School’s in… Start Lesson Plans with Oil (Petroleum) Basics!

Author: Anthony Darby; Published: Aug 2, 2012; Category: Classroom materials, Classroom presentations, Energy Education, Environment; Tags: Children, Classroom Instruction, energy education, Petroleum, Teachers; Comments: Comments Off

The summer is almost over and the students are headed back to school: eager to learn and teachers eager to teach! Something Energy4me has noticed in schools is that students are always very enthusiastic about learning the oil basics, particularly, how oil was formed. Well, here we lay it for you courtesy of the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Oil was formed from the remains of animals and plants (diatoms) that lived millions of years ago in a marine (water) environment before the dinosaurs. Over millions of years, the remains of these animals and plants were covered by layers of sand and silt. Heat and pressure from these layers helped the remains turn into what we today call crude oil. The word “petroleum” means “rock oil” or “oil from the earth.”

Crude oil is a smelly, yellow-to-black liquid and is usually found in underground areas called reservoirs. Scientists and engineers explore a chosen area by studying rock samples from the earth. Measurements are taken, and, if the site seems promising, drilling begins. Above the hole, a structure called a ‘derrick’ is built to house the tools and pipes going into the well. When finished, the drilled well will bring a steady flow of oil to the surface.

Here are just a few of the products made from petroleum:

• Ink
• Crayons
• Dishwashing liquids
• Deodorant
• Eyeglasses
• CDs and DVDs
• Tires
• Ammonia
• Heart valves

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