Natural Resources Lesson Plans Kids Love: 4 Fun Activities

A yellow binder opened to show a tablet with a Natural Resources Google Slides cover beside a Geography Natural Resources lesson plans printable unit cover featuring a child with a watering can and waterfall photo, on a light blue background.

Finding natural resources lesson plans that keep students engaged doesn’t have to be hard. These easy activities work great as classroom centers, independent work, or early finisher tasks, no extra prep needed. Whether you teach 2nd or 3rd grade, your students will love working through these on their own. For even more ideas, check out these natural resources activities your class will love.

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Grab my free Natural Resources Vocabulary Cards and Worksheets; perfect for introducing this unit!

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Natural Resources Lesson Plans: Where to Start

I recommend spending about a week on this topic so students have time to work through each activity at their own pace. Start with the vocabulary and anchor chart on day one, then move into the slides and reading comprehension pages as the week goes on. The sorting and drag and click activities make perfect end of unit review centers.

Bring Natural Resources to Life with Videos

Videos are a great way to introduce natural resources before students work independently. Here are two of my favorites:

Types of Natural Resources on Earth

Resources: Welcome to the Neighborhood!

I recommend showing these videos at the beginning of your unit as a whole class introduction. After watching, students are ready to work through the centers and independent activities on their own with a much stronger understanding of the topic.

Introduce Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources with Google Slides

Natural resources lesson plans showing a Google Slides digital activity on a tablet with a mountain waterfall scene, placed on a blue gingham notebook with a paper clip and pencils.

Google Slides are perfect for introducing renewable and nonrenewable resources as a whole class lesson or as an independent center activity. My Natural Resources Digital Slides are ready to assign in Google Classroom, students can work through them at their own pace with no extra prep from you.

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My Natural Resources Digital Activities are ready to assign in Google Classroom; no prep, no planning, just open and teach.

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Natural Resources Reading Comprehension: Independent Work Kids Can Do Alone

Reading comprehension pages are one of my favorite ways to give students meaningful independent work.

A tablet showing a Natural Resources reading comprehension activity with four questions about what natural resources are, where they are found, and the difference between renewable and nonrenewable resources, on a blue gingham background.

I typed up simple questions to go along with the natural resources topic and assigned each student the page to complete. It works great as an early finisher activity, a center, or a quiet independent task.

I love this activity because it requires zero management from me. Once students know the routine, they can open their Google Classroom assignment and get started right away. It is perfect for those days when you need everyone working quietly and independently.

Want to try a free sample first?

Grab my free Natural Resources Vocabulary Cards and Worksheets. Perfect for introducing this unit with zero prep!

Three free natural resources activity pages fanned out showing a vocabulary bingo board, a reuse and reduce anchor chart with photos, and a freebies cover page with a child watering plants, on a white background.

Grab Your Free Natural Resources Worksheets

Natural Resources Sorting Activity: Drag and Click for Kids

A natural resources sorting activity is one of the best ways to get students working independently. Students sort objects into categories: renewable, nonrenewable, natural, and manmade. The activities are self-checking and easy to grade in Google Classroom.

A child's hand pointing to a natural resources sorting activity on a tablet, showing pictures of water, a bicycle, coal, a lightbulb, a computer, the sun, grass, and keys on a blue gingham background with pencils.

You can also use these as a fast finisher activity for students who finish their work early. Since they are self-checking, students get instant feedback without needing to wait for you to grade them.

Looking for everything in one place?

My Natural Resources Bundle has everything you need to teach this unit from start to finish. It includes printable worksheets, Google Slides, drag and click activities, vocabulary cards, and more. It is the best value and saves you hours of planning.