Natural Resources Activities for Kids: 5 Fun Ideas Your Class Will Love
Finding activities about natural resources that actually engage students can feel like a challenge, especially when kids have heard the basics every year. These 5 natural resources activities for kids cover everything from vocabulary and videos to hands-on projects your class will love. Whether you teach 2nd or 3rd grade, you’ll find simple, low-prep ideas you can use right away.
Want a free sample before you dive in? Grab my free Natural Resources Vocabulary Cards and Worksheets. Perfect for introducing this unit with zero prep.
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Fun Natural Resources Lesson Plans
When planning out your lessons, first take a look at the standards your grade has to cover. I normally leave myself a week to teach about a general topic in science because I am a realist and know I probably won’t get it all done. (I never get it all done – too many meetings).
If you’re looking to save some time, my natural resources activties pack has premade lesson plans already made and ready to go!
Vocabulary Activities About Natural Resources
Since I teach in Texas and there are a lot of ESL learners where I am from, I always start a new topic with vocab words and an anchor chart. Monday we work on our vocab activity and the kids copy down the anchor chart that we make at the beginning of the unit.
Here is a picture of the vocab cards we use in my class.
Engaging Natural Resources Worksheets
Worksheets can get a bad wrap but it’s all about how you use them. Here are some simple ways to make a worksheet purposeful and fun.
- Give students a clipboard and a worksheet and have students walk around the room and survey other students for answers.
- Pair students up with a partner and have students fill in the worksheet with two different color pencils (this allows you to make sure both partners are doing their fair share.)
- Pass out clipboards and take students outside to enjoy a different environment.
- Play Showdown – make groups of 3-4 and have one student read the question while the others race to write the answer. (Kagan Education)
- Write the questions on flashcards and have students play Quiz, Quiz, Trade – Students can walk around the room and quiz other students. When all of the questions have been answered, pass out the worksheet for students to fill out the answers. (Kagan Education)
Want worksheets your students can use right away?
My Natural Resources Worksheets are ready to print and cover renewable and nonrenewable resources, vocabulary, and more. No prep needed.
Videos About Natural Resources
Here are two of my favorite videos on natural resources. Videos are great natural resources activities your students will love. The first one is great for younger grades, and the second is perfect for students who want to dig a little deeper.
Types of Natural Resources on Earth
In this video, students learn that natural resources are found all over the earth. They also learn that there are two different types of natural resources — renewable and nonrenewable.
Welcome to the Neighborhood — Crash Course Kids
I love Crash Course videos on Youtube. The host talks fast, but they go into a lot of detail and the graphics and images are always very engaging.
I love using QR codes in my class. My students work so well independently when they get to use them! If you are looking for more natural resources digital activities, check out my post on easy ways to teach natural resources virtually for ideas on going digital with this unit.
Books about Natural Resources
Looking for books to go along with your natural resources activities? These are some of my favorites for 2nd and 3rd grade. They also make great additions to your Earth Day collection!
- The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle: A Story About Recycling
- The Adventures of an Aluminum Can: A Story About Recycling
- One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia
- The Water Princess
- Don’t Throw That Away!: A Lift-the-Flap Book about Recycling and Reusing
- I Can Save the Earth!: One Little Monster Learns to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
Art Activities About Natural Resources
One of my favorite activities about natural resources is getting creative with recycled materials. I keep a box in my classroom where students toss leftover art supplies and scrap paper. On rainy days or when we have extra time, kids dig through the box and make art using whatever they find. You would be surprised how much they love it!
For a bigger project, try an Art Car challenge! In Houston we have the famous Houston Art Car Parade every year. Our school did our own version where each class used recycled and leftover materials to build an “Art Car” from a large cardboard box and a lot of hot glue. My students had the best time and it tied perfectly into our natural resources unit.
I hope these activities about natural resources help make planning easier this year! For more second grade geography fun, check out my post on geography activities for kids and map features lessons for second graders.
Looking for everything in one place?
My Natural Resources Bundle includes lesson plans, worksheets, digital activities, vocabulary, assessments, and more. Everything you need to teach this unit from start to finish. No planning required.
Happy Teaching!
Sarah
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