You will learn the differences between renewable and nonrenewable natural resources. You will also learn that people in the United States use a large number of nonrenewable resources which are acquired from other countries. You will be available to classify items found in the outdoors and in the classroom as being made from renewable or nonrenewable resources or both.
1. Renewable and Lesson 4: Nonrenewable Natural Resources Lesson’s ConceptS • Renewable natural resources are those which can be replaced naturally or through human-assisted actions within a relatively short amount of time (e.g., within a human lifetime). Examples of renewable natural resources are plants, animals, water, air, and some energy resources, such as sunlight. • Nonrenewable natural resources are those available in limited amounts and take millions of years to be replaced; therefore, people can rely only on those deposits already in existence. Examples of nonrenewable natural resources are most minerals (e.g., iron ore) and some energy resources (e.g., fossil fuels). PURPOSE For Part II, older students (grades five and six) Students learn the difference between renew- will: able and nonrenewable natural resources. • Search the classroom for various colored They also learn that people in the United beads that represent finite mineral resourc- States use a large number of nonrenewable es. resources which are acquired from other countries. • Compare the numbers acquired in a simu- lation game to the actual global reserve In Part II, older students (grades five and base of specific mineral resources. six), will participate in a simulation activity that focuses on the scarcity of some mineral • Analyze charts and graphs concerning mineral resources. 4–6 Module resources. • Arrange in order some mineral resources Unit 1 OVERVIEW that are most abundant to those that are In this lesson students will: less abundant. • Determine which natural resources are CORRELATIONS TO CALIFORNIA’S considered renewable and which are con- sidered nonrenewable. CONTENT STANDARDS AND FRAMEWORKS • Classify items found in the outdoors and in the classroom as being made from • Students compare renewable to nonrenew- renewable natural resources, nonrenew- able natural resources. They classify items able natural resources, or both types of outdoors and in the classroom as being resources. made from renewable or nonrenewable natural resources or from both types of • Write a pledge to avoid wasting one spe- resources. cific material at school or at home. - “All resources used by humans, includ- • Design posters or a bulletin board featur- ing fuels, metals, and building materi- ing pictures of renewable and nonrenew- als, ultimately come from the Earth. able natural resources. Many of these resources are not in For Part I younger students (grade four) will: endless supply. They have taken many • Identify the location of some mineral thousands and millions of years to reserves, such as bauxite, iron ore, and tin. develop and accumulate. They must be used with care, conserved, and recy- • Read a chart to determine how long cer- cled.” (Science Framework, page 97) tain mineral resources are likely to last. 4–6 Module, Unit 1: Managing and Lesson 4: Renewable and Conserving Natural Resources 293 Nonrenewable Natural Resources
2. - “Scientific progress is made by asking tion skills.” “History–Social Science meaningful questions and conducting Framework, page 24) careful investigations. As a basis for • Students analyze charts and graphs. understanding this concept . . . students will: classify objects . . . based on ap- - Students “interpret one- and two-vari- propriate criteria . . ..” (Science Content able data graphs to answer questions Standards, Grades K–12; Grade 5; Inves- about a situation.” (Mathematics Content tigation and Experimentation, Standard Standards for California Public Schools, 5a) Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve, page 18) - “Students know . . . different natural energy and material resources, includ- SCIENTIFIC THINKING PROCESSES ing air, soil, rocks, minerals, petroleum, fresh water, wildlife, and forests, and observing, communicating, comparing, or- classify them as renewable or nonre- dering, classifying, relating newable . . ..” (Science Content Standards, Grades K–12; Grade 6; Resources, Stan- Time dard 6b) 45 minutes to prepare for the lesson; 60–90 minutes to implement the lesson • Students work together to gather colored beads and identify what mineral each Vocabulary color of bead represents. ecosystem, nonrenewable natural resources, - “To participate effectively in society, renewable natural resources students need to: Develop personal skills . . . group interaction skills (and) . . . social and political participa- Preparation ___ 3. Make transparencies of “A Look at What’s