Illinois DCEO Coal Curriculum Report

AN EVALUATION OF THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY (DCEO) COAL EDUCATION PROGRAM 20122013 EVALUATION REPORT
Lizanne DeStefano Sallie Greenberg Principle Investigators Emily Gates Evaluation Associate I-STEM Education Initiative & Advanced Energy Technology Initiative
Please reference information used from this report in the following manner: DeStefano, L., & Greenberg, S. (2013). An evaluation of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Coal Education Program. Champaign, IL: University of Illinois.
AN EVALUATION OF THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY (DCEO) COAL EDUCATION PROGRAM 20122013 EVALUATION REPORT
Lizanne DeStefano Sallie Greenberg Principle Investigators Emily Gates Evaluation Associate Kathy Atchley Administrative Assistant Betsy Innes Communications Specialist I-STEM Education Initiative (I-STEM) and Advanced Energy Technology Initiative (AETI)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLES ...................................................................................................................................................... ix EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................ 1
Overall Findings........................................................................................................................ 2 Overall Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 2

INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................................... 3 PROGRAM OVERVIEW .......................................................................................................................... 3 OVERVIEW OF THE EVALUATION .................................................................................................... 4
Evaluation Approach ................................................................................................................ 4 Evaluation Context.................................................................................................................... 4 Key Evaluation Questions......................................................................................................... 4 Data Collection Methods .......................................................................................................... 4
I. COAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE ................................................................................................. 5
Overview ................................................................................................................................... 5 Goals ......................................................................................................................................... 5 Participants ................................................................................................................................ 5 Location & Schedule................................................................................................................. 6 Presentations ............................................................................................................................. 7 Field Trips ................................................................................................................................. 7 Classroom Activities ................................................................................................................. 7 Data Collection Methods .......................................................................................................... 7
Observations ....................................................................................................................................... 8 Document Review .............................................................................................................................. 8 Staff Interviews .................................................................................................................................. 8 Coal Conference Attendees Surveys ................................................................................................. 8 Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Surveys from 20092012............................................. 8 Pre-Conference Survey ................................................................................................................. 8 End-of-Conference Survey ............................................................................................................ 9 Focus Groups ...................................................................................................................................... 9 Focus Group #1 Industrial & Scientific Stakeholders ................................................................ 9 Focus Group #2 Environmental & Civic Stakeholders .............................................................. 9 Stakeholder Interviews ....................................................................................................................... 9 Stakeholder Survey ............................................................................................................................. 9
Results ..................................................................................................................................... 10
Staff Interviews ................................................................................................................................ 10 Conference Aims and Impact ...................................................................................................... 10 Strengths of the Conference ........................................................................................................ 11 Pre-Conference Survey ..................................................................................................................... 11
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DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation
End-of-Conference Survey ............................................................................................................... 12 Usefulness of Sessions ................................................................................................................ 12 Benefits of Conference Participation .......................................................................................... 12 Most Valuable Aspects of the Conference .................................................................................. 16 Least Valuable Aspects of the Conference.................................................................................. 16 Suggestions for Improving the Conference ................................................................................. 17 Classroom Applications .............................................................................................................. 18 Suggested Additional Topics for Future Conferences................................................................. 19 Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Surveys from 20092012 ................................................ 20 Best Features ............................................................................................................................... 20 Suggestions for Improvement ..................................................................................................... 23 Comments and Concerns ............................................................................................................. 24 Stakeholder Focus Groups and Interviews ....................................................................................... 25 Focus Groups #1 Industrial & Scientific Stakeholders ............................................................ 25 Focus Group #2 Environmental & Civic Stakeholders ............................................................ 26 Stakeholder Interviews ................................................................................................................ 27 Stakeholder Survey ........................................................................................................................... 27
Findings................................................................................................................................... 29 Recommendations ................................................................................................................... 29

II. COAL ART & ESSAY CONTEST .................................................................................................... 31
Overview ................................................................................................................................. 31 Goals ....................................................................................................................................... 31 Participants .............................................................................................................................. 31 Art & Essay Prompts .............................................................................................................. 31 Judging the Submissions ......................................................................................................... 32 Awards Reception ................................................................................................................... 32 Data Collection Methods ........................................................................................................ 32
Staff Interviews ................................................................................................................................ 32 Art & Essay Contest Survey ............................................................................................................. 32 Focus Groups .................................................................................................................................... 32 Focus Group #1 Industrial & Scientific Stakeholders .............................................................. 32 Focus Group #2 Environmental & Civic Stakeholders ............................................................ 33 Stakeholder Interviews ..................................................................................................................... 33 Stakeholder Survey ........................................................................................................................... 33
Results ..................................................................................................................................... 34
Staff Interviews ................................................................................................................................ 34 Art & Essay Contest Survey ............................................................................................................. 34 Calendar Contest Connections to the Classroom ........................................................................ 34 Benefits of Participating in the Calendar Contest ....................................................................... 35 Suggestions for Improving the Calendar Contest ........................................................................ 36 Appreciation for the Calendar Contest ........................................................................................ 37 Stakeholder Focus Groups and Interviews ....................................................................................... 37 Stakeholder Survey ........................................................................................................................... 38
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III. K12 COAL CURRICULUM ........................................................................................................... 41
Overview ................................................................................................................................. 41 Goals ....................................................................................................................................... 41 Curriculum Development........................................................................................................ 41 Curriculum Distribution .......................................................................................................... 41 Content .................................................................................................................................... 41 Data Collection Methods ........................................................................................................ 42
Teacher Standards Alignment .......................................................................................................... 42 Science Content Expert Curriculum Review .................................................................................... 43 Survey of Teachers Who Received the Curriculum ......................................................................... 43 Stakeholder Survey ........................................................................................................................... 43 Focus Group #2 ................................................................................................................................ 45 Staff Interviews ................................................................................................................................ 45 Benchmarking Study ........................................................................................................................ 45
Results ..................................................................................................................................... 46
Staff Interviews ................................................................................................................................ 46 Value of the Coal Curriculum ..................................................................................................... 46 Suggestions for Improving the Coal Curriculum ........................................................................ 46 Teacher Standards Alignment .......................................................................................................... 47 Alignment by Specific Learning Standards................................................................................. 47 Overall Alignment ....................................................................................................................... 47 Suggestions for Improving Alignment ........................................................................................ 50 Overall Grade-Level Appropriateness......................................................................................... 50 Suggestions for Improving Grade-Level Appropriateness .......................................................... 51 Balance of Perspectives ............................................................................................................... 52 Expert Curriculum Review ............................................................................................................... 52 Overall Ratings ............................................................................................................................ 52 Scientific Content ........................................................................................................................ 52 Balance of Perspectives ............................................................................................................... 54 Pedagogy ..................................................................................................................................... 55 Energy Literacy ........................................................................................................................... 55 Survey of Teachers Who Received the Curriculum ......................................................................... 56 Teacher Characteristics ............................................................................................................... 56 Familiarity with DCEO Coal Education Program ....................................................................... 57 Usefulness of Each Section ......................................................................................................... 57 Most Useful Aspects of the Curriculum ...................................................................................... 61 Least Useful Aspects of the Curriculum ..................................................................................... 62 Suggestions for Improving the Curriculum ................................................................................. 62 Stakeholder Survey ........................................................................................................................... 63 Focus Group #2 ................................................................................................................................ 64 Scientific Content ........................................................................................................................ 64
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Balance of Perspectives ............................................................................................................... 65 Suggestions for Improving Balance of Perspectives ................................................................... 65 Pedagogy ..................................................................................................................................... 66 Benchmarking Study ........................................................................................................................ 66

OVERALL FINDINGS ............................................................................................................................ 71 OVERALL RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................................................... 71
APPENDICES Appendix A: Coal Education Program Recruitment Materials A.1. 2012 Coal Conference Brochure A.2. 2013 Art & Essay Contest Brochure Appendix B: Approval and Data Collection Instruments B1. Institutional Review Board Approval B2. Coal Conference: Illinois State Board of Education Survey B3. Coal Conference: Pre-Conference Survey B4. Coal Conference: End-of-Conference Survey B5. Art & Essay Contest: Art & Essay Contest Survey B6. Coal Curriculum: Standards Alignment Templates and Surveys B7. Coal Curriculum: Science Content Expert Rubric and Survey B8. Coal Curriculum: Curriculum Survey B9. Coal Education Program: Staff Interview Protocol B10. Coal Education Program: Focus Group Protocols B11. Coal Education Program: Stakeholder Survey Appendix C: Survey Results C1. Coal Conference: Pre-Conference Survey Results C2. Coal Conference: End-of-Conference Survey Results C3. Coal Conference: 2009 Illinois Board of Education Survey Results C4. Coal Conference: 2010 Illinois Board of Education Survey Results C5. Coal Conference: 2011 Illinois Board of Education Survey Results C6. Coal Conference: 2012 Illinois Board of Education Survey Results C7. Art & Essay Contest: Art & Essay Contest Survey Results C8. Coal Curriculum: Curriculum Survey Results C9. Coal Education Program: Stakeholder Survey Results Appendix D: Benchmarking Study Results D1. Summaries of Additional Curricular Resources Appendix E: Standards Alignment Results E1. Alignment with English Common Core Standards E2. Alignment with Math Common Core Standards E3. Alignment with Illinois Learning Standards Geography
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E4. Alignment with Illinois Learning Standards Economics E5. Alignment with Next Generation Science Framework Appendix F: Expert Curriculum Review Results F1. Expert Reviewer Rubric Rating Results F2. Expert Reviewer Survey Results F3. Expert Reviewer Additional Comments Appendix G: Resources G1. Heartland Coalfield Alliance Evaluation G2. EcoJustice Recommendations for DCEO Coal Education Program G3. Letters to the Governor about DCEO Coal Education Program G4. CREDO Petition G5. Reckoning at Eagle Creek Book Review G6. Newsletters about DCEO Coal Curriculum G7. News Articles about DCEO Coal Education Program
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TABLES
Table 1. 2012 Coal Education Conference Schedule.......................................................................6 Table 2. 2012 Pre-Conference Survey Responses .........................................................................12 Table 3. 2012 End-of-Conference Survey Responses ...................................................................13 Table 4. Continued -2012 End-of-Conference Survey Responses ................................................14 Table 5. Benefits of the 2012 Coal Conference .............................................................................15 Table 6. 2009 ISBE Survey ...........................................................................................................21 Table 7. 2010 ISBE Survey ...........................................................................................................21 Table 8. 2011 ISBE Survey ...........................................................................................................22 Table 9. 2012 ISBE Survey ...........................................................................................................22 Table 10. K12 Coal Curriculum Lessons and Tie-ins..................................................................42 Table 11. Rubric for Science Content Expert Curriculum Review ...............................................43 Table 12. K4 Alignment by Learning Standards Percent of Standards Rated Adequately Addressed by Standards Alignment Reviewers............................................................................48 Table 13. 58 Alignment by Learning Standards - Percent of Standards Rated Adequately Addressed by Standards Alignment Reviewers............................................................................48 Table 14. 9-12 Alignment by Learning Standards - Percent of Standards Rated Adequately Addressed by Standards Alignment Reviewers............................................................................49 Table 15. Expert Curriculum Reviewer Ratings ............................................................................52 Table 16. Grade Levels Currently Taught by Survey Participants ................................................57 Table 17. Primary Content Areas of Survey Participants ..............................................................57 Table 18. Results from Teacher Survey/Usefulness of K4 Section of Coal Curriculum ............61 Table 19. Results from Teacher Survey/Usefulness of 58 Section of Coal Curriculum .............59 Table 20. Results from Teacher Survey/Usefulness of 9-12 Section of Coal Curriculum ............60 Table 21 . Stakeholder Survey Ratings of K12 Coal Curriculum on Two Criteria ..................63 Table 22. Curricula Benchmarking Study Curriculum Provided by Top 7 Coal Producing States ..............................................................................................................................................67 Table 23. High-Quality, Nationally Available Energy and Coal Education Resources ................68
AN EVALUATION OF THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY (DCEO) COAL EDUCATION PROGRAM 20122013 Evaluation Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Coal Education Program aims to educate teachers, students, and the wider public about coal and the coal industry. The Coal Education Program operates under a state legislative mandate, entitled Illinois Coal Technology Development Assistance Act, which outlines the objective of promoting public awareness and education about coal and the coal industry. According to the statute, Public awareness and education means programs of education, curriculum development, public service announcements, informational advertising and informing the news media on issues related to the use of Illinois coal, the coal industry and related developments. Public awareness and education shall be directed toward school-age residents of the State, the citizens of the State, and other interested parties (http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID = 563&ChapterID = 7) This evaluation focuses on three components of the Coal Education Program: the Coal Education Conference (Coal Conference), Art & Essay Contest, and K12 Coal Curriculum. The evaluation of the Coal Conference focuses on the 2012 Conference, while including analysis of data collected from the 2009, 2010, and 2011Conferences. The evaluation of the Coal Conference focuses on the 14th Annual Coal Education Conference held June 2012 at the Rend Lake Resort in Whittington, Illinois. The evaluation of the Art & Essay Contest focuses on the 2012 Contest, although the objectives and organization of the contest has been consistent for the past 25 years. This evaluation endeavored to be responsive and useful. First, it provides an objective, balanced and inclusive judgment of the quality of the program. Secondly, it engaged multiple stakeholder groups with differing perspectives in assessing this program and making suggestions for improvement. Thirdly, it makes recommendations and provides insight into potential pathways for addressing emergent educational objectives. The evaluation addressed three main questions: 1. To what extent and in what ways does the Coal Education Program present content based in sound, scientific information? 2. To what extent and in what ways does the Coal Education Program present a balance of perspectives? 3. Which components of the program are working well and which need improvement according to stakeholder groups? How can implementation and outcomes be improved? The evaluation team utilized multiple methods to obtain information from approximately 640 stakeholders with different perspectives on the Coal Education Program. The methods employed in the evaluation included the following: Observations, Document Review, Educational Standards Alignment, Science Content Expert Curriculum Review, Surveys, Staff Interviews,
and Stakeholder Focus Groups and Interviews. Details regarding each data collection method are provided in the three main sections of the report: Coal Conference, Art & Essay Contest, and Coal Curriculum. Based on data from these multiple methods and stakeholder perspectives, the evaluation team developed the following overall findings and recommendations: Overall Findings I. II. III. The DCEO Coal Education Program could be updated to provide information about coal in relation to other sources of energy and in national and global contexts. The Coal Conference, Coal Curriculum, and Art & Essay Contest are separate program activities which could be connected to maximize impact. The Coal Conference is highly valued by many stakeholder groups for its mine tours and classroom resources. The Conference could be improved by revitalizing instructional sessions, increasing connections to current educational standards, and providing more opportunities for classroom applications. The Coal Curriculum could be improved by focusing on scientific content, balance of perspectives, and alignment with educational standards. The Art & Essay Contest is valued by current participants. The Contest could be improved reaching more students from different regions of the state and by providing prompts that address multiple perspectives on coal and the impacts of coal. High-quality educational resources on coal and energy are nationally developed and publicly available. Overall Recommendations I. II. III. IV. DCEO should take a phased approach to revitalize the Coal Education Program and implement these recommendations over the next 24 months. The Coal Conference, Coal Curriculum, and Art & Essay Contest should be integrated to create a coherent program and maximize impact. The Coal Conference should continue in a streamlined format that emphasizes the mine tours and applications to the classroom. The current Coal Curriculum should be retired and new or existing curriculum should be utilized. This curriculum should provide high-quality scientific content, a balance of perspectives, and present coal as part of an energy portfolio in national and global contexts. The Art and Essay Contest should continue with several enhancements. The contest should engage more teachers and students from different regions of the state. Prompts should be aligned with educational learning standards and reflect a balance of perspectives on coal and its impacts. DCEO should utilize existing resources that provide high-quality scientific content and a balance of perspectives.
