Keeping The BIG Question in mind:

How dependent is your life on coal?

Your Minequest Team Plan

The teacher will divide your class into four groups – geologists, miners, Office of Surface Mining managers, and consumers. Every person in the group will assume the same role. For example, every person in the mining group will be a miner. As a group, you will become experts in your assigned field by going to the websites listed for your field and finding the answers to your search questions. The fields, questions, and websites are listed below.

But first, stop to review these study tips.

STUDY TIPS

Working Together

Research
Reading Comprehension
  • Divide the websites among the members of the group to work more efficiently. However, you must count on each other to share accurate and complete information.
  • Take good notes from the sites to remind yourself of information and answer questions from other members of your team.
  • When you write down information, also write the website from which it was taken.
  • If you find pictures at these websites to demonstrate an idea for your answers, make a note to yourself so that you can find it again and use it to communicate the information you discover later.
  • Copying pictures from the Internet sources is only allowable if the site gives permission and you credit the photographer, if required.

Just in case you run into words that you don’t understand, here are two glossaries for you to use.

 

Task #2: Now, scroll to the role you have been assigned to discover your search questions. Explore the websites listed for your role and find the answers for each question.

         Geologist

Unravel the secrets about coal by discovering the answers to these three questions.
  1. What is coal?
    http://lsa.colorado.edu/summarystreet/texts/coal.htm
  2. How did coal form?
    http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/classactivities/FernFossilPrimary.pdf
    http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/non-renewable/coal.html
  3. Where is coal found in Wyoming?
    http://www.wma-minelife.com/coal/coalhome.html


As may be seen from the map below, 40% of Wyoming is underlain by coal. The state is the largest producer of coal in the United States producing 30% of all coal mined in the country.

Miner

Mine these websites for answers to these questions.

  1. What are the types of coal?
    http://www.ket.org/Trips/Coal/AGSMM/agsmmtypes.html
    http://web.ccsd.k12.wy.us/mines/PR/CoalTypes.html
  2. How is coal mined?
  3. http://www.wma-minelife.com/coal/coalhome.html
    http://web.ccsd.k12.wy.us/mines/PR/MiningProcess.htm

Office of Surface Mining Manager

Visit the following sites to answer your questions.
  1. How Does Coal Effect the Environment?
    http://web.ccsd.k12.wy.us/mines/PR/Environment.html
  2. What is Land Reclamation and why is it done?
    http://www.wma-minelife.com/coal/coalhome.html
    http://www.mii.org/reclcoal.html

Consumer

Focus your energy to find the answers to your questions.

  1. How is coal turned into energy?
    http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy_fungames/energyant_trips/trip_chesterfield.html
    http://www.coaleducation.org/lessons/middle/DOE/graphic2.htm
    http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy_fungames/energyant_trips/images/cf_coalfired_final.gif
  2. What is coal used for?
    http://www.wma-minelife.com/coal/coalhome.html
    http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/non-renewable/coal.html#uses
    http://www.coaleducation.org/lessons/lesson.htm

MOVING ON ...

When you have mined information from your sites to answer your questions, check in with your teammates. According to the timeline assigned by your teacher and with your notes in hand move on with your team to PROCESSING ideas.

MINEQUEST HOME     Minequest Student Gateway  

learning journeys sponsored by the Wyoming Mining Association

WEBQUEST concept from CINDY ANGELL