Resource Overview
Thematic unit for the middle school classroom covers how humans have manipulated land for our own purposes.
As population grows, we develop wild areas and arable land and overuse resources like soil, minerals, and timber. Students analyze how our land use impacts habitats and ecosystems while exploring ways to preserve land resources.
Features of This Resource
- Unit includes 7 lesson plans, 1 student reading and a summative assessment.
- Food and land use: investigation of arable land today and overtime, and the impact of various diets.
- Fracking lesson plan includes real-world information from various sources for students to examine, analyze and evaluate.
Unit Lesson Plans & Readings
The following are included with the purchase of the unit:
Lesson Plans
Earth: The Apple of Our Eye (high school)
-
An apple is sliced into pieces to model the current amount of agricultural land on Earth. Then students read an...
World of Difference
-
Through a small group simulation using probability, students explore how different population growth rates are impacting biodiversity levels. Students will...
Growing Pains in Texas Hill Country
-
Students read a news article about local population growth and the resulting sprawl, create and write a proposed solution, and...
Mining for Chocolate
-
After matching everyday products to their natural sources, students “mine” chocolate chip cookies to discover the impacts of many mining...
Timber!
-
In a simulation, students model what happens to a forest when trees are cut faster than they are planted, and...
Fracked or Fiction
-
Students analyze information about fracking and their sources for bias and ultimately take a stance arguing for or against fracking....
Meat of the Matter
-
Students use manipulatives to explore the environmental impact of four different types of protein, and the pros and cons of
Reading
The Human Footprint: Land
-
Land use background reading: As population grows, we develop wild areas and arable land and overuse resources like soil, minerals,...
Lesson Plans
Earth: The Apple of Our Eye (high school)
- An apple is sliced into pieces to model the current amount of agricultural land on Earth. Then students read an...World of Difference
- Through a small group simulation using probability, students explore how different population growth rates are impacting biodiversity levels. Students will...Growing Pains in Texas Hill Country
- Students read a news article about local population growth and the resulting sprawl, create and write a proposed solution, and...Mining for Chocolate
- After matching everyday products to their natural sources, students “mine” chocolate chip cookies to discover the impacts of many mining...Timber!
- In a simulation, students model what happens to a forest when trees are cut faster than they are planted, and...Fracked or Fiction
- Students analyze information about fracking and their sources for bias and ultimately take a stance arguing for or against fracking....Meat of the Matter
- Students use manipulatives to explore the environmental impact of four different types of protein, and the pros and cons ofReading
The Human Footprint: Land
- Land use background reading: As population grows, we develop wild areas and arable land and overuse resources like soil, minerals,...How Do I Get This Lesson Packet?
The resource is free. Click the green button for immediate download. Download Now
Additional Purchase Options
Nice to meet you!
Tell us a bit about yourself so we can continue creating resources that meet your needs.
You’ll only need to fill out this form once. If you’ve already completed the form, you can confirm your email here.