IV. V.
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INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this evaluation report is to present strengths and suggestions for improving the program from multiple stakeholder perspectives and to provide program staff with useful information to guide the programs restructuring and revitalization. This evaluation focuses on three components of the current program: I. II. III. Coal Education Conference Art and Essay Contest K12 Coal Curriculum
The evaluation report first provides an overview of the DCEO Coal Education Program and the Program Evaluation. Then, the report is organized into three sections according to the program component being evaluated: I) Coal Education Conference; II) Art & Essay Contest; and III) Coal Curriculum. Each section is further organized into five sections: a) executive summary; b) descriptive information about the program component; c) data collection methods; d) results; and e) findings and recommendations.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) operates under a state legislative mandate, entitled Illinois Coal Technology Development Assistance Act, to promote public awareness and education about coal and the coal industry. According to the statute, public awareness and education means programs of education, curriculum development, public service announcements, informational advertising, and informing the news media on issues related to the use of Illinois coal, the coal industry and related developments. Public awareness and education shall be directed toward school-age residents of the State, the citizens of the State, and other interested parties (http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp? ActID = 563&ChapterID = 7) The Illinois Coal Education & Marketing Program (Coal Education Program) is one of six programs of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity aimed at promoting Illinois coal. The stated aims of the Coal Education Program are to preserve and enhance the marketability of Illinois coal; heighten awareness and understanding of the importance of the coal industry to the socioeconomic structure of Illinois; and create a positive image for the mining and utilization of coal in Illinois. (http://www.commerce.state.il.us/dceo/Bureaus/ Coal/Programs/). Current Coal Education Program activities include the distribution of coal education resource materials and curriculum for grades K4, 58, and high school; an annual art and essay contest; coal awareness activities for school children and the public; regional coal education workshops; an annual teacher education conference; and assisting state legislators and administrators with the development and evaluation of legislation. This evaluation focuses on three components of the current program: the 14th Annual Coal Education Conference held in June 2012 at the Rend Lake Resort in Whittington, IL; the 2012 Coal Calendar Art and Essay Contest; and the May
2004 series of teachers curriculum guides entitled From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines: Teachers Curriculum. Each of these components provides insight to the broader range of activities the Coal Education Program carries out in the areas of educational resources, professional development, and public engagement.
OVERVIEW OF THE EVALUATION

Evaluation Approach This evaluation endeavors to be responsive and useful. First, the evaluation team aspired to provide an objective, balanced, and inclusive judgment of the quality of the Coal Education Program. Secondly, the evaluation team engaged multiple stakeholder groups with differing perspectives in assessing this program and making suggestions for improvement. Thirdly, the evaluation team makes recommendations to provide insight into potential pathways for revitalization of the Coal Education Program. Evaluation Context The Advanced Energy Technology Initiative (AETI) and Illinois Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Initiative (I-STEM) at the University of Illinois of UrbanaChampaign were awarded a DCEO grant to conduct a program evaluation of the Coal Education Program. The award was offered through the Illinois Coal Competitiveness Program, which issued a request for proposals for projects that improve coal extraction, preparation, and transportation systems within Illinois (http://www.commerce.state.il.us/dceo/Bureaus/Coal/ Grants/). The program evaluation team consisted of a geologist/education specialist, Dr. Sallie Greenberg (AETI); an evaluation specialist, Dr. Lizanne DeStefano (I-STEM); a graduate research assistant, Emily Gates; Kathy Atchley, a communication specialist; and administrative support. Key Evaluation Questions 1. To what extent and in what ways does the Coal Education Program present content based in sound, scientific information? 2. To what extent and in what ways does the Coal Education Program present a balance of perspectives? 3. Which components of the program are working well and which need improvement according to stakeholder groups? How can implementation and outcomes be improved? Data Collection Methods The evaluation team utilized multiple methods to obtain information related to the Coal Education Program. The methods employed in the evaluation included the following: Observations, Document Review, Standards Alignment, Science Content Expert Curriculum Review, Surveys, Staff Interviews, and Stakeholder Focus Groups and Interviews. Details regarding each data collection method are provided in the each of the three main sections of the report: Coal Conference, Art & Essay Contest, and Coal Curriculum. See Appendices B for a complete set of data collection instruments.
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I. COAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE

Overview The Illinois Coal Education Conference is held annually to provide approximately one hundred educators from throughout Illinois with information about coal and coal mining and first-hand experiences visiting coal mines. The Coal Conference is organized by staff members of the DCEO Coal Education Program and held at the Rend Lake Resort in Whittington, Illinois. Educators are organized into groups based on the grade levels they teach (K3, 46, 58, and 9 12). Each group is led by an Illinois teacher of that grade level who has previously attended the Coal Conference. Activities include PowerPoint presentations by professionals with scientific and work expertise related to coal, and field trips to surface and underground mines, a reclamation site, power plant, and coal miner training facility. Educators receive sample lessons and materials and discuss how to apply the content to their particular subject areas and grade levels. Goals According to the DCEO website, the goal of the conference is to: give teachers the knowledge and learning tools to incorporate into their lesson plans coal education, from mining to electric power generation, as well as other uses of coal. After participating in the conference, the hope is that teachers will have gained greater understanding of and respect for this abundant mineral and the industrys economic impact on mining regions of the state (http://www.ildceo.net/dceo/ Bureaus/Coal/Education/). Participants Each year, a DCEO staff member sends conference brochures with registration information to schools listed on the Illinois State Board of Education mailing list. See Appendix A for a copy of the conference brochure. Teachers throughout Illinois across all grade levels and subject areas are invited to register for the conference. To register, teachers are asked to provide information regarding his/her current teaching position, including school, school address, grade level, subject(s) currently teaching, and whether he/she is a classroom teacher or principal. The first one hundred teachers to register are reserved spots at the conference. Additional teachers are placed on a waiting list and are invited to attend in the event that other teachers cancel their reservations. During the conference, teachers are divided into four groups based on the grade level they teach: K3, 46, 78, and 912. Each group is coordinated by a group leader, a teacher at that grade level who had attended the conference for at least three prior years. Each group attends the small group conference sessions together. Teachers who attend all of the conference sessions have the opportunity to earn approximately 27 continuing professional development units (CPDUs). Group leaders are responsible for keeping attendance at each session; during the last session, teachers receive their CPDU credits.
Location & Schedule The Coal Education Conference is held annually at the Rend Lake Resort in Whittington, Illinois. Further location and scheduling information refers specifically to the 15th Coal Education Conference which took place during June 2012. The 2012 conference began at 12:00 PM on Tuesday, June 19, and ended at 11:45 AM on June 22. The schedule consisted of whole-group sessions, some of which coincided with meals, smallgroup sessions on specific topics, and field trips. Coal Conference attendees were divided into small groups by grade levels taught, and each grade-level group attended the small-group sessions together. Field trip participants were divided into small groups to facilitate visiting the mines and other sites. See Table 1 for the complete schedule.
Table 1. 2012 Coal Education Conference Schedule Tuesday, June 19, 2012 Lunch presentation: Welcome Lunch: Illinois State Geological Survey-Illinois Energy Portfolio Lunch presentation: ISBE State Science Standards 1. Underground Mining 2. Illinois Coal Formation/Geology 3. Surface Mining 4. Coal to Electricity 5. Hands-on Classroom Educational Tools Dinner presentation: Turn of the Century Coal Mining Company is Hiring a Few Good Men Wednesday, June 20, 2012 Field trip: Tour to Surface Mine Field trip: Tour to Underground Mine Field trip: Tour to Power Plant Thursday, June 21, 2012 6. Mine Safety/ Ventilation 7. Geologic Sequestration 8. Coal Prep Plants 9. Coal Bed Methane Lunch presentation: I-STEM Education Initiative 10. Economics of Coal 11. Underground Mining, Permitting, & Environmental Protection 12. Clean Coal Technology at Power Plants and Coal Byproducts 13. Surface Mining, Past and Present, Permitting and Reclamation Dinner presentation: The Good Ole Days of Coal Mining Post-dinner activity: Reception hosted by Caterpillar Friday, June 22, 2012 Whole group: Coal Jeopardy Whole group: Careers in Mining and Tour Rend Lake College Mining Training Center 14. Coal in the Classroom with Group Leader
Evaluation Report
Presentations Each small-group presentation consisted of a PowerPoint presentation and question and answer discussion on a particular topic. Presentation topics covered six main areas: 1) coal formation; 2) types of mining; 3) mine safety; 4) permits, regulations, and environmental protection; 5) coal processing and technologies; and 6) economics of coal. Presenters were considered experts in their subjects, meaning they had a Ph.D. in the subject and/or over 15 years of professional experience. Seven of the 20 presenters had Bachelors degrees in subjects, including Mining Engineering; Advanced Technical Studies; Mechanical Engineering; and Environmental Science. Eight of the 20 presenters had Masters degrees in subjects, including Geology, Engineering Geology, Geochemistry, Geography, and Plant and Soil Science. Five of the 20 presenters had doctoral degrees in subjects, including Materials Science, Engineering Science, Geology, and Catalysis. Fourteen presenters had worked for the coal industry or a coal mine; six had conducted research related to mining; and two had experience in teaching or educational outreach. Field Trips During the conference, each teacher had the opportunity to go on four field trips: underground mine, surface mine, power plant, and Rend Lake College Mining Training Center. Teachers were divided into four groups, and each group visited a different mine and power plant. Field trips were led by individuals with work experience in coal mining, including mine workers, safety inspectors, and mining engineers. Several field trip leaders gave presentations at other points during the conference. Classroom Activities During the last session of the conference, teachers were provided with sample lessons and activities about coal that were appropriate for their grade level. In previous years, teachers received copies of the K12 From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines curriculum; however, because the curriculum was under review during this conference, copies were not provided to teachers. Instead, group leaders provided handouts which they had developed, giving directions for lessons and activities on coal. Each group leader brought materials to demonstrate several activities which they use in their classrooms. Teachers had the option to practice these activities and talk with each other as well as with their group leader about how they would apply the material they learned about coal to their classrooms. Data Collection Methods Multiple methods were utilized to gather information about the Coal Education Conference from different stakeholder perspectives. Methods utilized included observations during the conference, document review of conference materials, surveys of conference attendees, focus groups and interviews with different stakeholder groups,1 and program staff interviews.2
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The same stakeholder focus groups and interviews were utilized to gather information about the Coal Curriculum and the Art & Essay Contest. 2 Staff interviews also included questions about the Coal Curriculum and the Art & Essay Contest.
Observations Observations were conducted throughout the 2012 Coal Education Conference to capture a descriptive record of the structure, content, and activities of each session. This strategy allowed evaluation team members to develop a descriptive account of the content presented in each session and the responses of each group of teachers to these presentations. The evaluation team conducted two observations of each small group PowerPoint presentation (24 in total) and at least one observation of each whole-group session. Document Review Educational resources provided by DCEO at the Coal Education Conference were analyzed by the evaluation team to provide descriptive information about the conference. Staff Interviews Five DCEO staff members participated in approximately one-hour-long interviews regarding the purpose of the coal education program, goals of each activity, target beneficiaries, program strengths, and suggestions for improving the program. All but one interview took place in person at the DCEO office in Springfield, Illinois. Due to a scheduling conflict, one interview was conducted over the phone. Interview responses that pertain to the Coal Conference were analyzed to inform the findings of this report. The Staff Interview Protocol is provided in Appendix B1. Coal Conference Attendees Surveys Coal conference attendees were asked to complete three paper surveys regarding their perceptions of the conference: Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Surveys from 20092012 DCEO program staff members administer surveys at the end of each annual Coal Conference. These surveys are part of the ISBE requirements for professional development activities in which participants can receive continuing education teacher credits. Survey questions include five quantitative and three open-ended items. To examine participants experiences in previous years as well as this years conference, the evaluation team analyzed surveys from 20092012. A sample ISBE Survey is provided in Appendix B2. Pre-Conference Survey DCEO program staff members requested that a brief survey be administered at the beginning of the conference asking attendees about their knowledge of coal. A brief, 5-question survey was developed by the evaluation team and administered during the first session of the conference. A sample of the Pre-Conference Survey is provided in Appendix B3.
