4-ESS3 Energy resources and natural hazards
Aligned to 4-ESS3 — Next Generation Science Standards.
What this lesson teaches
The energy and fuels we use, like wind, sunlight, coal, and oil, all come from natural resources, and using them affects the environment in different ways. Engineers also design buildings and systems to reduce the damage from natural hazards like earthquakes and floods.
Worked example
Electricity might come from burning coal, which makes smoke, or from wind turbines, which make none. In earthquake zones, engineers build flexible structures and add strong supports so buildings sway instead of crumbling.
Practice questions
- Name one natural resource we use for energy.
- How can the way we get energy affect the environment?
- Describe one thing engineers do to make buildings safer in earthquakes.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
4-ESS3 Recursos energéticos y riesgos naturales
La energía y los combustibles que usamos, como el viento, la luz solar, el carbón y el petróleo, provienen de recursos naturales, y su uso afecta el medio ambiente de distintas maneras. Los ingenieros también diseñan edificios y sistemas para reducir los daños causados por riesgos naturales como terremotos e inundaciones.
Ejemplo: La electricidad puede generarse quemando carbón, lo que produce humo, o con turbinas de viento, que no producen ninguno. En zonas sísmicas, los ingenieros construyen estructuras flexibles y agregan soportes resistentes para que los edificios se muevan en lugar de derrumbarse.
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