Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Use of Natural Resources

Assumptions: This Active Lesson Plan assumes: a 100-minute class, prior student study with both the Book and the start of Project development, and that only one activity (among the three suggested) will be chosen to be conducted during the class, as each activity is designed to take up a significant portion of the available time.

Objectives

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The objective phase is essential to direct the focus of the lesson and ensure that both the teacher and the students have clarity about what will be learned and what is expected to be achieved. Establishing clear objectives helps maximize the use of time in the classroom and ensures that students can apply previously acquired knowledge effectively and practically at home. This phase also serves to align expectations and motivate students, showing the relevance of the topic for understanding and transforming the surrounding environment.

Main Objectives:

1. Empower students to recognize the different uses of natural resources, focusing especially on soil and water.

2. Develop the ability to identify and understand the impacts of these uses in everyday urban and rural areas.

Side Objectives:

1. Encourage active participation and group debate on the importance of preserving natural resources.

Introduction

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The introduction serves to engage students in the lesson topic, using problem situations that challenge the application of concepts studied previously at home. Additionally, it contextualizes the importance of using natural resources in everyday life, bringing the subject closer to the students' reality. This phase is crucial for activating students' prior knowledge and preparing them for practical activities in the classroom, stimulating critical thinking and curiosity.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Imagine that a family in the city has a garden and uses a lot of water to water the plants. How can the excessive use of water affect the supply in your city?

2. Think about a farm that was previously only used for planting, but is now being transformed into a residential area. What changes in the soil can occur due to this transformation and how does it affect food production?

Contextualization

To understand the relevance of using natural resources, it is important to observe how these resources are fundamental in daily life. For example, water is essential not only for drinking but also for food production and ecosystem maintenance. Furthermore, soil serves not only for planting but also for building houses, roads, and even for sports activities. Knowing how these resources are used and how their use can be sustainable is crucial to ensure a balanced and healthy future.

Development

Duration: (70 - 75 minutes)

The Development phase is designed to allow students to practically and interactively apply the concepts related to the use of natural resources learned previously. Through playful and contextualized activities, students will explore how the use of water and soil impacts the environment, proposing solutions and reflecting on sustainable practices. This phase aims to consolidate learning through practice, dialogue, and the application of scientific methods in everyday situations, promoting interaction and teamwork.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended to carry out only one of the suggested activities

Activity 1 - Water Guardians

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Develop awareness about water usage and promote the search for practical solutions for the sustainable use of this resource.

- Description: In this activity, students will take on the role of environmental detectives to solve a case of excessive water use in a fictional community. They will investigate different locations, such as a house, a school, and a park, to identify the main uses of water and propose solutions to reduce waste.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Explain that each group will receive a 'detective kit' with a magnifying glass, measuring tape, and a questionnaire to fill out.

• Each group will visit different locations in the community (simulated in stations within the classroom) to observe and record how water is being used.

• After the investigation, students will gather to discuss their findings and propose ways to reduce water usage at each location.

• Each group will present their findings and solutions to the class.

Activity 2 - The Transforming Soil

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Understand the changes in the soil due to urbanization and develop proposals for more sustainable land use.

- Description: Students will simulate the transformation of a rural area into an urban area. They will need to understand how this transformation affects the soil and discuss environmental and social implications. This playful exercise involves building models and observing how different types of construction impact the soil.

- Instructions:

• Form groups of up to 5 students.

• Provide materials such as soil, sand, small plants, and building blocks for them to construct models representing different types of urban and rural areas.

• Each group will choose a type of construction (house, school, shopping center) and discuss how construction affects the soil (compaction, drainage, etc.).

• Groups will present their models and explain the impact of construction on the soil to the class.

• Conduct a group discussion on how transformations can be made more sustainably for the soil.

Activity 3 - Recycling Ideas

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Encourage students' creativity and environmental awareness, promoting the appreciation of material reuse and reducing the consumption of natural resources.

- Description: This activity encourages students to think creatively about reusing materials to reduce the use of natural resources. They will design and build small objects or structures using only recyclable materials, focusing on reducing the use of land and water.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Provide recyclable materials such as plastic bottles, cardboard boxes, newspapers, among others.

• Students should discuss and plan an object that could be useful and reduce water or land consumption.

• Each group will construct the object with the available recyclable materials.

• At the end, students will present their projects to the class, explaining how they contribute to saving natural resources.

Feedback

Duration: (10 - 15 minutes)

This stage of the lesson plan is crucial for consolidating learning, allowing students to articulate the knowledge acquired and reflect on their discoveries in a broader context. The group discussion facilitates the exchange of ideas and perspectives, promoting a deeper and more critical understanding of the use of natural resources and their implications. Additionally, it helps develop communication and argumentation skills.

Group Discussion

To start the group discussion, the teacher should gather all students in a circle and introduce the topic with a brief review of what was learned during the activities. Encourage each group to share their findings and proposed solutions, alternating between groups to ensure everyone has a chance to speak. Use targeted questions to deepen the discussion and encourage students to explain the reasoning behind their choices and proposals.

Key Questions

1. What were the biggest challenges your group faced while investigating water usage or soil transformation?

2. How can the proposed solutions be applied in reality to improve the use of natural resources?

3. What did you learn most importantly about the importance of sustainability in the use of natural resources?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The Conclusion phase serves to reinforce and synthesize the concepts learned during the lesson, ensuring that students have a clear understanding of the objectives achieved. In addition, it helps link theory to practice and highlight the relevance of studying natural resources in everyday life. This final reflection is essential for consolidating learning and motivating students to apply the knowledge acquired in their own lives.

Summary

In this lesson, students explored the different uses of natural resources, focusing on soil and water, and understood how these uses impact the daily life of urban and rural areas. Practical activities, such as investigating water use and transforming the soil, allowed students to apply theoretical knowledge in real situations and propose sustainable solutions.

Theory Connection

Today's lesson created a clear bridge between the theory studied at home and practice in the classroom, showing how the concepts of using natural resources manifest in daily life. Activities, such as simulating soil transformation and creating recycled objects, illustrated concretely how theory applies, reinforcing the importance of sustainability.

Closing

Understanding and applying sustainable practices in the use of natural resources is vital not only for the environment but also for people's quality of life. Students are now more aware of the impacts of their actions and how small changes can make a significant difference in preserving the environment and improving the community as a whole.