ES-ESS3.A-1

RACCOON : Resources Tycoon

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Game Info for Teachers

COMBINED RATING

4.2 Stars

TEACHERS (21)

4.0

STUDENTS (22086)

4.3

LENGTH

30 Minutes

GRADES

CAPABILITIES

iPad Support

Spanish Language Support

Text-to-Speech Support

Description

The Raccoons need your help to build their own peaceful city by gathering Natural Resources in the fields. However, using Natural Resources also can have negative effects. Can you help them manage the city?

Vocabulary Words

natural resources

coal

uranium

nuclear energy

fossil fuels

renewable resources

nonrenewable resources

electricity

radioactive

alternative energy

windmills

solar power

hydroelectricity

geothermal

biofuels

pollution

oil

natural gas

fissile materials

Instructions

Play through this interactive game to learn about Natural Resources. Suitable for Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5.

Main Concepts

Natural resources are things in nature that humans use.(ES)

Some examples of natural resources are water, animals, trees, plants, metals, minerals, rocks, soil, and fossil fuels.(ES)

All of the energy and fuels that humans require to live come from natural resources.

Alternative energy sources include wind energy, solar power, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biofuels.

The use of non-renewable resources, such as fossil fuels, has positive and negative impacts on the environment.

The use of renewable resources can have positive and negative effects on the environment.

A major impact of fossil fuels on the environment is that they pollute Earth’s air, land, and water.

Regulating sources of pollution, such as emissions and runoff, are ways that communities can protect Earth’s resources and environments.

Non-renewable resources are resources that take an extremely long time to replenish, so they can run out if we use too much of them.

Crude oil and natural gas form when dead plant and animal remains become buried under mud in the sea and are squeezed and heated for millions of years.

Renewable resources are resources that can be replenished over the course of a human lifetime.

Examples of non-renewable resources are fossil fuels and fissile materials.

Fossil fuels include coal, natural gas, and oil.

Fissile materials are radioactive materials, such as uranium, that can be used to harness nuclear energy.

Fossil fuels take millions of years to form.

Examples of renewable resources are wind, water, sunlight, plants, and animals.

Coal forms when dead plant matter becomes buried under layers of rocks and is squeezed and heated for millions of years.

Pollution is a substance in the environment that is harmful to organisms on Earth.

Individuals and communities can conserve natural resources by reducing the amount of resources they use as well as reusing and recycling materials.

New and improved technologies can help improve the environmental effects of energy resources.

Discussion Questions

Before the Game

What is a natural resource? Why are natural resources so important to our everyday lives? Which natural resources do we worry about being used up?

After the Game

What is the difference between renewable and nonrenewable natural resources? What are some examples of both types of natural resources? What are the drawbacks to using fossil fuels as a resource? What are some alternatives to using fossil fuels and other nonrenewable resources?