Purpose of The Coal and Energy Unit

Coal is a part of our daily lives, but how often do we think about its importance? Coal generates over half our electricity and provides Pennsylvanians with thousands of jobs at mines, power plants, and in the transportation industry.

We hope that the students will gain an understanding of:

1. What coal is and the unique environmental conditions necessary for its formation
2. How the rock cycle and plate tectonics influence coalification
3. How the U.S. chooses to use its energy resources
4. Coal's connection to society and their daily lives
5. The need for clean coal technology and development of alternative energy technologies.

Activities are designed to develop observational, critical thinking, and graph and map reading skills.

Small group activities and presentations encourage discussion and teamwork.  Please review this Power Point Presentation (28 MB file) that provides an overview of the unit.