(9-12) C5

Science Curriculum Preview Committee Clarification of Learning Results

Revised 07/01/04

5-8

M7: Explain the connections between industry, natural resources, population, and economic development.

Curriculum Organizing Questions

How is this industry dependent on natural resources? Certain segments of the population?

How does the wealth of the area depend on the industry there? The resources there? The population there?

How does the population in the area depend on the industry? The resources? The wealth in the area?

Elaboration
Students should try to analyze what is going on in examples, rather than determine "right" or "wrong."

Specific Ideas

Technology has strongly influenced the course of history and continues to do so. It is largely responsible for the great revolution in agriculture, manufacturing, sanitation and medicine, warfare, transportation, information processing, and communications that have radically changed how people live.Benchmarks 3C3.

Many factors influence environmental quality. factors that students might investigate include population growth, resource use, population distribution, overconsumption, the capacity of technology to solve problems, poverty, the role of economic, political, and religious views, and different ways human view the earth. NSES F4c (9-12).

The size and rate of growth of the human population in any location is affected by economic, political, religious, technological, and environmental factors. Some of these factors, in turn, are influenced by the size and rate of growth of the population. NSES p.198.

Trade between nations occurs when natural resources are unevenly distributed in different countries. A nation has a trade opportunity whenever it can create more of a product or service at lower cost than another. Benchmarks 7G1.

The major ways to promote economic health are to encourage technological development, to increase the quantity or quality of a nation's productive resources‚ more or better trained workers, better equipment and methods‚ and to engage in trade with other nations. Benchmarks 7G2.

Many people work to bring food, fiber, and fuel to U.S. markets. With improved technology, only a small fraction of workers in the United States actually plant and harvest the products that people use. Most workers are engaged in processing, packaging, transporting, and selling what is produced.Benchmarks 8A4.

Modern technology reduces manufacturing costs, produces more uniform products, and creates new synthetic materials that can help reduce the depletion of some natural resources.Benchmarks 8B3.

In many instances, manufacturing and other technological activities are performed at a site close to an energy source. Benchmarks 8C3.

Developmental & Instructional Implications
Strong links to social studies.

Middle school students are generally aware of science/technology/society issues from the media, but their awareness is fraught with misunderstandings. Teachers should begin developing student understanding with concrete and personal examples that avoid an exclusive focus on problems.NSES pg. 167-168.

Examples

Back to Big Ideas Grid M Back to Standard M Back to Index

Curriculum Organizing Questions	How is this industry dependent on natural resources? Certain segments of the population? How does the wealth of the area depend on the industry there? The resources there? The population there? How does the population in the area depend on the industry? The resources? The wealth in the area?
Elaboration	Students should try to analyze what is going on in examples, rather than determine "right" or "wrong."
Specific Ideas	Technology has strongly influenced the course of history and continues to do so. It is largely responsible for the great revolution in agriculture, manufacturing, sanitation and medicine, warfare, transportation, information processing, and communications that have radically changed how people live.Benchmarks 3C3. Many factors influence environmental quality. factors that students might investigate include population growth, resource use, population distribution, overconsumption, the capacity of technology to solve problems, poverty, the role of economic, political, and religious views, and different ways human view the earth. NSES F4c (9-12). The size and rate of growth of the human population in any location is affected by economic, political, religious, technological, and environmental factors. Some of these factors, in turn, are influenced by the size and rate of growth of the population. NSES p.198. Trade between nations occurs when natural resources are unevenly distributed in different countries. A nation has a trade opportunity whenever it can create more of a product or service at lower cost than another. Benchmarks 7G1. The major ways to promote economic health are to encourage technological development, to increase the quantity or quality of a nation's productive resources‚ more or better trained workers, better equipment and methods‚ and to engage in trade with other nations. Benchmarks 7G2. Many people work to bring food, fiber, and fuel to U.S. markets. With improved technology, only a small fraction of workers in the United States actually plant and harvest the products that people use. Most workers are engaged in processing, packaging, transporting, and selling what is produced.Benchmarks 8A4. Modern technology reduces manufacturing costs, produces more uniform products, and creates new synthetic materials that can help reduce the depletion of some natural resources.Benchmarks 8B3. In many instances, manufacturing and other technological activities are performed at a site close to an energy source. Benchmarks 8C3.
Developmental & Instructional Implications	Strong links to social studies. Middle school students are generally aware of science/technology/society issues from the media, but their awareness is fraught with misunderstandings. Teachers should begin developing student understanding with concrete and personal examples that avoid an exclusive focus on problems.NSES pg. 167-168.
Examples