"FRACKING: POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE IMPACT?" SCIENCE LESSON PLAN
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“FRACKING: POSITIVE OR
NEGATIVE IMPACT?”
SCIENCE LESSON PLAN
IS A FEATURE OF
A NEWS BROADCAST FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS
BY MACNEIL/LEHRER PRODUCTIONS
“FRACKING: POSITIVE OR
NEGATIVE IMPACT?”
SCIENCE LESSON PLAN
Table of Contents
LETTER TO THE EDUCATOR………………………………………….……………………………………………………..…………... 1
“FRACKING: POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE IMPACT?” SCIENCE CURRICULUM…………………………….………..….…....…… 2
Fall 2013
Dear Educator,
the.News online video reports for the.Gov and the.Sci provide middle and high school students with a valuable exercise
in language arts, science, and social studies with this 5:27 segment called “ Fracking: Positive or Negative Impact?” The
segment is available at www.pbs.org/newshour/thenews/thesci. You can also view this report in the “For Educators”
section of the website.
In this segment, Elana Michelle reports on what hydraulic fracturing – or fracking – is, the health concerns that citizens
have with it, and how citizens and corporations are working together to suggest government standards to regulate it. All
videos and curricula have been informed by the.News instructional design that can be found on the website at
www.pbs.org/newshour/thenews/foreducators. The curriculum includes content-based standards, discussion questions,
student activities, vocabulary, and primary reference sources. A complete transcript of each video report includes time
codes to assist in isolating specific segments of the video and to augment the instruction of media literacy and
multimedia production. All of this material is presented as options to fit teachers’ instructional needs.
All stories will be posted with critical thinking questions listed both with the segment and in the associated lesson plans,
so that students can be engaged in higher-level order of thinking throughout their learning experiences. The highlighted
critical thinking questions for this segment are:
1. Predict: How might fracking economically impact the country in the near and far future?
2. Explain: How does the goal of U.S. energy independence and national security relate to fracking?
3. Analyze: To what extent should we sacrifice the environment to become energy independent?
4. Analyze: To what extent should the federal government regulate hydraulic fracking processes throughout the
United States?
Additionally, all lessons also include connections to the Four Keys to College and Career Readiness, by David Conley.
References to Larry Bell’s “The 12 Powerful Words” are highlighted in bold in the lesson plans, in the critical thinking
questions on the home page and educator’s page, and in the transcript (to denote where they are used in the video
segment). We also include a section called general topics to correlate to the lessons and video, as well as concept-based
standards with conceptual lens and enduring understanding.
We welcome our partners at the Omaha Public Schools who have joined the.News in the fifth year of a special pilot
project, as well as the Collective for Youth afterschool Middle School Learning Center initiative in Omaha.
Sincerely,
Christine Denny
Manager, Education Projects/the.News
MacNeil/Lehrer Productions
27 00 S. Quincy Street, Suite 250
Arlington, VA 22206
cdenny@newshour.org
www.pbs.org/newshour/thenews
1
“Fracking: Positive or Negative Impact?”
This lesson was designed to support the.News video “Fracking: Positive or Negative Impact?” The video can be found online at:
www.pbs.org/newshour/thenews/thesci.
Grade Levels: 7 – 12
Omaha Public School Standards Concept Areas: Science
http://www.ops.org/district/CENTRALOFFICES/CurriculumI
nstructionandAssessment/ContentStandards/tabig/912/D Key Concepts: Students will learn about hydraulic fracturing
efault.aspx
and the associated controversy. Students will evaluate the
SCIENCE: GRADES 6 – 8 evidence from both sides of the debate by analyzing the
Standard 01. Examine problems using scientific
available evidence. They will then determine what kinds of
inquiry.
Evaluate the results of scientific research questions could help clarify some of the uncertainty
investigations, experiments, surrounding this issue and design their own studies in order to
observations, theoretical models and understand the concepts of correlation and causation.
the explanations proposed by other
scientists.
Key Objectives:
Use appropriate tools and techniques
Students will:
to gather, analyze and interpret data.
Describe the controversy related to hydraulic fracturing.
AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE: GRADES 9 – 12 Analyze and evaluate the evidence associated with fracking.
Standard 01. Examine problems using scientific Design a research study involving a question related to
inquiry. fracking.