Evaluation Report
End-of-Conference Survey All attendees were asked to complete a survey during the last session of the conference. The purpose of this survey was to assess attendees perceptions of the usefulness of each session and their perspectives on the overall conference. The survey was developed and administered by the evaluation team. A sample of the End-of-Conference Survey is provided in Appendix B4. Focus Groups Focus Group #1 Industrial & Scientific Stakeholders Representatives of the coal industry, government, and scientific departments that have worked with the DCEO coal education program were invited to participate in focus groups on November 5, 2012 in Champaign, Illinois, at the office of the I-STEM Education Initiative. Participants were identified because they (or another staff member from their department) presented at the Coal Conference. One focus group was conducted, which lasted approximately 90 minutes, to collect information about stakeholders perceptions of the role and purpose of the program, the balance of perspectives, as well suggestions for improving the program. The Focus Group #1 Protocol is provided in Appendix B10. Focus Group #2 Environmental & Civic Stakeholders Representatives of environmental and civic organizations that expressed concerns about DCEO coal education activities were invited to participate in focus groups on February 12, 2013, in Chicago, Illinois, at the University of Illinois at Chicago student union. Participants were identified because they or another staff member from their organization signed a letter to the Illinois Governor regarding the Coal Education Program or they were recommended by someone who had signed this letter (see Appendix G3 for a copy of this letter). Two focus groups, each approximately 90-minutes long, were conducted to collect information about stakeholders perceptions of the role and purpose of the program, the balance of perspectives, as well suggestions for improving the program. The Focus Group #2 Protocol is provided in Appendix B10. Stakeholder Interviews Two of the individuals invited to the second focus group were unable to attend. These individuals participated in 1530 minute phone interviews to share their perspectives on the same questions raised during focus group #2. The protocol used was the same as that used for Focus Group #2. Stakeholder Survey Individuals and representatives of environmental, citizens advocacy, and other non-profit organizations that expressed concerns about the DCEO Coal Education Program were invited to take a brief online survey. Individuals were identified because they signed the CREDO petition Tell DCEO: Stop Misleading Illinois Kids About Coal or a letter to the Illinois Governor expressing concerns about the DCEO Coal Education Program (see Appendix G 4 for a copy of
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the petition and G3 for a copy of the letter). Additionally, five individuals who were recommended by an individual who signed the letter to the Illinois Governor, completed the survey. Approximately 1,000 individuals signed the CREDO petition. Since these individuals did not provide their e-mail addresses on the petition, e-mail addresses for 125 individuals were identified by conducting a Google search of their name and home city/state/. These 125 individuals, plus 25 individuals who signed the Governors letter or were recommended by someone who did, were sent e-mail invitations to complete the survey. Of the 150 individuals contacted, 15 e-mail addresses did not work, making a total sample of 135. Of the 135 individuals contacted, 24 completed the survey for a response rate of 18%. A copy of the Stakeholder Survey is provided in Appendix B11. Results pertaining to the Coal Conference are included in this report. Results Results are organized according to data collection method and theme in the following order: staff interviews, pre-conference surveys, end-of-conference surveys, ISBE surveys, stakeholder focus groups, and stakeholder interviews. Note: all percentages reflect the percentage of respondents. Staff Interviews Conference Aims and Impact Staff members described the general aims of the conference as: 1. Raising awareness about coal among teachers and students 2. Providing teachers with knowledge and materials 1. Raising awareness among teachers and students that Illinois has coal and that coal is an important resource for the state is seen by staff as one of the aims of the conference. They also see this as one of the most important outcomes of the conference. The lack of knowledge surrounding coal in Illinois still amazes me. When teachers say, I didnt know we mined coal; I didnt even know there was coal in Illinois. We get that every year, and it hasnt changed; thats been a constant. DCEO Staff Member I think the greatest impact is just getting people to be aware that there is coal in the state, and that it is not a bad thingI think the general awareness is important to not only the students, but also to the teachers who dont know we have coal in this state. DCEO Staff Member 2. Staff felt that another aim of the conference is providing teachers with knowledge and materials so that they can choose whether to and/or how to incorporate coal education in their classrooms. I believe that there is a lot of ignorance in the world as far as not understanding how important coal is. I believe teaching kids, having teachers, having that information,
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distributing it to children, and teaching kids about coal and its importance is vital to the survival of coal in Illinois and the United States. DCEO Staff Member We put the focus on teachers so that they can then sift through the information and determine on their own what their students should be hearing about. Statutorily, it clearly says school-aged children, but we have made the decision to work with teachers while at the same time giving them the tools so that if they want a handout or more information, that its geared for kids. DCEO Staff Member Strengths of the Conference According to staff members, the strengths of the conference are: 1. The expertise of presenters 2. Offering teachers the opportunity to talk with coal miners, engineers, and safety inspectors 1. Staff emphasized the expertise of the presenters as strengths of the conference. I think the strength of our program is the quality of the resourcesand we are one of the best states for those resources. I think we bring those resources to the teacher conference. There is a lot of exceptional talent across a broad spectrum of issues related to coal. DCEO Staff Member 2. Staff also emphasized the opportunities for teachers to talk with industry coal miners, engineers, and safety inspector. The current goals are to bring in the states top experts, for example, the Illinois State Geological Survey, to talk about the geology in the state, or the Department of Mines and Minerals inspectors to talk about coal mines. Maybe bring in some other folks to talk about the actual coal mining business, such as the managers of the preparation plant. DCEO Staff Member Pre-Conference Survey The majority of conference attendees in 2012 did not agree or strongly agree that they knew a lot about the coal industry before the conference. Only 21% of attendees agreed or strongly agreed that the textbook they use has lessons about coal. However, about half of attendees (52%) agreed or strongly agreed that they teach their students about coal and other sources of energy. Slightly more attendees (51%) learned about coal from personal experiences than (47%) from the media. See Table 2 for complete results of the quantitative items on the pre-conference survey. Attendees had the option of providing additional comments on the pre-conference survey. Four out of the 11 attendees who provided comments mentioned learning about or teaching coal in relation to other sources of energy. See Appendix C1 for qualitative Pre-Conference Survey responses.
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Table 2. 2012 Pre-Conference Survey Responses3 (N = 76, range 1-5, mode in bold) Item 1. I know a lot about the coal industry. 2. The textbook I use has lessons about coal. 3. I teach my students about coal and other sources of energy. 4. Ive learned what I know about coal from personal experiences. 5. Ive learned what I know about coal from media (news, TV, etc.). Mean 2.42 2.35 3.19 3.16 3.20 SD 1.10 1.21 1.26 1.14 0.96 Strongly disagree =1 17 (22.4%) 23 (31.9%) 10 (13.3%) 9 (11.8%) 5 (6.7%) Disagree =2 29 (38.2%) 19 (26.4%) 14 (18.7%) 13 (17.1%) 12 (16.0%) Neutral =3 11 (14.5%) 15 (20.8%) 12 (16.0%) 15 (19.7%) 22 (29.3%) Agree =4 19 (25.0%) 12 (16.7%) 30 (40.0%) 35 (46.1%) 35 (46.1%) Strongly agree =5 3 (4.2%) 9 (12.0%) 4 (5.3%) 1 (1.3%)
End-of-Conference Survey Usefulness of Sessions The first part of the end-of-conference survey asked attendees to rate to what extent they felt each session was useful. Overall, the majority of attendees rated each session useful or very useful. Sessions with the six highest mean ratings include the following: Underground Mining, Surface Mining, Hands-on Classroom Educational Tools, Tour to Surface Mine, Tour to Underground Mine, and Coal in the Classroom with Group Leader. Sessions with the five lowest mean ratings include the following: Illinois Energy Portfolio, ISBE State Standards, Turn of the Century Coal Mining Company is Hiring a Few Good Men, I-STEM Education Initiative, and Reception hosted by Caterpillar. See Tables 3 and 4 for complete results of attendees usefulness ratings. See Appendix C2 for the complete End-of-Conference Survey results. Benefits of Conference Participation The second part of the end-of-conference survey asked attendees to what extent they agreed or disagreed with statements about the benefits of their conference participation. The majority of attendees (89.0%) strongly agreed that the conference improved their knowledge and understanding of coal and related topics. The majority of attendees (83.6%) strongly agreed that the conference improved their knowledge and understanding of social and environmental issues related to coal. Additionally, the majority of attendees strongly agreed that the content of the presentations was informative; the conference was well-organized; and the food and refreshments were adequate. The fewest number of teachers (58.9%) strongly agreed that the conference will be valuable for their teaching and (58.9%) that the conference allowed them to develop professional relationships with other teachers. See Table 5 for complete results.
This includes all K12 attendees who responded and eight attendees who responded but did not indicate grades they currently teach.
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Table 3. 2012 End-of-Conference Survey Responses (N = 73, range 1-5, mode in bold) Presentation/Activity Welcome Lunch: Illinois Energy Portfolio ISBE State Science Standards Underground Mining Illinois Coal Formation/Geology Surface Mining Coal to Electricity Hands-on Classroom Educational Tools Turn of the Century Coal Mining Company is Hiring a Few Good Men Tour to Surface Mine Tour to Underground Mine Tour to Power Plant Mean 4.29 4.00 4.82 4.67 4.77 4.50 4.76 4.14 4.83 4.96 4.56 SD 0.87 1.01 0.48 0.58 0.51 0.75 0.54 0.97 0.50 0.20 0.75 Not at all Useful = 1 2 (2.7%) 1 (1.4%) Somewhat Useful = 2 5 (6.8%) 5 (6.8%) 1 (1.4%) 1 (1.4%) 1 (1.4%) 1 (1.4%) 1 (1.4%) 5 (6.9%) 1 (1.4%) 2 (2.8%) Neutral = 3 5 (6.8%) 10 (13.7%) 1 (1.4%) 8 (11.0%) 1 (1.4%) 7 (9.7%) 1 (1.4%) 5 (6.9%) Useful = 4 27 (37.0%) 30 (41.1%) 10 (13.9%) 19 (26.0%) 14 (19.2%) 17 (23.3%) 12 (16.4%) 26 (36.1%) 7 (9.7%) 3 (4.1%) 16 (22.2%) Very Useful = 5 36 (49.3%) 26 (35.6%) 61 (84.7%) 52 (71.2%) 58 (79.5%) 46 (63.0%) 58 (79.5%) 30 (41.7%) 63 (87.5%) 70 (95.9%) 49 (98.1%) Did not Attend 1 (1.4%) 1 (1.4%) 3 (4.2%)
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Table 4. Continued -2012 End-of-Conference Survey Responses (N = 73, range 1-5, mode in bold) Presentation/Activity Mine Safety/ Ventilation Geologic Sequestration Coal Prep Plants Coal Bed Methane I-STEM Education Initiative Economics of Coal Underground Mining, Permitting, & Environmental Protection Clean Coal Technology at Power Plants and Coal Byproducts Surface Mining, Past and Present, Permitting and Reclamation The Good Ole Days of Coal Mining Reception hosted by Caterpillar Coal Jeopardy Careers in Mining and Tour Rend Lake College Mining Training Center Coal in the Classroom with Group Leader Mean 4.67 4.43 4.49 4.34 3.93 4.45 4.53 4.45 4.66 4.47 4.13 4.33 4.63 4.81 SD 0.60 0.85 0.79 0.81 1.10 0.73 0.77 0.88 0.61 0.85 1.27 0.99 0.72 0.47 Not at all Useful = 1 1 (1.4%) 1 (1.4%) 2 (2.8%) 1 (1.4%) 1 (1.4%) 5 (6.8%) 1 (1.4%) Somewhat Useful = 2 5 (6.9%) 2 (2.8%) 2 (2.7%) 6 (8.3%) 3 (4.1%) 1 (1.4%) 3 (4.1%) 1 (1.4%) 3 (4.2%) 2 (2.7%) 4 (5.5%) 3 (4.1%) Neutral = 3 5 (6.8%) 2 (2.8%) 1 (1.4%) 3 (4.1%) 15 (20.8%) 1 (1.4%) 3 (4.1%) 3 (4.1%) 2 (2.7%) 5 (6.9%) 8 (11.0%) 6 (8.2%) 2 (2.8%) Useful = 4 14 (19.2%) 22 (30.6%) 24 (32.9%) 29 (39.7%) 20 (27.8%) 27 (37.0%) 20 (27.4%) 19 (26.0%) 17 (23.3%) 13 (17.8%) 10 (13.7%) 15 (20.5%) 15 (20.5%) 8 (11.1%) Very Useful = 5 54 (74.0%) 43 (59.7%) 42 (57.5%) 37 (50.7%) 28 (38.9%) 40 (54.8%) 49 (63.0%) 43 (58.9%) 51 (69.9%) 39 (53.4%) 35 (47.9%) 38 (52.1%) 47 (64.4%) 52 (72.2%) Did not Attend 1 (1.4%) 1 (1.4%) 1 (1.4%) 2 (2.7%) 2 4 (5.5%) 2 (2.7%) 12 (16.4%) 13 (17.8%) 9 (12.3%) 8 (11.0%) 10 (13.9%)
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Table 5. Benefits of the 2012 Coal Conference (N = 73, range 1-5, mode in bold) Item I found the conference beneficial to my professional development. The conference improved my knowledge and understanding of coal and related topics. The conference improved my knowledge and understanding of social and environmental issues related to coal use. The knowledge I gained at the conference will be valuable for my teaching. The conference allowed me to develop professional relationships with other teachers. I found the content of the presentations informative. Information provided at the conference presented many perspectives on the coal industry. The format of the conference was effective. The conference was well organized. The food and refreshments were adequate. Mean 4.67 4.89 4.84 4.55 4.59 4.81 4.67 4.68 4.84 4.89 SD 0.50 0.31 0.37 0.58 0.57 0.43 0.53 0.50 0.37 0.39 Strongly Disagree = 1 Disagree = 2 Neutral = 3 1 (1.4%) 3 (4.1%) 3 (4.1%) 1 (1.4%) 2 (2.7%) 1 (1.4%) 2 (2.7%) Agree = 4 22 (30.1%) 8 (11.0%) 12 (16.4%) 27 (37.0%) 27 (37.0%) 12 (16.4%) 20 (27.4%) 21 (28.8%) 12 (16.4%) 4 (5.5%) Strongly Agree = 5 73 (68.5%) 65 (89.0%) 61 (83.6%) 43 (58.9%) 43 (58.9%) 60 (82.2%) 51 (69.9%) 51 (69.9%) 61 (83.6%) 67 (91.8%)
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The next five sections summarize attendees responses to open-ended questions regarding the most and least valuable aspects of the conference; suggestions for improvements; examples of classroom applications; and suggested topics for future conferences. Most Valuable Aspects of the Conference Attendees most highly valued the following aspects of the conference: 1. Field trips to the mines 2. Information about advances in safety, technology, and career opportunities related to coal mining 1. Conference attendees value the opportunity to visit the coal mines. I enjoyed the first-hand experience of working coal projects and the instruction about what was occurring at these locations. 2012 Coal Conference attendee Our visits to the mines, the power plant, and the college were great. The presenters were very knowledgeable. 2012 Coal Conference attendee 2. Another highly valued aspect of the conference is the information that is provided regarding advances in safety and technology and about mining-related career opportunities. It was valuable to learn how important coal is to IL as a resource and a way of life. 2012 Coal Conference attendee I enjoyed learning about all the safety procedures that take place in the mines and how they came about. 2012 Coal Conference attendee I gained a more complete view of coal-related topics and issues as more of an environmentalist. I used to have a bit of a skewed perspective, but hearing about all of the regulations and advancements in mine safety and pollution central have been enlightening. 2012 Coal Conference attendee Least Valuable Aspects of the Conference Attendees felt that the least valuable aspects of the conference included: 1. Technical or specific sessions 2. Meal-time sessions 1. Conference attendees felt that the technical and more specific sessions were some of the least valuable. A few sessions included material that was way over my head. 2012 Coal Conference attendee
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Some lessons were very scientific. I did not understand the material and quickly lost interest. 2012 Coal Conference attendee The lecture on coal prep was not useful. As long as what comes out is clean and no product is wasted, I am happy; I dont need to know all the specifics. It is too technical for my students. 2012 Coal Conference attendee 2. Attendees also found the meal-time sessions to be a less valuable aspect of the conference. The reception seems like a waste of resources. 2012 Coal Conference attendee The lunch and dinner speakers were unnecessary. 2012 Coal Conference attendee Suggestions for Improving the Conference Attendees suggested improving the conference by: 1. Adding more activities during the presentations 2. Modifying the schedule to reduce repetition and increase engagement 3. Adding additional sessions on green technologies 1. Attendees commented that including more activities during the presentations would be an improvement. I would like to see more classroom activities to take home. 2012 Coal Conference attendee Although topics were interesting, the PowerPoints were a bit monotonous. More time/presentations should be spent on classroom ideas. 2012 Coal Conference attendee Go to Rend Lake training center before you tour the mine. Lengthen sessions on reclamation and safety and shorten others. Try for a more hands-on approach. Skip speakers at lunch. If you want lunch to count for CPDUs, try putting discussion questions on table and sharing discussion points after everyone is done. 2012 Coal Conference attendee Maybe splitting the Thursday session day. Half on Thursday and half on Friday and doing the tour on both Thursday and Friday. 2012 Coal Conference attendee 2. Modifying the schedule to reduce repetition and increase participant engagements was also suggested. There was a lot of repetition. I understand how difficult it must be for presenters to coordinate, but sometimes hearing the same material over and over was exhausting. 2012 Coal Conference attendee
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An opportunity to meet fellow attendees. A mixer of sorts early in the conference would be great. 2012 Coal Conference attendee 3. Attendees also suggested that sessions on green technologies be included to improve the conference. More on land reclamation. I know this is pro-coal but I would have liked a little more info on green technologies. They make up 11% of our energy portfolio as a state, so a little information would help, perhaps just one presentation. 2012 Coal Conference attendee Classroom Applications Attendees provided examples of how they would utilize the material in their classrooms, including: 1. Showing pictures and samples 2. Telling students about career opportunities 3. Teaching about coal during energy or other units 1. Conference attendees commented that showing pictures and coal samples from their visit to the mine is one way to utilize these materials in their classrooms. Showing my pictures and samples of coal when teaching renewable and nonrenewable resources. Explaining how important Illinois coal is to our states nonrenewable resources. 2012 Coal Conference attendee 2. Attendees also commented that they would talk with their students about career opportunities in the coal industry. I would like to develop an interest in my students about coal so they may eventually be interested in a career in mining. 2012 Coal Conference attendee I would talk about mining when teaching about careers and consumerism. 2012 Coal Conference attendee 3. Another way that attendees planned to use the materials in their classrooms is by teaching about coal as part of their energy units or units on other related topics. When doing mineral unit, I will show the coal we received and tell them about going down in the mine. 2012 Coal Conference attendee I teach a rocks and minerals unit, and I can expand my lesson to incorporate coal. 2012 Coal Conference attendee I will definitely incorporate a lot of this info into my classroom. We talk about energy, but this is up-to-date information on the advancements we are making to clean up old
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resources like coal, as well as the importance of incorporating supplemental alternative clean sources and improving the energy profile. 2012 Coal Conference attendee Suggested Additional Topics for Future Conferences Attendees suggested including the following topics in future conferences: 1. More classroom activities and connections to educational learning standards 2. Discussion of effects of coal and green technologies 3. Female perspectives on careers in the mining industry 1. Attendees would like to see in future conferences more classroom activities and connections to educational learning standards. Suggest more classroom ideas. 2012 Coal Conference attendee Discuss the Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards: How does it relate? 2012 Coal Conference attendee I would like to hear about lesson plans and cross curricular activities. 2012 Coal Conference attendee The material needs to be more related to classroom use, especially for lower grades. 2012 Coal Conference attendee 2. Attendees also suggested, including discussion of effects of coal and green technologies in future conference. It is important to know how coal affects nature and the long-term effects of coal. 2012 Coal Conference attendee I wish there was at least one small seminar/breakout-session on green technologies. 2012 Coal Conference attendee Discuss the various coal opponents and what they are saying/their tactics. 2012 Coal Conference attendee 3. Another suggestion was that conference organizers include more female perspectives on careers in the mining industry. The conference should address nontraditional (women in coal industry) content. Have a recent college graduate speak for another perspective. 2012 Coal Conference attendee It would be nice to hear a female perspective from a woman that has worked in the mining industry. 2012 Coal Conference attendee
