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5th grade · Science · Unit 8 of 12

Protecting Resources

Design solutions that cut the environmental impact of using natural resources.

What your child practices

Practices designing and explaining solutions such as conservation, recycling and proper disposal that reduce the environmental impact of using natural resources like water, soil, energy and materials.

Alabama Course of Study content standard: 5.14; 5.15 · protecting natural resources, and cleaning up pollution

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Using natural resources can harm land, water and air, but good designs reduce the harm.
  2. Farmers rotate crops and plant cover crops to keep soil healthy.
  3. Carpooling burns less fuel. Recycling aluminum saves energy.
  4. Proper trash disposal keeps litter from hurting animals and water.

Example: How does carpooling help the environment? Fewer cars make the trip. That burns less fuel and makes less pollution. Answer: less fuel and less air pollution

Protecting Resources in Alabama

In the Alabama Course of Study, this is unit 8 of 12 in 5th grade Science, after Energy from the Sun and before Sun, Stars & Shadows.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Which is the best way to get rid of old batteries?

    • Bury them in the yard
    • Put them in a campfire
    • Throw them in a creek
    • Take them to a battery drop-off

  2. Question 2

    Which is reusing?

    • Using a glass jar to store beads
    • Throwing the jar away
    • Buying a new jar each time
    • Breaking the jar

  3. Question 3

    Which energy resource is renewable?

    • Natural gas
    • Coal
    • Wind
    • Oil

  4. Question 4

    Which design would best keep trash out of a school creek?

    • Dumping leaves in the creek
    • A screen at the storm drain plus more trash cans
    • Removing all trash cans
    • Painting the creek

  5. Question 5

    Composting food scraps helps by…

    • making more trash
    • turning waste into rich soil
    • polluting rivers
    • using more water

  6. Question 6

    A town wants less trash in its landfill. Which plan helps most?

    • Dumping trash in fields
    • Burning trash in the open
    • Recycling and composting programs
    • More plastic bags

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