Formulate questions and identify Explain the differences between correlation and causation.
concepts that guide scientific
investigations. Critical Thinking Guiding Questions:
Design and conduct scientific 1. How might fracking economically impact the country in the
investigations.
near and far future?
Recognize and analyze alternative
2. How does the goal of U.S. energy independence and
explanations and models.
national security relate to fracking?
Standard 04. Investigate earth resources, 3. To what extent should we sacrifice the environment to
environmental quality, and global changes. become energy independent?
Determine the types of pollution 4. To what extent should the federal government regulate
found in air, water, and soil. hydraulic fracturing processes throughout the United
Describe the effects of pollution on States?
aquatic systems, vegetation, natural
features, and wildlife. College & Career Readiness:
Describe the impact of pollution on
This lesson emphasizes key cognitive strategies and key
human health.
learning skills and techniques because students are expected to
research and analyze information related to hydraulic
fracturing in addition to working collaboratively in order to design a research study.
The College & Career Readiness skills are adapted from Dr. David Conley’s Four Keys to College and Career Readiness, which is available at: Conley, David T. “A
Complete Definition of College and Career Readiness” Educational Policy Improvement Center. CCR Consulting Group, 12 May 212. Web. 19 Aug. 2013.
2Key Vocabulary:
Correlation: An association or relationship between two variables.
(http://www.nvcc.edu/home/elanthier/methods/correlation.htm)
Experimental method: A study in which the investigator manipulates at least one variable (the independent
variable) to determine if this causes changes in at least one other (dependent) variable.
(http://faculty.frostburg.edu/mbradley/researchmethods.html#exper)
Extraneous variables: These are variables that influence the outcome of an experiment, though they are not the
variables that are actually of interest. (http://web.mst.edu/~psyworld/extraneous.htm)
Greenhouse gases: Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4),
nitrous oxide (N4O), and fluorinated gases. (http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases.html)
Hydraulic fracturing: A process in which fractures in rocks below the earth's surface are opened and widened by
injecting chemicals and liquids at high pressure; this process is used especially to extract natural gas or oil. This
process is also known as hydro-fracturing, hydro-fracking, or just fracking. (http://dictionary.reference.com/)
Independent and dependent variables: The independent variable (IV) is that which is manipulated and/or
controlled by the researcher, while the dependent variable (DV) is the response that is measured. (For example,
if studying the effects of various levels of sunlight exposure on houseplants, the IV would be the amount of
sunlight the plants received; the DV would be the observations and/or measurements of the plants after
receiving different light treatments). (http://faculty.frostburg.edu/mbradley/researchmethods.html#exper)
Natural gas: A methane gas that is used as a major source of energy in the United States, accounting for
approximately 25% of the country’s energy sources. Though it contains a greenhouse gas, natural gas is cleaner
burning than either coal or refined petroleum products.
(http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=natural_gas_home)
Non-renewable resource: Natural resources such as oil, coal, and natural gas (which are also sometimes
referred to as “fossil fuels”) that cannot be made and will eventually run out.
(http://www.childrensuniversity.manchester.ac.uk/interactives/science/energy/ renewable/)
Silica sand: Sand made from small, hard, round quartz rock that is often used in hydraulic fracturing; this sand is
one of the materials injected in to keep the fractures open so that the oil and gas can be removed.
(http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/03/08/frac-sand-mining-mpr-news-primer)
Silicosis: A respiratory disease caused by breathing in silica dust, a byproduct of silica sand.
(http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000134.htm)
Shale gas: A natural gas that is trapped within shale formations and typically removed through hydraulic
fracturing. (http://geology.com/energy/shale-gas/)
Spurious relationship: A correlation between two variables that does not result from any direct relation
between them but from their relation to other variables.
(http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Spurious+relationship)
National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards
Core Idea ESS3.A: Natural Resources
Humans depend on Earth’s land, ocean, atmosphere, and biosphere for many different resources. Minerals, fresh
water, and biosphere resources are limited, and many are not renewable or replaceable over human lifetimes. These
resources are distributed unevenly around the planet as a result of past geologic processes.
Core Idea ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems
Human activities have significantly altered the biosphere, sometimes damaging or destroying natural habitats and
causing the extinction of other species. But changes to Earth’s environments can have different impacts (negative
and positive) for different living things.
Typically as human populations and per-capita consumption of natural resources increase, so do the negative
impacts on Earth unless the activities and technologies involved are engineered otherwise.
