Bell Ringer
Instructions: Select one of the Bell Ringers for students to reflect on and answer.
Vocabulary List
Instructions: Go over important terms and their definitions before watching the Hydraulic Fracturing video. The student vocabulary list can be found in the Student Guide and Hydraulic Fracturing – Starter Pack.
| Word | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Fracking | noun; shorthand for hydraulic fracturing (commonly referred to in industry as fracing), a drilling completion process that brings saltwater, natural gas, oil and other substances to the surface | “Fracking has opened up huge new supplies of natural gas in the U.S.” |
| Natural Gas | noun; a fossil fuel made mostly of methane, found underground, and used to generate electricity, heat buildings, and power some vehicles | “Fracking has opened up huge new supplies of natural gas in the U.S.” |
| Economic | adjective; related to money, jobs, or trade | “The most apparent benefits are economic.” |
| Unconventional oil and gas | noun phrase; resources like shale gas or tight oil that require special methods, like hydraulic fracturing, to extract | “Studies show that unconventional oil and gas have created more than one million jobs . . .” |
| Industrial | adjective; related to factories, manufacturing, or large-scale production | “The impacts of bringing an industrial process into rural areas are very real.” |
| Emissions | noun; pollutants or gases released into the air | “ . . . the emissions of burning natural gas . . . are just CO2 and water vapor.” |
| Shale gas | noun phrase; natural gas trapped within impermeable shale rock formations, often extracted through hydraulic fracturing | “But there are shale gas resources all over the world and fracking may release new supplies in these areas too . . .” |
| Contamination | noun; the presence of something harmful or unwanted in a substance | “Then there’s the risk of water contamination.” |
| Additives | noun; substances added to a mixture to improve or change how it works | “One half to one percent [of hydraulic fracturing fluids] are additives . . .” |
| Greenhouse gas | noun; a gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation | “Methane is a greenhouse gas considerably more potent than CO2.” |
| Potent | adjective; strong or powerful in effect | “Methane is a greenhouse gas considerably more potent than CO2.” |
| Infrastructure | noun; basic systems like roads, pipelines or power lines that support a community or industry | “ . . . the new wells and new pipeline infrastructure need to leak less than in the past.” |
| Regulations | noun; official rules or laws that mandate how things must be done | “We need to . . . make and enforce regulations intended to minimize the risks and maximize the benefits.” |
Quiz
Instructions: Review key concepts after watching the Hydraulic Fracturing video. The Student Guide and Hydraulic Fracturing – Starter Pack contain the quiz.
Answer Key: Q1:B Q2:C Q3:B Q4:B Q5:B Q6:B Q7:C Q8:C Q9:B
Computation
Instructions: Provide students with the Hydraulic Fracturing – Computation activity for math integration and practice.
Answer Key: Q1: 4,000,000 gal / 322,000,000,000 gal = 0.0000124
0.0000124 x 100 = 0.00124%
Q2: (correct answer shown; methods may vary)
103 Bcf per day x 365 days = 37,595 Bcf per year
37,595 Bcf per year / 1,000 = 37.595 Tcf per year
Yes, more than enough is being produced. (Consumption is 32.50 Tcf per year; production would be 37.595 Tcf per year.)
Q3: 5 Bcf x 1,000 = 5,000 MMcf
4,000,000 gallons / 5,000 MMcf = 800 gallons of water per MMcf of gas produced
Q4. 103,000,000,000 cubic feet x 1,037 Btu = 106,811,000,000,000 Btu
106,811,000,000,000 / 1,000,000,000,000 = 106.811 TBtu
Data Set
Instructions: Provide students with the Hydraulic Fracturing – Data Set for data literacy and analysis practice.
“Fugitive emissions” represent the unintentional gas leaks from processes such as fracking and more traditional oil and gas extraction and transportation. This can happen when gas is transported through poorly maintained pipes, for example.
Source: Our World In Data
Answer Key: Question 1: (Sample Student Response: Fugitive emissions show an overall increase from 1990 to 2022; a generally rising curve, with some years of sharper increase. From the graph, the sector rises from roughly 0.9-1.0 billion tonnes CO2-eq in 1990 to about 1.8-2.0 billion tonnes CO2-eq in 2022 – an increase of roughly 0.9-1.1 billion tonnes CO2-eq.) Note: Accept answers in the approximate range 0.8-1.2 billion tonnes with justification based on reading the chart.
Question 2: (Sample Student Response: Improved leak detection and repair programs, including regular monitoring, infrared cameras, and sensors, would reduce unintentional leaks from wells, pipelines and facilities, causing the fugitive emissions curve to level off and decline over time. Upgrading infrastructure and reducing venting or flaring by replacing old pipelines and capturing gas instead of venting, would prevent intentional releases and reduce failures. This would lower annual fugitive emissions and produce a downward shift in the trend.) Note: Other plausible, evidence-based actions include stricter regulations and enforcement, mandatory methane monitoring, electrification of equipment, and incentives for gas capture. Answers should link the action to the likely reduction in the observed rising trend.
