Using the State Curriculum: Science, Grade 4

Human activities are affected by environmental factors in the geographic region that they inhabit. In Maryland, opportunities for human outdoor recreational activities are numerous. In and around the Chesapeake Bay, fishing is one of Maryland's major industries. Agriculture is another leading industry in Maryland due to its temperate climate, adequate precipitation and nutrient rich soil. The geography of Maryland, including the mountains in the west and the Atlantic Ocean in the east, makes it attractive to tourists.

Ways people in Maryland depend on the environment: jobs, leisure activities, food, transportation, sources of water, waste disposal

Ways people in Maryland change the environment: People make choices and take actions that impact the environment negatively and positively. Driving habits impact the amount of air pollution; decisions about where to live, work and shop impact land use; reducing consumer waste through reuse and recycling can lessen the impact on land, making informed decisions about what foods to eat reduces over-harvesting of aquatic resources and promotes sustainable agriculture.

Ways people in Maryland are affected by the environment:
Resources in Maryland are finite.

• People must have a source of potable (drinking) water and those sources must be protected from pollutants.
• Natural and human-made changes in the water quality of Chesapeake Bay may reduce the number of fish and crabs, causing a loss of jobs.
• Land is limited in Maryland. Land use planning and soil management are essential to meet the demands for housing, roads, recreation and landfills and to preserve agricultural areas.
• Air temperatures are moderate in Maryland, and extremely hot or cold temperatures are rare. People can live and work in all parts of the State.
• Rainfall is adequate to replenish drinking supplies and to sustain agriculture. However, natural disasters such as hurricanes may impact industries such as fishing and tourism on and near the coastline.