Judge claims about using natural resources
Grade 6 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me
Circle the best answer.
Beside it, a chain of boxes: cause, effect, solution. A claim says water levels fell in every part of the aquifer. What does the USGS table show, Bo?
- Yes: each part fell 16.5 ft
- Not everywhere: the South Dakota part rose 0.5 ft
- Levels rose 44.1 ft in the Texas part
- Yes: the Texas part fell, so the other parts fell as well
Beside it, a chain of boxes: cause, effect, solution. A poster claims, "Most homes waste 50 gallons a day through leaks." Using the EPA table, what is the flaw, Esme?
- EPA says homes do not leak
- No flaw: each home leaks that much
- No flaw: EPA says about 90% of homes
- EPA says about 9% of homes, not most
Read this first
Use this
Two tables. Table 1 (EIA, US energy use in 2025), columns source, share of US energy use: petroleum, about 38%; natural gas, about 36%; coal, about 9%; renewable energy, about 9%. Table 2 (EIA, US carbon dioxide from people in 2022), columns source, share: burning fossil fuels, 93%; other sources, 7%.
Using both EIA tables, which claim is supported, Jun?
- Fossil fuels gave most of the energy but just a small part of the CO₂
- Fossil fuel use will end in the US by 2030
- Renewable energy gave most US energy
- Fossil fuels gave most US energy and most US human-caused CO₂
Beside it, a chain of boxes: cause, effect, solution. Using the USGS table, about how much farther did the average water level fall from 2007 to 2019, Kira?
- About 16.5 ft
- About 0.1 ft
- About 2.5 ft
- About 30.5 ft
USGS, High Plains aquifer
period average water-level change about 1950 to 2007 fell 14.0 ft about 1950 to 2019 fell 16.5 ft 2017 to 2019 rose 0.1 ft USGS card: when water levels fall, wells may need deepening, pumping costs rise, and streams can get less water. Beside it, a chain of boxes: cause, effect, solution.
Using the table and the USGS card, which claim is best supported, Luz?
- Each High Plains well has gone dry since about 1950
- Pumping costs fell as the water levels fell
- Wells where levels fell may now cost more to pump
- Streams gained water as the levels fell
Claim: "Farms in a dry area should grow crops that need less water." Which reasoning gives a benefit and a cost, Milo?
- Uses more groundwater, at no cost to anyone
- Has no effect on the groundwater
- Saves groundwater, but farmers must learn new crops and tools
- Saves groundwater, and the farmers give up nothing in return
Claim: "Our town should build a solar farm." Which reasoning weighs both sides, Noah?
- Burns coal to make its power, so no gain
- Works at night just as well as by day
- Renewable sunlight, so there is no downside of any kind to weigh
- Renewable, but output varies with weather and it needs land
Claim: "Our school should put in water-saving toilets." Which reasoning weighs both sides, Pia?
- Saves water each year, and it costs nothing to put them in
- Uses more water, but it costs nothing
- Saves water each year, but costs money and work to put in
- Toilets use no water, so nothing changes
Ren claims, "Our school uses less water since new faucets went in." Which data would test the claim best?
- One meter reading from the day after
- A list of the faucets' colors
- Meter readings for many months before and after
- A survey of who likes the new faucets
Zee's class claims new rain barrels cut a town's outdoor water use this summer. What else should the class check?
- Nothing: one summer's drop shows it
- Whether this summer was rainier than last summer
- How many of the barrels are blue
- The town's favorite park