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Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Surveys from 20092012 The majority of teachers strongly agreed that the conference increased their knowledge and skills in their area of certification; that the relevance to ISBE teaching standards was clear; that the conference was presented by individuals with experience and education; that the material was presented in an organized, easily understood manner; and that the conference included discussion, critique, or application of the material. Results from the quantitative items on the ISBE surveys from 20092012 are provided below in Tables 69. Qualitative responses across 20092012 regarding the best features of the conference, suggestions for improvement, and other comments and reactions are provided following the tables. See Appendices C3C6 for ISBE 20092012 survey results. Best Features Attendees from 2009 to 2012 considered the best features of the conference to be: 1. Mine tours 2. Hands-on activities and classroom materials 3. Expertise of conference leaders 1. Attendees really valued the mine tours. Being able to go into the actual mine helped with understanding! 2009 Coal Conference attendee The actual tour of the mines was great. You can read about them, but to experience it firsthand was interesting and educational. 2010 Coal Conference attendee Going underground to the mine. I loved this once-in-a-lifetime experience; I am so glad this opportunity is available for teachers. 2012 Coal Conference attendee 2. Attendees appreciated the hands-on activities and classroom materials. The hands-on activities were fantastic! I so appreciate all the ideas and take homes. 2010 Coal Conference attendee Having ready-to-use materials for classroom lessons was a great help. 2009 Coal Conference attendee 3. Attendees positively emphasized from the presenters knowledge and expertise. The expertise and knowledge of the presenters was excellent. 2009 Coal Conference attendee The people were very friendly and knowledgeable in their field. Everybody, the workers and SIPC, were very helpful in explaining the process of coal. 2009 Coal Conference attendee The presenters were awesome! Very knowledgeable. 2010 Coal Conference attendee
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Table 6. 2009 ISBE Survey (N = 95, range 1-5, mode in bold) Item 1. This activity increased my knowledge and skills in my areas of certification, endorsement or teaching assignment. 2. The relevance of this activity to ISBE teaching standards was clear. 3. It was clear that the activity was presented by persons with education and experience in the subject matter. 4. The material was presented in an organized, easily understood manner. 5. This activity included discussion, critique or application of what was presented, observed, learned or demonstrated. Mean 4.74 4.79 4.95 4.72 4.80 SD .622 .563 .422 .646 .615 Strongly Disagree = 1 1 (1.1%) 1 (1.1%) 1 (1.1%) 1 (1.1%) 1 (1.1%) 1 (1.1%) 1 (1.1%) 1 (1.1%) 1 (1.1%) Somewhat Disagree = 2 No Opinion =3 3 (3.2%) 1 (1.1%) Somewhat Agree = 4 15 (15.8%) 14 (14.7%) 1 (1.1%) 17 (17.9%) 10 (10.5%) Strongly Agree = 5 76 (80%) 79 (83.2%) 93 (97.9%) 74 (77.9%) 81 (85.3%)
Table 7. 2010 ISBE Survey (N = 91, range 1-5, mode in bold) Item 1. This activity increased my knowledge and skills in my areas of certification, endorsement or teaching assignment. 2. The relevance of this activity to ISBE teaching standards was clear. 3. It was clear that the activity was presented by persons with education and experience in the subject matter. 4. The material was presented in an organized, easily understood manner. 5. This activity included discussion, critique or application of what was presented, observed, learned or demonstrated. Mean 4.86 4.84 4.96 4.75 4.80 SD .507 .522 .419 .508 .499 Strongly Disagree = 1 1 (1.1%) 1 (1.1%) 1 (1.1%) 1 (1.1%) 1 (1.1%) 1 (1.1%) 20 (21.7%) 13 (14.1%) Somewhat Disagree = 2 No Opinion =3 Somewhat Agree = 4 9 (9.8%) 11 (12%) Strongly Agree = 5 81 (88%) 79 (85.9%) 90 (97.8%) 70 (76.1%) 76 (82.6%)
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Table 8. 2011 ISBE Survey (N = 64, range 1-5, mode in bold) Item 1. This activity increased my knowledge and skills in my areas of certification, endorsement or teaching assignment. 2. The relevance of this activity to ISBE teaching standards was clear. 3. It was clear that the activity was presented by persons with education and experience in the subject matter. 4. The material was presented in an organized, easily understood manner. 5. This activity included discussion, critique or application of what was presented, observed, learned or demonstrated. Mean 4.98 4.91 5.00 4.95 4.91 SD .125 .294 0 .213 .294 3 (4.7%) 6 (9.4%) Strongly Disagree = 1 Somewhat Disagree = 2 No Opinion =3 Somewhat Agree = 4 1 (1.6%) 1 (1.6%) Strongly Agree = 5 63 (98.4%) 58 (90.6%) 64 (100%) 61 (95.3%) 58 (90.6%)
Table 9. 2012 ISBE Survey (N = 71, range 1-5, mode in bold) Item 1. This activity increased my knowledge and skills in my areas of certification, endorsement or teaching assignment. 2. The relevance of this activity to ISBE teaching standards was clear. 3. It was clear that the activity was presented by persons with education and experience in the subject matter. 4. The material was presented in an organized, easily understood manner. 5. This activity included discussion, critique or application of what was presented, observed, learned or demonstrated. Mean 4.79 4.82 4.99 4.86 4.87 SD .532 .425 .119 .350 .445 1 (1.4%) Strongly Disagree = 1 Somewhat Disagree = 2 1 (1.4%) No Opinion =3 1 (1.4%) 1 (1.4%) Somewhat Agree = 4 10 (14.1%) 11 (15.5%) 1 (1.4%) 10 (14.1%) 6 (8.5%) Strongly Agree = 5 59 (83.1%) 59 (83.1%) 70 (98.6%) 61 (85.9%) 64 (90.1%)
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Suggestions for Improvement Conference attendees from 20092012 made suggestions for improving the conference, including: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Eliminating the repetition of sessions Reducing the total number of sessions Adding more time for classroom applications Including an introductory overview of the conference content on the first day Modifying the content to suit teachers grade levels
1. Participants commented that eliminating the repetition of sessions would be an improvement. Some sessions appeared to repeat others. Maybe more communication between speakers would help ensure that the same materials are not covered. 2010 Coal Conference attendee Some of the topics of the speakers had the same information and made the presentation long. Speakers could communicate prior to this. 2011 Coal Conference attendee 2. Conference participants also felt that reducing the total number of sessions would be an improvement. In particular, attendees commented that having eight back-to-back sessions on Thursday was too long. The eight sessions in one day was a bit much. The presenters were great, but the day was long. (Too much sitting.) 2009 Coal Conference attendee The day after the tours was too many lectures. Ten lectures in one day made me lose interest. Possibly shorten the conference. 2012 Coal Conference attendee 3. Increasing the amount of time focused on classroom applications was another suggestion for improvement. The education sections, which is the most valuable for teachers, should be more extended, and more connections to classroom use should have be done during the presentations. 2009 Coal Conference attendee Add more hands-on activities to Thursday (the day with eight lecture sessions). 2010 Coal Conference attendee 4. Another suggestion made by participants was to include an introductory overview of the conference content on the first day. Large grouping sessions at start for everyone to get the big picturehave the individual sessions tie together. 2009 Coal Conference attendee
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Quick overview of entire conference on first day. 2009 Coal Conference attendee 5. Some participants also suggested modifying the content to suit teachers grade levels. I would have loved to see more lesson ideas, but I have some ideas of my own already. 2012 Coal Conference attendee Much of the information was above our K4 grade level. Maybe more application for us...Friday was the only appropriate grade-level stuff for us. 2010 Coal Conference attendee Some of the speakers were way too advanced and did not bring it to a simple level that we could then pass on. 2011 Coal Conference attendee Comments and Concerns Conference attendees expressed some additional comments about the conference, including: 1. Positive comments 2. Concerns 1. Positive comments from attendees included thanks and appreciation for the opportunity to attend the coal conference. This was an excellent week and I look forward to using the materials. 2009 Coal Conference attendee I certainly appreciate the opportunity of being able to participate in the coal and education conference. I feel like I have gained a lot of knowledge to show in my classroom and to the people in my home town. 2010 Coal Conference attendee This was a fantastic opportunity. I would love to have a chance to share it with others. 2011 Coal Conference attendee It is nice that Illinois finally offers its teachers a real-life and useful conference for no cost. 2012 Coal Conference attendee 2. Some attendees also expressed disappointment that some teachers left the conference early following the tours. They suggested awarding CPDU credits at the end and/or offering the field trips to the mines on the last day. I was disappointed to see how many educators left early. If there were a way to do the tours later in the conference or hold off on the CPDUs, these teachers would get more out of this. 2009 Coal Conference attendee I was very disappointed to see so many of my colleagues leave the conference early. They came for the tours of the mines and then left. Is there any way the tours could be moved to a different day in the conference? 2009 Coal Conference attendee
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Stakeholder Focus Groups and Interviews Results presented in this section only pertain to the Coal Education Conference. Additional results from the stakeholder focus groups and interviews can be found in the Art & Essay Contest section and the Curriculum Review section of this report. Focus Groups #1 Industrial & Scientific Stakeholders Value of the Conference Focus group #1 participants believe the conference is a worthwhile opportunity: 1. To provide teachers with general education on coal, the coal industry, and related technologies 2. To provide teachers the experience of visiting a coal mine and reclamation site 1. Industrial and scientific stakeholders commented that providing teachers with education on coal, the coal industry, and other related technologies was one value of the conference. I think giving a general education on the coal industry and related industries to all the teachers is good. Focus group #1 participant I was amazed at the number of teachers who didnt realize that we still produce electricity from coal in Illinois. That [is] just shocking to me, but Im from the southern part of the state, so I grew up with it. And theyre also amazed at the amount of environmental concern that our plant has. Were controlled quite tightly these days. Over the last 20 to 30 years since Ive been in the industry, weve come pretty far. Focus group #1 participant I think this is a good conference to disseminate the knowledge about different technologies available to utilize coal. Focus group #1 participant 2. Industrial and scientific stakeholders also commented that providing teachers with the experience of visiting a mine and reclamation site was valuable. Most of the people attending have never been to a coal mine before, underground or otherwise. They get a photo by a big piece of iron, and they take it back, and theres always something that somebody remembers. Focus group #1 participant From a reclamation point of view, they can see a thousand-acre piece of farmland thats reclaimed. You know that, thats worth a thousand words. Focus group #1 participant Balance of Perspectives Considering the conferences focus on coal and the coal industry, focus group #1 participants generally believed the conference presented a balance of perspectives. However, many of the participants mentioned that they were presenters, and they were not able to attend all of the other
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sessions. For this reason, they could not attest to how well specific perspectives were represented. I think from our perspective, its very balanced, but if youd ask the same question to a Sierra Club member, theyd probably say that were only one-sided. Focus group #1 participant The name of the conference is about coal education. And so its about the coal industry and the use of coal, so how else can you do it and educate people without giving an environmental presentation. My coordinator does, and it talks about how we go about controlling SO2 and NOX, and how would we control CO2. Focus group #1 participant Suggestions for Improving the Conference Many suggestions for improving the conference were mentioned during the first focus group: 1. 2. 3. 4. Eliminating overlap in presentations Showing a video about what to expect before the mine trips Moving the energy portfolio overview to a non-meal-time session Re-organizing the schedule so that presenters do not have to repeat their presentation four times 5. Adding sessions comparing coal technologies in Illinois with other states, and the U.S. with other countries 6. Adding presentations on next generation technologies, industrial costs, and exporting coal 7. Lab experiments for teachers Focus Group #2 Environmental & Civic Stakeholders Focus group #2 participants suggested improving the conference by: 1. Reducing the involvement of the coal industry 2. Inviting presenters with a balance of perspectives 3. Leading teachers in critical-thinking activities regarding coal 1. Environmental and civic stakeholders suggested that reducing the involvement of the coal industry could improve the conference. Its taught primarily by coal industry professionalsI would like to see the other part of the story told. Focus group #2 participant 2. These stakeholders also suggested inviting presenters that would provide a balance of perspectives. If each one of those stakeholders was given an equal amount of timeand then the teachers were looking at bias and things like thatthen I think it would be okay. Focus group #2 participant
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3. Another suggestion for improving the conference was to lead teachers in critical-thinking activities regarding coal. You have elementary teachers going thereand this is not a rip on elementary teachers but their focus is every subject area. So youre going to get some that are a little bit weaker in science going there thinking, This is it. This is the science. When the coal industry is gonna tell them that coal is the only thing. And then theyre going to teach it just like it was taught to themby industry experts. And youre indoctrinating those elementary kids into thatand the teachers are so happy because theyre getting free meals, and its a really nice environment. Focus group #2 participant Stakeholder Interviews In interviews, stakeholders suggested: 1. Reducing the role of the coal industry and, including people from many disciplinary perspectives 2. The need to teach about the Rend Lake coal mining disaster 1. Stakeholders emphasized the need to reduce the role of the coal industry in the planning and implementation of the conference. Instead, a more multi-disciplinary perspective should be provided. Individuals from coal mining families should also be included: I think that coal education conference completely needs to be scrapped and re-invented. I think whats very, very important is that if theres any integrity whatsoever, it has to be taken out of the hands of the coal industry and put in the hands of educators and historians and scientists and whatnot, and healthcare professionals and people from actual coal-mining families, to truly create a conference that has any integrity at all. Focus group #2 participant 2. Stakeholders also emphasized the need to teach conference participants about the mining disaster that occurred at Rend Lake: No one actually knows the history of Rend Lake and why that was created, and the incredible, horrific, mine disaster we had there. Focus group #2 participant Stakeholder Survey Of the 24 stakeholders who completed the survey, 14 (56%) rated the Coal Education Conference not valuable and 5 (20%) indicated that they were unfamiliar with the Conference. Of the three program activities, the Conference received the most favorable ratings. See Appendix C12 for complete Stakeholder Survey results. Stakeholders provided concerns regarding the Coal Education Program as a whole which include the following:
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Narrow goals focused on the promotion of coal and the coal industry Narrow focus on coal rather than the whole energy portfolio Inaccurate information regarding the economic benefits of coal Lack of scientific information about environmental and health impacts of coal mining and coal processing
1. Stakeholders commented that the goals of the program were biased and narrowly focused on the promotion of coal and the coal industry. I question whether the goal should be restricted to increasing awareness and understanding of the importance of the Illinois coal industry to the socioeconomic structure of Illinois. While these goals may or may not be achieved, they are hardly a balanced set of goals for this program. People of this state deserve to be educated on the full range of impacts of coal production and use. Environmental concerns should be addressed explicitly and accurately. Stakeholder 2. Stakeholders were dissatisfied with the narrow focus on coal and suggested broadening the scope of the program to address the energy portfolio. An energy education program would be more valuable than one that focuses only on one portion of the energy sector. Energy is a complex subject, and there are other types of energy that contribute to the Illinois economy, including nuclear and wind, that add a broader aspect to this study. Stakeholder 3. Stakeholders were concerned that some economic information was excluded and that the Coal Education Program focused its materials on the economic benefits of coal. The range of information supplied is limited to a narrow conception of economic input and output; but even in economic terms, no comparative data are supplied, nor are costs properly calculated. Stakeholder 4. Stakeholders expressed concerns that the scientific information was not balanced and lacked information about environmental and health impacts of coal mining and coal processing. These programs appear to take a biased and inaccurate scientific approach to the impacts of the coal industry in the state of Illinois. While supporting the Illinois energy industry is a good thing for Illinois, a more holistic view that makes [available] the impacts of coal on climate change and public health is necessary. Stakeholder No balanced scientific information is provided in the Teachers Education Conference, Art & Essay Contest, and K12 curriculum for full consideration of the impact of using coal on climate change, public health, air and water pollution, and legacy health care and retirement costs coal companies have shifted to the public sector. Stakeholder
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Findings Based on data from these multiple methods and stakeholder perspectives, the evaluation team developed the following eight findings and six corresponding recommendations: I. II. III. IV. V. The Coal Conference is valued by attendees, presenters, and stakeholders. The most valued aspects of the coal conference were the mine tours, classroom resources, and opportunities to meet with experts. Stakeholders suggested that coal content be focused on scientific information, multiple environmental and socio-political perspectives, and historical significance and issues. Attendees, presenters, and evaluators found instructional sessions to be redundant, overly technical, and lacking in hands-on activities and applications to the classroom. Attendees expressed interest in having more time for question and answer sessions, opportunities for networking, and time for developing classroom materials. Additionally, attendees stated that having speakers during mealtimes detracted from interaction with instructors, discussion, and networking opportunities. The conference could be strengthened by having stated overall learning objectives and clear goals for each instructional session. Conference format could be adapted to highlight the mine tour, reduce the number of concurrent instructional sessions, and focus instruction on centralized learning objectives. Conference application and selection procedures could be improved and targeted to engage teachers most likely to utilize the information and experience of attending the Coal Conference in their classrooms and schools. Recommendations I. II. III. A revitalized version of the Coal Conference should continue annually incorporating recommendations regarding content, breadth, format, and participant selection. The conference format should be streamlined and oriented toward the mine visits, classroom resources, and opportunities for teachers to meet with experts. While the focus of the conference should be on the mine tours and classroom activities, content should be expanded to include different aspects of coal and coal mining, including history of coal mining in Illinois, social and community impacts of coal mining, environmental impacts of coal mining, and coal within a U.S. and global energy portfolio which includes alternative energy sources. The conference should be organized around five to seven learning objectives, which are communicated throughout the conference. All instructional sessions should be aligned with these objectives.
