Choose one of the Bell Ringers provided to display for students to answer.
Hydraulic Fracturing
Summary
Science of Hydraulic Fracturing: Energy Systems, Natural Gas, and Community Debate
This full lesson introduces students to hydraulic fracturing as a major method for extracting natural gas from underground shale formations. Students explore how the process works, why it has become an important part of modern energy production, and how it connects to economics, environmental risk, infrastructure, and public policy.
The lesson combines vocabulary, quantitative reasoning, data analysis, and structured debate to help students examine hydraulic fracturing from multiple perspectives. Students learn about natural gas production, methane leakage, water use, greenhouse gas emissions, and the tradeoffs involved in expanding domestic energy supply. They also examine how hydraulic fracturing can affect rural communities, local jobs, tax revenue, traffic, water resources, and long-term land use.
This lesson is especially useful for teachers searching for environmental science lesson plans for high school, environmental science activities for high school, natural gas lesson plans, or fracking debate activities. It works well in units on energy systems, fossil fuels, climate, engineering, public policy, or environmental decision-making. The combination of scientific content and argument-based learning also makes it useful for cross-curricular work in science and social studies.
Extend the Lesson:
Use the Teacher Guide for facilitation and debate structure, and the Starter Pack for vocabulary and quiz support. For related energy-system connections, link students to Natural Gas, Environmental Impacts of Energy, or Energy Choices lessons.
Activities
Video
Play this short video on hydraulic fracturing to spark curiosity and encourage thoughtful discussion.
Vocabulary + Quiz
Have students review the vocabulary terms, watch the video, and answer the questions in the quiz.
Computation
Evaluate the scale of hydraulic fracturing in the United States using real numerical information.
Data Set
Analyze fugitive emissions, or unintended gas leaks, across sectors over time.
Hands On - Teacher Guide
Download this teacher guide to walk students through the hydraulic fracturing community debate.
Hands On - Student Guide
Use this handout with students to host a debate about whether a community should approve a proposed hydraulic fracturing project.
Teacher Guide
Download this teacher guide that serves as a walkthrough with answers for the Hydraulic Fracturing lesson.
Answer Key
This short document provides answers to key activities in the Hydraulic Fracturing lesson.
Downloadables