Science for the ears, eyes, and mouth!

Ali Woods, science instructor at Pioneer Career and Technology Center, shared this about her experience with the Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program workshop and lessons:

One of the best parts of the OGEEP workshop was the field trip where we visited actual industry sites. Each location had several informative personnel on site to answer questions as we saw firsthand all that goes into producing our oil and gas resources. I got some really great pictures to share with my environmental students as we discuss the different processes.

The best workshop ‘take-away’ were the ready-made lesson plans to help walk a class through each step of the formation and production of fossil fuels. I used several of these lessons this year including the Sound Boards activity. The students really got a kick out of trying to find the holes in the wooden structures using their senses. A few of them said it felt like a treasure hunt! This was a great way for the students to see the process of petroleum exploration, and it served as a great reinforcement for how science works. My students and I discussed how scientists explore places and things that they can’t access directly and the importance of tools in making extended observations.

My students’ favorite lesson was the Sweet Explorations Twinkie lab. They enjoyed eating the Twinkie at the end, but I know they also understood the process of fracking better. After doing the lab, they continued to reference the activity to help explain themselves during discussions. It was a great hands-on tool to investigate something that many people have a hard time understanding. In addition, I was able to show the students samples I had received of petroleum recovered through fracking and the sand used by the industry.
I would highly recommend the workshop to any science educator and I’ve already encouraged several of my coworkers to sign up. I feel much more able discuss the fossil fuel industry with my students and better prepared to develop lessons that focus on our natural resources, thanks to all the support OOGEEP provides.