VI. VII. VIII.
IV.
30 V.
Instructional strategies of the conference should be varied, including hands-on interactive activities, panel discussions, films and other media, career fair, classroom activity demonstrations that are designed to engage participants and give them ideas for use in their own classrooms and schools. Mealtime sessions should focus on providing engagement opportunities for participants, which could include panel-style discussions, small-group discussions organized by topic or grade level, or informal networking by having instructors sit at each participant table.
VI.
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II. COAL ART & ESSAY CONTEST

Overview The DCEO Coal Education Program organizes an annual art and essay contest in which 5th8th grade students in Illinois are invited to submit posters and essays on coal-related topics to compete for a spot in that years Coal Calendar. The Coal Art & Essay Contest is organized by staff members of the DCEO Coal Education Program and sponsored by several Illinois coal industries. Submissions are judged by representatives of industry and education fields. An awards reception is held at the Illinois Executive Mansion for winning students and their families. Winners receive a $100 or $50 U.S. Savings Bond provided by the Illinois Coal Association. Goals The purpose of the contest is to encourage students to learn about coal and create art posters and essays on topics related with coal. According to the coal calendar brochure, The contest is designed to highlight the heritage and importance of Illinois coal and the coal mining industry. Appendix A provides a copy of this years brochure. Art and essay submissions are judged, and the 25 winning submissions are incorporated into a calendar. The calendar is used by DCEO as an education and promotional tool showing how coal and coal-based products play a fundamental role in everyday life (http://www.commerce.state.il.us/dceo/Bureaus/Coal/ Education/coal+calendar+contest.htm). Participants Each year, a DCEO program staff member sends out information about the Coal Art & Essay Contest to 5th8th grade teachers on the Illinois State Board of Education listserv. Materials contain the years art themes, essay prompts, and guidelines for participation. In 2012, approximately 1,500 students in 5th8th grade submitted an essay or poster. Art & Essay Prompts Art and essay prompts are generally about coal mining and impacts on different aspects of life in Illinois. Specific prompts differ each year. Examples of prompts for the 2013 contest include the following: Compare and contrast surface or underground coal mining in Illinois in the 1900s to surface or underground coal mining today. Illinois coal and the environmentdescribe one of the recent new rules for power plants and what emissions it seeks to remove. Describe how Illinois coal has played a role in my familys well-being or the well- being of my community. Profile one of Illinois coal industrys important historical figures, events, or people living today.
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Describe job opportunities and careers in Illinois coal industry and related fields, such as geology, transportation, engineering and scientific research and development. Describe how mine safety laws and regulations have improved mining conditions and coal miner safety. Judging the Submissions
Submissions are judged by a panel of representatives from industry and education fields. Art posters are judged on the following criteria: originality, technique, visual impact, and message as it relates to Illinois coal. Essays are judged on the following criteria: creative, inspiring, and demonstrate what the students have learned from their research. Judges select 13 art winners, with one overall art winner, and 12 essay winners, with one overall essay winner. Awards Reception The 25 winning essayists and artists and their families are invited to a reception at the Illinois Executive Mansion. The overall poster and essay winners each receive a $100 U.S. Savings Bond, and other winners receive a $50 U.S. Savings Bond. Funds for the bonds are provided by the Illinois Coal Association. Data Collection Methods Staff Interviews Five DCEO staff members participated in approximately one-hour-long interviews regarding the purpose of the Coal Education Program; goals of each activity; target beneficiaries; program strengths; and suggestions for improving the program. All but one interview took place in person at the DCEO office in Springfield, Illinois. Due to a scheduling conflict, one interview was conducted over the phone. See Appendix B9 for the Staff Interview protocol. Art & Essay Contest Survey Teachers on the DCEO mailing list for receiving the coal calendar brochures were e-mailed and invited to take an online survey regarding their students participation in the contest, satisfaction with aspects of the contest, and suggestions for improving the contest. A total of 171 teachers were e-mailed an invitation to take the survey; however, 42 e-mails were rejected. Of the 129 teachers who received the e-mail invitation, 31 teachers completed the survey, for a response rate of 24%. See Appendix B5 for a copy of this survey instrument. Focus Groups Focus Group #1 Industrial & Scientific Stakeholders Representatives of the coal industries and scientific departments that have worked with the DCEO Coal Education Program were invited to participate in focus groups on November 5, 2013 in Champaign, Illinois, at the office of the I-STEM Education Initiative. Participants were
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identified because they (or another staff member from their department) presented at the coal education conference. One focus group was conducted, which lasted approximately 90 minutes, to collect information about stakeholders perceptions of the role and purpose of the program, the balance of perspectives, as well suggestions for improving the program. The Focus Group #1 Protocol is provided in Appendix B10. Focus Group #2 Environmental & Civic Stakeholders Representatives of environmental and civic organizations that expressed concerns about coal education were invited to participate in focus groups on February 12, 2013, in Chicago, Illinois, at the University of Illinois at Chicago student union. Participants were identified because they or another staff member from their organization signed a letter to the governor regarding the Coal Education Program or they were recommended by someone who signed this letter. Two focus groups, each approximately 90-minutes long, were conducted to collect information about stakeholders perceptions of the role and purpose of the program, the balance of perspectives, as well suggestions for improving the program. The Focus Group #2 Protocol is provided in Appendix B10. Stakeholder Interviews Two of the individuals that were invited to the second focus group were unable to attend. These individuals participated in 15-30 minute phone interviews to share their perspectives on the same questions raised during focus group #2. The protocol used is the same as that used for Focus Group #2. Stakeholder Survey Individuals and representatives of environmental, citizens advocacy, and other non-profit organizations that expressed concerns about the DCEO Coal Education Program were invited to take a brief online survey. Individuals were identified because they signed the CREDO petition Tell DCEO: Stop Misleading Illinois Kids About Coal or a letter to the Illinois Governor expressing concerns about the DCEO Coal Education Program. Additionally, five individuals, who were recommended by an individual who signed the letter to the Illinois Governor, completed the survey. Approximately 1,000 individuals signed the CREDO petition. Since these individuals did not provide their e-mail addresses on the petition, e-mail addresses for 125 individuals were identified by conducting a Google search of their name and home city/state/. These 125 individuals plus 25 individuals who signed the Governors letter or was recommended by someone who did were sent e-mail invitations to complete the survey. Of these 150 individuals, 15 e-mail addresses did not work making a total sample of 135. Out of 135, 24 individuals completed the survey for a response rate of 18%. The survey instrument is provided in Appendix B11. Results pertaining to the Art & Essay Contest are included in this report.
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Results Staff Interviews In interviews, staff members emphasized the long and beneficial history of the contest. They recognized the need to broaden the scope of the prompts and to include teachers and students from different regions of the state. Art & Essay Contest Survey Results from this survey can be found in Appendix C7. Calendar Contest Connections to the Classroom Regarding how the Calendar Contest connects to the classroom, most of the 31 teachers who responded to the survey reported that: 1. They heard about Calendar Contest through the brochure or other teachers 2. They encouraged student participation 3. They integrated the contest into their teaching
1. Most teachers indicated hearing about the contest by the mailed brochure or because it was recommended by other teachers in their school. I received a brochure in the mail. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest I heard about it from other teachers in my building. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest 2. Most (at least 70%) of the 31 teachers said that they encouraged their students to participate in the contest by making it a required or extra credit assignment. It was an art class assignment. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest We use this essay to satisfy our expository/research essay. Students are taught to write to a specific audience on a specific researched topic. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest Extra credit was given for entering the contest. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest 3. Many teachers utilized the Calendar Contest as part of other curricular activities, including science objectives, writing assignments, and art projects.
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I incorporate this with Science, Technology (past, present, future), Engineering, Mathematics. I am able to use this project in so many different ways to help ensure student success. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest We watched a video on where coal and electricity comes from. Then read articles about coal, where it comes from, etc. Then students looked through coal books, decided on a slogan, then drew and colored posters. They also learn about coal in science. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest Yes, I incorporated it into writing lessons: research (Big 6 model), and expository writing. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest Benefits of Participating in the Calendar Contest Teachers perceptions of the main benefits of participating in the contest include: 1. 2. 3. 4. Enrich academic and artistic learning Pride and recognition for students Learning about Illinois Recognition of coal miners and coal-mining families
1. Teachers emphasized benefits to students learning, including practicing conducting research for a specific purpose and audience and the opportunity to express their artistic abilities.. Students practice writing to a specific audience for a purpose, and research a topic that contributes to our state and our economy. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest Students are able to demonstrate talents that may not be easily expressed in a classroom such as artistic ability or poetry. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest 2. Teachers think the Calendar Contests encourages students to produce their best work and feel pride and recognition for participating in the contest. One of the benefits I have observed has been that students become motivated to produce their highest quality work for competition. I think another benefit is that they get to do something that serves a purpose aside from just working for themself and a grade. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest The students get recognition for their efforts. The parents and school district are extremely proud of the students and are very excited to see the students participate and occasionally win the contest. It allows an opportunity for students to be recognized academically. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest 3. Students benefit from learning more about the State of Illinois.
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The students research background information on the State of Illinois which is wonderful because they should know about the state in which they live. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest 4. Coal miners and mining families are also recognized by the contest. I have had local retired miners read about my students winning the contest and they have asked for a copy of the calendar and come to our classroom and shared pictures and stories of their mining days. It highlights the importance of the mining and aggregate industries. This contest gives recognition and meaning to those who have lost their lives in the mines. It reminds us all of the sacrifices made by those in the industry to provide us with energy for our everyday comfort. I could go on and on. It is really a great program. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest Suggestions for Improving the Calendar Contest Teachers suggested improving the contest in the following ways: 1. Offering more resources for research 2. Including alternative prompts on energy and environmental issues 3. Making it easier to mail in posters 1. Teachers suggested that contest organizers offer more resources to help students conduct research. Offering more places to do research as a class for the info needed in the essay. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest It would be nice to have videos, animations, and games on your website as a resource. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest I would like to have more up to date facts and statistics about coal for the research part. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest 2. Another suggestion is to include essay prompts about energy alternatives and environmental issues. It would be nice to include some of the energy alternatives to coal that are finding their place in Illinois. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest Coal is not the answer. It is time to look at other energy sources and include them too! Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest I like the way the contest in run. I feel like participation may be decreased due to environmental issues surrounding coal. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest
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3. Teachers encountered difficulties submitting student posters and suggested that this issue be addressed by changing the poster size and/or by providing an appropriate box for shipping. Send a box in which the posters may be mailed to you along with the contest information. It is a struggle to find an appropriate size box for the posters. Perhaps having a box readily available and addressed would encourage more schools to participate. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest Appreciation for the Calendar Contest Many teachers expressed appreciative comments about the calendar contest, the award ceremony, and the organizing staff. The contest is wonderful, and the people working with it continue to make each year just as special for the contestants. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest I have attended many ceremonies and it is always rewarding to see the pride of the winning students and families. I hope this contest continues. It was a wonderful tie in when I taught 6th grade science and natural resources. Now as an art teacher, I teach it using the poster as an effective means of communication. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest Over the past few years I think I have seen an improvement in the quality of work that has been selected. I think that the bar is getting raised, and that is great I thought it was very nice that each entrant received some Illinois coal. Thank you. Teacher whose students participate in the Art & Essay Contest Stakeholder Focus Groups and Interviews In focus groups and interviews, stakeholders expressed the following suggestions: 1. Broaden the reach of the contest 2. Provide students with ways to contextualize the information about coal 1. Several stakeholders from focus group #1 suggested broadening the reach of the coal calendar contest so that students from more regions of the state participate. I think that the one thing that could be done to improve it is to increase how much or how far this is disseminated throughout the state. I reviewed the essay contest one year but I look at the calendar every year and it always seems like there are only a few teachers who promoted this to their students. Focus group #1 participant 2. Several stakeholders from focus group #2 expressed concerns that the Calendar Contest did not provide students with ways to contextualize the information they were learning about coal.
