Using Natural Resources for Energy introduces Grade 4 students to real-world examples and fundamental concepts that will be explored in greater depth in later grades. Students will learn about how energy and fuels are derived from natural resources. Examples of renewable energy in this unit include wind, solar, and hydroelectric technologies. Nonrenewable energy sources include fossil fuels and nuclear energy. Students investigate cause-and-effect relationships between habitats and human use of resources during this unit. They explore how to communicate information about the costs and benefits of different types of energy resources.

Using Natural Resources for Energy students will learn about the renewable and nonrenewable resources that people use for energy and the uses of new technologies that protect the environment. We use energy every day of our lives. The sound energy from an alarm clock wakes us up. And if we ride to school in a regular bus, we use the energy from fossil fuels such as gasoline. Much of our electrical energy is generated at coal-burning or nuclear power plants as well.  The energy we use is derived ultimately from Earth’s natural resources, which can be classified as either renewable or nonrenewable.

As students read Using Natural Resources for Energy, they will learn that the extraction and use of natural resources must be done with care. They will become aware that history has shown that the unwise use of resources can damage the air, land, and water around us. However, new and improved technology can lessen the environmental impact of extracting and using resources. And on the individual level, people can do many things to protect the environment and ensure that nonrenewable resources continue to be available.