Let’s Teach about Oil and Natural Gas!

I taught AP Environmental Science for many years.  Hold on!  I am a conservative person.  I taught every topic was neutrally as possible.  The kids in my class were terrific at attacking anyone’s position.  I taught a huge number of Energy topics with the perspective that all forms of energy have pros and cons. We looked at facts without diminishing issues associated with energy production.   Let’s take on another unpopular topic: Oil and Natural Gas. You should read  I Need to Know from OPEC.  It’s all about Oil.  Start with NEED’s Oil and Natural Gas and Natural Gas.  I took one NEED workshop; their program is pretty balanced.  One trick is to use resources from different perspectives, such as Shell’s curriculum, BP,  Energy Today, Natural Gas in the Energy Mix (Teacher notes), Oil Well Drilling, and Energy Primer.  Here is a graphic illustrating products made from plastic.  Take a look at Refining 101; scroll to the slide #27 with the locations of refineries. Drilling for Oil and Modeling for Oil are classroom activities. Create models!  Usually, oil and natural gas lead to a lesson on Electric Power plants.  Electric plants are very similar; only the source of energy to heat water to make steam varies, apart from hydro-electric plants.  Look at the products below in the Oil Tree graphic.  Note the similarities to the Coal Tree.  Lastly, why not make a Fracking model.  Use Fracking 101 for more information.