Subject:
Language Arts, Social Studies/Economics, Science

Learner Outcomes:

• Students will recognize the different ways coal are mined.
• Students will be made aware of the basic process of various methods and types of underground mining.
• Students will recognize and use the following vocabulary terms: face, portal, drift mine, shaft mine, slope mine, conventional mining, longwall mining, room and pillar mining, coal seam, outcrop, rock dusting, roof bolting, roof support, underground mining, slope mine, drift mine, shaft mine, conventional mining, continuous mining, longwall mining, profit, loss, reclamation, high wall, dragline, benches, contour mining, open pit mining, drainage, topsoil.
• Students will become familiar with basic surface mining process.
• Students will become aware of reclamation activities

Duration of Lesson:
Two 45 minute class periods

Materials:
Glossary Student Notebook, Fact Sheet, materials for mining chocolate chips, yellow and green highlighters for students
 

Technology Tools/Courseware :
All About Coal  (American Electric Power video),
Presentation - guest speaker (Our resource person is from Coal Mac, our business partner.)

Teacher notes:
Secure guest speaker dates at least one month in advance.

Procedures:
Day 1. Show video & discuss
Students will use their Glossary and Fact Handout to discuss: basic steps of surface mining, underground mining types of methods, and terminology. Students will underling terms and  methods dealing with surface mining with a green marker and highlight underground mining terminology with yellow markers.
Day 2.   Guest Speaker on Surface mining
Cooking mining activity description

Modifications:
Students will be heterogeneous grouped for activities.

Enrichment Activities:
Mining Chocolate Chips
Crossword Puzzles
Mining in a Nutshell

Evaluation/Assessment:
Evaluation of following directions with highlighting of student notebook

WV IGOs:
Language Arts: 5.1, 5.4, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8,5.13, 5.36, 5.46
Social Studies: 5.7, 5.10, 5.48, 5.12
Science: 5.19, 5.25
Technology: 5.65

National Standards:

Technology

6.  Understands the nature and uses of different forms of technology.

14.  Understands how human actions modify the physical environment
16.  Understands the changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution and importance of resources.
18.  Understands global development and environmental issues.

1.  Uses a variety of strategies in the problem solving process.

8.  Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes.
9.  Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media.

References:
Coal: The Inside Story, American Electric Power
Mineral Education - Elementary (SME)
"Coal Country" Software
Introduction to Underground Coal Mining  (MSHA)
"Greenlands" (WVMRA)
 

Authors:
Jeanne Brewster
Helen Curry
Judy Smith