, formed from the remains of ancient organisms over millions of years.
Extraction	The process of removing valuable resources from the Earth, such as mining for coal or drilling for oil.
Environmental Impact	The effect that human activities, such as resource extraction, have on the natural environment, including pollution and habitat disruption.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Students often think that 'renewable' means a resource is infinite and can't be overused.

What to Teach Instead

Clarify that even renewable resources, like timber or fresh water, can be depleted if we use them faster than they can grow or recharge. Using a 'fishing' simulation can show how a renewable population can crash if over-harvested.

Common Misconception

Many believe that all 'natural' products are better for the environment than synthetic ones.

What to Teach Instead

Discuss the resource-intensive process of growing cotton or mining lithium for 'green' batteries. Peer-led life-cycle analyses of different products help students see the complexity of environmental impact.

Active Learning Ideas

Simulation Game: The Cookie Mining Lab

Students 'mine' chocolate chips out of a cookie using toothpicks. They must pay for 'tools' and 'land reclamation' (fixing the cookie), seeing firsthand how difficult it is to extract resources without damaging the environment.

45 min·Individual

Formal Debate: Energy Trade-offs

Groups are assigned an energy source (coal, solar, nuclear, wind). They must research the pros and cons and debate which source should be the primary focus for a new 'green city' based on cost and reliability.

50 min·Small Groups

Think-Pair-Share: Renewable vs. Non-renewable

Students are given a list of items (a plastic bottle, a wooden chair, a gasoline car). They discuss with a partner which resources were used to make them and if those resources can be easily replaced.

20 min·Pairs

Real-World Connections

• Geologists and environmental engineers work for companies like ExxonMobil or Shell to locate and extract oil and natural gas, assessing the environmental risks and mitigation strategies for drilling operations in places like the Gulf of Mexico.
• Wind turbine technicians install and maintain renewable energy infrastructure in large wind farms, such as those found in West Texas, contributing to a cleaner energy grid.
• Forestry managers in the Pacific Northwest balance the demand for timber with the need for sustainable forest ecosystems, deciding on harvesting methods and replanting schedules to ensure long-term resource availability.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Present students with a list of resources (e.g., solar power, coal, trees, natural gas, wind, diamonds). Ask them to categorize each as renewable or non-renewable on a worksheet and write one sentence explaining their choice for at least three items.

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'Imagine your town needs more electricity. What are the environmental pros and cons of building a new coal power plant versus a new solar farm?' Facilitate a class discussion, guiding students to consider resource availability, pollution, and land use.

Exit Ticket

Ask students to write down one non-renewable resource and describe one specific environmental problem associated with its extraction or use. Then, have them name one renewable resource and explain why it is considered renewable.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a resource non-renewable?

A resource is non-renewable if it takes millions of years to form, like coal, oil, or natural gas. Once we use them, they are gone for all practical human purposes.

Why are some resources only found in certain places?

The distribution of resources is the result of past geological processes, like volcanic activity, the movement of tectonic plates, and the ancient locations of oceans and forests.

How can active learning help students understand resource management?

Active learning, like the 'Cookie Mining' lab, makes the economic and environmental costs of mining personal. Students feel the frustration of trying to 'restore' a damaged cookie, which mirrors the real-world difficulty of land reclamation. Debating energy sources also forces them to weigh competing values, a skill essential for understanding complex global issues.

What is 'sustainability'?

Sustainability means using resources in a way that meets our needs today without making it impossible for future generations to meet their needs. It's about finding a balance between the economy, the environment, and society.