- On what types of Earth resources do we depend?
- What phenomena are likely to endanger or deplete each resource?
- What possible alternatives can we develop?
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EARTH’S RESOURCES
ENV.ER.1: Energy Resources
- ENV.ER.1a Renewable and nonrenewable energy sources and efficiency
- ENV.ER.1b Alternate energy sources and efficiency
- ENV.ER.1c Resource availability
- ENV.ER.1d Mining and resource extraction
ENV.ER.2 Air and Air Pollution
- ENV.ER.2a Primary and secondary contaminants
- ENV.ER.2b Greenhouse gases
- ENV.ER.2c Clean Air Act
ENV.ER.3: Water and Water Pollution
- ENV.ER.3a Potable water and water quality
- ENV.ER.3b Hypoxia, eutrophication
- ENV.ER.3c Clean Water Act
- ENV.ER.3d Point source and non-point source contamination
ENV.ER.4 Soil and Land
- ENV.ER.4a Desertification
- ENV.ER.4b Mass movement and erosion
- ENV.ER.4c Sediment contamination
- ENV.ER.4d Land use and land management (including food production, agriculture, and zoning)
- ENV.ER.4e Solid and hazardous waste
ENV.ER.6 Wildlife and Wilderness
- ENV.ER.6a Wildlife and wilderness management
- ENV.ER.6b Invasive species
- ENV.ER.6c Introduces species
Science Inquiry and Application
- Identify questions and concepts that guide scientific investigations
- Design and conduct scientific investigations
- Use technology and mathematics to improve investigations and communication
- Formulate and revise explanations and models using logic and evidence (critical thinking)
- Recognize and analyze explanations and models, and
- Communicate and support a scientific argument
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- We depend on energy resources, our atmosphere, our water supply, and our land. These resources are interrelated.
- Mining, overuse, pollution, and irresponsible use all deplete or contaminate our resources.
- Humans depend on many various resources are available on Earth.
- The extraction of such resources can cause contamination problems. Remediation techniques and the storage/disposal of the resources or by-products. Conservation, protection and sustainability of Earth’s resources also are included.
- Models can show us what is currently happening on Earth and can predict what might happen in the future, under various scenarios.
- Critical thinking, design thinking, and problem-solving skills can help us engineer ways to use solar energy, to keep our atmosphere clean, and to reduce sources of pollution entering our water.
- Scientific claims are supported by evidence and explained by scientific reasoning.
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| Learning Targets:
This topic explores the availability of Earth’s resources, extraction of the resources, contamination problems, remediation techniques and the storage/disposal of the resources or by-products. Conservation, protection and sustainability of Earth’s resources also are included. This builds upon grades 6-8 within the Earth and Space Science strand (sections pertaining to energy and Earth’s resources) and the biology and physical science (in particular chemistry and energy topics) courses at the high school level.
To understand the effects that certain contaminants may have on the environment, scientific investigations and research must be conducted on a local, national and global level. Water, air, land, and biotic field and lab sampling/testing equipment and methods must be utilized with real-world application. Quantifiable field and/or lab data must be used to analyze and draw conclusions regarding air, water or landquality. Examples of types of water-quality testing include: hydraulic conductivity, suspended and dissolved solids, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, temperature, pH, fecal coliform and macro-invertebrate studies. Wetland or woodland delineations and analysis, land use analysis and air monitoring (e.g., particulate matter sizes/amount) are all appropriate field study investigations. Comparative analysis of scientific field or lab data should be used to quantify the environmental quality or conditions. Local data also can be compared to national and international data.
The study of relevant, local problems can be a way to connect the classroom to the real world. Within Ohio, there are numerous environmental topics that can be iinvestigated. Examples include wetland loss or mitigation, surface or ground water
contamination (including sediment, chemical or thermal contamination), acid rain, septic system or sewage overflows/failures, landfill seepage, underground storage tank/pipe releases, deforestation, invasive species, air pollution (e.g., photochemical smog or particulate matter), soil loss/erosion or acid mine drainage.
At the advanced science level, renewable and nonrenewable energy resources topics investigate the effectiveness, risk and efficiency for differing types of energy resources at a local, state, national and global level. This builds upon grades 6-8 within both Earth and Space Science, and physical science at the high school level. Nuclear and geothermal energy are included in this topic. Feasibility, availability, remediation and environmental cost are included in the extraction, storage, use and disposal of both abiotic and biotic resources.
Environmental impact must be evaluated as it pertains to both the environmentaland human risk. Examples include chemical hazards, radiation, biological hazards, toxicology and risk analysis studies. Learning about conservation and protection of the environment also requires an understanding of laws and regulations that exist to preserve resources and reduce and/or remediate contamination, but the emphasis should be on the science behind the laws and regulations.
Relating Earth’s resources to a global scale and using technology to collect global resource data for comparative classroom study is recommended. In addition, it is important to connect the industry and the scientific community to the classroom to increase the depth of understanding. Critical thinking and problem-solving skills are important in evaluating resource use, management and conservation. New discoveries and research are important parts of this topic. |
Students will be know and/or able to....
- Define and give examples of renewable and non-renewable resources. In which -sphere could you place each one? Give examples of their interconnectedness.
- Determine the effectiveness and efficiency for differing types of energy resources at a local, state, national and global level.
- Feasibility, availability and environmental cost are included in the extraction, storage, use and disposal of both abiotic and biotic resources.
- Interpret 3-D and virtual models, simulations and real-world data to investigate energy resources and exploration.
- Describe and explain the importance of current, actual data, contemporary science and technological advances in the field of energy resources.
- Relate Earth’s resources (energy, air, water, soil) on a global scale. Use technology to collect global resource data for comparative study.
- Describe the role of industry and the scientific community in learning about Earth's resources.
- Critical thinking and problem-solving skills are important in evaluating resource use and conservation.
- Smaller scale investigations, such as a field study to monitor stream quality, construction mud issues, stormwater management, nonpoint source contamination problems (e.g., road-salt runoff, agricultural runoff, parking lot runoff) or thermal water contamination can be useful in developing a deeper understanding of Earth’s resources.
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