Cal Recycle
Conserving Natural Resources
Trying to plan an engaging elementary science unit on natural resources? Conserve your energy! This five-part series of lessons and hands-on activities has exactly what you need to teach young scholars about the importance of conservation.
Curated OER
Protecting Natural Resources
Third graders recognize what our natural resources are and their importance. In this natural resource recycling lesson, 3rd graders understand why it is important to recycle and conserve natural resources. Students can explain how...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Natural Resources
Use this slide show to introduce your class to some of our most useful natural resources. The text beneath the photographs differentiates between renewable and non-renewable resources. The need for conservation of resources and human...
Curated OER
Natural Resources: Can We Use Them Forever? Grade 2
Bright colors and animation are great ways to attract a young students attention. Students are introduced to the concepts of renewable and non-renewable resources as they pose the question, will our resources be around forever? This...
Earth Day Network
Conserving Water Through Art!
Having fresh, clean drinking water is a privilege many people take for granted. Help raise awareness about the scarcity of water and the importance of conservation by discussing different ways water is used in everyday life. Brainstorm...
Curated OER
Quarter Conservation
Here is another in the interesting series of lessons that use the special State Quarters as a learning tool. This one uses the California State Quarter. During this lesson, pupils learn the many ways they can conserve natural resources...
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Water, Water Everywhere
Water is one of the most precious resources on the earth. Explore water conservation, the importance of natural resources, and how water is used throughout the globe. Two complete activities along with discussion questions are used to...
SF Environment
Waste-Less Lunch
Is it possible to have a waste-less lunch? Can your class become leaders in conservation? Discuss the importance of reducing waste during lunch time with a fun lesson that can be extended to everyday practices. First the class examines...
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
Gifts from Land and Water
With a series of fun hands-on simulations, young children can learn about conservation and natural resources. Your learners become land detectives, discussing and investigating the gifts that the land and water provide them. They then...
City and County of San Francisco
I Want It! I Need It!
Discuss wants and needs with your elementary ecologists and get them to consider what would happen to our natural resources if we all got everything that we want. Learners play a card sorting game and take an ecological footprint quiz on...
K12 Reader
Limited Resources
Here's a comprehension exercise that asks readers to include direct quotes in their analysis of an article on ways to conserve natural resources.
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
Sharing Resources: The Nuts Game
The land has always provided its inhabitants with resources that allow them to survive. However, sometimes resources run scarce and sharing becomes an important task. Help little ones understand why and how people have shared resources...
Curated OER
Selecting the Tap: Water Safety
Examine water as a scarce natural resource instead of taking it for granted. Middle schoolers identify the traits of potable water, and research local water sources to determine if they are impaired or not.
Carnegie Mellon University
Natural Gas and Pennsylvania’s Future
Beginning with a general discussion about natural gas, methane, and hydrocarbons, a few videos and diagrams are projected to support the lecture. Individuals participate in a brief activity by drinking juice through a straw, and then...
Curated OER
Water Conservation
Open learners' eyes to the challenge of finding safe drinking water – something we often take for granted in our country. The PowerPoint presentation includes images, graphs, diagrams, and even a video to stimulate discussion on how we...
Curated OER
Is That Natural?
Young scholars examine how they use and waste natural resources. They participate in a class discussion about natural resources, in small groups complete a worksheet identifying ways students misuse natural resources, and create an...
Curated OER
Mini-Unit: Natural Resources
Learners explore how their choices affect others. In this character development and ecology instructional activity, students debate choice-making issues. Learners listen to The Lorax by Dr. Seuss and identify choices the characters...
Curated OER
A History of the Conservation in the United States
Any student interested in the natural resources should be engaged by this PowerPoint. It gives many details and examples of problems associated with resource management. The regulations and protocols established to help with the...
Curated OER
Sustainability
Here is an in-depth, and incredibly thorough lesson plan on sustainable agricultural practices; specifically, regarding the growth of coffee. After completing and discussing a worksheet called "Thinking About Tomorrow," groups of...
Curated OER
Paper Makers
Students make recycled paper out of scrap paper, water, and leaves. In this natural resources lesson plan, students learn about conservation of the forest and how we can use recycled paper to fuel our paper supply.
SF Environment
Pre-School Composting and Recycling!
You can never be too young to get involved in composting or recycling. Here is a instructional activity that has been made for the very littlest learners and it's all about the importance of conservation. They'll sort compostable and...
Curated OER
Conservation of Energy
Fifth graders examine their use of energy over a certain time period. They come up with a plan to reduce their energy consumption and carbon footprint. Groups of learners complete a chart with three columns; energy-using events, the form...
Curated OER
Recycling and Resources
Sixth graders examine ways to conserve natural resources. In this environmental lesson, 6th graders read the book Just a Dream and discuss the natural resources that they recycle. Students brainstorm ways to conserve natural resources...
Curated OER
Debating the Control of Scarce Resources
High schoolers examine the issue of government versus private sector control of natural resources. They read an article, evaluate the need for international law governing resource allocation, and participate in a class debate.