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I think we understand that the department feels it has a statutory obligation to educate school age children about coal. And I think thats a very general charge thats written in the state statute. However, I think what we disagree with is how the department has chosen to fulfill that by the products that theyve produced. Specifically I think its because theyre not done in a way that helps school children contextualize that information. Focus group #2 participant Stakeholder Survey The majority (80%) of stakeholders who completed the survey rated the Art & Essay Contest as not valuable. Complete Stakeholder Survey results can be found in Appendix C12. Stakeholders provided concerns regarding the Coal Education Program as a whole which include the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. Narrow goals focused on the promotion of coal and the coal industry Narrow focus on coal rather than the whole energy portfolio Inaccurate information regarding the economic benefits of coal Lack of scientific information about environmental and health impacts of coal mining and coal processing
1. Stakeholders commented that the goals of the program were biased and narrowly focused on the promotion of coal and the coal industry. I question whether the goal should be restricted to increasing awareness and understanding of the importance of the IL coal industry to the socioeconomic structure of Illinois. While these goals may or may not be achieved, they are hardly a balanced set of goals for this program. People of this state deserve to be educated on the full range of impacts of coal production and use. Environmental concerns should be addressed explicitly and accurately. - Stakeholder 2. Stakeholders were dissatisfied with the narrow focus on coal and suggested broadening the scope of the program to address the energy portfolio. An energy education program would be more valuable than one that focuses only on one portion of the energy sector. Energy is a complex subject and there are other types of energy that contribute to the Illinois economy, including nuclear and wind that add a broader aspect to this study. Stakeholder 3. Stakeholders were concerned that some economic information was excluded and that the Coal Education Program focused its materials on the economic benefits of coal. The range of information supplied is limited to a narrow conception of economic input and output, but even in economic terms, no comparative data are supplied, nor are costs properly calculated. Stakeholder
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4. Stakeholders expressed concerns that the scientific information was not balanced and lacked information about environmental and health impacts of coal mining and coal processing. These programs appear to take a biased and inaccurate scientific approach to the impacts of the coal industry in the state of Illinois. While supporting the Illinois energy industry is a good thing for Illinois, a more holistic view that makes the impacts of coal on climate change and public health is necessary. Stakeholder No balanced scientific information is provided in the teachers education conference, art & essay contest, and K12 curriculum for full consideration of the impact of using coal on climate change, public health, air and water pollution, and legacy health care and retirement costs coal companies have shifted to the public sector. Stakeholder Findings Based on data from these multiple methods and stakeholder perspectives, the evaluation team developed the five findings with corresponding recommendations: I. Teachers value the conference as a way of providing students with opportunities to practice their research, writing, and art skills; recognizing students work; and encouraging students learning and pride in Illinois and coal mining. Teachers, stakeholders, and some DCEO staff members felt that the Art & Essay Contest could better represent students from different schools and regions of the state. Teachers incorporate the Art & Essay Contest into their curriculum activities such as during science, writing or art activities. Teachers suggested that Art and Essay Contest prompts be aligned with educational standards and include impacts of coal on the environment and communities and alternative energy sources. Teachers commented that they need additional resources for student research on coal and related topics. Recommendations I. Represent and engage teachers and students from different schools and regions of the state by tailoring prompts to different regions of the state and selecting winners from each region. Integrate the Art and Essay Contest with the Coal Conference and Coal Curriculum by inviting attendees at the Coal Conference to have their students participate and connecting prompts with Coal Curriculum topics, lessons, and activities.
II. III. IV.
V.
II.
40 III.
Art & Essay Contest prompts should connect directly with educational learning standards in order to strengthen the connection between the contest and classroom curricula. For example, the content of prompts could be connected with energy as an engineering crosscutting concept in the Next Generation Science Standards and the types of essays could be related with English Common Core Standards Expand the scope of prompts to include multiple environmental and socio-political perspectives, impacts of coal mining and coal processing on communities, and coal within national and global energy portfolios. Provide an up-to-date and balanced list of resources for further teacher and student research.
IV.
V.
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III. K12 COAL CURRICULUM

Overview In 2004, the K12 From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines Coal Curriculum was developed by the Illinois Council on Economic Education at Northern Illinois University to be used and distributed by the DCEO Coal Education Program. The curriculum is divided into three sections each targeted at a range of grade levels (K4, 58 and 9-12). The purpose of the curriculum is to provide elementary through high school teachers with content and activities on topics related with coal so that they can include coal education in their classroom. Topics span subject areas, including geography, history, economics, social studies, language arts, and math. Goals The K12 From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines Coal Curriculum was developed to provide elementary through high school teachers across subject areas with information about coal so that they could opt to include coal education in their curriculum. According to the curriculum, by, including coal education in their curriculum, teachers will bring to their students and communities an awareness of our states greatest natural resource and the positive role coal plays in our day-to-day lives and the economy of our state (2004 coal curriculum). Curriculum Development The Illinois Council on Economic Education at Northern Illinois University was contracted by the DCEO Coal Education program in May 2004 to develop this curriculum as well as supplementary activities for teachers and students. The curriculum title came from a phrase used by one of the student winners of the 2004 Illinois Coal Calendar Contest. Curriculum Distribution Prior to 2012, teachers who attended the Coal Education Conference received copies of the curriculum on the last day of the conference; it is estimated that approximately 100 copies were given out at each years conference. Since the curriculum was under review, it was not distributed to teachers at the 2012 conference. Additionally, teachers could contact a staff member of the DCEO Coal Education Program to request the curriculum. Prior to 2012, it is estimated that approximately 25 additional copies were provided each year at teachers requests. Content The Coal Curriculum is divided by grade level into three sections: K4, 58, and 9-12. Each section contains three lessons and six supplementary materials called tie-ins, Lessons contain objectives, materials, procedures, debriefing questions, glossary, and extension activities. Tie-ins address related topics by providing corresponding learning standards; a did you know? section with information about the topic; questions/issues; and extension/connection activities. Each section has a corresponding CD-ROM of PowerPoint slides which contains reference materials for teachers, including vocabulary words and photos related with coal and coal mining. Table 10 provides the names of lessons and tie-ins for each section of the curriculum.
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Table 10. K12 Coal Curriculum Lessons and Tie-ins
K4 Lessons & Tie-ins Lesson: What Good Does Coal Serve? Lesson: Reclamation: Our Productive Resources at Work Lesson: To Surface Mine or Underground Mine? Tie-In: Rocks & Minerals Tie-In: The Environment Tie-In: Technology and Types of Mining Tie-In: Illinois History Tie-In: Social Studies and Money-Making Coal Tie-In: Reading and Writing about Coal-Related Careers
58 Lessons & Tie-ins Lesson: Density
9-12 Lessons & Tie-ins Lesson: Can My Company Make a Profit in the Development of a New Coal Mine? Lesson: Demand for Coal Lesson: Illinois History: The Role of the Illinois Coal Industry in Illinois Economics Lesson: Discover the Power of Illinois Coal Tie-In: Economics Tie-In: Careers Tie-In: Botany Tie-In: Mine Safety and Ventilation Tie-In: Environmental Issues Tie-In: Geology/Earth History Data Collection Methods Lesson: Coal, Clean Air and the Economy Tie-In: Do the Math: Coal by the Numbers Tie-In: Laws Influencing the Coal Industry in Illinois Tie-In: Early Coal Economics Tie-In: Individuals and the Shaping of the Coal Industry Tie-In: Illinois Coal as a Topic for Discovery Tie-In: Coal, Chemistry, and the Environment
The evaluation team utilized multiple methods to obtain information related to the K12 Coal Curriculum. Methods were designed to capture the perspectives of classroom K12 teachers and science content experts and to assess the curriculum according to different criteria, including its alignment with educational learning standards, quality and balance of content, usefulness, and comparability to other state and national coal and energy curricula. Methods employed include the following: teacher standards alignment, science content expert curriculum review, survey of teachers who received the curriculum, and benchmarking study. Teacher Standards Alignment The Teacher Standards Alignment was held at the I-STEM Education Initiative Office at the Illinois campus on October 10, 2012. Each section of the K12 Coal Curriculum was assessed by education specialists, who were experienced teachers and/or pursing a PhD in education, for its alignment with one of five sets of educational standards: 1) Math Common Core; 2) English Common Core; 3) Illinois Learning Standards in Geography; 4) Illinois Learning Standards in Economics; and the 5) Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). A total of 13 teachers participated in this review; two teachers assessed the alignment of two sections of the curriculum. Using an assessment template developed by the evaluation team, each teacher scored the alignment of the curriculum with a particular standard using a 02 scale, with 0 indicating not adequately addressed, 1 indicating moderately addressed, and 2 indicating adequately
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addressed. In addition, each teacher completed an open-ended survey about the grade level appropriateness, scientific content, balance of perspectives, and suggestions for improvement of the section he/she reviewed. Teachers assessing the alignment with NGSS responded to additional survey questions regarding the quality of science learning and suggestions for improving the alignment with the NGSS framework. The Teacher Standards Alignment was estimated to take between three and five hours to complete. Each teacher received a $100 stipend for completing the review. Standards Alignment Templates and Standards Alignment Survey are provided in Appendix B6. Science Content Expert Curriculum Review The K12 Coal Curriculum was reviewed by seven professional scientists and/or educators with a Masters or PhD degree in at least one of the following areas: geology; energy; chemical engineering; biology; and environmental science. Four of the seven reviewers are undergraduate professors, and the other three reviewers are research scientists. Using a rubric developed by the evaluation team, each reviewer rated the scientific content, balance of perspectives, pedagogy, and energy literacy of the K12 curriculum using a scale from 1-4. See Table 11 for definitions of each criterion and the meanings of each rating. Reviewers provided comments explaining their ratings and completed an open-ended survey about their suggestions for improving the curriculum in each of these areas and overall recommendations. Reading and reviewing the curriculum was estimated to take 4-8 hours of work. Each reviewer received a $500 stipend for completing the review. A sample Science Content Expert Rubric and Survey are provided in Appendix A2. Survey of Teachers Who Received the Curriculum Conference attendees in 20092011 were e-mailed and invited to take an online survey regarding their use of the curriculum, perceptions about the quality of each lesson and tie-in, and suggestions for improving the curriculum. The survey took approximately 510 minutes to complete. 264 individuals were e-mailed and invited to take the survey; however, 33 e-mail addresses were not functioning and returned the invitation. In total, 61 out of 231 individuals completed the survey for a 26.4% response rate. The survey instrument is provided in Appendix B8. Stakeholder Survey Individuals and representatives of environmental, citizens advocacy, and other non-profit organizations that expressed concerns about the DCEO Coal Education Program were invited to take a brief online survey. Individuals were identified because they signed the CREDO petition Tell DCEO: Stop Misleading Illinois Kids About Coal or a letter to the Illinois Governor expressing concerns about the DCEO Coal Education Program. Additionally, five individuals, who were recommended by an individual who signed the letter to the Illinois Governor, completed the survey. Approximately 1,000 individuals signed the CREDO petition. Since these individuals did not provide their e-mail addresses on the petition, e-mail addresses for 125 individuals were identified by conducting a Google search of their name and home city/state/. These 125 individuals plus 25 individuals who signed the Governors letter or was recommended
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Table 11. Rubric for Science Content Expert Curriculum Review

CRITERIA [As defined by] Scientific Content - Accurate information - Comprehensive information - Reliable sources Balance of Perspectives - Representation and balance of the following perspectives: Economic Social Political Environmental Pedagogy - Valuable for science learning - Grade level appropriate - Addresses needs of diverse learners Energy Literacy - Includes instruction related with the energy literacy principles4 POINTS 1 Scientific content is poor throughout the curriculum. 2 Scientific content is poor in some of the lessons and adequate in others. 3 Scientific content is accurate, comprehensive, and reliable across the majority of lessons. Most of the perspectives are represented in the curriculum. A balance of perspectives is mostly present in the curriculum. 4 Scientific content is consistently accurate, comprehensive, and reliable throughout the curriculum. All perspectives are represented. A balance of perspectives is present throughout the curriculum.
The representation and balance of perspectives is poor throughout the curriculum.
There are a limited number of perspectives represented. A balance of perspectives is poor in some lessons and adequate in others.
Pedagogy is poor throughout the curriculum.
Pedagogy is poor in some lessons and adequate or of high quality in others.
High quality pedagogy is presented throughout the majority of lessons.
High quality pedagogy is presented throughout the curriculum.
No energy principles are addressed in the curriculum.
Several energy principles are addressed in the curriculum.
Many energy principles are addressed in the curriculum.
Most energy principles are addressed throughout the curriculum.
As outlined in the U.S. Global Change Research Program report titled, Energy Literacy: Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts for Energy Education. Download at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/education/energy_literacy.html.
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by someone who did were sent e-mail invitations to complete the survey. Of these 150 individuals, 15 e-mail addresses did not work making a total sample of 135. Out of 135, 24 individuals completed the survey for a response rate of 18%. The survey instrument is provided in Appendix B10. Results pertaining to the Coal Curriculum are included in this report. Focus Group #2 Representatives of environmental and civic organizations that expressed concerns about the DCEO Coal Education Program were invited to participate in focus groups on February 12, 2013, in Chicago, Illinois, at the University of Illinois at Chicago student union. Participants were identified because they or another staff member from their organization signed a letter to the governor regarding the Coal Education Program or they were recommended by someone who signed this letter. Two focus groups, each approximately 90 minutes long, were conducted to collect information about stakeholders perceptions of the role and purpose of the program, the balance of perspectives, as well suggestions for improving the program. Some of the participants were familiar with the Coal Curriculum and provided comments regarding its scientific content, balance of perspectives and pedagogy. The Focus Group #2 Protocol is provided in Appendix B10. Staff Interviews Five DCEO staff members participated in approximately one-hour long interviews regarding the purpose of the coal education program; goals of each activity; target beneficiaries; program strengths; and suggestions for improving the program. All, but one, interviews took place inperson at the DCEO office in Springfield, Illinois. Due to a scheduling conflict, one interview was conducted over the phone. The Staff Interview Protocol is provided in Appendix B9. Benchmarking Study A study was conducted to review curriculum from other top coal-producing states to identify how the Illinois DCEO coal curriculum compared with those provided by other states. Curricula reviewed were limited to those provided by the six states that produce more coal than the state of Illinois (WY, WV, KY, PA, TX, and MT) as identified by the National Mining Association. A member of the evaluation team reviewed the official website for each state to identify coal or energy curricula that was freely available to K12 teachers and whether the state department provided workshops or conferences for K12 teachers. All available curriculums were examined to assess whether it was linked to educational standards and whether it provided information about other energy sources in addition to coal. In addition to review of curricula provided by top coal-producing states, evaluators conducted a review of approximately 100 websites providing coal and/or energy educational resources. Websites reviewed include those listed on the DCEO website and those identified through a Google search using the terms coal curriculum, energy curriculum, coal education, and/or energy education. Only federal and publicly available websites were included in the review. Eleven websites that provide comprehensive, high-quality educational materials were summarized in order to provide DCEO program staff with additional materials.
