Grade 4 students weigh real trade-offs in this NGSS 4-ESS3 critical thinking worksheet. They consider the upfront cost of renewable energy compared to the immediate availability of fossil fuels and learn how communities balance growth with conservation. Multiple choice and fill-in items strengthen reasoning around sustainability, footprint, and renewable resources while supporting careful, evidence-based decisions about Earth's future. Grade 4 students think critically about trade-offs.
Style:
Natural Resources and Human Impact
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. What is a trade-off of switching to solar power right now?
A) Solar panels cost a lot to install at first
B) Sunlight will run out by next year
C) Solar panels burn coal to work
D) Solar power makes more smog than gas
2. Why do some communities still rely on fossil fuels even though they pollute?
A) Fossil fuels glow in the dark naturally
B) They are widely available and the equipment already exists
C) Fossil fuels never produce any waste
D) They are the only renewable resource
3. What does it mean to balance development with conservation?
A) Build everything as fast as possible
B) Stop all building forever
C) Grow communities while protecting ecosystems
D) Use only nonrenewable fuels for cities
4. Which choice supports both jobs and the environment best?
A) Building wind farms that hire local workers
B) Dumping waste into nearby lakes
C) Cutting every tree in a forest at once
D) Burning extra coal for fun
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. Choosing what to give up to gain something else is called a trade-off.
2. Saving forests, rivers, and wildlife for the future is called conservation.
3. Living in a way that lasts without harming the planet is being sustainable.
4. The total pollution caused by your daily actions is your carbon footprint.
5. Energy from the sun, wind, and water is called renewable energy.
Natural Resources and Human Impact
★ Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. What is a trade-off of switching to solar power right now?
A) Solar panels cost a lot to install at first
B) Sunlight will run out by next year
C) Solar panels burn coal to work
D) Solar power makes more smog than gas
2. Why do some communities still rely on fossil fuels even though they pollute?
A) Fossil fuels glow in the dark naturally
B) They are widely available and the equipment already exists
C) Fossil fuels never produce any waste
D) They are the only renewable resource
3. What does it mean to balance development with conservation?
A) Build everything as fast as possible
B) Stop all building forever
C) Grow communities while protecting ecosystems
D) Use only nonrenewable fuels for cities
4. Which choice supports both jobs and the environment best?
A) Building wind farms that hire local workers
B) Dumping waste into nearby lakes
C) Cutting every tree in a forest at once
D) Burning extra coal for fun
★ Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1) Choosing what to give up to gain something else is called a trade-off.
2) Saving forests, rivers, and wildlife for the future is called conservation.
3) Living in a way that lasts without harming the planet is being sustainable.
4) The total pollution caused by your daily actions is your carbon footprint.
5) Energy from the sun, wind, and water is called renewable energy.
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9 Questions
12-18 minutes
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