Curated OER
Fossil Fuels (Part I), The Geology of Oil
Junior geologists work through three mini-lessons that familiarize them with the formation and location of fossil fuels. Part one involves reading about petroleum and where it comes from via a thorough set of handouts. A lab activity...
Curated OER
Fossil Fuels (Part II), The Geology of Oil
More of a mini-unit than a lesson, these activities lead inquisitors through a survey of oil deposits. In the first part, they read about and view diagrams of sedimentary rock layers that trap oil. Next, they test porosity and...
Curated OER
Exploring for Petroleum - Modeling an Oil Reserve
Students experiment with locating oil reserves. In this conservation lesson, students use a cardboard box to create sand, rocks, and an oil reserve (water balloon). They use a probe to dig around in the box to find the oil reserve and...
Curated OER
Modeling an Oil Reserve
Students conduct an experiment. In this oil and natural gas lesson, students learn how geoscientists identify and explore reserves of petroleum. Students make a model of an oil reserve, record how much it would cost to drill...
Curated OER
Groundwater Pollution Site Assessment
Students study how a geologist examines a hazardous waste spill using an actual site. They use site data to map the spill, find its source and determine how fast the spill is spreading.
Curated OER
Oil Trap Model
Students investigate oil accumulation by creating a model in their classroom. In this petroleum geology lesson, students discuss where oil comes from and why it is vital to our society at this particular time. Students cut out a 3-D...
It's About Time
Oil and Gas Production
Would you consider a power failure a current event? This lesson uses multiple experiments, guided inquiry activities, and group discussions to cover the topics of oil and gas production. This is the seventh lesson in a series of eight.
Curated OER
Modeling Oil and Gas Reservoirs
Students investigate energy by researching how oil reservoirs work. In this fossil fuels instructional activity, students conduct an experiment using a half full bottle of water, corn oil and oxygen, recording their data as the elements...
Curated OER
Ice Core Clues
Students create a PowerPoint presentation on the information they research about the ice cores and what they tell us about Earth's past. In this ice core lesson plan, students research radioactivity, air pollution, sodium, snowfall...
Carnegie Mellon University
Natural Gas and Pennsylvania’s Future
Beginning with a general discussion about natural gas, methane, and hydrocarbons, a few videos and diagrams are projected to support the lecture. Individuals participate in a brief activity by drinking juice through a straw, and then...
Carnegie Mellon University
Marcellus Shale: Who Pays?
After viewing short clips of unfortunate events, your class will consider two sides of a homeowner's court case, and then learn about the Marcellus shale deposit beneath the state of Pennsylvania and the hydraulic fracturing process. In...
Curated OER
Natural Resources and Your Christmas Tree
In this natural resources and your Christmas tree worksheet, students read about the raw materials used to make items associated with Christmas trees, match 12 items with materials, then color a picture.
Curated OER
British oil dispute with Argentina deepens
Ninth graders discuss the conflict about oil between Britain and Argentina. In this Political conflict lesson, 9th graders read an article and answer guided reading questions. Students write an email to their teacher about Black Gold in...
Curated OER
Human and Natural Made
Students compare human and natural made objects. In this science lesson, students identify items that are made by humans and items that are natural.
Other
American Association of Petroleum Geologist (Aapg): Careers
A good site for learning what petroleum geologist actuallly do. It dicusses the field in general as well as detailing several current projects relating to petroleum geology.
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: Earth Science Week: Modeling Oil and Gas Reservoirs
This activity will help students understand some of the factors that petroleum geologists need to consider when deciding where to recommend drilling for oil.
US Department of Labor
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Geoscientists
Within the two major disciplines of geology and geophysics are numerous subspecialties of careers. Included: nature of the work, training, advancement, employment, job outlook. projections data, earnings, related occupations. A detailed...
Energy4Me
Energy4me: Core Sampling
Relate this to real-world drilling and why drill bits are used to churn up and break up rock in the sampling path. Explain to students that core sampling is one way that geologists determine the geologic formation of rocks and sediments...
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: Earth Science Week: Properties of Fluids in Reservoirs
This investigation will help students understand the physical relationships between natural gas, oil, and water in a reservoir and how these relationships can affect recovery.
Energy4Me
Energy4me: Geology Careers
Find out the requirements and job description of some careers in geology.
Curated OER
Unidentified Man and Marion Schmidt Escallon (1912 2003)
Unidentified man and Marion Schmidt Escallon (1912-2003), Sinclair Oil Company paleontologist, at a U.S. Geological Survey meeting, December 1937. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of University of Michigan, she was first woman employed as a...
Curated OER
Wikipedia: National Historic Landmarks in Washington, d.c.: David White House
Geologist David White of the United States Geological Survey lived in this house from 1910 to 1925. His researches into the distribution of petroleum resources became essential to the oil industry.