Activity 4: Coal Mining &Background Coal is mined in many ways on the surface or below the surface. These activities allow students to get a hands-on view of the process using common materials. Younger students can complete the activity using cookies, as they mine the surface for chocolate chips. Older students can investigate more deeply, creating a mine with rocks and other earth materials. In either case, students will be able to see the challenges of mining all the valuable resources, while keeping the mine and surrounding land at a state that could be reclaimed and re-used in the future.
Objective Students will be able to describe the process and challenges of mining and reclamation.
Materials BY GRADE LEVEL
PRIMARY
Large, soft, chocolate chip cookies Toothpicks Paper towels
ELEMENTARY Small plastic bowls Plastic spoons Large plastic bowls 5 lb Bag of sand 5 lb Bag of small, gray pebbles 5 lb Bag of small, white pebbles 5 lb Bag of topsoil 5 lbs of Clay
50-100 Small pieces of coal or black pebbles Table coverings Grass, leaves, twigs Markers Clear straws Grass seed Container for coal Land Development Worksheet, page 46
2Preparation Look over the procedures for both coal mining activities and select the activity you will use with your students. Gather the materials needed for the activity and set up student work stations. Make copies of the worksheet, as needed, if using the elementary activity. If using the elementary activity, place one large bowl each of sand, gray pebbles, white pebbles, and topsoil at each station, as well as a portion of clay, a small bowl of coal, and a plastic spoon. Hint: The activity is more successful if the sand is slightly moist—the consistency of brown sugar. NOTE: The elementary mining activity can be split into segments or parts. All of the parts can be done within one class period, depending on the time allowed. NOTE: Clay can be used as a substitute for cookies. Students may assemble their own “cookie” using clay and beads or other small items.
Procedure BY GRADE LEVEL PRIMARY 1. Have students recite and act out the coal chant from previous activities. 2. Give each student a cookie, paper towel, and toothpick. Have the students “mine” the coal as carefully as possible, trying not to disturb the land. 3. Record the number of chips each student mines.
4. Ask students to try to put their cookies back together. Discuss as a class what challenges they might face trying to do so. Ask what they would have done differently at first if they knew they would have to re-assemble their cookies.
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