Unit Plan 6 (Grade 8 Science): Synthetic Materials & Natural Resources

Focus: Gather and make sense of information to describe how synthetic materials (like plastics, fuels, fibers, and medicines) come from natural resources and how they impact society in both helpful and harmful ways.

Grade Level: 8

Subject Area: Science (Physical Science • Earth & Human Activity • Science Literacy)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

Students investigate how everyday synthetic materials are connected to natural resources such as petroleum, natural gas, plants, and minerals. They explore examples like plastics, synthetic fabrics, fuels, and medicines, tracing how raw materials are transformed through industrial processes into products that shape modern life. Using short texts, videos, and simple data, students consider the benefits of synthetic materials (convenience, health, technology) alongside costs (pollution, waste, climate impacts), practicing how to gather and make sense of information from multiple sources.

Essential Questions

• What are synthetic materials, and how are they related to natural resources?
• How do natural resources like petroleum, plants, and minerals get transformed into plastics, fuels, medicines, and other products?
• In what ways do synthetic materials benefit society, and what are some of their negative impacts on people and the environment?
• How can we gather and evaluate information to make informed decisions about using and managing synthetic materials?
• What kinds of trade-offs do individuals and communities face when they rely on synthetic materials?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Define synthetic material and natural resource, and distinguish between items that are mostly natural vs. mostly synthetic.
2. Trace at least one synthetic material (e.g., plastic bottle, synthetic fiber, medicine, fuel) from its natural resource origin through basic processing steps to the final product.
3. Gather information from multiple sources (texts, diagrams, short videos, infographics) about how selected synthetic materials are produced and used.
4. Identify and describe societal impacts (health, economic, environmental) of synthetic materials, including both benefits and drawbacks.
5. Make sense of information by organizing it into cause–effect or pros–cons structures and identifying patterns or trade-offs.
6. Create a short case study product (e.g., one-pager, mini-poster, or brief presentation) that describes how a synthetic material comes from natural resources and how it impacts society, aligned with MS-PS1-3.

Standards Alignment — 8th Grade (NGSS-based custom)

• MS-PS1-3 — Gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society.
  • In this unit, students research and synthesize information about specific synthetic materials, tracing their origins and societal effects.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can explain, in my own words, what synthetic materials and natural resources are and give examples of each.
• I can trace a synthetic material from its raw natural resource to the final product using a diagram or short explanation.
• I can gather information from more than one source and organize it so that it makes sense (e.g., timeline, flowchart, pros/cons chart).
• I can describe at least two benefits and two negative impacts of a synthetic material on people or the environment.
• I can create a case study that clearly explains where a synthetic material comes from and how it impacts society.