Left” (page 301); “Depletion ___ 1. Read the “Background Information for Time for Nonrenewable Resources” the Teacher” at the end of this lesson. (page 302); “Life Expectancies and Main ___ 2. Make a transparency of “Some of the Consumers of Some Nonrenewable Earth’s Natural Resources” (page 299). Natural Resources” (page 300); and “A World Map” (page 303). For Younger Students (Grade Four) ___ 4. Make copies for each group of “A Look For “Part I, Analyzing a Chart” at What’s Left,” “Life Expectancies and ___ Make a transparency of “Life Expectancies Main Consumers of Some Nonrenew- and Main Consumers of Some Nonrenewable able Natural Resources,” and “A World Natural Resources” (page 300). Map.” For Older Students (Grades Five and Six) MATERIALS For “Part II, Simulating the Scarcity of Some For “Pre-Activity Questions” Mineral Resources” ___ The transparency, “Some of the Earth’s ___ 1. Gather beads of different colors and coins Natural Resources” to represent mineral resources (see the numbers and colors listed on “A Look at For Younger Students (Grade Four) What’s Left”). An option to using beads For “Part I, Analyzing a Chart” and coins is to use cutout circles from construction paper. ___ Iron nail, lead fishing weight, aluminum can, and a tin can ___ 2. Hide beads and coins throughout the ___ Large map of the world classroom. (Make sure that some of the ___ A transparency of “Life Expectancies and beads are well hidden, so they will not be Main Consumers of Some Nonrenewable found immediately.) Natural Resources” 4–6 Module, Unit 1: Managing and CLOSING THE LOOP 294 Conserving Natural Resources
3. For Older Students (Grades Five and Six) water, because the water cycle keeps recycling For “Part II, Simulating the Scarcity of Some water; air, because plants and animals recycle Mineral Resources” the air; sunlight, because the sun is always there. ___ Transparencies of each of the following: “A Look at What’s Left,” “Depletion Time for • What could people do to make these re- Nonrenewable Resources,” “Life Expectan- newable natural resources less renewable? cies and Main Consumers of Some Nonre- They could cause an animal species to become newable Natural Resources,” and “A World extinct. They could harvest the trees in a forest Map” faster than the time it takes for more trees to ___ Charts titled, “A Look at What’s Left,” grow and not plant any trees to replace the “Depletion Time for Nonrenewable Re- ones they harvested. They could pollute the sources,” and “Life Expectancies and Main water faster than the water cycle can clean it. Consumers of Some Nonrenewable Natural They can pollute air in one area faster than the Resources,” one for each group of students winds could blow it away. ___ Colored beads and coins in numbers re- C. Ask students to explain what nonrenewable quired (See “A Look at What’s Left.”) natural resources might mean and to give ___ “A World Map” handout for each group of examples of nonrenewable natural resources. students (These would be natural resources available ___ Large map of the world in limited amounts.) Fossil fuels (e.g., coal, oil, natural gas) and many minerals (e.g., iron, gold, PRE-ACTIVITY QUESTIONS bauxite). Write students’ answers on butcher A. Ask students to identify for you the catego- paper or chalkboard. Students will discuss ries of natural resources, as you list them on these answers at the end of this lesson. Ex- the chalkboard: plants, animals, minerals, plain to students that fossil fuels are consid- energy sources (e.g., sunlight, fossil fuels), ered to be nonrenewable natural resources soil, water, and air. because they take millions of years to form. Most minerals are also nonrenewable natu- B. Tell students that some natural resources ral resources. Although they are continually are considered to be renewable. What do being formed by geologic processes, the rate they think renewable means? They can renew 4–6 Module is so slow that human beings can rely only on themselves; they are available forever. Write Unit 1 those deposits already in existence. down their answers on butcher paper or chalkboard and review them at the end of D. Lead students outside and ask them to iden- the lesson. Ask students to give examples of tify objects made from renewable and nonre- renewable resources. newable natural resources (or both). • Explain to students that scientists con- sider natural resources to be renewable if they are replaced naturally or through human-assisted actions within a rela- tively short amount of time, such as a human lifetime. For example, plants, such as trees, can be replanted indefi- Picture intentionally deleted. nitely as long as the trees are selectively cut, allowing a certain number of mature trees to remain, and the soil in which these trees grow are protected from ero- sion. Proper management of the forest to ensure diversity and a healthy, well- functioning ecosystem is also important. • Ask students to identify other renewable natural resources and why they think these resources are renewable. Animals, Students from Valley Oak Elementary School because they can reproduce and have young; identify objects made from renewable and non- renewable natural resources. 4–6 Module, Unit 1: Managing and Lesson 4: Renewable and Conserving Natural Resources 295 Nonrenewable Natural Resources