3Materials:
the.News video “Fracking: Positive or Negative Impact?” available at
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/thenews/thesci
Paper, pens, and pencils
Digital projector to display resources
Online resources Common Core State Standards
Handout 1A: Benefits of Hydraulic http://www.corestandards.org/
Fracturing
READING:
Handout 1B: Dangers of Hydraulic Informational Text
Fracturing RI.7 – 12.8. Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text,
Handout 2: Causation or correlation? assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and
Handout 3: Designing your own study sufficient to support the claims.
Lesson Topics: Science and Technical Subjects
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking RST.7 – 12.2. Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide
Research an accurate summary of the text.
Correlation versus causation RST.7 – 12.4. Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other
domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or
Concerns about hydraulic fracturing
technical context relevant to grades 7 – 12 texts and topics.
Benefits of hydraulic fracturing
SPEAKING AND LISTENING:
Time Frame: 3 – 4 class periods SL.7 – 12.1. Engage Effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-
on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 – 12
Background: topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own
Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking” is a clearly.
process by which natural gas and oil are
extracted from bed rock by opening and WRITING:
widening fractures below the earth’s surface Science and Technical Subjects
WHST.7 – 12.7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question
by injecting a mixture of water, chemicals,
(including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and
and silica sand at high pressure into drilled generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple
wells in the earth (“The Process of Hydraulic avenues of exploration.
Fracturing,” n.d.). Though the procedure has WHST.7 – 12.9. Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis,
been around since the late 1940’s, it is only reflection, and research.
recently that modern drilling techniques have
made this process an economical method to
harvest these resources. The recent more
widespread use of this technique, along with the use of natural gas deposits in the United States, has led to increased
awareness of fracking. The issue has been a controversial one in the media; this technique has provided this country
with a large reserve of natural gas and oil, but there are concerns over the environmental and health impacts of fracking.
Due to the large reserves of shale in some parts of the country where natural gas has been successfully extracted using
fracking, this natural resource is sometimes referred to as shale gas. Natural gas is a widely used energy source, and
accounts for approximately 25% of the nation’s fuel sources (“Natural Gas Explained,” n.d.). Natural gas, including so-
called shale gas, is a cleaner burning fuel than either coal or petroleum, as burning this fuel results in fewer emissions of
both pollutants and CO2. However, it still contains large amounts of methane, which is a greenhouse gas. The United
States is heavily dependent on natural gas as a fuel source, though this is a non-renewable resource. The use of fracking
has drastically increased the reserves of natural gas that are now accessible. The U.S. Energy Information Administration
estimates that based on current usage data, we now have enough natural gas reserves in this country to last
approximately 92 years (“Frequently Asked Questions, n.d.). Additionally, hydraulic fracturing has made the process of
extracting natural gas much cheaper. This means that fracking has made natural gas and oil less expensive for the
consumer, as well. The estimated 20,000 wells drilled within the last few decades have also created thousands of new
4jobs. Finally, the process of fracking requires fewer wells to extract
resources, leading to less area needed to produce each cubic foot
of natural gas (“Natural Gas Explained,” n.d.).
Partnership for 21st
However, there are environmental concerns over the practice of Century Skills
http://www.p21.org
hydraulic fracturing. One concern is the sheer volume of water
needed to create fractures within shale, which could involve
Health Literacy
millions of gallons. In drought prone areas, such as much of the Understanding national and
American West, using this much water could add additional stress international public health and
to the environment. There are also concerns that hydraulic safety issues
fracturing fluid, which contains a number of hazardous chemicals,
could make its way into the local water sources through accidents Environmental Literacy
or spillage and contaminate them, leading to health problems in Demonstrate knowledge and
the surrounding communities. Also, because fracking produces a understanding of the
lot of hazardous wastewater, which is typically injected into deep environment and the
wells, this byproduct of the industry needs to be carefully handled circumstances and conditions
affecting it, particularly as
and disposed of. Another byproduct of the fracking industry is
relates to air, climate, land,
blowing silica sand, which can cause silicosis, a respiratory disease food, energy, water and
that can be brought on by inhaling these particles. Silicosis can ecosystems
often take years or decades before symptoms manifest, but is Demonstrate knowledge and
progressive and unfortunately incurable. Finally, another concern understanding of society’s
over fracking is that it creates small earthquakes, though these are impact on the natural world
thought to be too small to be a concern to human safety. (e.g., population growth,
population development,
Proponents of hydraulic fracturing have stated that the risks resource consumption rate, etc.)
associated with this technology can be mitigated by making sure Investigate and analyze
environmental issues, and make
that proper safety measures are taken, such as ensuring that the
accurate conclusions about
well-shafts are properly cemented and do not leak. The Center for effective solutions.
