Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Safety vs. Energy
Political cartoons are a poignant way to examine energy sources. This analysis handout has scholars examining a cartoon by Joe Heller (a link to his gallery is included for possible extensions). Background information reminds pupils of...
Curated OER
Mine Over Matter
Students explore the January 2006 Sago, West Virginia coal mining accident. They research coal mining in the U.S. and use their data to illustrate posters.
Curated OER
Mining and Safety in Illinois
Students answer questions that are related to factors that determine the type of mining used? They are able to answer questions after reading the assignment. Some questions that are asked: Briefly describes the steps of surface mining....
Curated OER
Miners
Students complete various activities related to mining and mining safety. They write an energy sentence, complete a word puzzle, cut and glue safety equipment on a mining character, solve a math code word puzzle, and complete a maze...
Curated OER
Muffin Mining
Students participate in demonstrations of the problems of mining. They use blueberry muffins to represent their coal deposits.. They make predictions and record their observations. They discuss their results.
Pulitzer Center
Extractive Industries
Here is a chance for environmental studies classes to take a critical look at crises occurring around the globe by reading articles and viewing video clips. The human activities under scrutiny are the extraction of oil, logging, and...
Curated OER
Environment: A Day Around the Bay
Young scholars examine various scenarios about pollution around bays and discuss their reactions to them. Among the situations they investigate are construction site soil washing into a tributary, oil from motor boats leaking into...
Curated OER
Geo Sequestration Lab
Students explore geologic sequestration as a technique used to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. They use chemistry to stimulate oil mining. Students conduct an experiment to learn about geo carbon sequestration.
Curated OER
Working Where The Sun Never Shines
Students analyze documents of miners and identify their working conditions. In this industrial revolution instructional activity students view documents and photographs of miners and discuss their conditions and what some possible...
Curated OER
Middle School Home Energy Audit
Seventh graders research the origins of local electrical power and compare costs and methods of generation with other areas of the country or world.
Other
U.s. Mine Safety and Health Adm: Mine Safety and Health Administration
As a regulatory agency, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) provides safety information to coal miners.
US Department of Labor
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Career Guide to Industries: Mining
Bureau of Labor Statistics provides information on mining and geological engineering which includes the nature of the industry, working conditions, employment, outlook, and earnings.
Other
Mine Safety and Health Administration: Our Page for Kids
Site from the Mine Safety and Health Administration that aims at teaching children about mining, prospecting, mine safety, and what the human body needs from natural resources.
Other
West Virginia Office of Mhs & T: West Virginia Coal Mining Facts
The history and economy of the mining industry in West Virginia are presented.
Other
Holmes Safety Association Bulletin: The Boys in the Breakers [Pdf]
A heartbreaking account of child labor in the coal mines at the turn of the century - 1904. Click on the article title in the table of contents to read this account published in 1904 by Peter Roberts.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Using Daphnia to Monitor Water Toxicity
In a bioassay, a living organism serves as a detector for toxins-the same way canaries were used in coal mines to detect invisible toxic gases. In this project, water fleas (Daphnia magna), a freshwater crustacean, are used in a bioassay...