Basic 6 · Religious and Moral Education · The Environment
How the Environment Supports Human Life
In this topic you will explain how human beings depend on the environment for their needs.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Identify parts of the environment
- Explain how the environment meets human needs
- Show appreciation for the environment as God's gift
What you already know
- Caring for the environment (Basic 5)
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
- Strand
- God’s Creation And Attributes
- Sub-strand
- The Environment
- Indicator
- B6.1.2.1.1 – Explain how humankind and the environment interrelate
Introduction
Everything we eat, drink, wear and use comes from the environment. The air we breathe comes from plants, our food grows in the soil and our water flows from rivers. Without the environment, there would be no human life.
1. Parts of the Environment
| Component | Examples |
|---|---|
| land | soil, rocks, minerals, mountains |
| water | rivers, lakes, seas, rain, underground water |
| air | oxygen, carbon dioxide, wind |
| plants | forests, crops, grasses, medicinal plants |
| animals | domestic animals, wild animals, insects, fish |
| people and their buildings | homes, roads, farms, towns |
2. How the Environment Meets Human Needs
| Need | How the environment provides |
|---|---|
| food | crops from soil, fish from water, meat from animals |
| water | rivers, rain, wells, boreholes |
| air | oxygen from plants |
| shelter | timber, bamboo, mud, stone, sand |
| clothing | cotton, raffia, leather |
| medicine | herbs and barks (e.g. neem, moringa) |
| energy | firewood, sunlight, wind, rivers for hydroelectric power (Akosombo) |
| income | gold, cocoa, timber, fishing, tourism |
3. The Environment as God's Gift
Religions teach that the environment is a gift from God. The Bible says, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it" (Psalm 24:1). The Qur'an says that Allah made the earth a resting place and sends down rain to bring out fruits as provision (Qur'an 2:22). Traditional Religion honours the earth as Asase Yaa among the Akan and believes that rivers, forests and mountains have spiritual value.
4. Showing Appreciation
- Thank God for the gifts of nature in prayer.
- Use natural resources wisely and avoid waste.
- Keep the environment clean.
- Teach others to value nature.
Many Ghanaian communities still depend directly on nature for their living. Fishermen at Elmina and Keta depend on the sea, farmers in the Bono and Ashanti regions depend on the soil and rain, and herbalists depend on forest plants. When the environment is healthy, these livelihoods are secure. When it is damaged, people lose their jobs and food.
New words
- environment
- All the living and non-living things around us.
- natural resource
- Something from nature that people use.
- hydroelectric power
- Electricity produced by moving water.
- medicinal plant
- A plant used to make medicine.
- depend
- To rely on something.
- appreciation
- Recognising the value of something.
Summary
- The environment includes land, water, air, plants, animals and people.
- It provides food, water, shelter, clothing, medicine and energy.
- Religions teach that the environment is God's gift.
- We should appreciate and use it wisely.
Class activity: Dependence Web
- Write "Me" in the centre of a page.
- Draw lines to things you use from the environment each day.
- Add what part of the environment each comes from.
You need: Potted maize plant, Local soil in a clear cup, Printed photographs of local people, Animals
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. Which comes from the environment?
- A. Food
- B. Plastic only
- C. Cars only
- D. Phones only
Show answer
Answer: FoodGrown in soil.2. Akosombo produces electricity from…
- A. moving water
- B. coal
- C. sunlight
- D. wind
Show answer
Answer: moving waterHydroelectric power.3. "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it" is from…
- A. Psalm 24:1
- B. Genesis 2:15
- C. John 3:16
- D. Qur'an 1:1
Show answer
Answer: Psalm 24:1Bible verse.4. Plants give us oxygen.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueThrough photosynthesis.5. Humans can live without the environment.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: FalseAll needs come from it.6. A plant used to make medicine is a ______ plant.
Show answer
Answer: medicinale.g. neem.7. Name four needs the environment provides.
Show answer
Answer: Food, water, shelter, medicine (or air, clothing, energy).Any four.8. Why do religions call the environment God's gift?
Show answer
Answer: They teach that God created it and gave it to humans to use and care for.Stewardship.
Homework
- List everything you used today and trace each item back to the environment.