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Results Staff Interviews Value of the Coal Curriculum Staff members value the curriculum as a way to provide teachers with information about coal and the coal industry and offer curricular materials during the Coal Conference. We wanted the basic information to be solid so that teachers could do their own research, have the students do research. The message that we wanted to say was that coal was the resource in Illinois, we should use it, and this is how we could use it. These are different areas to open up thinking about coal and the coal industry. DCEO Staff Member Originally, when it was first developed, there would be a session where our group leaders, at the end of the conference, would say, Heres coal curriculum for you to look at. Pick and choose how you want to use it, but here are some ideas of how to bring it into your classroom. DCEO Staff Member Suggestions for Improving the Coal Curriculum Several staff members offered suggestions for improving the curriculum: 1. Update the curriculum 2. Provide links to lessons and resources on the DCEO website 3. Expand its scope from coal to coal as part of an energy portfolio. 1. Update the curriculum I would like to see our curriculum updated DCEO Staff Member 2. Provide links to lessons and resources on the DCEO website Id also like to see it available on our website and have a lot of information on there available for teachers that they can download, that they can use in their classroom. We do have a couple of videos on there right now but just to bring some more information into the classroom that gives accurate information. What were trying to say is coal a major part of the energy portfolio. Here is the energy portfolio in Illinois. Here is coals role in it and I think that would be very, very beneficial. DCEO Staff Member 3. Expand its scope from coal to coal as part of an energy portfolio. I want it to be as broad based as possible, meaning we always have focused on coal, but we also want to make sure that we portray it as part of a portfolio. So the curriculum needs to have something in there about other energy sources.Im looking forward to coming up with new curriculum, something thats more open, honest and covers the bases for what students could use if the teacher chooses to use that. DCEO Staff Member
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Teacher Standards Alignment Results from the assessment of alignment to specific learning standards are presented first followed by qualitative responses to survey questions related with the alignment, grade level appropriateness, and balance of perspectives. Complete Teacher Standards Alignment results are provided in Appendix C9. Alignment by Specific Learning Standards Overall, the English Common Core Standards were addressed the most. The NGSS Scientific and Engineering Practices were adequately addressed in the K4 and 58 sections of the curriculum. Several Illinois Learning Standards for Economics were adequately addressed in the 9-12 section of the curriculum. See Tables 1214 which follow. K4. The K4 section adequately addresses most of the NGSS Scientific and Engineering Practices. One lesson adequately addresses 12% of English Common Core Standards. 58. The 58 section adequately addresses 7 out of 8 of the NGSS Scientific and Engineering Practices One lesson and three tie-ins adequately address more than 15% of English Common Core Standards. 912. The 912 does not adequately address any of the NGSS Scientific and Engineering Practices. One lesson and two tie-ins adequately address 25% or more of the English Common Core standards and one lesson and three tie-ins adequately address at least 15% of Illinois Learning Standards for Economics. Overall Alignment Reviewers identified few standards that were addressed in the curriculum. Below are responses to the question, How well did the curriculum align with standards? Barely at all Some activities touched upon some standards, but did not actually delve into them. Standards Alignment Reviewer More late elementary standards than early. Not K-2 appropriate. Standards Alignment Reviewer The Can my Company Profit? lesson could align with the standards well after moderate development, but the rest of the lessons need to be expanded substantially to satisfy common core standards. Standards Alignment Reviewer
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Table 12. K4 Alignment by Learning Standards Percent of Standards Rated Adequately Addressed by Standards Alignment Reviewers Lessons K4
What Good Does Coal Serve? Reclamation: Our Productive Resources at Work To Surface Mine or Underground Mine? Rocks & Minerals The Environment
Tie-Ins
Technology and Types of Mining Illinois History Social Studies and MoneyMaking Coal Reading and Writing About CoalRelated Careers
English Common Core Math Common Core IL Learning Geography IL Learning Economics Next Generation Science Standards
1% (1/130) 8% (4/52) 0% (0/17) 63% (5/8)
9% (12/130) 4% (2/52) 0% (0/17) 100% (8/8)
4% (5/130) 6% (3/52) 0% (0/17) 100% (8/8)
4% (5/130) 6% (3/52) 0% (0/17) 0% (0/8)
4% (5/130) 0% (0/52) 0% (0/17) 0% (0/8)
4% (5/130) 0% (0/52) 0% (0/17) 0% (0/8)
4% (5/130) 0% (0/52) 0% (0/17) 0% (0/8)
0% (0/130) 2% (1/52) 6% (1/17) 0% (0/8)
0% (0/130) 0% (0/52) 0% (0/17) 0% (0/8)
Table 13. 58 Alignment by Learning Standards - Percent of Standards Rated Adequately Addressed by Standards Alignment Reviewers Lessons 58 English Common Core Math Common Core IL Learning Geography IL Learning Economics Next Generation Science Standards
Density Demand for Coal Discover the Power of Illinois Coal Economics Careers Botany
Tie-Ins
Mine Safety and Ventilation Environme ntal Issues Geology/ Earth History
1% (1/104) 3% (1/40) 0% (0/9) 0% (0/12) 88% (7/8)
7% (8/104) 10% (4/40) 0% (0/9) 8% (1/12) 0% (0/8)
21% (22/104) 0% (0/40) 0% (0/9) 0% (0/12) 0% (0/8)
15% (16/104) 22% (2/9) 0% (0/12) 0% (0/8)
18% (19/104) 0% (0/9) 8% (1/12) 0% (0/8)
1% (1/104) 22% (2/9) 8% (1/12) 0% (0/8)
12% (12/104) 0% (0/9) 0% (0/12) 0% (0/8)
18% (29/104) 0% (0/9) 8% (1/12) 0% (0/8)
8% (9/104) 22% (2/9) 0% (0/12) 0% (0/8)
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Table 14. 912 Alignment by Learning Standards - Percent of Standards Rated Adequately Addressed by Standards Alignment Reviewers Lessons
Can My Company Make a Profit in the Development of a New Coal Mine? Illinois History: The Role of the Illinois Coal Industry in Illinois Economics Do the Math: Coal by the Numbers Laws Influencing the Coal Industry in Illinois
Tie-Ins
Individuals and the Shaping of the Coal Industry Illinois Coal as a Topic for Discovery Coal, Chemistry, and the Environment
9-12
Coal, Clean Air and the Economy
Early Coal Economics
English Common Core Math Common Core IL Learning Geography IL Learning Economics Next Generation Science Standards
7% (7/104) 3% (1/31) 0% (0/14) 0% (0/30) 0% (0/8)
0% (26/104) 0% (0/31) 0% (0/14) 17% (5/30) 13% (1/8)
25% (26/104) 0% (0/31) 7% (1/14) 10% (3/30) 0% (0/8)
0% (0/104) 0% (0/31) 0% (0/14) 23% (7/30) 0% (0/8)
13% (14/104) 0% (0/31) 0% (0/14) 3% (1/30) 0% (0/8)
27% (28/104) 0% (0/31) 0% (0/14) 7% (2/30) 0% (0/8)
8% (8/104) 0% (0/31) 0% (0/14) 23% (7/30) 0% (0/8)
4% (4/104) 0% (0/31) 0% (0/14) 17% (5/30) 0% (0/8)
8% (8/104) 0% (0/31) 0% (0/14) 0% (0/8)
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Suggestions for Improving Alignment Reviewers suggestions for improving the alignment of the curriculum with learning standards include: 1. Reduce the number of grade levels each section is designed to address (i.e. from K4 to K1, 23, and 4) 2. Address specific education standards 3. Provide background knowledge and vocabulary instruction 1. Reduce the number of grade levels each section is designed to address (i.e. from K4 to K-1, 2-3, and 4) The curriculum is highly problematic due to it being written for K4 students. The developmental levels are not being considered and it conveys a "one size fits all" model. It should be written for each specific grade and aligned with those individual standards. Standards Alignment Reviewer 2. Address specific education standards Curriculum needs to focus less on coal (and content related to coal) and more on what the big ideas students should know at each grade level are, with coal being the content vehicle. Content is put first rather than standards/big ideas/process skills. Standards Alignment Reviewer Embed various genres of writing in lessons (not just in tie-ins). I found persuasive, narrative, fact-based writing, commercials, etc. in the tie-ins, but quite limited in the actual lessons. What if teachers do not get to the extension/connections tie-ins? Different forms of writing (per grade level) should be a component of every lesson - not just worksheets, but authentic writing experiences. Writing process over number of days should be specified. Build in more opportunities for speaking/presentations in lessons. Standards Alignment Reviewer 3. Provide background knowledge and vocabulary instruction Asking questions at the beginning of a lesson is not always enough. How do you build background knowledge for students on specific topics? Vocabulary instruction/exploration - void in curriculum. Standards Alignment Reviewer Overall Grade-Level Appropriateness Several reviewers reported that the K4 and 58 sections were too advanced for the students at the lower end of each range (i.e. K-2, 5-6, and 9-10) This curriculum could potentially be used with grades 3 and above. But it is not appropriate for K-2 students in the way it is presented. Standards Alignment Reviewer
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The math & writing involved in the 2nd and 3rd lessons seem to match standards at 7th + 8th more than 5th or 6th [grades]. Standards Alignment Reviewer Suggestions for Improving Grade-Level Appropriateness Reviewers suggested improving the grade level appropriateness of the curriculum by: 1. 2. 3. 4. Write each lesson for specific grade levels Include strategies for differentiation Focus on the educational standards Make materials more accessible for students with different ability levels
1. Write each lesson for specific grade levels Write for each grade level specifically. Teachers should not have to re-write a curriculum to teach it. Standards Alignment Reviewer Have teachers who have experience with those grade levels help. Lessons should be broken down to show activities modified for younger vs. older grades (i.e., in [grades] K2, do this activity to address reclamation; for [grades] 3-4, do this one, etc.). Standards Alignment Reviewer 2. Include strategies for differentiation I saw very little information on how to differentiate instruction for students. How about English language learning and cultural considerations? Standards Alignment Reviewer At the simplest level, recognize the difference between early and late high school standards and adapt the unit accordingly. Standards Alignment Reviewer Highlight ways to differentiate based on grade level. Provide specific examples of how teachers can do this. There are differences between 5th- 8th grade literacy standards and a one sided approach should be avoided. A curriculum is not teacher friendly when it has to be re-developed for a specific grade. 5th and 8th grade do not belong together. Standards Alignment Reviewer 3. Focus on the educational standards 4. Make materials accessible for students with different ability levels Make the student materials more student friendly. Much of the reading is lengthy bulleted lists or large paragraphs of text. Use subheadings, graphics, and embedded Qs to improve the delivery of this information Standards Alignment Reviewer Provide adequate and appropriate resources (e.g. book lists, handouts). Standards Alignment Reviewer
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Balance of Perspectives Three teachers expressed the need for a balance of perspectives on coal mining and use and coal compared with other energy sources. The material obviously serves an agenda rather than just general education. Should there be a chance to hear about some of the drawbacks of coal use? Standards Alignment Reviewer This isnt a geographical concern However the general approach seems to be "coal is good" its all those other fossil fuel uses that are badThis seems to be an anti-critical thinking approach. Perhaps coal is great, but shouldnt there be a bigger discussion of all sides of the sciences argument on emissions and clean energy? Standards Alignment Reviewer Expert Curriculum Review See Table 15 below for individual reviewer ratings. Complete results can be found in Appendix C10. Overall Ratings
Table 15. Expert Curriculum Reviewer Ratings (each rating is out of 4)
Criteria Scientific Content Balance of Perspectives Pedagogy Energy Literacy Scientific Content
R1 3 2 2.5 3
R2 4 2 2 2
R3 3 2 3 4
R4 4 2 4 2
R5 2 2 2 2
R6 3 2 4 2
R7 3 2.5 3 4
Mean 3.14 2.07 2.93 2.71
SD 0.69 0.19 0.84 0.95
Scientific content received the highest mean rating (3.14 out of 4). Reviewers identified four main ways to improve the scientific content: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Update facts and statistics Remove leading and biased information Increase amount and quality of information on coal and environmental impacts of coal Provide references for all scientific information List resources that provide further scientific information about coal Ensure references and resources cited offer a balance of perspectives
1. Update facts and statistics The major problem with it is that in many instances it is outdated because so much has changed in the past 5-10 years in our energy world I would suggest an attempt to update the statistics or challenge the students to find the latest statistics (especially in the
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higher grades) and have them defend the sources they use to come to their conclusions. Science Content Expert 2. Remove leading and biased information The content is mostly scientifically accurateI found several places in the activities where questions were asked or facts were presented on fact sheets that might be considered leading or biased. Simply removing a line or two, or slightly rewording a line or two, might help decrease any perceived bias. Science Content Expert 3. Increase amount and quality of information on coal and the environmental impacts of coal The only environmental perspective that is well-considered is land reclamation after miningThere could easily be a false sense that the reclamation may not be essential to provide for more than peoples aesthetic sensibilities. What about water, air, and soil that can be contaminated? The tie-ins on p. 73 and 79 provide good information for this, but it could easily be skipped. Science Content Expert If this is called a science curriculum, it needs more emphasis on the natural science aspects of coal how coal forms, how and why its quality varies, how it is mined (which is covered fairly well), how it is used (also covered), and the environmental impacts of each stage of extraction, processing, and use. This latter aspect is not covered well. Science Content Expert 4. Provide references for all scientific information The topic of global climate change is very poorly covered. The sources do not include any scientific sources, many of which have activities for K12. How can one address a major scientific issue and not direct the audience to scientific sources? I have listed some good sources in my separate comments. While it is good to point out that people often confuse greenhouse effect with global warming, global warming should be one of the points of discussion; so should acid rain and other environmental impacts. The activity entitled Coal, Clean Air, and the Environment just references carbon sequestration as a way to diminish the environmental impact, without talking about the science behind greenhouse gases. Science Content Expert 5. List resources that provide further scientific information about coal There is an inherent challenge to keep the statistics and background up-to-date in an everchanging industry. Teachers should be encouraged to find updated information from other sources (like the EIA.gov web site). Science Content Expert 6. Ensure references and resources cited are organized and provide a balance of perspectives It would be helpful to a teacher to have these sources of info better organized. I have found it challenging in reviewing this curriculum to know where to find information.