Question 3: (Sample Student Response: The agriculture sector shows a steady, sustained rise over the period; a gradual but persistent increase year to year. The fugitive emissions sector shows a strong increase overall, with some periods of faster growth – which are notably steeper in recent decades – rather than a long plateau.)
Question 4: (Sample Student Response: The direction of the waste sector is a gradual increase. Waste rises from roughly 0.3-0.4 billion tonnes CO2-eq in 2022. This is an increase of about 0.3-0.4 billion tonnes CO2-eq.)
Hydraulic Fracturing Community Debate
Instructions: Use the Hydraulic Fracturing Community Debate – Student Handout and the following Teacher Guide to conduct the activity.
Introduction
In this activity, students participate in a structured community debate on a proposed hydraulic fracturing project near the fictional town of Brambleton. By taking on the roles of community members, students explore the economic, environmental, health, and social dimensions of energy decision-making. The debate emphasizes evidence-based reasoning, respectful discourse, and the challenge of balancing local benefits with long-term risks.
Student Objectives
Students will be able to
- Analyze multiple perspectives on hydraulic fracturing, including economic, environmental, health, and social impacts.
- Use evidence to construct and defend arguments in a structured debate.
- Evaluate the quality and relevance of evidence presented by others.
- Explain trade-offs involved in local energy development decisions.
- Reflect on ethical questions such as who benefits, who bears risks, and how communities can manage uncertainty.
Materials
- Student Handout
- Science journals or sheets of writing paper
- Hydraulic Fracturing video
- Access to research materials
(textbooks, credible websites, or assigned readings/videos)
Procedure:
- Introduce the Scenario
- Present the following Brambleton scenario to the class: “A regional energy company proposes drilling and hydraulically fracturing 12 wells on public land 8 km (5 miles) from the town of Brambleton. The company promises jobs, increased local tax revenue, and local energy supply. Residents worry about water use, potential groundwater contamination, increased traffic, and long-term environmental effects. The county council will vote, and your debate will help inform them.”
- Assign Roles
- Divide students into four groups and provide them with the appropriate section of the Student Handout.
- Pro-Hydraulic Fracturing Team: Argue that permitting hydraulic fracturing will benefit the community (economic, energy, jobs) while managing risks via regulation and best practices.
- Anti-Hydraulic Fracturing Team: Argue that risks (environmental, health, social) outweigh benefits and advocate for alternatives or stricter limits.
- 3 or 5 Town Council Members: Needs to be an odd number to vote on approval.
- Moderators/Technical Experts: Optional: Enforce rules, ask each team a follow-up question, evaluate evidence quality.
- Divide students into four groups and provide them with the appropriate section of the Student Handout.
- Research and Preparation
- Students research their assigned perspective using provided or approved sources.
- Teams will use the Student Handout to prepare:
- Opening statement (1-2 min)2-3 strong, evidence-based arguments (1-2 minutes per argument)
- Rebuttals (2-3 minutes)
- Closing Statement (1 minute)
- Town Council Members will prepare questions and criteria for decision-making.
- Moderators will prepare instructions, rules and debate structure.
- Conduct the Debate
- Moderators enforce time limits and respectful discussion.
- After closing statements are made, Town Council Members discuss the arguments privately or publicly.
- Each councillor explains their vote and reasoning.
- The final decision (approve, reject, or approve with conditions) is announced.
- Debrief and Reflection
- Use class discussion or written reflection to address:
- Which evidence was most convincing and why?
- What compromises or regulations could realistically address both sides’ concerns?
- Who benefits and who bears the risks of hydraulic fracturing in this scenario?
- Use class discussion or written reflection to address:
- Extension/Assessment Options
- Persuasive Essay: Students write from their assigned role or personal viewpoint.
- Policy Challenge: Students draft a county ordinance proposing regulations or compromise solutions.
Assessment Rubric
| Criteria | Exemplary | Developing | Beginner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Understanding and Evidence | Demonstrates a well-researched understanding of their assigned role and uses clear, relevant evidence or reasoning to support contributions. | Shows a general understanding of their role and uses some relevant evidence or reasoning. | Shows limited understanding of their role; little or unclear evidence/reasoning used. |
| Argument and Reasoning | Contributions are clear, logical, and well-developed; strongly support their role’s purpose. | Contributions are generally clear and logical. | Contributions are unclear, underdeveloped, or lack strong reasoning. |
| Rebuttal Skills | Effectively responds to others (questions, arguments, or discussion) in a thoughtful and relevant way. | Responds to others with some effectiveness. | Limited or unclear responses to others. |
| Participation and Communication | Actively participates, communicates clearly, and consistently shows respect in their role. | Participates and communicates adequately with minor issues. | Limited participation or unclear/disrespectful communication. |
Exit Ticket
Instructions: Access the Exit Ticket and have students reflect on and answer the prompt.