Sustainable Shale Development (CSSD), for example, has proposed
performance standards for operators in order to help ensure Work Creatively with Others
safety to both human and environmental health. Many Develop, implement, and
communities near fracking operations are not convinced of its communicate new ideas to
safety, however. In a letter to lawmakers in Illinois, residents of others effectively.
Pennsylvania near large-scale fracking operations urged these Be open and responsive to new
lawmakers not to allow these kinds of operations in the state of and diverse perspectives,
Illinois, citing numerous human, animal, and environmental health incorporate group input and
feedback into the work.
issues that arose after the introduction of large-scale fracking
operations in Pennsylvania. They also cited the group Southwest Reason Effectively
Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project, a group of medical Use various types of reasoning
experts who have determined through treating local residents that (inductive, deductive, etc.) as
fracking poses risks to human health and safety. In order to appropriate to the situation.
address some of questions regarding the safety of hydraulic
fracturing, the Environmental Protection Agency is currently Make Judgments and Decisions
conducting a large-scale study to the potential impacts of fracking Effectively analyze and
on drinking water resources. Though the debate continues, data evaluate evidence,
from this large research study may help clarify some of the facts arguments, claims and beliefs
Analyze and evaluate major
related to hydraulic fracturing.
alternative points of view
Synthesize and make
connections between
information and arguments
Reflect critically on learning
experiences and processes
5Lesson Plan
1. Overview
Before watching the the.News clip, explain that
students will be learning about hydraulic fracturing, or
“fracking.” Students may have heard this term before,
for example in news outlets, but in order to hear both
sides of this issue, ask that students save their
comments and questions until after watching the
video.
Next, watch the the.News clip. Use the content of this
clip to engage in a class discussion. Ask students to summarize the points made in the video. Some questions that
could guide the discussion include:
What is “fracking”?
Why is this method of extracting natural gas controversial?
What were some of the points made in favor of fracking?
What were some of the points made against the use of fracking?
If students need additional clarification about what the process of hydraulic fracturing entails, an interactive graphic
can be found here: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/10/101022-breaking-fuel-from-the-rock/
2. Research Both Sides
Provide half of the class with Handout 1A: Benefits of Hydraulic Fracturing and the other half of the class with
Handout 1B: Dangers of Hydraulic Fracturing. Give students enough time to read through the handouts and consider
this information individually.
Next, break students into pairs or small groups of students, so that at least two of the students have read a different
handout. Ask students to summarize what they read in their respective handout and explain this to their partners.
Groups will then compare and contrast the information they read related to fracking.
3. Reconvene
Lead a class discussion about what students learned from this exercise. Some questions to guide the discussion
could include:
Is the issue of fracking a clear-cut one? Why or why not?
Who are the stakeholders in this debate (including those seen in the clip)?
Why might different stakeholders have different opinions?
How can we determine if the benefits outweigh the risks of fracking?
How do we evaluate the evidence related to these kinds of issues?
Make a list of the pros and cons of hydraulic fracturing that can be accessed later. Some students may have formed
an opinion on fracking based on the information they have received. If so, ask that they support their opinion with
facts; other students may be able to offer dissenting opinions with other facts.
6Finally, explain that students are going to learn about ways that scientists and researchers come to conclusions
about these kinds of issues.
4. Using Science to Study Complicated Issues
Give students a copy of Handout 2: Correlation or causation? Go over the examples and vocabulary on the handout.
Then, ask students to think of other examples that could fall under each category.
Next, discuss how a complicated issue like fracking could be studied in a research study. Ask students if a controlled
experiment would be possible. Some questions to ask during the discussion could include:
In the example of a controlled experiment, what would the independent and dependent variables be?
What would some of the extraneous variables be in this kind of study? Is it possible to control any of these?
If there is a possibility that fracking is related to health problems, it is ethical to allow some people to be
exposed while others are not?
Would it be possible to study this issue by examining the relationships between variables (correlation)? (For
example, testing the water near a fracking site and testing a similar location that is not near a fracking site).
