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Sustainability is defined as meeting the "needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (Sustainability). It is impossible to discuss fossil fuels and their effects well without considering sustainability. Our extensive use of fossil fuels in this generation is one of the clearest examples of how our current usage of natural resources is not sustainable or beneficial to future generations. We cannot continue to use these nonrenewable resources at the present rate without running them into obsoletion in the future, and simultaneously harming our natural and human environments.

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Fossil fuels can be creatively incorporated into various other subjects areas. For science, students can simulate the effects of carbon emissions on our atmosphere or create models of hydraulic fracturing. For social studies, students can look at the history of fossil fuel use throughout the world, and learn about how fossil fuels are affecting societies today. For math, students can create graphs measuring carbon emissions or look at data collected about the carbon emissions emitted by various types of energy sources.

Not only does this subject have the opportunity to be cross-curricular, it is an extremely valuable topic to discuss in the classroom. Students must understand where their energy comes from and how their use of it will affect their future and the future of our planet. We see the effects of fossil fuels and energy every single day. We depend upon fossil fuels but we are also harmed by them. Teaching are students to act responsibly with their use of energy and the sources they choose to draw from can be the difference that makes the world a brighter and more beautiful place in the future.

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Day One: What are fossil fuels? In this lesson we will talk about what fossil fuels are and what we use them for.

Day Two: What methods do we use to get fossil fuels? Today we will talk cover hydraulic fracturing and coal mining.

Day Three: What are the negative effects of coal mining? This day includes my fully developed lesson plan for my final project. My plan will be “Chocolate Chip Cookie Mining”, and we will use futures and values thinking.

Day Four: What are the negative effects of hydraulic fracturing? We will look at the issues associated with fracking and begin looking at the BP Oil Spill.

Day Five: What effects of the BP oil spill are still here today?

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To begin our fossil fuel unit, we must first develop a definition of what fossil fuels are and how they are used in our daily life. In this lesson students will gain valuable vocabulary that will help them throughout the unit and they will brainstorm about how energy effects their daily lives.

Coal, oil and natural gas are all forms of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels were created when decaying plant and animal deposits sunk to the bottom of  swamps and became peat, and eventually hardened into rock. Over many years the rock piled up, squeezing the decaying organisms and creating oil, coal or gas. These substances can be used by humans to fuel our energy needs, but we are running out of this valuable nonrenewable resource. (Energyquest.ca)

In this lesson, students will begin by listing as many things as they can in three minutes that they use that require energy. A master list will be generated on the board to show how ubiquitous our energy needs are. Students will then fill out a KWL chart, listing what prior knowledge they have of fossil fuels and any wonderings they have about the topic in the K and W columns respectively. Then, students will watch a video that demonstrates what fossil fuels are and why they are important (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaXBVYr9Ij0). As they watch they will fill in the final "L" column noting what they learned from the video. Students will share their new knowledge with a peer partner.

(Fossil Fuels, Hydrocarbon, and CO2)

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Day 2: What methods do we use to extract fossil fuels?

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Day 2: What methods do we use to extract fossil fuels?

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We will next explore the different ways that we can obtain this energy from deep within the Earth. Students will learn particularly about hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas and mining for coal.

Hydraulic fracturing is a method of obtaining oil or natural gas by drilling deep into the surface of the Earth and pump out the natural resources. Coal is obtained by mining, several methods of which are used.

Today, students will read a passage about how hydraulic fracturing and coal mining works in small groups and answer a set of comprehension questions. Then, students will watch a video (include link here) solidifying understanding of the process of fracking and coal mining. In small groups, students will create posters using diagrams and words that demonstrate their understanding of the processes. These posters will be shared aloud and posted around the room to benefit students during future lessons.

(Butt & Beyer, 2014)

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Day 3: What are the negative effects of coal mining?

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Day 3: What are the negative effects of coal mining?

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Today students will delve deeper into coal mining and explore the negative effects associated with it. The lesson plan for today will be attached below (add link)

Mining can cause several detrimental environmental effects. These include degradation of ecosystems and habitats, contamination of water, and pollution from coal fires and acid mine drainage (Greenpeace.org).

