AFNR natural resources
How do we impact natural resources by our activities?
This unit helps meet some of the AFNR curriculum standards for natural resources. Students will learn how to test texture and other physical characteristics of soil, conduct water quality tests, engineer a water filter, identify air quality parameters, and research careers in natural resources. See teacher background →
Lessons
# Ecological footprint
Students examine their ecological footprint by listing all their activities and the natural resources that support those activities.
Files
# Natural Systems
Students survey the natural systems that we impact through daily living and discuss the processes that lead to degradation and improvement of each.
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# Careers in Natural Resources
Students research careers and create a “day in the life” video to describe each.
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Teacher background
Every human activity uses and impacts the natural resources of the Earth: soil, water and air. Agriculture is blamed for many negative impacts, but there are many things growers do to prevent those negative impacts. Consumers, too have many negative impacts on the Earth and its systems. This set of lessons attempts to investigate some impacts and discover ways those negative impacts can be lessened.
Next gen science standards
Science and engineering practices
- Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
- Developing and using models
- Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)
- Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Crosscutting concepts
- Systems and system models
Disciplinary core ideas/content
- ESS2A Earth materials and systems
- ESS2C The roles of water in Earth's surface processes
- ESS3A Natural resources
- ESS3C Human impacts on Earth systems
- LS1A Structure and Function
- ETS1A Defining and Delimiting an Engineering problem
- ETS1B Developing possible solutions
- ETS1C Optimizing the design solution
- ETS2B Influence of engineering, technology and science on society and the natural world
Curriculum authors
Courtney Bockbrader
Agriculture Education Instructor at Anthony Wayne High School and Penta Career Center
Whitney Short
Agriculture teacher at Pettisville High School
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