Earth's Gifts: Water, Trees, Soil, and Air: First Grade Social

Natural resources are the valuable materials, living treasures, and gifts provided by planet Earth that humans, plants, and animals need to survive and thrive.

What Are Natural Resources?

A natural resource is something found in nature that humans can use to meet their needs and wants. Natural resources were not invented or manufactured in human factories; they exist naturally on our planet. Every pencil you sharpen, every glass of water you drink, and every apple you chew originated from a natural resource provided by Earth.

+-------------------------------------------------------------+
|                     FOUR ESSENTIAL GIFTS OF EARTH           |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------+
|  WATER      | Drinking, cooking, cleaning, farming, plants  |
|  TREES/WOOD | Paper, lumber for houses, fruit, shade, oxygen|
|  SOIL       | Growing crops, foundation for buildings       |
|  AIR        | Clean oxygen for breathing and life           |
+-------------+-----------------------------------------------+

Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Resources

Scientists categorize natural resources into two main types based on how quickly nature can replace them: renewable and nonrenewable resources.

+---------------------+---------------------------------------+
| RESOURCE TYPE       | HOW IT BEHAVES                        |
+---------------------+---------------------------------------+
| Renewable Resource  | Can regrow or be replaced naturally in|
|                     | a short time (Sunlight, Wind, Trees)  |
| Nonrenewable        | Takes millions of years to form; once |
| Resource            | used up, it is gone (Oil, Coal, Gas)  |
+---------------------+---------------------------------------+

Renewable resources, like trees, sunlight, wind, and fresh water from rain, can be replenished naturally over time if we care for them responsibly. Nonrenewable resources, such as petroleum oil, natural gas, and metal ores buried deep underground, exist in limited quantities that cannot be quickly replaced.

Exploring Earth's Four Vital Resources

Let us look closely at the four natural resources we interact with every single day.

                    HOW NATURE'S GIFTS SUSTAIN US

  [ AIR: Oxygen ]  ---> [ WATER: Hydration ] ---> [ SOIL: Crops ]
         |                       |                      |
         v                       v                      v
  [ TREES: Shelter ] <--- [ HEALTHY HUMAN LIFE & COMMUNITY! ]

Water: The Liquid of Life

All living organisms require water. More than half of your body is made of water! We need water to drink, cook meals, brush our teeth, wash our clothes, and irrigate fields of corn and wheat.

Water also provides habitats for fish, whales, and frogs, and powers hydroelectric dams that generate electricity for our towns.

Trees and Forests: The Green Giants

Trees are among the most versatile gifts of nature. Wood harvested from trees is turned into lumber to frame our houses and desks, and into pulp to make notebook paper and cardboard boxes.

Trees also bear sweet apples, oranges, and nuts. Through photosynthesis, tree leaves absorb carbon dioxide and release fresh, clean oxygen for humans and animals to breathe. A single large tree can provide a day's supply of oxygen for four people!

+---------------------+---------------------------------------+
| RESOURCE            | HUMAN USE IN DAILY LIFE               |
+---------------------+---------------------------------------+
| Tree Wood           | Framing houses, crafting pencils,     |
|                     | making cardboard and paper            |
| Rich Soil (Loam)    | Planting vegetables, rooting forests, |
|                     | making clay bricks for buildings      |
| Fresh Air           | Breathing oxygen, turning wind turbines|
| Flowing Water       | Drinking, irrigating crops, hydropower|
+---------------------+---------------------------------------+

Soil: The Living Carpet

Soil is the thin, dark layer of loose earth covering continents. It is far more than simple dirt; healthy soil is packed with minerals, decomposing leaves, earthworms, and microscopic helpers that nourish plant roots. Without fertile topsoil, farmers could not grow grains, vegetables, or cotton for clothing.

Air: The Invisible Blanket

Air wraps around our entire planet like a warm, protective blanket called the atmosphere. Air contains the vital oxygen gas that fills our lungs with every breath we take. Moving air, which we call wind, cools our skin on hot summer days, helps birds soar, and spins giant wind turbines to generate clean electric energy.

Being Wise Stewards of Natural Resources

Because our planet has only a finite supply of clean resources, humans must practice conservation. Conservation means using natural resources carefully and avoiding waste so they last for future generations.

                   SIMPLE CONSERVATION HABITS

  Turn off faucets while brushing teeth ---> Saves gallons of clean water!
  Turn off bedroom lights when leaving  ---> Conserves energy and fuels!
  Use both sides of notebook paper      ---> Saves forest trees!

Exercises and Review

Exercise 1: What is the difference between a renewable natural resource and a nonrenewable natural resource?

Exercise 1 Solution: A renewable natural resource can be replaced or regrown naturally over a reasonable time, such as trees or fresh water from rainfall. A nonrenewable resource takes millions of years to form deep inside the Earth and exists in a limited supply that cannot be replaced once it is used up, such as coal or petroleum oil.

Exercise 2: How do trees help human beings both by what they produce and by how they clean the air?

Exercise 2 Solution: Trees provide humans with useful materials like lumber for houses, pulp for paper, and delicious fruits to eat. In addition, their green leaves absorb carbon dioxide from the air and release fresh oxygen that humans and animals need to breathe.