4. E. Back in the classroom, project the trans- (Have students find these countries on parency of “Some of the Earth’s Natural the large map of the world.) Resources.” Ask students to describe what • How could dependence on other the illustrations on the transparency are countries for mineral resources become showing. a problem? The people in the country can decide to stop selling the resources to the PROCEDURE U.S. Note: Do “Part I” with younger students (grade • How can we as individuals help stop the four) and “Part II” with older students (grades depletion of nonrenewable resources? five and six). (List the students’ ideas on the chalk- board or on an overhead transparency For Younger Students (Grade Four) and save for later discussion.) Part I, Analyzing a Chart • Ask students to answer questions “A” A. Show students an iron nail, lead fishing and “B” on the transparency. Discuss weight, aluminum can, and a tin can. Tell their answers. students that these represent mineral re- • What did we learn from this chart? sources. In this lesson they will learn more The people in the United States use a lot of about where some mineral resources come mineral resources; many of these mineral from and what country uses the largest resources come from other countries. amount of these resources. Note: Go to the “Discussion/Questions” section. B. Display a map of the world for students to refer to in part “C.” For Older Students (Grades Five and Six) C. Project on an overhead projector the “Life Part II, Simulating the Scarcity of Some Mineral Expectancies and Main Consumers of Some Resources Nonrenewable Natural Resources.” Explain Note: Make sure that you have hidden the beads that the natural resources used to manu- and coins throughout the classroom when stu- facture many products are nonrenewable, dents were not present. are in limited supply, and are not found in the United States. Conduct a whole class A. Divide students into teams (which could discussion addressing the questions listed represent countries). below. You might need to ask additional 1. Give teams timed intervals of two questions to lead students to specific an- minutes and one minute to explore swers. for mineral resources. (The teams will • Why are projected rates of use greater search for two minutes, record their than current rates of use? It is projected findings, and then search again for one that more people will use more natural minute and compare their findings with resources. Increased population increases those during the two-minute search.) demand. 2. After the exploration is concluded, pro- • If we use mineral resources at projected vide a copy of “A Look at What’s Left” rates, will we use them up faster or to each group. slower than if we used them at the cur- • Ask students to separate and iden- rent level? Faster. tify the mineral represented by each • How will an increase in human popu- color of bead or coin. lation affect the rate of use of mineral • Have them arrange the mineral resources? The use of mineral resources will resources in order from the largest increase. amount of one resource to the least • What mineral resources are not found amount. They should record the in the United States? Bauxite (from which numbers in their journals. aluminum is made) and tin. • If needed, project the transparency of • What country(ies) or area(s) has (have) “A Look at What’s Left” and guide the greatest overall reserves of these students in acquiring the information minerals? Australia, China, and Indonesia. they need. 4–6 Module, Unit 1: Managing and CLOSING THE LOOP 296 Conserving Natural Resources
5. • Discuss the greater difficulty in D. Project the transparency of “Depletion finding mineral resources during the Time for Nonrenewable Resources.” Lead second exploration. students to explain what this graph shows. • If students did not locate all of the E. Hand out to each group of students the beads and coins, discuss how some chart of “Life Expectancies and Main mineral resources are difficult to Consumers of Some Nonrenewable Natural locate. Resources.” Ask students to complete “A” 3. Have students compare what they and “B.” When students have completed found to the actual global reserve their assignment, discuss: base shown on the chart of “A Look at • How long are the minerals that are used What’s Left.” widely