Introduction

Students will investigate the “coal boom” periods of several countries and explore how coal has historically acted as a foundational energy source during industrialization. Using a hands-on simulation, students will model how coal access can fuel economic growth and consider why wealthier nations often reduce coal use after reaching higher levels of development.

Materials

• Student Handout
• Printed Country Cards (included below)
• Black beads or pom poms (coal tokens)
• Clothespins, chopsticks, or tweezers (for collecting coal tokens)
• Small bowls or cups (mines)
• Timer or stopwatch

Student Objectives

Students will be able to

• Interpret historical “coal boom” periods for several developed and emerging nations.
• Explain why coal use increases during industrialization and often declines later.
• Model how access to early energy resources can fuel economic growth.
• Compare countries that industrialized earlier with those industrializing today. 
• Evaluate trade-offs between economic development, energy needs, and environmental impacts.
• Describe how coal-powered development contributed to urbanization and modern lifestyles.

Background for Teachers

Historically, coal has enabled industrialization, electrification, manufacturing, mass transportation, urbanization, higher life expectancy, and higher income and productivity. Early developers like the UK, USA, and Germany used coal heavily between the 1700s and 1900s. Modern developers, like China, India, and South Africa, still rely on coal today for rapid growth.
Most (but not all) countries follow a similar pattern:
Stage 1: Low energy, low industry
Stage 2: Coal boom, rapid growth
Stage 3: Diversification, coal decline

Procedure:

Introduction

Ask students: 

• How has coal historically contributed to industrial growth and development?
• Why might countries still rely on coal as they develop their economies?
• What trade-offs might countries face when choosing different energy sources?

Coal Boom Investigation

• Introduce the idea that coal use often rises sharply during national growth periods known as coal booms. 
• Divide students into groups of 3-4, and provide them with the Student Handout. Together, they will complete Part 1 of the Student Handout, showing the coal boom phases of several developed and emerging countries. 
• Guiding Questions (also included in the Student Handout)
  • What does a “coal boom” suggest about a country’s stage of development? 
  • Why don’t countries simply adopt energy with fewer environmental impacts from the start? 
  • What advantages did early developers have? 
  • What pressures exist today for developing nations that didn’t exist before? 

Coal Boom Table

Hands-On Simulation: Set Up

1. Prepare the Coal Mines: 
   • Place 3-5 bowls around the room. Each bowl represents a coal mine. Fill each bowl with 20-30 coal tokens (black beads or pom poms).
   • Place the mines far apart and at different heights or locations. 
   • Place one mine in a convenient location that cannot be used at the start of the game. Teams may only access this mine after purchasing the Transport Upgrade.

2. Prepare Country Teams: 
   • Each country (a team of 3-5 students) receives a country card, which shows them how many starting workers, starting coal tokens, and starting money credits they will receive. 
   • Each team will record this information on the Simulation Log in the Student Handout.

3. Assign Roles in Each Team: 
   • Assign roles (or let students discuss and choose) in each team. Teams may rotate roles between rounds.
     • Workers: They will leave the table to get coal (more workers may be added in later rounds). 
     • Treasurer: They will handle credits. 
     • Record Keeper: Fills out the Simulation Log in the Student Handout.

4. Simulation Values: These are the default numeric values for the game.

Coal Value Table
Each coal token earns two money credits during the investment phase.

Investment Menu

Simulation Round Flow

The simulation lasts 3-5 rounds, depending on available time. Each round has 3 phases: the Coal Collection Phase (1-2 minutes), the Investment Phase (3-4 minutes), and the Event Phase (optional). 

1. Coal Collection Phase: 
   • Give each worker a tool (e.g., clothespin, tweezers, chopsticks). They must transport the coal using the tool.
   • Workers may only carry 1 piece of coal at a time (unless upgrades allow 2). 
   • Walking only. No running. 
   • If coal is dropped, it cannot be recovered and is lost for that round.
   • When mines run out, they are empty until the next round.
   • Set the timer to designated time. Say, “Workers, go!” and allow students to collect coal. 