Would correlation alone be enough to determine causation in this kind of study? Why or why not?
5. Studying the Effects of Fracking
Share the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed research plan to study the impacts of fracking on drinking
water, found here: http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/ documents/hf_study_plan_110211_final_508.pdf.
This document contains quite a bit of information about the process of hydraulic fracturing as well as the research
plans the agency will use to gather and evaluate information.
First, display page 19, which shows some of the potential drinking water issues at each stage of the fracking process.
Display the list of pros and cons the class generated by the class in step 3 and ask students to think about other
issues related to fracking that could be studied using this format. These should be both pro- and anti-fracking. For
example, a potential issue associated with closing a fracking facility would be loss of jobs, but could also mean
reduced silica sand in the surrounding communities.
Using these issues, students should next generate research questions. Explain that in order to determine what to
study, researchers must first have clear, answerable questions. Examples of research questions related to fracking
can be found in this document - see these research questions on pages 2 and 17-18. Write down all research
questions generated by the class in a place that can be accessed later. Students will use these questions to design
their own research studies.
If research questions are too broad in focus, help students refine them. For example, “Are there more chemicals in
the water near fracking sites than in other water sources?” could be refined by limiting the range of water sources
to within 25 miles of a fracking site. Practice turning these research questions into various hypotheses.
Take a look at pages 20-22 in the research plan. This contains a list of ways the researchers will collect information. If
students are unfamiliar with the research methods used in this document (such as a case study), then provide
additional explanation as needed.
**NOTE TO THE TEACHER**: Depending on grade and/or ability level, you may wish to allow students to look through
this document in small groups after highlighting the most important points. Otherwise, the process of looking through
pertinent information can be done as a class in order to guide students through this process.
76. Design a Research Study
Provide students with copies of Handout 3: Designing your own study. Ask students to split into small groups based
on the research questions they would like to study in order to complete Handout 3. Make sure they have access to
Handout 2: Correlation or causation?
When students have completed the worksheets, come together as a class to discuss and summarize the research
studies they designed. This process should have illustrated how complicated it can be to study a complex issue like
fracking; this can also be connected to other subjects by asking students to consider other complicated issues and
how they would be researched.
**NOTE TO THE TEACHER**: Depending on grade and/or ability level, you may wish to illustrate the process that
students will be completing in Handout 3 by selecting one research question and completing the handout as a class first.
See the completed Handout 3 for an example of this. Using the completed template as a guide, students will design their
own studies using one of the remaining research questions.
Extension:
Students can design a study specific to a certain region of the country where hydraulic fracturing is currently in use. Ask
that students find out information specific to that region in order to determine what kind of issue is most pertinent to
study and why it is important (for example, an urban area will have different issues than a rural, farming area).
Assessment:
Use the completed Handout 3: Designing your own study to assess learning. Students should have used a research
question relevant to the information they learned about fracking and correctly identified the independent, dependent,
and extraneous variables, as well as whether or not the study could determine correlation or causation.
Resources:
Biggers, J. (2013, May 28). Liability bombshell: Must-read letters from PA and WI fracking victims to Illinois lawmakers.
The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-biggers/liability-bombshell-
must_b_3346204.html
Bradley, M. E. (2000). Research methods. Cyberlab for Psychological Research. Retrieved from
http://faculty.frostburg.edu/mbradley/researchmethods.html#exper
Breaking Fuel from the Rock. (2010). National Geographic Daily News. Retrieved from
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/10/101022-breaking-fuel-from-the-rock/
Energy and the Environment. (2012). University of Manchester. Retrieved from
http://www.childrensuniversity.manchester.ac.uk/interactives/science/energy/renewable/
Foran, S. (2011, Dec. 22). Fracking – good news or bad for America’s energy needs? Uconn Today. Retrieved from
http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2011/12/fracking-%E2%80%93-good-news-or-bad-for-america%E2%80%99s-energy-
needs/
Fracking Great. (2012, June 2). The Economist. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/node/21556249/
Frequently Asked Questions. (n.d.). U.S. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved from
http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=58&t=8
8Gies, E. (2012, July 18). Fracking fuels energy debate. Science News for Kids. Retrieved from
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/07/fracking-fuels-energy-debate-and-controversy/
Hall, R. (1998). Extraneous variables. Psychology World. Retrieved from http://web.mst.edu/~psyworld/extraneous.htm
Hoffman, J. (2012). Potential health and environmental effects of hydrofracking in the Williston basin, Montana.
