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8th grade · Science · Unit 9 of 9

Resources & Hazards

Where resources are found and how hazards are forecast

What your child practices

Why Earth's mineral, energy and water resources are spread unevenly, how scientists forecast natural hazards, and how using limited resources affects living things, with Arizona examples: copper, groundwater and Colorado River water, and monsoon forecasts.

Arizona Academic Standards learning standard: 8.E1U3.7; 8.E1U3.8 · predicting natural hazards from data, and how using limited resources affects the biosphere

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Minerals, energy and water are spread unevenly because of past geologic processes, like copper deposits.
  2. Scientists forecast hazards with data, but can’t yet predict an earthquake’s exact date.
  3. Recycling, such as aluminum cans, saves energy and ore.

Example: Why are mineral resources found only in some places? Minerals collect through processes like volcanoes and ancient seas. Those happened in some places, not all. Answer: past geologic processes concentrated them there

Resources & Hazards in Arizona

In the Arizona Academic Standards, this is unit 9 of 9 in 8th grade Science, after Earth's History & Fossils.

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: Arizona Department of Education

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

    Taconite pellets are made on the Iron Range by crushing rock and…

    • pulling out the iron with magnets
    • melting it with lava
    • drying it in the sun
    • dissolving it in seawater

  2. Question 2

    Scientists forecast monsoon storms using…

    • coin flips
    • radar, satellites and weather data
    • the shape of clouds alone

  3. Question 3

    Which hazard can scientists forecast days ahead?

    • A hurricane's path
    • A lightning strike's exact spot
    • A meteor hitting a house
    • The exact minute of an earthquake

  4. Question 4

    Much of central Arizona's water comes through the Central Arizona Project from…

    • the Pacific Ocean
    • the Colorado River
    • melting glaciers in town

  5. Question 5

    Reclaimed mine pits on the Iron Range are often turned into…

    • deserts
    • lakes and parks
    • volcanoes
    • new mountains

  6. Question 6

    Why might two neighboring countries have very different amounts of oil?

    • Oil is made in factories
    • Oil formed only where ancient conditions were right
    • One country used magic
    • Oil moves daily

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