Unit Plan 28 (Grade 6 Science): Natural Resources & Human Settlements
Explain how natural resource distribution shapes human settlements, population growth, and land use patterns using maps, data, and scientific reasoning.
Focus: Explain how the availability and distribution of natural resources (water, fertile soil, minerals, forests, fossil fuels, etc.) influence where people live, how populations grow, and how land is used for agriculture, industry, and cities.
Grade Level: 6
Subject Area: Science (Earth & Human Activity — Natural Resources, Human Settlements, Land Use)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students explore how natural resources shape human settlements and land use patterns on local, regional, and global scales. Using maps, simple datasets, and case studies, they investigate why many cities are near rivers, coasts, or fertile plains, how minerals and fossil fuels attract industries, and how limited resources can create crowding, migration, or conflict. Students then construct a scientific explanation that links resource availability and distribution to where and how people live, aligned with MS-ESS3-1.
Essential Questions
- How does the availability of natural resources influence where people choose to live and build cities?
- Why do some regions have dense populations and intense land use, while others stay sparsely populated?
- How do changes in resource availability (e.g., water shortages, resource discovery) affect settlement patterns, jobs, and land use over time?
- How can we use maps and data to support a scientific explanation about the relationships between resources, population, and land use?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Identify and categorize natural resources (e.g., water, fertile soil, forests, minerals, fossil fuels) and distinguish renewable vs. nonrenewable resources.
- Interpret maps and simple datasets showing resource locations, population density, and land use (e.g., farms, cities, mines), and describe patterns.
- Explain how resource availability and distribution influence human settlement locations, population size, and land use decisions.
- Use case studies to describe how changes in resource availability (e.g., droughts, new discoveries) affect migration, infrastructure, and economic activity.
- Construct a scientific explanation (written and/or oral) that uses evidence from maps and data to show how natural resources affect human settlement and activity, aligned with MS-ESS3-1.
Standards Alignment — 6th Grade (NGSS-based custom)
- MS-ESS3-1 — Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how natural resource availability and distribution affect human settlement and activity.
- In this unit: students use resource and population maps, plus case examples, to explain where and how people live and use land.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can list examples of natural resources and tell which ones are renewable and nonrenewable.
- I can read maps and simple data tables to see where resources are and where people live.
- I can explain how resources (like water, soil, or minerals) help explain why settlements and land uses are located in certain places.
- I can use evidence from maps or data to support a scientific explanation about resources and human activity.
- I can describe at least one way that changes in resources (like less water) could change settlements or land use.