Economic Importance of Resources from Plants and Animals – JSS3 Basic Science Lesson Note (Second Term)

Resources from plants and animals are materials we get from living things that people use for food, health, industry and decoration.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. State how resources from plants and animals help self-development.
2. State how resources from plants and animals help social development.
3. Give examples of products made from pulp, hides and skins, and flowers.
4. Explain how these resources earn money and create jobs.
5. State ways of protecting plant and animal resources.

What are resources from plants and animals?

They are useful materials obtained from plants and animals, either alive or after harvesting.

Examples of plant resources

• Food crops: yam, cassava, rice, maize, beans and vegetables.
• Trees: timber for building and pulp for making paper.
• Cash crops: cocoa, palm produce, rubber and cotton.
• Medicinal plants: leaves, barks and roots used as herbal medicine.
• Flowers: roses, hibiscus and ixora used for decoration.

Examples of animal resources

• Meat and fish: beef, goat meat, chicken and fish, which supply protein.
• Dairy products: milk, butter, cheese and yoghurt.
• Eggs: a cheap source of protein from poultry.
• Hides and skins: the outer covering of animals, used to make leather.
• Bones and horns: used for making small articles and ornaments.

How do resources from plants and animals help self-development?

Self-development means the growth and well-being of a person, and these resources support it through food, health and useful materials.

• Food: plants and animals supply food for growth and development.
• Protein: dairy products, meat, fish and eggs are rich in protein for replacing worn-out tissues.
• Energy: starchy crops such as yam, rice and cassava give energy for daily work.
• Vitamins and minerals: fruits and vegetables protect the body from disease.
• Drugs: many medicines come from plants and animals and treat various health problems.
• Materials: bones and horns of animals are used in making furniture and other articles.

How do resources from plants and animals help social development?

Social development means the progress of the community, and these resources support it through industries, communication and a pleasant environment.

Pulp from trees

• What it is: pulp is a soft mass made from wood fibres.
• Print media: pulp is used to make paper for newspapers, magazines and books.
• Education: paper from pulp is used for exercise books and textbooks.

Hides and skins

• Hides: the coverings of large animals such as cattle.
• Skins: the coverings of small animals such as goats and sheep.
• Leather industries: they treat hides and skins to make leather.
• Products: shoes, bags, rugs, carpets and clothes.

Flowers

• Beautification: flowers are used for aesthetic purposes in homes, parks and major cities.
• Events: they decorate weddings, churches, mosques and offices.
• Business: flower growers and sellers earn a living from them.

What are the products from plants and animals and their uses?

How do these resources help the economy?

They help the economy by providing jobs, income for people and raw materials for industries.

• Employment: farmers, fishermen, tanners, shoemakers, printers and florists earn a living from them.
• Raw materials: industries use pulp, hides, skins, cotton and rubber to make goods.
• Income: farmers and traders earn money by selling produce in markets.
• Export: products such as cocoa and rubber earn foreign money for the country.
• Cheaper food: local farming reduces the need to import food.

How can we protect plant and animal resources?

We protect them by using them wisely so that they last for future generations.

1. Plant new trees to replace those that are cut down.
2. Avoid bush burning and illegal felling of trees.
3. Avoid overfishing and the killing of animals that are close to extinction.
4. Keep animals in good health and rear them properly.
5. Set up forest reserves and game reserves.

Evaluation

1. Why are dairy products important for the body?
2. Name two items that leather industries make from hides and skins.
3. How is pulp from trees used?
4. State two ways in which plant and animal resources help self-development.
5. State two ways of protecting plant resources.

Assignment

List three ways in which resources from plants and animals help social development.