7th Grade UBD – Unit 1 – Culture and Geography

 What are Natural Resources- Natural resources, such as fossil fuels and other energy sources, are unevenly distributed throughout the world.  People’s Effect on the Environment- Climate change, extinction of species, and pollution of life-supporting air and water has become a growing concern for nations all over the world. Knowing about the various ways in which humans have affected the environment will help us understand and address the problems better.

 How much do you throw away each day? How much do you recycle? What do you own that is made of recycled material? Jot down your answers. (5 minutes)

 Work with a neighbor and compare your answers with theirs. What things are the same and what things are different? (3 minutes)

 Natural resources are materials in natural environments that people value and use to satisfy their needs.  Today, nations are searching for new energy sources and competing for those that already exist.  If people continue using coal, natural gas, and petroleum at today’s rate, the Earth will run out of fossil fuels in the next 100 years.

 People have always depended on soil, water, plants, animals, minerals, and other resources for their survival.  Resources come in different kinds. Natural resources are materials in natural environments that people value and use to satisfy their needs.

 People can use some resources just the way they come from nature. Fresh water is one. But most resources must be changed before people use them.  Recourses that must be altered, or changed, before they can be used are called raw materials. Trees are the raw material for paper and wood.

Key Term Natural Resource– Any useful material found in the environment.

 Modern industrial countries use energy to light cities, power cars and airplanes, and run computers and other machines. The main energy source is nonrenewable fossil fuels.  Today, nations are searching for new energy sources and competing for those that already exist.

 Some natural resources, called renewable resources, are constantly being regenerated or replaced by the environment.  Natural growth takes time. However, human activities can interfere with the process of renewal. An oil spill, for example, might affect the wildlife in a bay for many years.

Key Term Renewable Resource– A natural resource that the environment continues to supply or replace as it is used; the sun, trees, water, and wind are renewable resources.

 Nonrenewable resources cannot be replaced once they have been used.  Nonrenewable resources are minerals formed in the Earth’s crust over millions of years.  The Earth only a limited supply of them, and it takes millions of years to replace them.

Key Term Nonrenewable Resource– A resource that cannot be replaced once it is used; nonrenewable resources include things such as coal, oil, iron, copper, and gold.

 Fossil fuels were created over millions of years from the remains of prehistoric plants and animals.  These fuels are no longer being created. As a result fossil fuels are nonrenewable resources.  If people continue using coal, natural gas, and petroleum at today’s rate, the Earth will run out of fossil fuels in the next 100 years.

 Everyone in the world needs energy. But energy resources are not evenly spread around the world. Certain areas are rich in some energy resources while others have very few.

Video- Natural Resources Affects Living Patterns

1. Why does the value of certain natural resources vary? 2. Why do some people and nations encourage the development of energy resources other than fossil fuels? 3. How does the distribution of resources around the world affect patterns of settlement and migration?

1. Why does the value of certain natural resources vary?  The value depends on human needs as well as on the availability of technology to use a resource. 2. Why do some people and nations encourage the development of energy resources other than fossil fuels?  Fossil Fuels are nonrenewable. Their use causes pollution. 3. How does the distribution of resources around the world affect patterns of settlement and migration?  People tend to settle where resources are available or near the means of transporting them. Migration patterns may also be determined by access to resources.

 Many of the environmental problems we face are the result of actions people took in the past. Now people pay more attention to the environmental issues. Make a list of things you and your community could do to improve your environment. (5 minutes)

 Work with a neighbor and compare your answers with theirs. What things are the same and what things are different? (3 minutes)

 In 1973, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act.  Acid rain is rain that carries dangerous chemicals.  Scientists are exploring nuclear power, water, wind, and sun as alternatives to fossil fuels.

Key Term Global Warming– A slow increase in Earth’s temperature due to the increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

 In 1973, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act. It gave the government power to protect not only species that might become extinct but also the places that they live, or their habitats due to pollution.

Key Term Habitats– The area in which a plant or animal naturally grows or lives.

 Acid rain is rain that carries dangerous chemicals. The fossil fuels used by industries and automobiles release chemicals into the air. The chemicals combine with water vapor in the air, making the rain as acidic as vinegar.  Canada and the United States now have laws to reduce acid rain.

Key Term Acid Rain– Rain whose high levels of chemicals can pollute or damage the environment.

 People have always dumped waste products into rivers, lakes and oceans.  These wastes harm or destroy living things in the water. They also endanger people.  The substances pass from one living thing to another. Some of these substances are poisons.

 Fertilizers and pesticides from farms also pollute water. Rainwater washes the substances into lakes and rivers.  There, the fertilizers cause water plants to grow too fast, and they use up oxygen needed by fish and water life.

 Scientists are exploring nuclear power, water, wind, and sun as alternatives to fossil fuels.  The United States produces more waste than any other nation in the world.  To change that, people now recycle, or re-use old material to make new products.

Key Term Recycle– To reuse materials to make new products.

Video- Pollution is a Global Killer

1. Countries such as what have laws to reduce acid rain? 2. What act passed by Congress gave the government power to protect species that might become extinct as well as their habitats? 3. What country produces more waste than any other nation in the world?

1. Countries such as what have laws to reduce acid rain?  Canada and the United States now have laws to reduce acid rain. 2. What act passed by Congress gave the government power to protect species that might become extinct as well as their habitats?  In 1973, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act that protects different animal species and their habitats. 3. What country produces more waste than any other nation in the world?  The United States produces more waste than any other nation in the world.

 Write a letter explaining why fresh water should or should not be protected. Your response should be at least half a page.

 What has been the “muddiest” point so far in this lesson? That is, what topic remains the least clear to you? (4 minutes)

 Work with a neighbor and compare your muddiest point with theirs. Compare what things are the same and what things are different? (3 minutes)