today predicted to last? B. Ask students whether the world population • How old will your children or grand- is increasing. Yes. Discuss with students: children be when these resources might • What effect will rapid population be exhausted? growth have on the future availabil- • What effect could the depletion of min- ity of nonrenewable natural re- eral resources have on your life? sources? Fewer easily accessible natural F. Display a large map of the world and/or resources will be available because more provide a copy of the handout, “A World people will be using them. More natu- Map,” to each group. Project on an over- ral resources will need to be harvested, head projector the “Life Expectancies and extracted, or mined. Main Consumers of Some Nonrenewable • What can people do to try to make Natural Resources.” Discuss: the natural resources that are read- • Why are projected rates of use greater ily available last longer? Slow down than current rates of use? It is projected the population growth; conserve what is that more people will use more resources. available through reducing, reusing, and • If we use mineral resources at projected recycling. rates, will we use them up faster or C. Have students mix the mineral resources slower than if we used them at the cur- 4–6 Module together and have the students pretend that rent level? Faster. Unit 1 many products were made from these. Ask • How will an increase in human popu- them the following questions: lation affect the rate of use of mineral • Where can a mix of products from resources? The use of mineral resources will mineral resources like this be found? increase. (Lead students to say in a landfill.) • What mineral resources are not found • What did it take to get these mineral in the United States? Bauxite (from which resources into products in the first aluminum is made) and tin. place? Acquiring the mineral resources (digging, drilling, transporting), using • What country(ies) or area(s) has (have) energy, refining and separating the min- the greatest overall reserves of these erals, manufacturing these resources into resources? Australia, China, and Indonesia. products. (Have students find these countries on • What is necessary to keep these natu- a large map of the world and/or the ral resources in the cycle of use in handout, “A World Map.”) order to extend their life and useful- • What is the United States’ present ness? Separate them to reuse or recycle; relationships with some of the countries use fewer of them; use them wisely which have these resources? Answers without wasting them. will vary, depending on the country. • What are the advantages of extend- • How could our dependence on other ing the life of these mineral resourc- countries for mineral resources become es? Fewer mineral resources and other a problem? The people in the country can natural resources will need to be mined decide to stop selling the resource to the U.S. or harvested and transported. 4–6 Module, Unit 1: Managing and Lesson 4: Renewable and Conserving Natural Resources 297 Nonrenewable Natural Resources
6. • What did we learn from this chart? The D. Have students write a pledge in which they people in the United States use a lot of natu- promise to avoid wasting one specific mate- ral resources; many of these natural resources rial at school or at home. come from other countries. Project Idea: Have students write a class pledge that describes how to avoid wasting natural DISCUSSION/QUESTIONS resources. Organize a school assembly and share Discuss with students: the pledge along with information about natural • What are the advantages of recycling nonre- resources. newable natural resources? We can make these Project Idea: Have students design posters or last much longer; there will be more for future a bulletin board showing pictures of renewable generations. and nonrenewable natural resources and ways • What are the advantages of recycling renew- they can be conserved. (If posters will be done, able natural resources? Fewer resources will need then this can be assigned as homework.) These to be harvested and fewer products will need to be can be displayed at school and in other public manufactured from raw materials. areas. • What are the disadvantages of recycling renewable or nonrenewable natural resources? EXTENSIONS People think it is too much trouble to separate A. Assign students to come up with substi- their garbage; there may not be nearby markets for tutes for resource materials that are in short some recyclable materials, and transporting these supply. Ask them to identify what charac- materials may cost too much. teristics substitutes would have to have to • What impacts on the environment might the replace aluminum, iron ore, lead, plastics, extraction of minerals produce? Ecosystems, paper, and tin. including