In today's lesson students will begin by listening to the trade book,  America at Work: Mining by Ann Love, read aloud by the teacher. They will then use Chromebooks to search several pre-approved sites to find information about different effects of coal-mining. Each group will focus on a different adverse effect and students will "jigsaw" share with members from different groups. Students will then watch a video about the harmful effects of coal mining which includes key vocabulary. Next, students will each be given a crunchy Chips Ahoy cookie and tasked with removing the chocolate chips (the coal) without harming their cookie. Students will find that it is very difficult to extract all the chips without crumbling their cookie, similar to how it is difficult to extract coal without damaging the surrounding environment. Students will fill out a data sheet as they conduct their experiment and follow up with a quick written reflection. Students will be given a cookie to eat at the end while the class discusses the value of the experiment.

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Day 4: What are the negative effects of hydraulic fracturing?

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Day 4: What are the negative effects of hydraulic fracturing?

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Next students will focus on hydraulic fracturing, and the harmful effects associated with this.

The biggest risks to the environment due to fracking are air and water pollution and land usage. Fracking leaks methane and other greenhouse gasses into the air, contributing to the rapid depletion of our Ozone. The fluid used to force gas and oil out of the ground can leak into the ground and contaminate the groundwater and drinking water for humans and animals. Fracking is also an issue because it devastates land that is part of an ecosystem or human system. There have been many recent news stories about oil pipelines threatening the sacred grounds of Native American tribes, for example. (cite)

In this lesson students will listen to "The Fracking Song" (Youtube). Then, they will read a passage about the negative and positive effects of fracking in small groups. They will then be assigned a side (for or against the practice of fracking) and we tasked with individually writing an opinion piece supporting their viewpoint with textual evidence. Select students will read their writing aloud and students will vote using Kahoot poll to show how much of the classes is pro-fracking and how much of the class in anti-fracking.

(I.O Publications, 2011)

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Day 5: What is the BP Oil Spill and what were/are the effects?

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Day 5: What is the BP Oil Spill and what were/are the effects?

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In this final lesson students will make a real world connection with fossil fuels through exploring the BP Oil Spill and its effects.

The BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20th, 2010 devastated the waters off the shores of Louisiana and other gulf states. Marine life was severely threatened by the oil that covered everything. This also caused human impacts, as workers int the fishing, tourism, and oil industry all were unable to do their jobs, causing a strain on the local economy as well as the environment.

Students will watch two short videos about the oil spill, one showing the immediate effects and one showing what is still left behind.  Then, students will watch a teacher demonstration of the difficulty of extracting oil from ocean waters (Cardigans and Curriculum Blog). THe simulation will entail filling a deep, clear pan with water and mixing in oil (cocoa and olive oil) and showing its effect on different objects (e.g. feathers) and cleaning agents (Dawn soap). Students will write a persuasive letter to someone involved in the catastrophe (a BP employee, a clean-up crew member, a locale citizen, or a political figure). In their letter they will explain what occurred in the BP spill and what the adverse effects were. They will also outline what still needs to be done and what next steps should be taken.

Add video.

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TEACHERS:

http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-are-fossil-fuels-definition-advantages-disadvantages.html

It's important to feel confident in the content you will teach to your kids. Teachers can brush up their energy content knowledge using this study program that will test you on the most important facts. The site is associated with a cost of use, but you can opt for a 5-day free trial, which is a perfect amount of time to get acquainted with the material.

http://www.nea.org/tools/lessons/clean-energy-education.html
http://energy4me.org/wp-content/uploads/Fish-Fossils-Fuel-Lesson-Plan.pdf
If you're looking to go a step further in your classroom and tackle the "Now What" of energy usage, this site can help. It gives a quality overview of clean energy, and provides great teacher resources to help you teach your students about the possible alternatives to fossil fuels.

http://energy4me.org/wp-content/uploads/Fish-Fossils-Fuel-Lesson-Plan.pdf
The process of fossil fuel creation is actually really interesting. Our cars are running on dead dinosaurs? Get your kids interested and knowledgeable about the origins of oil through this stellar lesson plan by Energy4Me. In it, students simulate the creation of fossil fuels through a lab involving bread, gummy fish, and straws. Intrigued? I am!

http://energy.gov/fe/about-us/students-and-teachers/study-guides-and-activities
This page on the Department of Energy's website is geared specifically towards teachers. You can download free guides and activities about fossil fuels that can be used as supplements to this fossil fuel unit plan. I particularly like the "How Much Does it Cost to Light Your Classroom?" activity.

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/resources/teacher/episode/20150616-fossilfuels.pdf
This short PDF of teacher resources is full of really creative and engaging lessons about a variety of energy related topics. The lessons encourage students to use higher order thinking skills as well as the 4 Ways of Thinking. The "Picture the Future" lesson on page 3 is an outstanding example of Futures Thinking at work in the classroom.

http://energy.gov/science-innovation/energy-sources/fossil
Here you teachers can read about the Department of Energy's perspective on fossil fuel usage, and click around to see the most recent energy news.

