materials or substances that occur naturally in the environment and can be used by humans to meet their needs

can replenish naturally over short periods of time

take millions of years to form and cannot be quickly replaced

Natural resources: The things we use

Geography

Energy use around the world

Energy in the UK

Windfarms: Decision making exercise

Fish resources

Sustainable fishing

Food resources

A solution: genetically modified crops

The future: hydroponics and aquaponics

The palm oil dilemma

Consumption and climate change

Rare earth materials

This unit teaches pupils about the growing demand for natural resources and the different renewable and non-renewable ways humans try to meet their needs. Pupils will learn the impact of overexploitation and some of the ways natural resource exploitation can be managed.

Natural resources: Can Earth meet our needs?

a form of energy that powers electronics by moving tiny charged particles

sources of energy that can be reused and will not be used up or run out (e.g. solar energy)

sources of energy that cannot be replaced that will eventually run out (e.g. coal)

natural substances that were formed over millions of years from the buried remains of ancient organisms; they include coal, oil and gas

something that can be reused and will not be used up or run out

something that cannot be replaced that will eventually run out

the combination of different sources of energy used to meet a region or country’s overall energy needs

meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

a device that generates electricity from wind power

an area in the countryside where a group of wind turbines has been placed to generate electricity

a location that is protected from harsh conditions such as strong winds

a network of wires, power stations and systems that deliver electricity from where it is produced to where it is used by consumers

related to the making of money from buying or selling things

the natural home or environment of an animal, plant or other organism

marine animals (sea creatures) that are unintentionally caught while fishing for a different species

a type of fishing boat which catches fish by dragging a large net through the water

the total value of all the goods and services produced in a country (its Gross Domestic Product) in a year, divided by the population

occurs when someone isn’t receiving enough calories or essential nutrients to grow and function well

the ability of people to access sufficient, safe, and nutritious food

plants whose genes have been altered in a lab to give them improved traits

the amount produced, especially in farming

substances that are added to soil or sprayed on plants to protect the plants from pests such as insects

substances that are added to soil or sprayed on plants to protect the plants from weeds

using nutrient-rich water to grow plants without soil

using nutrient-rich water from the farming of aquatic animals to nourish plants

meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own need

edible oil from the fruit of oil palm trees

the variety of living things in an ecosystem or area

a large-scale and long-term change in the planet’s climate, including weather patterns and average temperatures

gases in Earth’s atmosphere that trap heat

a group of 17 metallic elements that are essential to modern technologies but challenging to extract and refine

the remaining extractable amount of resources, such as minerals or energy sources

metallic elements with high density, atomic weight or atomic number, many are known for their toxicity

Natural resources: Can Earth meet our needs?

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