Retrieved from http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/health/case_studies/hydrofracking_w.html
Lanthier, E. (2002).Correlation. Retrieved from http://www.nvcc.edu/home/elanthier/methods/correlation.htm
Natural Gas Explained: Natural Gas and the Environment: (n.d.) U.S. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved from
http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/ index.cfm?page=natural_gas_environment
Openclipart. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://openclipart.org/
Overview of Greenhouse Gases. (n.d.). United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved from
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases.html
Peeples, L. (2012, Nov. 16). Fracking sand may post health hazard to workers, residents. The Huffington Post. Retrieved
from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/16/fracking-sand-health-hazard-_n_2146992.html
Performance Standards. (2013). Center for Sustainable Shale Development. Retrieved from
http://037186e.netsolhost.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/CSSD-Performance-Standards-3-27-GPX.pdf
Plan to Study the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources. (2011). United States
Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved from http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/documents/
hf_study_plan_110211_final_508.pdf
The Process of Hydraulic Fracturing. (n.d.) Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved from
http://www2.epa.gov/hydraulicfracturing/process-hydraulic-fracturing
Ratliff-Crain, J. (2008). Understanding correlations. Retrieved from
http://facultypages.morris.umn.edu/~ratliffj/psy1051/Correlation_answers.htm
Silicosis. (2011). MedlinePlus. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000134.htm
Southwest Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.environmentalhealthproject.org/
Tosto, P. (2012, Mar. 8). MPR news primer: Frac sand mining. Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved from
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/03/08/frac-sand-mining-mpr-news-primer
Vidal, J. (2013, Aug. 19). Fracks and figures: The big Questions about fracking. The Guardian.
Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/aug/19/fracks-figures-big-questions-hydraulic-
fracturing/
What is Shale Gas? (2010). Geology.com. Retrieved from http://geology.com/energy/shale-gas/
What Is Shale Gas, and Why Is It Important? (n.d.). U.S. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved from
http://www.eia.gov/energy_in_brief/article/about_shale_gas.cfm
9Wigmore, I. (2013a). Negative correlation. Retrieved from http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/negative-correlation
Wigmore, I. (2013b). Positive correlation. Retrieved from http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/positive-correlation
Activity Designer:
Jill McVey is a Ph.D. candidate in Curriculum and Instruction at
the University of Denver.
10Handout 1A: Benefits of Hydraulic Fracturing
Directions: Read the information and consider the associated questions, as you will need to explain your answers.
What is “fracking”?
Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking” is a process by which natural gas and oil are extracted from bed rock by opening and
widening fractures below the earth’s surface by injecting a mixture of water, chemicals, and silica sand at high pressure
into drilled wells in the earth. Though the procedure has been around since the late 1940’s, it is only recently that
modern drilling techniques have made this process an economical method to harvest these resources. The recent more
widespread use of this technique, along with the use of natural gas deposits in the United States, has led to increased
awareness of fracking.
There are a number of benefits associated with hydraulic fracturing. These include:
Providing energy to meet the needs of the U.S. population.
Natural gas is one of the most widely used fuel sources in this country, and accounts for roughly 25% of the nation’s fuel
sources. Thanks to modern fracking techniques, this resource is much more widely available, and we now have enough
fuel for nearly 100 years without importing any natural gas, reducing our dependence on foreign fuel imports.
Providing cleaner burning fuel.
Natural gas that is extracted through the use of hydraulic fracturing is a cleaner-burning fuel than either coal or
petroleum, resulting in fewer emissions of pollutants and CO2. This means that there are fewer greenhouse gases put
into the air. Also, hydraulic fracturing requires fewer drilling sites and wells than other methods, meaning that less area
is needed to remove natural gas from the environment.
Cheaper fuel and plenty of jobs.
Due to the fact that modern fracking techniques have made it possible to efficiently extract more natural gas product
domestically, the cost of natural gas has decreased. This savings has been passed onto the consumer, meaning people
pay less for energy. In addition, the hydraulic fracturing industry has created thousands of jobs, contributing to local and
national economies.
