Earth's resources and sustainable development
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe examples of how humans can ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ to support sustainable development.
Key learning points
- Humans use Earth’s natural resources for most of our material needs.
- Finite resources exist in limited quantities and will run out because we use them quicker than they can be regenerated.
- Synthetic products such as plastic and glass are made by humans using natural resources.
- Sustainable development meets our needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
- Use of renewable resources, and the reuse and recycling of products, are sustainable development strategies.
Keywords
Natural resources - Substance that can be found within the environment.
Renewable resources - Renewable resources will not run out because they are regenerated or replaced within our lifetime.
Finite resources - Finite resources exist in limited quantities on Earth and will run out if we keep using them because they cannot be regenerated or replaced within our lifetime.
Synthetic products - Synthetic products such as plastic and glass are made by humans using natural resources.
Sustainable development - Sustainable development helps us to meet the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
Common misconception
Students believing that sustainability is someone else's responsibility.
Everyone needs to reduce, reuse and recycle to ensure sustainable development. The slide deck gives examples of products that can be recycled and the benefits of reducing, reusing and recycling.
Teacher tip
Get students to consider how they could be more sustainable, or changes that could be made in the learning setting to make it more sustainable.
Equipment
None required.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these natural resources are fossil fuels?
Q2.What do humans use Earth's resources for?
Q3.Which of the following are natural resources?
Q4.How can we reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill?
Q5.Which of the following statements about finite resources are true?
Q6.Match the definition with the correct key term.
come from Earth, the oceans and the atmosphere
are not used up, and can be replaced or regenerated in our lifetime
once used cannot be regenerated or replaced in our lifetime
are man-made from natural resources
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of the following are synthetic products?
Q2.Match Earth's resource to where it is used by humans?
clothing
shelter
transport
food
Q3.What term is used to describe resources that are not used up, or can be replaced in our lifetime?
Q4.What is sustainable development?
Q5.Which of the following are benefits of reducing, reusing and recycling products?
Q6.A student normally buys a bottle of water before school each day and throws the bottle away, in the bin, at the end of the day. How could they be more sustainable?
To help you plan your 11 chemistry lesson on: Earth's resources and sustainable development, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 chemistry lesson on: Earth's resources and sustainable development, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 chemistry lessons from the Using Earth's resources unit, dive into the full secondary chemistry curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.