Natural Resource Awareness Project

Resource depletion increases climate change due to the increased production of and decreased sequestration of carbon, a major cause of climate change. Research a natural resource and educate others about how its consumption affects your community and the world.

Age group: Grades 6-12
Geographic area: Worldwide

In this project, student groups choose a natural resource (such as timber, freshwater, coal, or oil) to investigate. Each group researches how the resource has been used in history and how it is presently being used. Topics to research can include:

• The science of developing the natural resource for human use
• Environmental and climate change impacts of using the resource
• The economics of its consumption (worldwide as well as in the community)
• How possession or need of this natural resource affects domestic and international trade or conflict

Is consumption of the resource environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable? How does it impact Earth's climate? Does its use affect some people more than others? What are some ways that it could be used more sustainably? Students might want to explore other options for extracting and/or consuming the resource, ways to conserve the resource, or alternative resources that may be more climate friendly.

The next step is for your class to educate others about what you have learned. There are many possibilities for presenting your findings to the public:

• Create an educational pamphlet and place it in a central location in the school or community.
• Write and record a news information podcast and play it for the school or other classes.
• Develop and film a public service announcement and present it to the school or the larger community.
• Write and perform a skit or short play about a situation involving a conflict resulting from consumption of the natural resource.
• Write an informative brief to your state’s department of natural resources

Facing the Future lesson links:

• Climate Change: Connections and Solutions, Grades 6-8
  • all lessons
• Climate Change: Connections and Solutions, Grades 9-12
  • all lessons
• Engaging Students Through Global Issues
  • Toil for Oil

Email us about your project and how you're making a difference!