Year 5 - Geography
Introducing natural resources
Natural resources: what are they, where are they found, why are they important?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit introduces natural resources, including food, water, minerals and energy. Pupils explore where different resources are found, how they are used, and the effects of this use on people and the environment.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to name some natural resources and describe how they can be used.
Key Notes
- Natural resources are materials produced by the environment that humans can make use of.
- All of these natural resources are important to us and our daily lives, some are renewable and some are not.
- Natural resources are unequally distributed globally and people have unequal access to them, which can cause conflict.
- Some resources, like food and water, are essential to life; others, like precious gem stones, are not.
Vocabulary To Learn
- resource distribution: Resource distribution means how resources are spread out across a geographic area.
- energy: Energy is the power used to make things work, for example to provide heat or light or to operate machinery.
- minerals: Minerals are chemical substances that are formed naturally and are found in the ground or in rocks.
- renewable: Renewable means that something can be re-used and will not be used up or run out.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Coal, gas and oil are the only natural resources.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this geography topic using two clear key points.
Natural resources are materials produced by the environment that humans can make use of. All of these natural resources are important to us and our daily lives, some are renewable and some are not.
2. Define this geography term and use it in an example. 'resource distribution'
Resource distribution means how resources are spread out across a geographic area.
3. Correct this common geography misunderstanding.
Mistake: Coal, gas and oil are the only natural resources. Correction: There are many other natural resources, including water, food and precious stones.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 5 Geography guide library.