The advantages of natural gas and crude oil

Having students research energy information can lead to some eye-opening realizations! That is what Woodford Paidiea teacher Sharon Bronson found when she used OOGEEP lessons as part of her 5th grade Ecosystems unit. "Within this unit, I teach photosynthesis, cellular respiration, energy resources, and energy chains," said Bronson.

Bronson, like many other teachers, faced the challenges of teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. She had to be flexible and adjust her plans to accommodate these challenges. "When our school schedule changed, I altered my plans slightly by starting with lesson 4.1, Sweet Explorations," said Bronson. She plans to revisit the question of the formation of crude oil later this year with these lessons.

Her students researched questions about Ohio's role in energy production and completed the Sweet Explorations 'drilling' activity. Bronson said they gained a foundational understanding of what natural gas and crude oil is, along with the importance of these energy resources to Ohio and the United States. They also learned and experienced the difference between horizontal drilling and vertical drilling and the degree of effectiveness. They saw from the lab that vertical drilling was easier, but horizontal was more productive.

Bronson said, "The students also researched the cost of alternative energy resources such as wind and solar energy and compared it to natural gas and crude oil. Researching states such as California’s current energy situations was eye-opening in seeing how efficient natural gas and crude oil are in comparison."

Since the class will be remote for some time, Bronson plans to continue discussions and research into solutions for problems encountered in drilling and how to create or maximize efficiency in technology.

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