1. If you had only the information above, would you support fracking? Why or why not?
2. In what ways did the the.News clip support the information in this handout?
3. In what ways did the the.News clip not support the information in this handout?
11Handout 1B: Dangers of Hydraulic Fracturing
Directions: Read the information and answer the associated questions.
What is “fracking”?
Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking” is a process by which natural gas and oil are extracted from bed rock by opening and
widening fractures below the earth’s surface by injecting a mixture of water, chemicals, and silica sand at high pressure
into drilled wells in the earth. Though the procedure has been around since the late 1940’s, it is only recently that
modern drilling techniques have made this process an economical method to harvest these resources. The recent more
widespread use of this technique, along with the use of natural gas deposits in the United States, has led to increased
awareness of fracking.
There are a number of drawbacks associated with hydraulic fracturing. These include:
Environmental risks.
There are a number of environmental concerns related to hydraulic fracturing. One concern is simply the amount of
water it takes to extract these resources – it could involve millions of gallons of water! In drought prone areas of the
country, this could create additional strain on the environment. The chemicals involved in the process are also a danger.
If spilled or mismanaged, these could seep into ground water and local drinking water. The wastewater produced by
fracking is also hazardous and must be disposed of properly so it does not contaminate the local environment. Finally,
the process of fracking itself, along with disposing wastewater (which is usually injected into deep wells) actually causes
small earthquakes to occur in the vicinity.
Human and animal health risks.
The hazardous materials used in the fracking industry can seriously harm people living near these sites. If the chemicals
used in the process are not managed properly, or there are leaks in the well and other incidents, these chemicals can
end up in drinking water. People living nearby some of these sites have reported illnesses such as headaches, dizziness,
liver and intestinal damage, and even cancer. Livestock on nearby farms, as well as fish in neighboring waterways have
died near some sites. Additionally, inhaling silica sand, which is used in the fracking process, is associated with a
respiratory disease, Silicosis, which is associated with swelling in the lungs and difficulty breathing.
1. If you had only the information above, would you support fracking? Why or why not?
2. In what ways did the the.News clip support the information in this handout?
3. In what ways did the the.News clip not support the information in this handout?
12Handout 2: Correlation or Causation?
Directions: Read the information and answer the associated questions.
When two variables are related to one another, they are correlated.
If the correlation is positive, then one as one variable increases, so does the other. An example of a positive correlation
is temperature and ice cream sales.
As temperature increases, ice cream sales also increase.
1. What is another example of a positive correlation?
If the correlation is negative, then as one variable increases, the other decreases. An example of a negative correlation
is temperature and heating bills.
As temperature increases, heating bills decrease.
2. What is another example of a negative correlation?
However, correlation does not imply that one of the variables caused the other variable to occur. Consider the following
example: As ice cream sales increase, crime also increases. Does this mean that ice cream causes criminal activity? Or,
that crime causes people to eat ice cream?
13This is an example of a spurious relationship. This is a correlation between two variables that does not result from any
direct relation between them but from their relation to other variables. Ice cream sales and crime are both related to
increasing temperatures.
As temperature rises, so do both ice cream sales and crime.
3. Can you think of any other spurious relationships? (These are variables that appear to be related, but are actually
both related to a third variable).
So how do we determine causation?
One way that we can help understand cause and effect is through a controlled experiment. In a traditional experiment,
scientists are able to control the variables. For example, if you were studying the effects of various amounts of sunlight
on the growth of plants, you would have several identical plants that were exposed to different amounts of sunlight. By
controlling the initial size of the plants, the soil, water, and temperature (all variables that could impact plant growth),
you could determine that sunlight was the variable that impacted the relative size of the plants after the intervention. In
other words, if all other variables are equal, then sunlight is likely the cause of the plants’ relative sizes.
When using the experimental method, researchers are able to manipulate the independent variable (sunlight) in order
to determine the effects upon the dependent variable (plant growth).
In the real world, controlling these variables is more difficult. There are a number of extraneous variables. These are
variables that influence the outcome of an experiment, though they are not the variables that are actually of interest.
For example, suppose in the previous experiment, the research forgot to control for the amount of water given to the
plants, so as a result, some plants got more water than others. Is it possible to say that the only reason that some plants
were larger than others was due to sunlight? In this case, we could not be sure, because the amount of water given is an
extraneous variable.
14Key Vocabulary:
Correlation: An association or relationship between two variables.
Experimental method: A study in which the investigator manipulates at least one variable (the independent variable) to
determine if this causes changes in at least one other (dependent) variable.