2. Investment Phase: 
   • Teams count all the coal they have gathered for the round and calculate their credits earned on the Simulation Log in the Student Handout.
   • Each coal token is worth 2 credits, unless modified by upgrades.
   • Teams add credits to their treasury (on the Simulation Log) and return the “coal” to the teacher, showing the teacher their current treasury status.
   • Teams may now purchase upgrades using the Investment Menu. 
   • When teams purchase an upgrade, they will notify the teacher, who will check their log and sign off on the upgrade. 
   • The team will apply the perk in the next round.

3. Event Phase:
   • The teacher selects one event per round and announces it before the next coal collection phase begins.
   • Even examples include:
     • A new mine opens! (extra mine added to the classroom)
     • A mine collapses! (one mine removed from the classroom)
     • Coal price increases or decreases by 1 money credit
     • Illness (teams without the health upgrade will lose one worker for this round)

4. Gifts of Development: 
   • After all rounds are completed, each team will use their money credits to choose Gifts of Development that will contribute to their final national development score and represent long-term development outcomes that improve quality of life and economic stability.
   • Teams will total the gifts they purchased on the Student Handout.
   • Teams add up their stability points. This becomes their National Development Score.
   • Teams with higher development scores reflect stronger health systems, better infrastructure, stable economic foundations, and more resilient societies. 

Synthesis Discussion

Key Questions: 

• What did you notice about when coal booms happen? 
• What support systems or upgrades were easiest once coal provided energy? 
• Why do countries tend to reduce coal only after achieving a certain standard of living? 
• Why didn’t early developers worry much about environmental concerns? 
• What pressures exist today that shape modern energy decisions? 

Historical Insights: 
Countries rarely skip straight to high-tech clean energy. Most follow a path: 

• Limited energy, leads to 
• Heavy coal use, leads to 
• Rapid development, leads to
• Diversification, leads to
• Environmental regulation, leads to
• Coal phase-out

Final Reflection

In the student worksheet, students will answer reflection prompts to synthesize and evaluate their learning.

Answer Key

Part 1: Coal Boom Investigation Analysis and Reflection Questions Answer Key
Question 1: United Kingdom (1770s–1920s); Germany (1850s–1960s); Japan (1870s–1950s); United States (1880s–1950s); Canada (1890s–1960s)
Question 2: China (2000s–present); India (1990s–present); Indonesia (2000s–present); South Africa (1970s–present); Vietnam (2010s–present)
Question 3: Countries that industrialized early tend to use less coal today, while countries that are industrializing more recently tend to use more coal today. This suggests that countries often rely heavily on coal during development, and then reduce it later.
Question 4: Answers will vary. (Examples: They have already built their infrastructure and can now afford lower-emission energy sources; They have stronger economies and more advanced technology; Environmental regulations are stricter.)
Question 5: Answers will vary. (Example: Lower-emissions energy is often more expensive, less reliable and requires more advanced infrastructure and technology. Coal is often used first because it is cheap, available, and reliable for large-scale power.)
Question 6: Answers will vary. (Example: Early developers had fewer environmental regulations, and were able to industrialize without pressure to reduce emissions.)
Question 7: Answers will vary. (Example: Developing nations today need to deal with international pressure to reduce emissions, with more focus on the need to balance growth with environmental responsibility.)

Part 5: Simulation Reflection Answer Key
Question 1: Answers will vary.
Question 2: Answers will vary.
Question 3: Answers will vary. (Example: More energy leads to more economic growth; Countries with more energy access can invest more and develop faster; Energy is a key driver of infrastructure and economic expansion.)
Question 4: Answers will vary. (Example: Coal provides large amounts of reliable energy; It is often cheap and widely available; It supports industrial growth and allows countries to scale up quickly.)
Question 5: Answers will vary. (Example; They can afford lower-carbon energy alternatives; Environmental and health concerns become more important; Technological improvements; public and political pressure to reduce pollution.)

Country Cards