"Renewable Resources: Ancient Civilizations" Lesson Plan

Keywords: renewable resources, environmental impact, sustainability, ecosystem

Prepared by: Stephanie L. Rau, substitute, Mercer & Slippery Rock School Districts

Lesson Plan Grade Level: seventh and eighth grades

Total Time Required by Lesson: 45 minutes

Setting: classroom

Subjects Covered: social studies, history, ecology

Topics: past resource use, society's impact on the environment

Goals for the Lesson

• Students will explore past use of natural resources.
• Students will use their knowledge of past civilizations to uncover their use of their environment.

Materials Needed

• classroom text
• library resource books

State Standards Addressed: E & E Standards: Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources (4.2); Environmental Health (4.3); Humans and the Environment (4.8)

Introduction

• Class will be divided into groups of five students. Each group will represent a different past civilization.
• Each group will compose a list of products common in the daily life of the members of their civilization. (10 minutes)
• Groups are to identify and label each item as renewable, recyclable, or neither.
• Groups are to rate their civilization in regards to lasting environmental impact, 1-4.(1: no impact; 2: minor impact; 3: significant impact; 4: permanent negative impact). (10 minutes)
• Students should be able to support their evaluations with facts.

Summing Up (25 minutes)

• Each group will choose a spokesperson to present their findings and evaluations to the class. (5 minutes for each group)
• Class discussion.
• Class will vote to determine if they agree with the 1-4 rating assigned by the group.