https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8VqWKZIPrM
Geoff Haines-Stiles Productions, Earth: The Operators' Manual
Video length 2:25 min.
Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»
See how this Video
supports the Next Generation Science Standards»Middle School: 4 Disciplinary Core Ideas
High School: 4 Disciplinary Core Ideas
Topics
Grade Level
Regional Focus
Energy Literacy
7.3 Environmental quality 
7.3 Environmental quality7.3 Environmental quality.
4.1 Humans transfer and transform energy.
4.3 Fossil and bio fuels contain energy captured from sunlight.
Notes From Our Reviewers
The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness.
Read what our review team had to say about this resource below or learn more about
how CLEAN reviews teaching materials
Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy |
Technical Details
About the Science
- Accurate and easy-to-follow story of fossil fuel formation, from photosynthesis to geologic transformation into coal, oil, and natural gas. Narrated by geologist, Dr. Richard Alley.
- Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.
Next Generation Science Standards See how this Video supports:
Middle School
Disciplinary Core Ideas: 4
MS-ESS3.A1: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.
MS-LS1.C1:Plants, algae (including phytoplankton), and many microorganisms use the energy from light to make sugars (food) from carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and water through the process of photosynthesis, which also releases oxygen. These sugars can be used immediately or stored for growth or later use.
MS-PS1.B3:Some chemical reactions release energy, others store energy.
MS-PS3.A4:The term “heat” as used in everyday language refers both to thermal energy (the motion of atoms or molecules within a substance) and the transfer of that thermal energy from one object to another. In science, heat is used only for this second meaning; it refers to the energy transferred due to the temperature difference between two objects.
High School
Disciplinary Core Ideas: 4
HS-ESS3.A2:All forms of energy production and other resource extraction have associated economic, social, environmental, and geopolitical costs and risks as well as benefits. New technologies and social regulations can change the balance of these factors.
HS-LS1.C1:The process of photosynthesis converts light energy to stored chemical energy by converting carbon dioxide plus water into sugars plus released oxygen.
HS-PS3.A2:At the macroscopic scale, energy manifests itself in multiple ways, such as in motion, sound, light, and thermal energy.
HS-PS3.D1:Although energy cannot be destroyed, it can be converted to less useful forms—for example, to thermal energy in the surrounding environment.
