Humans & their Environments - 3/4th Grade

A lot of the energy we use at home, at school, and for our cars comes from fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas.
Choose the action that would help conserve energy and conserve fossil fuels.

• Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
• Drive a car as much as possible.
• Turn on the air conditioner and open the doors.
• Leave the television on all of the time.

Humans depend on things—such as clean air—found in their natural environment.
Humans also depend on things—such as homes—in their constructed environment.

What do humans use homes for?

• transportation
• sunlight
• shelter
• nutrients

Students in Mr. Jackson's class planted trees beside a stream one weekend.
Why was this helpful for the environment?

• Trees are a beautiful addition to any landscape.
• The students stayed busy and kept out of trouble.
• The trees and their roots will help prevent erosion.
• Trees cause the weather to become sunnier.

Animals are used for meats such as beef, poultry, and pork. Animals are also used to make non-food products.

Which of the following non-food products comes from an animal?

• leather
• cork
• plastic
• rubber

You use renewable and nonrenewable resources every day when you eat, dress, and travel.
What nonrenewable resource do you use when you ride in a car?

• solar energy
• electricity
• gasoline
• oxygen

In a local town, many people have been seen dumping used motor oil onto the ground. The ground soaks up the oil.
Does dumping the oil cause any pollution?

• Yes, everything poured onto the ground is pollution.
• Yes, the oil could pollute the groundwater.
• No, if you can't see the oil after it is dumped, nothing is polluted.
• No, oil came from the ground in the first place, so it is okay to return it to the ground.

Only 3% of the water on earth is usable by humans. Even though that 3% is _______ through the water cycle, we still need to be careful not to waste water.

• renewable
• exhaustible
• inexhaustible
• nonrenewable

Man-made products come from many different sources. An aluminum soda can, like the one shown below, is a man-made product. 

Where does an aluminum soda can come from?

• petroleum byproducts
• aluminum plants that grow in Central America
• aluminum ore found buried under the Earth
• seaweed fibers

A factory such as the one in the picture below has been built near Victoria’s school.One day after school Victoria notices that thick, foul smelling smoke is pouring out of the smokestack on the roof of the factory.
Which part of the environment around Victoria’s school is being most affected by this smoke?

• water
• air
• playground
• soil

Which of the following is caused by pollution?

• an increase in human population
• an increase in the number of fish in the ocean
• more jobs for the unemployed
• acid rain