Protect our resources - Worksheet for scholars
We have learned about natural resources - things that we can use that come from nature to produce (make) certain products.
- Name at least 5 natural resources and say what they are used for.
Nature and Earth is wonderful and has a lot of things to offer us that can be useful to us. Lets have a look at a few things we get from Earth.
We can use soil and mix it with sand and water and then pour it into a mould, dry it and make our own bricks that can be used for paving or building a house. These type of bricks were used to build houses long ago and are still used in some rural areas (places on farms or far from cities.)
- Have a look at the video and make your own mud brick. You can even make some small ones and build your own little house. Get those hands dirty and have some fun.
Gold is also found in the crust of the Earth. It is a very valuable metal that people use to make jewelry and it also has some other uses.
Gold is very soft so it has to be mixed with other metals to make it harder and easier to work with so that the people can manufacture different products.
Other resources like iron ore and silver and coal are also mined.
- Read more about the whole mining process for enrichment.
- Answer the following questions on the reading piece
- What did people from long ago use the rocks and minerals they got from Earth for?
- Name 5 minerals/metals that is found in the Earth.
- What is "gold panning"? Find a video that demonstrates this technique.
- What is an "open pit mine" and what is mined in these type of mines?
- Explain the word "quarrying" in your own words.
- Where do they drill for oil? Find your own pictures of an oil rig.
- Explain how mining can harm the Earth and what do people have to do to reverse the damage they have done when they are finish mining.
- Watch the video on interesting uses of gold that you maybe did not know about. Find more information or pictures on other uses of gold.
You also know that we get our food from the Earth - fruits and vegetables. If we do not protect the soil we will not have any left to plant our plants in.
All natural resources must be protected and not used up at once or wasted. We need to leave some for the future generations.
- What does "future generations" mean?
- Which type of fruits and vegetables would you like to plant in your garden? Design (draw) your own plan for a garden you would like to have. You can even build a 3 D model if you want.
- If you really are interested in starting your own vegetable garden, you can ask your parents which area in the garden you can use, or if you do not have a lot of space, look at the different ideas you can use for your vegetables to grow.
Seeds are resources that we can use to grow new plants. If a plant starts growing we say it is germinating. You must remember to water the seeds and plants and they must also get enough sunlight.
- Why does a plant need water and light?
- Look at the life cycle of a sunflower seed. Read through all the steps and make sure that you understand each word and can explain it in your own words. If you do not understand, ask or look up the meaning of the word.
- Can you think of uses for sunflower seed?
- Do you like nuts? Nuts are seeds that we can eat. Read the extra information on types of nuts.
The Earth can offer us so many resources and without it we will not be able to make a living or eat. We need to realize how important Earth is to us and start protecting it for many years to come.
Sources for extra information
http://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-mining/
https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/shopping-storing/food/common-types-nuts#almonds
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