Module+Review+5+-+Marcellus+Shale

Derek Ford

http://www.efmr.org/edu/MarcellusShale2010.pdf

//What Organization developed the curriculum module?//

The EFMR Monitoring Group.

//What is the mission of the organization?//

The mission of this not-for-profit is “to monitor radiation levels surrounding Three mile Island Nuclear Station and the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station so that any deviation from normal background radiation levels are immediately detected and report.”

//What is the educational mission and philosophy of the organization?//

EFMR wishes to educate the public about radiation and nuclear power production, extending into energy education in Pennsylvania. Their view is that educating people about radiation and the power plants that in the event of an emergency at the plant, the citizens will know and understand what to do.

//What does the curriculum module aim to teach? In other words: What are the learning outcomes supposed to be?//

The curriculum is divided into different lesson plans based on grade level, elementary, middle school, and high school. With each grades level having approximately 5 activities. Elementary Students are expected to learn the following: Middle school Students are expected to: While high School students are expected to:
 * 1) “Classify Marcellus Shale as a sedimentary rock with organic content.
 * 2) Recognize natural gas formed in Marcellus Shale.
 * 3) Define natural gas as a nonrenewable energy resource.
 * 4) Locate the Marcellus Shale Formation on a map.
 * 5) Identify vertical and horizontal drilling techniques.
 * 6) Identify the environmental impacts of natural gas drilling”.
 * 1) Research the Marcellus Shale Formation as a major natural gas resource
 * 2) Create a timeline of the gas industry in Pennsylvania
 * 3) Demonstrate and explain natural gas excavating techniques
 * 4) List economic and environmental impacts of drilling
 * 1) “ Identify Marcellus Shale as a valuable natural gas energy resource.
 * 2) Research and determine the energy potential of Marcellus Shale.
 * 3) Explain and demonstrate the hydraulic fracturing technique in natural gas excavating.
 * 4) Research and report on the economics associated with Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Industry in Pennsylvania.
 * 5) Collect and analyze information concerning the environmental issues of The Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Industry”.
 * 6) Evaluate practices surrounding the natural gas industry as ethical or unethical.

//Do you think the curriculum is appropriated designed to produce the intended learning outcomes?//

The curriculum appears to be appropriated for the intended goals. Although, I believe that the activities for high school could potentially be used for middle school students.

//Does this curriculum teach the kind of literacies the EcoEd Research Group advocates?//

Given the highly complex nature of fracking, from the technical to the political, any education is better than what is currently taught. That being said the EcoED literacies are touched upon somewhat. The ideas of causality are covered, that one action has multipole effects.

//What could be layered into this curriculum so that it addresses more of the learning outcomes that EcoEd Group advocates?//

Honestly I don’t know. I would like to find a fracking curriculum that had more hands on, visual type experiments rather than researching. Because I think that a visual makes education more interesting and depending on the audience can benefit the longevity of the lesson.