Extraneous variables: These are variables that influence the outcome of an experiment, though they are not the
variables that are actually of interest.
Independent and dependent variables: The independent variable (IV) is that which is manipulated and/or controlled by
the researcher, while the dependent variable (DV) is the response that is measured. (For example, if studying the effects
of various levels of sunlight exposure on houseplants, the IV would be the amount of sunlight the plants received; the
DV would be the observations and/or measurements of the plants after receiving different light treatments).
Spurious relationship: A correlation between two variables that does not result from any direct relation between them
but from their relation to other variables.
*Graphics used are public domain images from OpenClipArt.
15Handout 3: Designing your own study [Completed example]
Directions: Complete each section related to your study idea in order to write a summary of your research study.
1. What is the issue you are studying?
Water quality and fracking.
2. Record your research question(s).
Are there more dangerous chemicals in water sources near fracking sites (within 25 miles) than those
with fracking sites at least 25 miles away?
3. Turn this research question into a hypothesis.
There will be more chemicals in the water sources close to fracking operations (within 25 miles) than in
water sources farther away from fracking operations (farther than 25 miles away).
4. What kind of data will you observe and record? Why?
We will measure the chemical levels in the water, because fracking uses chemicals and these could end
up in the water.
5. How will you gather data in order to answer your question(s)?
Test the water close to fracking sites (1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 miles away) and far away from these sites
(25, 30, 40 and 50 miles away).
6. What are the independent and dependent variables?
The independent variable is whether or not there is a fracking site nearby. The dependent variable is
the water quality.
7. Provide one or more examples of possible extraneous variables.
There could be other sources of pollution nearby, like a large factory.
168. Explain whether or not your study would show causation or correlation.
This study wouldn’t show causation because we wouldn’t know if the chemicals were there before the
fracking operation or not.
9. What kind of conclusions could you draw from your data?
If there are more chemicals near the fracking site than in the water farther away, we could say that
fracking operations are positively correlated with increased chemical levels nearby.
10. Write a summary of your proposed research study. You may use the example below or create your own format as
long as all of the elements on the first page of the handout are included. If using this template, add as much information
as is needed in each of the spaces.
I am (or) we are interested in studying ___________. We would like to know ___________. This is because
___________. In order to answer this question, we are going to collect and record the following data: ___________. We
will collect this data by ___________. The independent variable is ___________. The dependent variable is
___________. A possible extraneous variable could be ___________. If our hypothesis is correct, we could show a
[correlation/causation]. Our conclusion would be that ___________.
Our group is interested in studying how fracking is related to water quality. We want to know whether or
not there are more chemicals found in water within 25 miles of a fracking operation than water found
farther away because fracking operations inject chemicals into the earth. In order to answer this, we
are going to collect and record the following data: water samples to test for water quality and chemicals
in the water. We will collect this data by sampling water sites close to the fracking site (1, 5, 10, 15, and
20 miles away) and water samples farther away (25, 30, 40, and 50 miles). In this study, our independent
variable is how far away the fracking operation is. The dependent variable is the water quality. A
possible extraneous variable could be another source of pollution nearby that adds chemicals to the
water. If our hypothesis is correct, we could show there was a correlation. Our conclusion would be that
fracking operations are positively correlated with chemicals in the nearby water sources.
17Handout 3: Designing your own study
Directions: Complete each section related to your study idea in order to write a summary of your research study.
1. What is the issue you are studying?
2. Record your research question(s).
3. Turn this research question into a hypothesis.
4. What kind of data will you observe and record? Why?
5. How will you gather data in order to answer your question(s)?
6. What are the independent and dependent variables?
187. Provide one or more examples of possible extraneous variables.
8. Explain whether or not your study would show causation or correlation.
9. What kind of conclusions could you draw from your data?
10. Write a summary of your proposed research study. You may use the example below or create your own format as
long as all of the elements on the first page of the handout are included. If using this template, add as much information
as is needed in each of the spaces.
I am (or) we are interested in studying ___________. We would like to know ___________. This is because
___________. In order to answer this question, we are going to collect and record the following data: ___________. We
will collect this data by ___________. The independent variable is ___________. The dependent variable is
___________. A possible extraneous variable could be ___________. If our hypothesis is correct, we could show a
[correlation/causation]. Our conclusion would be that ___________.
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