Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 25/02/2026
Subject: Geography
Lesson Topic: 3.7 Environmental risks of economic development: Describe impacts and management of resource exploitation.
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe the main environmental impacts of different types of resource exploitation.
  • Explain how land, water, air and biodiversity are affected by mining, oil & gas, timber, water abstraction and sand extraction.
  • Evaluate management measures and propose appropriate strategies to mitigate these impacts.
  • Analyse case‑study examples to illustrate effective mitigation.
  • Apply knowledge to assess a new resource project for potential environmental risks.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector and screen
  • PowerPoint slides summarising resource types and impacts
  • Handouts with the impact‑management table
  • Case‑study worksheets (China coal, Niger Delta oil, Amazon logging)
  • Markers and flip chart for group brainstorming
  • Internet access for a short reclamation video
 Introduction:
Begin with a striking image of a reclaimed mine landscape contrasted with a polluted site to hook students. Ask learners what they know about why societies extract natural resources and what trade‑offs they anticipate. Explain that today they will identify the environmental risks of resource exploitation and the ways these risks can be managed, with success measured by their ability to match impacts to appropriate mitigation strategies.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5’) – Students list the resources they think are most exploited and discuss in pairs; teacher records responses.
  2. Mini‑lecture (10’) – Define resource exploitation and overview the five main types using slides and a diagram.
  3. Impact analysis activity (15’) – In small groups, each receives a resource card and fills a table identifying land, water, air and biodiversity impacts; groups present findings.
  4. Management strategies gallery walk (10’) – Posters of regulatory, technological, rehabilitation, economic and community approaches; students note which strategies address which impacts.
  5. Case‑study investigation (15’) – Groups examine one of three case studies, answer guiding questions, and propose an additional mitigation measure.
  6. Whole‑class synthesis (5’) – Teacher summarises key links between impacts and management; quick quiz to check understanding.
Conclusion:
Recap the four categories of environmental impacts and the suite of management options that can mitigate them. Students complete an exit ticket by writing one impact‑management pair for a resource of their choice. Assign homework to research a local resource project and prepare a brief report on its potential environmental risks and suggested controls.