Geology and the economy
I can explain why geological resources are important to the economy, and where they come from.
Geology and the economy
I can explain why geological resources are important to the economy, and where they come from.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Mining provides valuable materials like fossil fuels, stone, and metals.
- Rare earth metals are vital for modern tech like phones and green energy.
- Oil and gas are found in underground reservoirs, beneath land or sea.
- Oil and gas take millions of years to form.
- Fossil fuels and minerals support economies through jobs and exports.
Keywords
Mining - mining is the process of digging into the ground to remove natural resources
Quarrying - the process of removing natural resources from near the surface
Economy - the way money in a particular area is made and spent
Fossil Fuels - fossil fuels are natural substances that were formed over millions of years from the buried remains of ancient organisms; they include coal, oil and gas
Development - the improvement in people's quality of life within a country or region
Common misconception
If we run out of oil, we can just make more.
Fossil fuels take millions of years to form – much longer than a human lifetime. We can’t just “make” more. Once we use them up, they’re gone. That’s why we need to balance using them with finding cleaner, renewable alternatives.
To help you plan your year 8 geography lesson on: Geology and the economy, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 8 geography lesson on: Geology and the economy, 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.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 3 geography lessons from the Rocks, weathering and soil: Why is geology important? unit, dive into the full secondary geography curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.