The following chart provides an outline for Unit Two:
 

Major Concept: resources Related Concepts: needs and wants, renewable and non-renewable resources, resource distribution, cooperation and cooperatives, soil zones, pooling, resource dependency, resource scarcity, resource management Topics Topic One: Resources Satisfy Needs and Wants Topic Two: Classification of Resources Topic Three: Necessary Conditions for a Resource to be Useful Topic Four: Resource Distribution Topic Five: The Land as a Resource Topic Six: Cooperation and Resources Topic Seven: Cooperating to Make Wheat a Resource Topic Eight: Cooperatives Today - The Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Topic Nine: Resource Dependency and Scarcity Topic Ten: Resource Management Topic Eleven: Assessing Personal Resource Use

Glossary of Terms

The following definitions are as much for teacher information as they are for students. It is up to individual teachers to decide which of the following terms to present to students. Teachers should base this decision upon students' prior knowledge about the concepts and content of the topic.

Consensus	Agreement of everyone in the group.
Cooperative	An organization in which members work together to achieve a goal.
Conservation	Protecting resources from being destroyed or used up.
Contaminated	Made poisonous or impure.
Cultivation	Preparing land to use for planting and growing specific crops.
Degradation	A decline in the quality of the soil due to erosion.
Democracy	A system in which people have free elections to choose those who will represent them in governing.
Dependency	The reliance of humans on their resources to meet needs and wants.
Distribution	The way something is divided up among people or countries.
Erosion	Wearing away of soil gradually, usually by wind or water.
Fallow	Cultivated land not planted in crop.
Non-renewable Resources	Those that cannot be replaced after they are used.
Pool	A grouping of resources for the common advantage of the participants (e.g., Wheat Pool).
Renewable Resources	Those that reproduce biologically, and that may be maintained or even increased if used responsibly.
Recycle	To clean and purify something so it can be used again.
Resource	Any substance that can meet a need or a want.
Resource Management	Using resources in ways that preserve and conserve them.
Revenues	Yield or income gained from production and/or sale.
Scarcity	A shortage or insufficient supply of something (e.g., resources).
Soil Zones	Regional divisions based on soil types.

Resources

All units are resource-based; teachers and students are encouraged to use a variety of resources and sources throughout. The accompanying bibliography contains annotations of current, useful resources including print, video, Internet sites and other media selections. Teachers are encouraged to assess their current resource collection, identifying those that are still useful, and to acquire small quantities of each title, rather than class sets, in order to provide students with a broad range of perspectives and information. The bibliography that accompanies this curriculum guide includes detailed annotations of a large number of resources that will assist in making selections appropriate to the abilities and needs of the students.

The following list of resource titles provides a starting point for developing a Unit Two resource collection that is current and relevant and addresses students' various learning styles and abilities.
Print Resources

Atlases, maps and globes
Asia and the Pacific
Canada and its Pacific Neighbours (previously listed text, much of which is still useful)
Lands, Peoples, and Cultures Series
North Circumpolar World
Pacific Rim Discovery
Pacific Rim Profiles

The following print resources are listed for Middle Level English Language Arts (grades 6-9) and offer opportunities for interdisciplinary instruction.

Ecology - Heath Middle Level Literature Series
Environment - In Perspective Series
The Environment - Insights Series
Future Directions - Heath Middle Level Literature Series
Global Issues - Issues Collection

Non-print Resources

The CCA in Columbia: Dreams from the Dust (video)
Ecoregions of Saskatchewan (CD-ROM)
Trinkets and Beads (video)

Internet Sites

Teachers are advised to check the bibliography for Internet site addresses that support this unit. As well, many general interest sites are listed in Social Studies: An Information Bulletin for the Renewed Middle Level Curricula (Grades 7-9), March 1999, pp. 19-20. Due to the unstable nature of Internet sites, teachers are advised to access Saskatchewan Education's Web site at http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/curr_inst/social/socialsciences.html. See pages 378-381 for information about locating and evaluating Internet sites.

Incorporating Current Events

Incorporating current events enhances students' understanding of the concepts under study and extends their learning experiences by relating the events to real life and making them relevant. Sources for current event stories include newspapers, news magazines, daily and weekly television and radio newscasts and documentaries and the Internet. Many Canadian daily newspapers are available on-line and are a reliable source of current events. Select articles and news items to support the objectives and concepts as often as possible, and encourage students to contribute also. See pages 346-350 in this curriculum guide for some current event activities.

Interdisciplinary Opportunities

This unit may be adapted for an interdisciplinary study. See page 336 of this curriculum guide for information about developing interdisciplinary units of study. The following are some suggestions for connecting this unit to other subject areas.

· English Language Arts: Read and respond to novels and short stories about resource issues.

· Science: This unit could be used in conjunction with "Saskatchewan--The Land" and/or " Renewable Resources in Saskatchewan ", as well as the optional unit, " Resource Use."