Grade 6 Social Studies: Environmental Challenges and Sustainability
Free Grade 6 Social Studies unit on Environmental Challenges and Sustainability: 10 lessons in order. Includes practice questions and answer keys.
10 lessons in this unit
Natural resources
Define natural resource, renewable, non-renewable, fossil fuel, mineral, biodiversity and ecosystem services, classify resources (soil, water, forests, fish, sunlight, wind, minerals, coal, oil), explain how people depend on natural resources for food, shelter, energy and income, give Sierra Leone examples (iron ore, bauxite, diamonds, rutile, fish, forests, rivers, sunshine), and explain why careful use matters.
Lesson 2Resource distribution
Explain that natural resources are unevenly distributed across the world (oil, minerals, fertile land, fresh water, forests, sunlight), describe why distribution depends on geology, climate and landforms, explain that having resources does not automatically produce wealth because skills, institutions, infrastructure and fair management also matter (resource curse idea introduced gently), interpret a simple resource map, and discuss sharing resources fairly through trade and cooperation.
Lesson 3Deforestation
Define deforestation, forest cover, reforestation, afforestation, logging, shifting cultivation, charcoal and habitat loss, explain causes (clearing for farming, logging, charcoal and fuelwood, building, mining and roads), effects (soil erosion, loss of habitat and biodiversity, changes to water cycles and climate, loss of livelihoods), solutions (forest laws, protected areas, agroforestry, community forestry, planting, cleaner cooking energy), and refer to Gola Rainforest National Park as a protected area.
Lesson 4Water scarcity
Distinguish physical water scarcity (not enough water) from economic water scarcity (lack of infrastructure to deliver water), define freshwater, drought, groundwater, sanitation, water stress and safe drinking water, explain that fresh water is a small part of the world’s water (about 2.5%), describe causes (climate, population growth, pollution, waste, lack of infrastructure) and effects (health, food, school time, conflict risk), describe solutions (rainwater harvesting, protecting catchments, repairing leaks, careful use, community water committees), and give Sierra Leone examples including Guma reservoir for Freetown.
Lesson 5Pollution
Define pollution, pollutant, air, water, land and noise pollution, plastic waste, recycling and waste hierarchy (reduce, reuse, recycle), explain causes (burning waste, vehicle and factory emissions, untreated waste, plastic litter, chemicals), effects on health, wildlife and livelihoods, solutions (clean energy, waste collection, laws, reducing single-use items, community clean-ups with adult safety), and design a simple waste reduction plan for a school.
Lesson 6Climate change and society
Explain, using mainstream scientific evidence and neutral language, the difference between weather and climate, the greenhouse effect, how burning fossil fuels and clearing forests add greenhouse gases, that the global average temperature has risen by about 1.1 to 1.2 degrees Celsius since the late 1800s, and the effects on people (heavier rain and floods, drought, heat, sea-level rise, food and water pressure), distinguish mitigation from adaptation, mention the 2015 Paris Agreement, and give examples relevant to West Africa and Freetown.
Lesson 7Environmental justice introduction
Define environmental justice, fair treatment, meaningful involvement, vulnerable and impact, explain that the benefits and burdens of environmental decisions can fall unevenly on different people and places and that fairness means everyone has clean air, water, safety and a say, give general examples (a waste site, a polluted river, flood-prone areas, uneven access to green space), explain that countries and communities that contributed least to climate change may face large effects, and discuss ways to include communities and protect those most at risk.
Lesson 8Conservation policies
Define conservation, protected area, national park, wildlife sanctuary, quota, ban, community-based management and enforcement, explain why governments, communities and international bodies make conservation policies, describe tools (protected areas, fishing seasons and net rules, hunting limits, tree-planting programmes, environmental laws, education), give Sierra Leone examples (Gola Rainforest National Park, Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary, Outamba-Kilimi National Park and Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary), and evaluate a policy by asking who benefits, who bears costs and how it will be enforced.
Lesson 9Sustainable development
Define sustainable development (meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, as defined by the Brundtland Commission in 1987), the three pillars (social, economic, environmental), the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals adopted in 2015 for 2030, explain trade-offs and synergies, give Sierra Leone and African examples (solar mini-grids, sustainable cocoa, tree planting, clean water projects), and evaluate a simple project against the three pillars.
Lesson 10Environmental decision-making project
Complete a guided environmental decision-making project on a made-up community problem (for example, a river with a growing waste problem), using steps: define the problem, gather evidence from a provided pack, identify stakeholders and their interests, generate options, evaluate options against social, economic and environmental criteria and fairness, choose a plan, plan communication and review, and present respectfully while listening to other views.