Kesler Science Station Lab – Nonrenewable
Resources – Teacher Directions
Explore It! – I will spend much of my time
at this station making sure students are
understanding the concepts. You will
only need the cards included in this file.
This is a great place to hang out and
help with misconceptions
Illustrate It! – Make sure to include
colored pencils or crayons at this station.
Read It! – Print several different copies (I
use 6) of the reading passage so that
multiple students can read at different
paces
Watch It! – The video is on YouTube and
my Google drive. Use YouTube unless
your school is blocked. The original link is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCg81A6kw
g0
Note that both URL’s are case-sensitive.
Organize It! – All of the cards are included
for this station. ONLY CUT OUT THE 8
DESCRIPTIONS. Leave the headers and
energy types intact. Students should be
encouraged to do the Research and
Explore station before attempting this
one. I like to label the backs with set
numbers because they will get mixed up.
Place this one next to the Explore It!
Station.
Write It! – Students should be encouraged
to do the Research and Explore station
before attempting this one.
Research It! – The goo.gl link on the task
card is case-sensitive. The original link is
http://www.childrensuniversity.manchester.ac.uk/intera
ctives/science/energy/advantages/
Assess It! – Students should be
encouraged to do the Research and
Explore station before attempting this
one. If I grade anything I usually take a
close look at the answers from this station.
Write It! Station Directions
It is recommended that you have completed
at least two of the following stations before
working at this station.
-Read It!
-Explore It!
-Watch It!
-Research It!
Answer each of the task card questions on
the lab sheet in complete sentences.
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Why do you think most
transportation in the U.S. is
still running on fossil fuels?
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What are two disadvantages to
a coal power plant?
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Suppose the city wanted to
put a nuclear power plant in
your community. What would
some of the disadvantages
be?
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Assess It! Station Directions
It is recommended that you have completed
at least two of the following stations before
working at this station.
-Read It!
-Explore It!
-Watch It!
-Research It!
Each member will answer the questions from
the task cards on the lab sheet in the Assess
It! section.
©KeslerScience.com
What is a disadvantage
of energy from oil?
Which is an advantage
of coal energy?
A. It’s cheap and plentiful
B. It’s a free resource that can be
replenished quickly
C. It creates greenhouse gases when
burned
D. It will eventually run out
©KeslerScience.com
What is the best
description for a
nonrenewable resource?
A.
B.
C.
D.
A resource that can be used many times
A resource that is very expensive to mine
compared to renewable resources
Solar, wind, and geothermal are all
examples of nonrenewable resources
A resource that cannot be replaced
naturally and reused again.
©KeslerScience.com
A.
B.
C.
D.
It creates millions of jobs
Oil spills can harm the environment
Burning oil is clean energy
There is plenty of oil and it will
never run out
©KeslerScience.com
Which best explains why
we are still dependent on
oil and coal energy?
A. It’s cleaner than renewable energy
B. It’s cheap and most residential and
commercial industries rely on it
C. It’s never going to run out
D. It’s not very abundant on Earth
©KeslerScience.com
Read It! Station Directions
Each member of the group will read the
passage and answer the questions from the
task cards on the lab sheet in the Read It!
section.
It is important to remember that the answers
will come directly from the reading passage.
©KeslerScience.com
The use of heavy electrical equipment such as drills, industrial
machines and lighting always poses serious dangers for mining teams.
If the mining environment is damp, workers can easily be
electrocuted. Explosions can also easily be triggered by worn cables
or plugs.
Chemicals are frequently used to transform the ores from their natural
state into usable commodities. Accidents occur when the chemicals
are not securely stored and if miners do not follow safety procedures
correctly. Miners working with these chemicals must also have
adequate ventilation to prevent the risk of inhaling dangerous fumes
and dust which can cause long-term physical damage.
Mining equipment is incredibly large, heavy and can move at fast
speeds. With a mixture on many sites of autonomous and man
operated machines, it can put the workers on site in great danger of
being crushed, pinned or run over by equipment. Collision avoidance
technology developments have helped in protecting workers from
autonomous vehicles, but more needs to be done with training and
health and safety awareness to ensure accidents do not continue to
happen during routine maintenance of trucks.
Gas explosions often occur in coal mines from a build-up of methane
gas. Therefore, good ventilation of the work area is essential to
prevent pockets of gas forming. This was the cause of the terrible Pike
River explosion in 2010 which killed 29 miners. Gas levels must be
monitored at all times and areas evacuated if levels exceed
legislated amounts.
One of the most common of all underground mining accidents, caveins, occur for a number of reasons. When the walls and ceilings of
underground mineshafts have not been properly the result can be a
cave-in in which a mine shaft is unexpectedly closed.
Mining is one of the world's most dangerous occupations. Over the
years, many serious accidents have occurred in various parts of the
world, often with significant loss of life. Mining is often listed as one of
(if not the most) dangerous job (especially coal mining) each year in
various dangerous jobs
The Dangers of Mining Coal
What does the word
autonomous mean in the
article?
What is the main idea
throughout this article?
A. How to avoid getting electrocuted in
a mine
B. The advantages of being a coal
miner
C. The reasons why coal is a valuable
energy resource
D. The dangers of mining for coal
A. Automated by a human
B. Automated by itself
C. Automatically turns off when
danger is near
D. More than one
©KeslerScience.com
©KeslerScience.com
Although mining is dangerous
what advantage does coal
have over other types of
energy?
Which was not listed as a
hazard of mining.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Chemical leaks and spills
Heavy machinery accidents
Electrocution
Black lung
©KeslerScience.com
A.