habitats of plants and animals, are B. Assign students to research the potential for disrupted; there might be air and water pollution. mining minerals beneath the oceans. Who (Consider having students conduct further “owns” these minerals? research on the impact of mineral extraction.) Resources APPLICATION Video A. Ask students to reread the definitions and Conserving Our Natural Resources. Chatsworth, examples of renewable and nonrenewable Calif.: AIMS Media, 1979 (15 minutes) natural resources. Is each accurate? How Describes natural resources and the impor- could you improve the definition? tance of conserving them. B. Ask students to name objects in the class- room made from renewable natural resourc- Videodisc es, nonrenewable natural resources, and Windows on Science: Physical Science. Volumes 2 those made from both types of resources. A and 3, Energy Resources. Atlanta, Ga.: Optical metal desk is made from nonrenewable miner- Data School Media, 1993. als; a wooden ruler, from renewable trees; plastic container, from nonrenewable fossil fuels. A multimedia science program that guides students to compare various renewable and C. Discuss with students: nonrenewable resources. • What clothing materials come from renewable natural resources? Cotton, silk, Web sites wool, rayon. Nonrenewable resources? See “Appendix F–IV, Natural Resources Polyester, nylon. Web sites.” • What packaging materials come from renewable natural resources? Cardboard. Nonrenewable resources? Plastic. • How can we as individuals help stem the depletion of nonrenewable resources? 4–6 Module, Unit 1: Managing and CLOSING THE LOOP 298 Conserving Natural Resources
7. Transparency Some of the Earth’s Natural Resources 4–6 Module Unit 1 4–6 Module, Unit 1: Managing and Lesson 4: Renewable and Conserving Natural Resources 299 Nonrenewable Natural Resources
8. Transparency and Student’s Page Life Expectancies and Main Consumers of Some Nonrenewable Natural Resources1 Resource Countries or areas Main consumers Life expectancy Amount recycled with highest mine 1997 in years in US in 1997 production If used at current level If used at projected 1998 (1997) rates Australia 38% USA 26% Aluminum in Guineas 12% Japan 12% 276 years 63 years No bauxite recycled bauxite Jamaica 10% China 10% in US; 67% of aluminum Brazil 8% Germany 7% cans are recycled. Iron in ore China 25% China 36% There is no significant Brazil 18% Japan 12% recycling of iron ore. Australia 14% USA 8% However, 58 million Russia 7% Russia 7% 150 years 62 years metric tons of steel India 7% were made from USA 6% scrap metal. Canada 3% Lead Australia 18% USA 27% 1.1 million tons China 15% China 8% recovered from old USA 15% United 23 years 15 years (post-consumer) scrap; Peru 8% Kingdom 6% 990,000 tons were Canada 6% Germany 6% recovered from used batteries. Tin China 30% USA 18% 11,000 tons from Indonesia 20% Japan 16% 35 years 25 years old and new scrap were Peru 14% China 13% recycled in 1997. Brazil 10% Germany 10% A. List the main consumer of each resource. Aluminum: Iron ore: Lead: Tin: B. If consumption grows at projected rates, which mineral resource will be the first to be depleted? List the next three mineral resources in order of depletion rate. Bonus: Next to each number, list how old you will be when the mineral resource is depleted. 1. 2. 3. 4. “Mineral Commodity Summaries 1998.” USGS Minerals Information. From Web site: http://minerals.er.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/ mcs/1998; World Bureau of Metal Statistics, Metal Statistics 1986–1996. 4–6 Module, Unit 1: Managing and CLOSING THE LOOP 300 Conserving Natural Resources
9. Transparency and Student’s Page A Look at What’s Left 1998 estimate of Color No. of beads Finite resource global reserve base* Red 420 Iron in ore 112 billion metric tons Blue 105 Bauxite 28 billion metric tons Yellow 1 Tin 12 million metric tons Silver coin 1 Silver 420,000 metric tons Copper coin 3 Copper 630 million metric tons Orange 1 Lead 120 million metric tons 4–6 Module Unit 1 Purple 30 Chromium 7.5 billion metric tons Green 1 Platinum 77,359 metric tons *“The reserve base includes those resources that are currently economic (reserves), margin- ally economic (marginal reserves), and some that are currently subeconomic (subeconomic resources). Source of figures is: “U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 1998.” Note: Metric ton = 2,200 lbs. Note: The number of beads reflects a mineral’s relative, estimated total abundance—not the ease of extraction or potential availability of that mineral. The beads are not distributed in exact percentages to allow for hypothetical and undiscovered resources. 4–6 Module, Unit 1: Managing and Lesson 4: Renewable and Conserving Natural Resources 301 Nonrenewable Natural Resources
