Fossil Fuel Formation
Readiness
TEKS Objective
The student is expected to explore the processes that led to the formation of sedimentary rocks and fossil fuels.
Essential Understanding
The student knows Earth's surface is constantly changing and consists of useful resources.
Science Background
Fossil Fuels: Environmental Literacy Council (website) - Brief overview of fossil fuels (formation and uses), with links to other sites for more in-depth information.
Fossil Fuels
Environmental Literacy Council, www.enviroliteracy.org
Where Fossil Fuels Come From: EnergyQuest (website) - Information about fossil fuel formation, location, characteristics and uses.
Where Fossil Fuels Come From
California Energy Commission, Energy Quest, www.energyquest.ca.gov
The Global Carbon Cycle: BioEd Online (video) - Presentation on the carbon cycle, fossil fuels and related topics.
The Global Carbon Cycle
BioEd Online, www.bioedonline.org
About Coal: American Coal Foundation (website) - Coal-related educational materials for teachers, students and the general public.
Signature Lesson
Geomuffin: BioEd Online (website) - Using a specially prepared muffin as a model, your class will “drill” for fossil fuels, and identify processes and materials that lead to the formation of fossil fuels.
- Supporting Lessons
- Extensions
- Assessment Ideas
- Literature Connections
- Related
TEKS - Additional Resources
Supporting Lessons
Coal Formation: American Coal Foundation (website) - Students simulate coal formation and practice the essential laboratory skills of hypothesizing, observing and explaining their findings.
Coal Formation
American Coal Foundation, www.teachcoal.org
Cookie Monster’s Delight: WNET Educational Initiatives (website) - Students learn about the wise use of coal and other non-renewable resources through inquiry, hands-on activities and problem solving.
Cookie Monster’s Delight
WNET Educational Initiatives, www.thirteen.org
No Fossils in this Fuel: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (PDF) - Investigation in which students make ethanol in the classroom and learn about renewable and non-renewable resources.
No Fossils in this Fuel
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, www.nrel.gov
Elaboration Lessons and Extensions
Cookie Mining: American Coal Foundation (website) - Simulate and learn about the mining process using chocolate chip cookies and toothpicks.
Assessment Ideas
Have each group of students produce a mural depicting the life cycle of a fossil fuel (i.e., oil, coal, natural gas). Explain the assessment criteria, which may be of your own design or those listed below.
- The mural accurately depicts the life cycle of a fossil fuel, in proper sequence.
- It is evident that research was conducted.
- All students participated equally in creating the mural.
- The mural includes clear, neat labels and a title.
- The mural is colorful; artistic details were added.
Literature Connections
A Look at Rocks: From Coal to Kimberlite. Kittinger, Jo S. (ISBN: 0-531-15887-X)
The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth. Cole, Joanna (ISBN: 0-590-40760-0)
What's So Bad About Gasoline? Fossil Fuels and What They Do. Rockwell, A. and Meisel, P. (ISBN-10: 0061575275)
What If We Run Out of Fossil Fuels? Miller, Kimberly M. (ISBN-10: 0516234781)
Fossil Fuels. Friedman, Lauri S. (ISBN-13: 9781601520791)
TEKS Navigation
Grade 5
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