Key concepts include:
1. watersheds and water;
2. animals and plants;
3. minerals, rocks, ores
4. forests, soil, and land

Central Idea: Virginia has many natural resources, including watersheds, minerals, rocks, ores, soil, land, and forests.

WATERSHEDS

• A watershed is an area of land over which surface water flows to a single collection place.
• The materials from the watershed, including pollutants, add to the water flow and impact organisms that may serve as a natural resource for humans.
• The Chesapeake Bay watershed covers approximately half of Virginia’s land area.
• The other two major watershed systems in Virginia are the Gulf of Mexico and the North Carolina sounds

VIRGINIA’S NATURAL RESOURCES

• Natural resources are necessary or useful to humans.
  • Many natural resources are distributed unevenly around the planet.
  • Virginia has many natural resources.
  • Some examples of Virginia's natural resources include minerals, plants, animals, water, soil, and land
• Virginia’s water resources include lakes, rivers, bays, and the Atlantic Ocean .
• Virginia has a great variety of plant and animal resources.
  • Plants hold soil in place to reduce erosion, which aids in improving water quality.
  • Plants provide food, materials for shelter, habitats, and add oxygen to the air.
  • Animals provide materials such as food, fiber, and leather.
  • Healthy populations of plants and animals are critical for life.
• Minerals, ores, and rocks are considered natural resources and have specific purposes in everyday life (e.g., building materials and fuel sources).

• Natural and cultivated forests are widespread resources in Virginia.
  • Uses of forests include providing building materials, fuel, and habitats.
• Virginia’s soil and land support a great variety of life and provide space for us to live, work, and play.