Where Do Our Resources Come From

Earth’s People & Resources

A WebQuest for 10th and 11th Grade

Designed by
Mary Jo Nordyke
mjnordyke@verizon.net
 TASK
• The focus of this project is to conduct research on the
computer in order understand that metals and minerals
used in our everyday lives originate from different countries
and are mined by people of different societies and cultures.

• Students will work in collaborative groups of 2 to 3

students.

• Each student can use the groups for support & discussion,
but do your own map in identifying resources used in your
house.

• Complete the questions and use the map, in which you will
print-out a copy of the completed questions to turn-in and
copy the completed map to post on the wall for a galley
walk.
 PROCESS
**You must use computer technology to conduct your research.

Go to the website: www.mii.org, entitled, A Study of the Earth.

1. Scroll down until you see “Your House Comes From a Mine.” You
will see a list of materials used in the home.
2. From this list determine 10 examples of resources used in your own
house structure and illustrate what areas of the world the 10
resources come from and list these resources on a print-out of
your world map.
3. In conducting research explain:
• How do people and the environment interact and how people of
many cultures use and share the earth’s resources?
• What do you think the difference is between renewable and
nonrenewable resources?
• What processes concentrate minerals into deposits sufficiently
large enough to mine?
 Some websites to get you started on
your research
These sites will introduce you to some helpful websites, but
also try searching for other sites.

• http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/geo_nat_res-geography-natural-resou

• http://regionalcentrebangkok.undp.or.th/practices/governance/documents/N

• http://www.google.com/search?q=define:natural_resources

• http://www.fao.org/nr/land/lr-home/en/
 Map of the World

Print-out this map and label the countries and resources

used in your own home.
EVALUATION
 CONCLUSION

• Ancient People used minerals

that came from the Earth for
survival.

• Mining for minerals is done in

many ways and places on
Earth.

• Today modern people have

an easier way of life because
of science and technology.

• Even so, most of the raw

materials used in our houses
still comes from mines.