Natural vs. Human Pollution

Students classify each example of pollution as natural or human-made. They examine scenarios such as volcanic ash, traffic exhaust, lightning-caused fires, and trash dumping to determine the source of the pollution. This activity builds analytical skills and reinforces understanding of the difference between natural environmental processes and human-driven pollution. The bonus challenge encourages students to compare one natural and one human-made pollutant, explaining how each can still cause serious environmental harm.

Curriculum Matched Skills

Science – Differentiating Natural vs. Human-Made Pollution

Critical Thinking – Classifying Environmental Scenarios

Reading – Interpreting Real-World Examples

Science Literacy – Understanding Environmental Harm

This worksheet is part of our Pollution Worksheets collection.