Natural Resources Activity

The world is full of natural resources. Some are common, while others are specific to a local region. Some now have
been moved and planted around the world, but we will try to look at the origin of some rare and special resources.
In this activity we will learn about natural resources around the world and try to consider how they helped the
cultures who controlled them develop and embrace them as part of their identity.

Day 1: Students will be given a natural resource to study. They will prepare for one day.

Day 2: They will compare their resource to the resources of other people in class. They will have a conversation
where they will fill in a comparison chart. They will complete the chart.

Natural Resources:

Chinese Silk Canadian Mayan Indonesian Madagascar Indian Black Egyptian

Maple Syrup Rubber Nutmeg Vanilla Pepper Cotton
Pacific Damascus Wootz Steel Lydian Merino Wool Alpaca Wool Cashmire
Northwest Steel Electrum
Volcanic Glass
Arabian Chinese French Australian Venician Roman Honey North
Horses Porcelain Champaign Eucalyptus Glass American
Beaver Pelts
African Ivory Whale Oil Arctic Seal Persian Sri Lankan Tyrian Purple West African
Pelts Carpets Cinnamon Dye Palm Oil

Reflecting on your own resource:

Your Name Your Resource

What continent does your resource come from?
How is it acquired? (Farming, mining, manufacture,
etc.)
Is it something that is still localized, or is it international
now?
What purpose, use, or benefits did it originally serve?
Canada's maple syrup producing regions are located in
the provinces of Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, and
Nova Scotia.
94.28 percent of exported Canadian maple syrup
originated from Quebec, whereas 4.91 percent of
exported syrup originated from New Brunswick and
the remaining 0.81 percent from all other provinces.
Ontario holds the most maple syrup farms in Canada
outside of Quebec, with 2,240 maple syrup producers
in 2011. Canada produces 85 percent of the world's
maple syrup. With forests brimming with majestic red,
black, and sugar maples, the country has just the right
mix of cold spring nights and warm daytime
temperatures to produce an abundance of the clear-
colored sap used to make maple syrup.
Today, Canadian maple syrup is exported to 45
countries in the traditional form of syrup and sugar, as
well as maple butter, maple candy, and a range of
products containing maple syrup, such as oats, yogurt,
and many other products.
Pure maple syrup from Canada contains vitamins and
minerals, which are a good source of manganese and
riboflavin. Pure maple syrup is also a source of
calcium, thiamine, potassium, and copper. Maple
syrup is often used as a condiment for pancakes,
waffles, French toast, oatmeal Congee or Congee. It is
also used as a baking ingredient and as a sweetener or
flavoring agent. With healing and nourishing powers,
maple syrup has been cherished by First Nations

Did it contribute to the originators developing great
wealth?
What makes it special, unique, or valuable?
When was your resource a major trade product?
Peoples for centuries.
Maple syrup means economic vitality in Canada
regions, creating the equivalent of 12,600 full-time
jobs. The industry generates tax revenues of $235
Million to governments in Québec and the rest of
Canada. 85% of Québec maple syrup is exported to
more than 60 countries.
A maple tree must be around 45 years old before it is
tapped for syrup making. It takes an average of 40
gallons of sap to produce one gallon of syrup.
Although maple trees are found on other continents,
no other continent's maples can compare in
sweetness to the sugar maple trees in North America.
After breaking into the international market in 1929,
Canada became the world's leading maple products
producer and exporter. With the tradition of sugaring-
off in the spring, maple syrup symbolizes the end of
winter and is associated with Canada's national
identity and way of life at home and abroad.

Natural Resources Comparison Bingo Chart – Write the resource name and the student who has it.

Find a resource that
comes from a tree.
Canadian Maple Syrup -
Albert
Find a resource created by
agriculture.
Egyptian Cotton - Bobby
What is another resource
coming from the same or
a very nearby region of
the world to yours?
North American Beaver
Pelts
Find a resource created by Find a resource created by Find a resource obtained
manufacture. breeding.wine by mining it from the
Persian Carpets - Lucas Cashmore - Eason earth.
Pacific Northwest
Volcanic Glass - Allen
Find a resource created by Find a resource known as Find a resource that is a
hunting. a spice or flavoring. type of glass.
Lydian Electrum - David Black Pepper - King Damascus Steel - Skylar
Find a resource which we Find a resource that was
no longer collect or use popular roughly around
any more. the same time as your
Damascus Steel - Skylar own.
Egyptian Cotton – Bobby

Geography
Place the resources in their proper location by writing the location’s letter next to its name in the chart.

Chinese Silk A Whale Oil Australian B Alpaca G

Eucalyptus Wool
Pacific J Mayan F Persian N Roman T
Northwest Rubber Carpets Honey
Volcanic
Glass
Arabian D Wootz Steel R Madagascar E Tyrian M
Horses Vanilla Purple
Dye
African Ivory S French L Merino M Egyptian V
Champaign Wool Cotton
Canadian K Arctic Seal H Venician T Cashmire A
Maple Syrup Pelts Glass
Damascus Z Indonesian D Sri Lankan Q North a
Steel Nutmeg Cinnamon American
Beaver
Pelts
Chinese S Lydian Y Indian Black U West X
Porcelain Electrum Pepper African
Palm Oil