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Natural Resources: The Renewable and the Nonrenewable

Students sort Earth’s resources into renewable and nonrenewable — learning that some sources of energy can be replaced quickly while others, once used, are gone for a very long time.

Grade 4Natural Resources45 minutes1 class period5E ModelExplicit teaching4 StandardsCommon Core
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain what a natural resource is.
  • ✓Sort resources into renewable and nonrenewable.
  • ✓Explain where our energy comes from.
  • ✓Describe how using resources affects the environment.
Essential Question

The Sun will shine tomorrow, but the world’s oil is slowly running out. Which of Earth’s resources can we replace — and which can’t?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive Model

Renewable or Nonrenewable?

Project this and sort each energy source into “Renewable” or “Nonrenewable.” Tap one, then tap the bucket — and talk about why.

♻️ Sort each source — renewable or not?Try it
♻️ Renewable
⛽ Nonrenewable
Tap a source, then tap a bucket.
The Lesson · 5E Model

45 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Engage — Will It Run Out?

5 min

Sunlight vs. oil — which will we always have?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Compare sunlight and oil.
  • Ask which could run out.
  • Set the goal: renewable vs. not.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Compare the two sources.
  • Predict which runs out.
  • Guess the terms.
2

Explore — Sort the Sources

12 min

Students investigate by sorting.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to the sorter.
  • Define renewable (replaced quickly).
  • Define nonrenewable (limited).

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sort each source.
  • Explain each choice.
  • Define the two terms.
3

Explain — Where Energy Comes From

12 min

Teacher explains.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show most electricity comes from fuels.
  • Explain renewables (sun, wind, water).
  • Connect resources to daily energy use.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Trace energy to its source.
  • Name renewables.
  • Explain the difference.
4

Elaborate — Caring for Resources

11 min

Connect to the environment.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Discuss effects of using fuels (pollution).
  • Explain conserving and reusing.
  • Ask how we can use less.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Explain an environmental effect.
  • Suggest a way to conserve.
  • Choose a renewable to support.
5

Evaluate — Exit Ticket

5 min

Three quick checks.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Hand out the exit ticket.
  • Look for renewable vs. nonrenewable.
  • Collect as formative data.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sort a source.
  • Explain the difference.
  • Name a way to conserve.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core literacy. State-standard crosswalks available on request.

NGSS
4-ESS3-1

Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and their uses affect the environment.

NGSS
4-ESS3-2

Generate and compare solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth processes on humans.

NGSS
5-ESS3-1

Obtain and combine information about ways communities protect Earth’s resources and environment.

CCSS
RI.4.9

Integrate information from two texts on the same topic to write or speak knowledgeably.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Picture cards of resources to sort.
  • Sentence frame: “___ is renewable/nonrenewable.”
  • Sun/wind vs. oil/coal images.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with sunlight vs. oil.
  • Use a two-column sort.
  • Focus on “can it be replaced quickly?”

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Research how a solar panel works.
  • Explain why fossil fuels are nonrenewable.
  • Design a plan to save energy at school.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 📓Science notebooks
  • 💻Renewable or Nonrenewable?
  • 🖼️Resource picture cards
  • ✏️Pencils
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

natural resourcesomething from nature people userenewablecan be replaced quickly (sun, wind)nonrenewablelimited; takes ages to replacefossil fueloil, coal, or gas from ancient lifeenergythe ability to do workconserveto save and use lesssolarenergy from the Sunenvironmentthe world around us
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is the difference between a renewable and a nonrenewable resource?
A renewable resource (like sunlight or wind) can be replaced quickly; a nonrenewable resource (like oil or coal) is limited and takes millions of years to form.
QUESTION 2
Is sunlight renewable or nonrenewable?
Renewable — the Sun keeps shining, so it won’t run out.
QUESTION 3
Name one way to conserve energy.
Sample: turn off lights, walk or bike, or use less water and power.

Going deeper? Energy audit your classroom.

Have students look for places energy is used or wasted in the classroom and suggest ways to conserve, then track the changes for a week. A printable energy-audit sheet is in the Science library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Natural ResourcesFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Natural ResourcesQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Natural ResourcesPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: conserve, energy, environment, fossil fuel, natural resource, nonrenewable, renewable, solar
  1. can be replaced quickly (sun, wind)
  2. the world around us
  3. something from nature people use
  4. to save and use less
  5. limited; takes ages to replace
  6. oil, coal, or gas from ancient life
  7. energy from the Sun
  8. the ability to do work

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is the difference between a renewable and a nonrenewable resource?
  2. Is sunlight renewable or nonrenewable?
  3. Name one way to conserve energy.
Answer key — Part A: 1) renewable · 2) environment · 3) natural resource · 4) conserve · 5) nonrenewable · 6) fossil fuel · 7) solar · 8) energy
Part B: 1) A renewable resource (like sunlight or wind) can be replaced quickly; a nonrenewable resource (like oil or coal) is limited and takes millions of years to form. 2) Renewable — the Sun keeps shining, so it won’t run out. 3) Sample: turn off lights, walk or bike, or use less water and power.