Resource Roots: A Regional Work Fair

A Regional Work Fair

Students at Canyon View School were preparing a Regional Work Fair. They compared four regions in the fictional state of Bellwether. A natural resource is a material from nature that people use. Fertile soil, trees, metal ore, and grass are examples. Resources are not the only things that affect jobs. Roads, workers' skills, and customers also matter. The class focused on how resources can help certain industries grow.

Golden Plain has deep, fertile soil and enough rainfall for crops. Farmers grow wheat and vegetables there. Grain mills and food-packing plants use some of those crops. Jobs include farming, milling, packing, and repairing farm equipment.

Oakbelt Woods has large forests. Forest workers gather timber, and sawmills cut logs into boards. Cabinet shops use some of the boards to make furniture. Jobs include forest work, sawmill operation, cabinetmaking, and truck driving.

Copper Basin has copper ore underground. Miners remove the ore, and other workers crush and refine it. Wire factories use copper to make wire. Jobs include mining, machine operation, refining, and wire making.

Highland Range has broad grasslands. Ranchers use the grass to raise sheep and cattle. Wool mills and meat-packing plants use products from those animals. Jobs include ranching, wool processing, and meat packing. Businesses that use heavy raw materials often locate near the resource or near a good transportation route because moving those materials can cost time and money.