B.
C.
D.
It is considered a ‘clean’ energy
It creates no greenhouse gases.
It’s expensive to produce energy
It is plentiful and relatively cheap
©KeslerScience.com
Watch It! Station Directions
Each member of the group will go to the
website listed on task card #1
Complete the task cards in order.
Every student will answer the questions from
the task cards on the lab sheet in the Watch
It! section of the lab sheet.
©KeslerScience.com
Flash drive: Non-Renewable
Energy Resources
1. Answer questions from cards
#2-4 on your lab sheet.
According to the video, what
are the advantages and
disadvantages of nuclear
energy?
According to the video, what
are the advantages and
disadvantages of fossil fuels
energy?
Explain the process of how
energy is extracted from fossil
fuels (oil, coal, natural gas).
Research It! Station Directions
Each member of the group will go to the
website listed on task card #1
Complete the task cards in order.
Every student will answer the questions from
the task cards on the lab sheet in the
Research It! section.
1. Go to
http://
www.childrensuniversity.manchest
er.ac.uk/interactives/science/
energy/advantages/
Click on each of the 3
nonrenewable resources and list 2
advantages and disadvantages
on your lab sheet.
©KeslerScience.com
Explore It! Station Directions
One member of the group will read the task
cards in order. The group will be responsible
for completing each of the tasks that are
being read.
Each member of the group will then write
their conclusions down on the lab sheet in
the Explore It! section.
©KeslerScience.com
Nonrenewable resources
are resources that cannot
be replaced easily once
they have been used.
1.
2.
Each of the statement cards is either
an advantage or disadvantage of a
particular resource.
Try to match them with the correct
energy type. Put the advantage on
TOP of the resource and the
disadvantage on the BOTTOM.
©KeslerScience.com
Correct your answers
using the following
cards.
Natural Gas
Advantages:
Highly abundant resource used for heating
in most homes.
Disadvantages:
- Fracking dangers are not quite completely
understood
©KeslerScience.com
Coal
Oil
Advantages:
Easily transported using tankers and ships
Relatively cheap
Used in transportation around the globe
Disadvantages:
- Working on rigs is dangerous due to
explosions and weather
- Spills can cause environmental disasters
©KeslerScience.com
Advantages:
- Easily transported to power stations
- Used in most residential and commercial
business
Disadvantages:
- Dangerous to mine and creates pollutants
when burned
Nuclear
Advantages:
Very small amount of resources used for a
large amount of energy
Disadvantages:
- Radioactive waste can be very dangerous
to the environment if mishandled
©KeslerScience.com
On your lab sheet list 1 advantage
and 1 disadvantage of each of the
energy resources.
Natural Gas
Oil
Nuclear
Coal
Dangerous to mine.
Creates pollutants in the
air when burned
Easily transported to
power stations
Very cheap and used for
most commercial and
residential electricity
No harmful greenhouse
gases
Abundant resource that is
used for most
transportation around the
globe.
Easily transported using
tankers and ships
Highly abundant resource
that is used for the heating
of most homes.
Fracking dangers are not
quite fully understood.
Working on rigs is
dangerous due to
explosions and weather
Very small amount of
resources used for a large
quantity of energy.
Radioactive waste can be
hazardous to the
environment is mishandled
Spills can cause
environmental
devastation
Illustrate It! Station Directions
Each member of the group will draw a quick
sketch on the lab sheet that shows they
understand the concept being taught.
Use the colored pencils and markers that are
provided.
The directions for the sketch are provided on
the task card at the table.
©KeslerScience.com
Illustrate It! Station Directions
Use the colored pencils to draw a 3 different pictures
that illustrate the 1 advantage and 1 disadvantage of
the following energy types:
-
Coal
Nuclear
Oil & Natural Gas
©KeslerScience.com
Organize It! Station Directions
It is recommended that you have completed at least two
of the following stations before working at this station.
-Read It!
-Explore It!
-Watch It!
-Research It!
Each group will organize the cards. Each of the cards will
be used. Have your teacher sign off you your Organize it
section after it has been checked.
Please mix up the cards again before the next group
arrives at this station.
©KeslerScience.com
Only cut out the 8 descriptions. Leave the headers and resources intact.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Coal
Very cheap and used for
most commercial and
residential electricity
Dangerous to mine.
Creates pollutants in the
air when burned
Oil
Abundant resource that is
used for most
transportation around the
globe.
Spills can cause
environmental
devastation
Natural Gas
Highly abundant resource
that is used for the heating
of most homes.
Fracking dangers are not
quite fully understood.
Nuclear
Very small amount of
resources used for a large
quantity of energy.
Radioactive waste can be
hazardous to the
environment is mishandled
Disadvantages:
Nuclear
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Disadvantages:
Oil
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Task Card #1:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Task Card #2:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Task Card #3:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Write It!
Coal
Advantages:
©KeslerScience.com
Name_______________________
Natural Gas Advantages:
Explore It!
Nonrenewable Resources
Organize It!
Disadvantage:
Oil and Natural Gas
Advantages:
©KeslerScience.com
Disadvantage:
Disadvantage:
#2_____
#4_____
Nuclear
Advantages:
#1_____
#3_____
Read It!
Name_______________________
Coal
Advantages:
#2_____
#4_____
Research It!
#1_____
#3_____
Assess It!
Illustrate It!
Nonrenewable Resources
Name_______________________
©KeslerScience.com
Task Card #2:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Task Card #3:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Task Card #4:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Watch It!
Nonrenewable Resources