STUDENTS:

https://kids.usa.gov/play-games/science/index.shtml
The energy games on Kids.Gov are fun and educational. Use Power Up, a game about harnessing clean energy sources, as a way to lead into futures thinking and looking beyond fossil fuels. Good for mid-upper elementary.

http://www.wartgames.com/themes/science/fossilfuels.html
Here you can find a lot of student-friendly games about related topics! The Build a Floating Oil Rig simulation would be a perfect supplement for the fifth lesson in this series. There are trivia games too that can be played as extension or informal assessment! 3-5 Grade.

http://pbskids.org/fetch/games/green/power/
From this PBS site students can calculate how much electricity they use daily and figure out how to make their energy footprint smaller. 2-6 grade.

http://climatekids.nasa.gov/fossil-fuels-coal/
NASA's Climate Kids site tells the story of coal, oil, and natural gas through an interesting digital format that is perfect for upper elementary students to navigate on their own. The origin stories start 4,000 years ago in China, where coal was first discovered.

http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter08.html
This link leads to a plethora of information regarding where fossil fuels come from, the different kinds, and their specific characteristics. 4th and up.

http://tiki.oneworld.org/energy/energy3.html
This site is extremely kid-friendly and is set up in a module format. Kids can explore the different types of fossil fuels and their impacts. All grades.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaXBVYr9Ij0
In this video, students can watch how fossil fuels are extracted and use powerful infographics to understand the negative impacts of various types of energy sources. 2nd grade +.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ-J91SwP8w
This fast-paced video details the history of the usage of fossil fuels through the centuries. 2nd grade +.

http://www.teachertube.com/video/fossil-fuels-with-bill-nye-77641
When I was a young student (and, quite frankly, still today) the great models and demonstrations in Bill Nye's videos always stuck with me and helped me better understand whatever science topic was giving me trouble. This Bill Nye Fossil Fuels video is no different. In it, the host talks about fossil fuels, electricity, and the impact on the environment. 2nd and up.

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Butt, N., & Beyer, H. (2013, October 24). Leave it in the ground! How fossil fuel extraction affects biodiversity. Retrieved November 7, 2016, from https://62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/33568/area14mp/p5r6rthr-1382504685.jpg

Coal. (n.d.). Retrieved November 07, 2016, from http://www.eia.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=coal_home-basics

Energy Guide for kids. (n.d.). Retrieved November 07, 2016, from http://tiki.oneworld.org/energy/energy3.html.

The Energy Story - Chapter 8: Fossil Fuels - Coal, Oil and Natural Gas. (n.d.). Retrieved November 07, 2016, from http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter08.html.

Fossil. (n.d.). Retrieved November 07, 2016, from http://energy.gov/science-innovation/energy-sources/fossil

Fossil Fuels, Hydrocarbons, and CO2. (n.d.). Retrieved November 07, 2016, from http://serc.carleton.edu/eslabs/carbon/1d.htmlAbout coal mining impacts. (n.d.). Retrieved November 07, 2016, from http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/climate-change/coal/Coal-mining-impacts/.

Love, A. (2002). America at Work: Mining. Kids Can Press.

Orr, C. (2011, July 7). Oil Spill Simulation. Retrieved November 7, 2016, from http://cardigansandcurriculum.blogspot.com/search/label/Science
S. (2015).

Post Carbon Institute. (2010). 300 Years of FOSSIL FUELS in 300 Seconds. Retrieved November 07, 2016, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ-J91SwP8w

Publications, I. O. (2011). The Case for a Ban on Fracking - Nature and Community - MOTHER EARTH NEWS. Retrieved November 07, 2016, from http://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/environmental-policy/fracking-hydraulic-fracturing-zmgz12fmzrog

Reed, A. (n.d.). Fossil Fuels Sunset [Photograph found in Salt Lake City, Utah]. In Flikr. Retrieved November 7, 2016, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/19779889@N00/15952636223 (Originally photographed 2015, February 17)
Student Energy. Fossil Fuels 101. Retrieved November 07, 2016, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaXBVYr9Ij0

RT America. (2011). The Fracking Song. Retrieved November 07, 2016, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHQu3SeUwUI

Sustainability Science for Teachers. (n.d.). Retrieved November 7, 2016, from https://myasucourses.asu.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_336361_1&content_id=_13821287_1&mode=reset