You will learn
- Define natural resources.
- Give examples.
- Turn resources into goods.
- Discuss careful use.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Natural resources come from nature.
- People turn them into products.
- Some are renewable, some are not.
- Scarce resources must be shared wisely.
Words to know
something from nature that people use
a natural resource used to make something else
something made or grown to be used or sold
not enough to meet everyone’s wants
1. Discover: From tree to table
Mr Cole holds up a wooden stool. “Where did it come from?” “A tree,” says Kofi. “A carpenter cut the wood, shaped it and sold it,” says Mr Cole. “The tree is a natural resource and wood is a raw material. The stool is a product.” “But trees take years to grow,” says Mei. “That is why resources can be scarce,” says Ms Smith.
Think: What natural resources do you use every day?
2. Understand: Natural resources
Idea 1: What they are
A natural resource is something from nature that people use: soil, water, forests, fish, minerals, sunshine and wind. A raw material is a natural resource used to make something else, such as wood, clay or cotton.
Idea 2: To products
People turn raw materials into products: wood into furniture, clay into pots, cassava into flour, iron ore into tools. Each step adds work, skill and value.
Idea 3: Scarcity and care
Something is scarce when there is not enough for everyone’s wants. We must choose carefully, avoid waste and protect renewable resources so they last. Fair sharing helps today’s and tomorrow’s people.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Name
Three resources.
- Think.
- List.
- Say.
Answer: Soil, water, wood.
Example 2 (We do it together): Make
Raw to product.
- Think.
- Link.
- Say.
Answer: Clay to pot.
Example 3 (You try): Care
Avoid waste.
Show the steps and answer
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: Use only what is needed.
Did you know?
Sierra Leone is rich in natural resources, including fertile soil, rivers, forests, fish and minerals.
Why this matters
Everything we use begins with a natural resource.
4. Explore: Resource to product chain
Draw three chains: natural resource to raw material to product. Add the people who help at each step.
- Choose.
- Draw.
- Add people.
- Share.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Many people were involved.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- A natural resource is ___.
- A raw material is ___.
- A product is ___.
- Scarce means ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is a natural resource?
Something from nature.
Question 2. What is a raw material?
Used to make things.
Question 3. What is a product?
Something made.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What is a natural resource?
- What is a raw material?
- What is a product?
- What is scarce?
- Name a resource.
Level 2: Grow
- Why save resources?
- Why add skill?
- Why share?
Level 3: Stretch
- Draw chains.
- Name people.
- Explain scarcity.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Social Studies in everyday life
Give a natural resource, a raw material and a product.
Show a sample answer
Tree; wood; stool.
Another one. Find three products at home and their raw materials.
Show a sample answer
Share.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Some can.
Fix: They begin with resources.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can define natural resources.
- I can give examples.
- I can turn resources into goods.
- I can discuss careful use.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Natural resources come from nature.
- People turn them into products.
- Some are renewable, some are not.
- Scarce resources must be shared wisely.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Human resources. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Define natural resource and give two examples. [3 marks]
- Show how one resource becomes a product. [3 marks]
- Say what scarce means. [2 marks]
- Give two ways to use resources wisely. [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Definition [1]; two [2]
- Resource [1]; raw material [1]; product [1]
- Meaning [1]; example [1]
- Two [2]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- What is a natural resource?
- What is a raw material?
- What is a product?
- What is scarce?
- Name a resource.
- Why save resources?
- Why add skill?
- Why share?
- Draw chains.
- Name people.
Homework
Draw one resource-to-product chain.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What is a natural resource? | Something from nature. | 1 |
| 2. What is a raw material? | Used to make things. | 1 |
| 3. What is a product? | Something made. | 1 |
| 4. What is scarce? | Not enough for all wants. | 1 |
| 5. Name a resource. | Water. | 1 |
| 6. Why save resources? | They are scarce. | 1 |
| 7. Why add skill? | Add value. | 1 |
| 8. Why share? | Fairness. | 1 |
| 9. Draw chains. | Chains. | 1 |
| 10. Name people. | People. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Something from nature.; 2 Used to make things.; 3 Something made.; 4 Not enough for all wants.; 5 Water.. Level 2: 1 They are scarce.; 2 Add value.; 3 Fairness.. Level 3: 1 Chains.; 2 People.; 3 Scarcity..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Define natural resources | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Give examples | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Turn resources into goods | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Discuss careful use | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “Resources never run out.” Some can.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Make a resource collage.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns about natural resources. Please talk about where things come from. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Trace products.
- Avoid waste.
- Value nature.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: define natural resources; give examples; turn resources into goods; discuss careful use.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 3 ideas: needs and wants, goods and services, and community livelihoods.
Materials. Paper, crayons. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Prepare resource cards.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Tell the tree to table story.
Explanation (10 min). Teach natural resources.
Guided activity (10 min). Resource to product chain.
Independent activity (10 min). Discuss.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. How do natural resources become products?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with a picture, story, map or local example. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always ask “how do you know?” and invite more than one view. Treat every family, culture and community with respect, and never ask learners to share private information.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use pictures, maps, real objects and short sentences, and let learners work with a partner. Let learners point, show, act or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example from their own community and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “Resources never run out.” Some can.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Make a resource collage. Enrichment. Find one new example near your home or school, draw or write about it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: NCSS standards and C3 Framework, Cambridge Primary Humanities and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Social Studies curriculum, Grade 3 Unit 7, topic 1; NCSS C3 Framework, economics; Cambridge Primary Humanities, work and money; IB Primary Years Programme, how we organise ourselves. These sources informed the lesson.