10. Transparency Depletion Time for Nonrenewable Resources 4–6 Module, Unit 1: Managing and CLOSING THE LOOP 302 Conserving Natural Resources
11. Transparency and Student’s Page A World Map 4–6 Module Unit 1 4–6 Module, Unit 1: Managing and Lesson 4: Renewable and Conserving Natural Resources 303 Nonrenewable Natural Resources
12. Background Information For The Teacher Natural resources used by humans can be clas- World mineral use increased tenfold from 1750 to sified as renewable and nonrenewable. Renew- 1900. Since 1900 world mineral use has increased able natural resources are those which can be thirteenfold.3 The future supply of nonrenewable replaced within a human lifetime over and over natural resources depends on the actual or po- again. Nonrenewable natural resources are those tential supply and the rate at which the supply is that may take millions of years to be replaced; used.4 therefore, people can rely only on those deposits Some people believe that the Earth is so rich in already in existence. natural resources that there are actually plenty of Scientists consider natural resources to be renew- natural resources available—but for a price. That able if they are replaced naturally or through price may be using even more energy and more human-assisted actions within a relatively short equipment and contributing to even greater envi- amount of time. For example, plants, such as ronmental degradation to get less easily obtained trees, can be replanted indefinitely as long as the natural resources from the Earth (e.g., drilling for trees are selectively cut, the soil in which these oil or other extracted materials in natural parks trees grow are protected from erosion, and the or fragile ecosystems). Other people believe this diversity of the forest is kept in tact. is not a reasonable choice, because the cost to the Other renewable natural resources are animals, environment exceeds the benefit of the relatively because they can reproduce and have young; small amount of material that would be extracted. water, because the water cycle keeps recycling Before we would run out of a nonrenewable water; and air, because plants and animals recycle natural resource, it is likely that the economic the air through respiration. costs of extracting it would become greater than Renewable natural resources, such as water and the extracted material would be worth. Alternate trees, can last indefinitely if people (or natural materials would need to be discovered. disasters) do not disrupt the systems that sustain Potential desirable strategies for extending the life them. For example, water sources need to be expectancy of nonrenewable resources include: protected from pollution and from depletion that • Using recycled materials rather than raw mate- exceeds replenishment by the water cycle. Trees rials whenever possible in the manufacturing must have their life requirements met—healthy process soil, stable climatic conditions to which species have adapted, adequate carbon dioxide and • Substituting products made from renewable water to perform photosynthesis, and conditions resources for products made from nonrenew- that foster reproduction of new trees. However, able resources trees can become finite resources if the demands • Having consumers examine the necessity for for them outpace the period needed for natural their use of natural resources and reducing regrowth and the balance with other components their use wherever possible in their ecosystem is disrupted. Waste can be considered both renewable and non- Nonrenewable resources are those replenished renewable. Waste contains many materials that can through extremely slow natural cycles (fossil be reused or recycled. It also contains materials fuels) or which for all practical human purposes that cannot be put to any useful purpose again. are not replenished at all (some mineral depos- The proper management of both waste and its). “Although mineral resources are continually natural resources will help to keep our environ- being formed by geologic processes, the rate is ment healthy and provide a continuous supply of so slow that we can rely only on those deposits natural resources we and other living things need already in existence. The current rate of mineral in order to live. use far exceeds the rate of formation. Mineral resources are thus considered nonrenewable.”2 3 G. Tyler Miller, Jr., Environmental Science: Working with the Earth Melissa Ballard and Mamata Pandya, Essential Learnings in 2 (Fifth edition). Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth Publishing Com- Environmental Education. Washington, D.C.: North American pany, 1995, p. 313. Association for Environmental Education, 1990, p. 78. Ibid., p. 312. 4 4–6 Module, Unit 1: Managing and CLOSING THE LOOP 304 Conserving Natural Resources
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