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Sometimes I never find it so I assume it does not exist Where sources for more information are given, they tend to represent only one side of the discussion necessary for a topic. Science Content Expert Balance of Perspectives Science content experts expressed considerable concern about the balance of perspectives, which received the lowest mean rating (2.07 out of 4) with the lowest standard deviation (0.19). Reviewers made three main suggestions to improve the balance of perspectives in the curriculum: 1. Expand the curriculum scope from coal to all sources of energy 2. Reduce emphasis on economics and focus more on scientific and environmental content and perspectives 3. Incorporate activities that engage students in critical thinking about coal and coal-related issues 4. Provide a balance of positive and negative information on coal and coal-related issues 1. Expand the curriculum scope from coal to all sources of energy By definition its biased toward one part of our energy portfolio. Science Content Expert As you look at the text, it seems in more places than not coal is viewed as the preferred energy instead of one of the choices for electricity. Science Content Expert 2. Reduce emphasis on economics and focus more on scientific and environmental perspectives and content There is a lot more emphasis on the economics of coal than on the science of coal and environmental issues related to its extraction and use. Science Content Expert I think to improve the environmental perspective, there is a bit of comprehensive information necessary. Coal is controversial because there are some real environmental concerns: air pollutants, water contamination, soil contamination, land disruption, and a contribution to climate change. Though I believe that children dont need to be burdened with the overwhelming issues, I also think it is important not to leave these aspects out because it can be confusing. Science Content Expert 3. Incorporate activities that engage students in critical thinking about coal and coalrelated issues The curriculum materials should be encouraging students to see all sides of issues related to coal production and to learn to grapple with these different perspectives. Students should be taught to pay attention to the source of their information and learn how that may influence what is said by that source. They should be encouraged to try to understand the different perspectives and to try to find solutions that can be agreed upon
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by the various interest groupsIn reviewing this coal curriculum, I have found that it does not teach these skills. It tends to err on the side of having them focus on one perspective. It does it subtly at times, but it avoids much discussion of other perspectives. Science Content Expert 4. Provide a balance of positive and negative information on coal and coal-related issues Pedagogy Pedagogy received the second highest rating (2.93 out of 4). Science content experts suggested adjusting the K4 section to be more grade level appropriate and better organizing the content and materials. 1. Adjust the K4 section to be grade level appropriate There are a couple of places in the K4 activities that I question the grade appropriateness of some of the material. Science Content Expert Some of the concepts and vocabulary (especially in K4) are too advanced. The concepts may be taught easier if words more common to a young childs vocabulary are used. Science Content Expert 2. Better organize the content and materials. In general, I think the information that the teachers and students need is not well presented. It is both scattered and hard to find and not put in a context nor connected to related information to allow for a meaningful presentation. Science Content Expert Energy Literacy Science content experts rated energy literacy the second lowest out of the four criteria (2.71 out of 4). To better address the energy literacy principles, reviewers suggested that the curriculum: 1. Base curriculum lessons on energy principles 2. Include lessons on basic energy principles and concepts 3. Broaden the curriculum scope from coal to all sources of energy and from the State of Illinois to the U.S. and global contexts 4. Compare the costs and benefits of coal with other energy sources 1. Base curriculum lessons on energy principles I think someone who understands the science needs to be writing the curriculum to cover all of the [energy] principles more scientifically. Science Content Expert 2. Include lessons on basic energy principles and concepts
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The only way I can think of to address the missing energy principles is to add more energy basics to the lessons. Content such as thermodynamics, energy transformations, trophic levels, and energy flow through them, etc. Science Content Expert Add more discussion on power production. Kids understand what fire is, how water boils, steam coming off the water. How does the energy in coal get to their outlet? The link between energy and electricity needs to be stronger. Discussion on the FutureGen Alliance would be a good starting point. Science Content Expert 3. Broaden the curriculum scope from coal to all sources of energy and from the State of Illinois to the U.S. and global contexts My only [complaint] is that you seem to have a bias for coal over other forms of energy.instead of presenting coal in the context of the changing landscape (both good and bad) of other energy sources. Science Content Expert The energy world is also dynamic, game-changing and directly relevant to everyones quality of life. As energy companies begin to wonder where the energy workers of tomorrow will come from (no matter what energy were talking about) DCEO has an opportunity to excite our students about the career and life changing possibilities in the energy industry. This includes coal for sure, but it also includes Illinois wind, nuclear, natural gas, solar, refineries, utilities, etc. Science Content Expert 4. Compare the costs and benefits of coal with other energy sources If the aim here is to show the advantages of coal over other energy sources, there should really be a lesson comparing the net energies and costs of various sources. Coal quickly rises to the top, especially considering our energy demandI would also recommend not just comparing coal to natural gas, but also to wind as that energy source is taking hold in Illinois too. Science Content Expert Survey of Teachers Who Received the Curriculum Of teachers who received the Coal Curriculum at a 20092011 Coal Education Conference and were invited to participate in this survey, 26.4% responded. Results from this survey are presented as follows: teacher characteristics; teacher ratings of each lesson and tie-in by grade level section; most and least useful aspects of the curriculum; and suggestions for improving the curriculum. See Appendix C11 for complete survey results. Teacher Characteristics Teachers who completed the survey had been teaching for a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 44 years. Teachers current grade levels represented all grades from K12 with approximately one-third of teachers currently teaching 6, 7, and 8th grades. See Table 16 for complete results regarding grade levels currently taught by survey participants. Most teachers primary content areas were Science, Social Science, or Math. See Table 17 for complete results regarding primary content areas of survey participants.
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Table 16. Grade Levels Currently Taught by Survey Participants (N = 61) Grade K 1 2 3 4 5 6 Number of Teachers 4 (7%) 4 (7%) 7 (11%) 6 (10%) 8 (13%) 8 (13%) 17 (28%) Grade 7 8 9 10 11 12 Other Number of Teachers 20 (33%) 19 (31%) 9 (15%) 13 (21%) 11 (18%) 11 (18%) 11 (18%)
Other: Pre-K Museum guests Retired

Table 17. Primary Content Areas of Survey Participants Biology 9 (15%) Chemistry 9 (15%) Other Science 26 (43%) Social Science 16 (26%) History 6 (10%) English 12 (20%) Math 16 (26%) Other 20 (33%)
Other: Language arts Self-contained, all subjects CTE Reading and Language Arts Technology Pre-K All Reading, Writing
Familiarity with DCEO Coal Education Program Most teachers (95%) attended the Coal Education Conference and most (93%) indicated familiarity with the Coal Curriculum. The majority of teachers (95%) indicted that they had read through the curriculum at least a little bit, with 39% having read through some of it and 25% having read through a lot of it. 51% of teachers indicated having used some of the curriculum and 10% indicated having used a lot of the curriculum. Usefulness of Each Section On average, teachers rated the K4 and 58 sections of the curriculum with the highest mean ratings (3.6 and 3.4); the 9-12 section received a mean rating of 2.9. Ratings of the usefulness of each lesson and tie-in for each section are provided in Tables 18 through 20 below.
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Table 18. Results from Teacher Survey/Usefulness of K4 Section of Coal Curriculum (Range 1-5, mode in bold) Lesson/Tie-In Lesson: What good does coal serve? (N = 35) Lesson: Reclamation: our productive resources at work (N = 34) Lesson: To surface mine or underground mine? That is the Question! (N = 33) Tie-in: Rocks & Minerals (N = 32) Tie-In: The Environment (N = 32) Tie-In: Technology and Types of Mining (N = 32) Tie-In: Illinois History (N = 32) Tie-In: Social Studies and MoneyMaking Coal (N = 31) Tie-In: Reading and Writing about Coal-related Careers (N = 32) Overall Rating Mean 3.60 3.50 SD 1.19 1.19 Not at all useful =1 3 (8.6%) 4 (11.8%) 3 (9.1%) 1 (3.1%) 1 (3.1%) 1 (3.1%) 1 (3.1%) 2 (6.5%) 3 (9.4%) Somewhat useful = 2 3 (8.6%) 2 (5.9%) 6 (18.2%) 3 (9.4%) 1 (3.1%) 8 (25%) 2 (6.3%) 6 (19.4%) 2 (6.3%) Neutral = 3 7 (20%) 6 (17.6%) 11 (33.3%) 4 (12.5%) 6 (18.8%) 5 (15.6%) 8 (25%) 8 (25.8%) 8 (25%) Useful = 4 14 (40%) 17 (50%) 10 (30.3%) 12 (37.5%) 13 (40.6%) 14 (43.8%) 12 (37.5%) 8 (25.8%) 14 (43.8%) Very useful =5 8 (22.9%) 5 (14.7%) 3 (9.1%) 12 (37.5%) 11 (34.4%) 4 (12.5%) 9 (28.1%) 7 (22.6%) 5 (15.6%)
3.12 3.97 4.00 3.38 3.81 3.39 3.50 3.59
1.11 1.09 0.98 1.10 1.10 1.23 1.14
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Table 19. Results from Teacher Survey/Usefulness of 58 Section of Coal Curriculum (Range 1-5, mode in bold) Lesson/Tie-In Lesson: Density (N = 45) Lesson: The Demand for Coal (N = 45) Lesson: Discover the Power of Illinois Coal: Persuasive Essays (N = 41) Tie-In: Economics (N = 41) Tie-In: Careers (N = 39) Tie-In: Botany (N = 37) Tie-In: Mine Safety and Ventilation (N = 37) Tie-In: Environmental Issues (N = 38) Tie-In: Geology/Earth History (N = 39) Overall Rating Mean 3.02 3.49 3.10 3.15 3.51 3.22 3.11 4.00 4.00 3.4 SD 1.23 1.16 1.07 1.13 0.94 1.00 1.20 0.77 0.77 Not at all useful =1 8 (17.8%) 3 (6.7%) 4 (9.8%) 4 (9.8%) 0 (0%) 3 (8.1%) 5 (13.5%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) Somewhat useful = 2 6 (13.3%) 7 (15.6%) 6 (14.6%) 8 (19.5%) 7 (17.9%) 3 (8.1%) 5 (13.5%) 2 (5.3%) 1 (2.6%) Neutral = 3 11 (24.4%) 8 (17.8%) 16 (39%) 10 (24.4%) 10 (25.6%) 17 (45.9%) 12 (32.4%) 5 (13.2%) 8 (20.5%) Useful = 4 17 (37.8%) 19 (42.2%) 12 (29.3%) 16 (39%) 17 (43.6%) 11 (29.7%) 11 (29.7%) 22 (57.9%) 20 51.3%) Very useful =5 3 (6.7%) 8 (17.8%) 3 (7.3%) 3 (7.3%) 5 (12.8%) 3 (8.1%) 4 (10.8%) 9 (23.7%) 10 (25.6%)
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Table 20. Results from Teacher Survey/Usefulness of 9-12 Section of Coal Curriculum (Range 1-5, Mode in bold) Lesson/Tie-In Lesson: Can My Company Make a Profit in the Development of a New Coal Mine? (N = 38) Lesson: Illinois History: The Role of Illinois Coal Industry in Illinois Economics (N = 39) Lesson: Coal, Clean Air, and the Economy (N = 39) Tie-In: Do the Math: Coal by Numbers (N = 36) Tie-In: Laws Influencing the Coal Industry in Illinois (N = 35) Tie-In: Early Coal Economics: Company Stores (N = 33) Tie-In: Individuals and the Shaping of the Coal Industry (N = 34) Tie-In: Illinois Coal as a Topic for Discovery (N = 34) Tie-In: Coal, Chemistry, and the Environment (N = 33) Overall Rating Mean 2.66 SD 1.10 Not at all useful =1 9 (23.7%) 6 (15.4%) 3 (7.7%) 4 (11.1%) 7 (20%) 6 (18.2%) 7 (20.6%) 4 (11.8%) 4 (12.1%) Somewhat useful = 2 3 (7.9%) 5 (12.8%) 5 (12.8%) 7 (19.4%) 12 (34.3%) 10 (30.3%) 4 (11.8%) 9 (26.5%) 6 (18.2%) Neutral = 3 19 (50%) 13 (33.3%) 14 (35.9%) 13 (36.1%) 7 (20%) 9 (27.3%) 12 (35.3%) 8 (23.5%) 12 (36.4%) Useful = 4 6 (15.8%) 13 (33.3%) 12 (30.8%) 10 (27.8%) 7 (20%) 7 (21.2%) 10 (29.4%) 13 (38.2%) 10 (30.3%) Very useful =5 1 (2.6%) 2 (5.1%) 5 (12.8%) 2 (5.6%) 2 (5.7%) 1 (3.0%) 1 (2.9%) 0 (0%) 1 (3%)
3.00 3.28 2.97 2.57 2.61 2.82 2.88 2.94 2.86
1.10 1.10 1.08 1.20 1.12 1.17 1.07 1.06
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K4. What good does coal serve? had the highest mean rating (3.60) out of the lessons, and Rocks & Minerals, The Environment, and Illinois History had the highest mean ratings for tie-ins, all greater than 3.80. 58. The Demand for Coal received the highest mean rating (3.49) out of the lessons. The tieins, Environmental Issues and Geology/Earth History both received the highest mean ratings suggesting that most teachers felt that these tie-ins were useful. 9-12. Coal, Clean Air, and the Economy received the highest mean rating (3.28) out of the lessons. All the 9-12 tie-ins received ratings below 3.0 suggesting that that majority of teachers did not find any of these tie-ins useful. Most Useful Aspects of the Curriculum Many teachers commented on the following aspects as most useful: 1. Hands-on materials and activities 2. Scientific content, in particular the geology of coal 3. Historical, economic, and environmental perspectives on coal 1. Hands-on activities and materials Activities that are hands-on. K12 Teacher/Survey Participant Visual aids and samples. K12 Teacher/Survey Participant I have thoroughly used the mineral samples that I received with the curriculum and have shown pictures from my visits to the coal mine. The experience was great! K12 Teacher/Survey Participant 2. Scientific content Everything related to rocks and minerals...This is part of the present third grade curriculum. K12 Teacher/Survey Participant I teach chemistry and the aspects of the chemistry of coal I found most useful. I also found the important minerals of Illinois information to be helpful. K12 Teacher/Survey Participant Giving information about when in geologic time coal was formed, fossil information and how coal is used to generate electricity. K12 Teacher/Survey Participant 3. Historical, economic, and environmental perspectives on coal History of Illinois, economics, use of coal. K12 Teacher/Survey Participant Big ideas and some specifics (stats, numbers, etc.) that let me discuss the history of coal mining. K12 Teacher/Survey Participant Current environmental issues K12 Teacher/Survey Participant
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Least Useful Aspects of the Curriculum Teachers indicated that the least useful aspects of the curriculum were: 1. Presentation of content and materials 2. Difficulty level of concepts and activities 1. Presentation of content and activities Some of the material was boring for the kids to get through. For some reason this generation wants to be entertained. K12 Teacher/Survey Participant Some of the activities arent engaging for students if they dont have a vested interest in coal. K12 Teacher/Survey Participant 2. Difficulty level of concepts and activities At my grade level, anything that is too technical or has vocab that is out of our comfort range is not useful. K12 Teacher/Survey Participant There were some classes that were way above some students ability however, learning all aspects of the Coal Curriculum makes this an easy way to [tailor] the lessons for our classes. K12 Teacher/Survey Participant Suggestions for Improving the Curriculum Teachers suggested: 1. Add more hands-on, interactive activities 2. Align curriculum with the Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. 3. Incorporate adaptations for students with diverse knowledge and skill levels and cultural backgrounds 4. Ensure curriculum content is inter-disciplinary 1. Add hands-on, interactive activities. More videos or even better interactive whiteboard activities. K12 Teacher/Survey Participant Possibly include more photographs. Students are very visual learners and having photographs that correlate with the topics/activities could be very beneficial. K12 Teacher/Survey Participant I know that this curriculum has been developed with support of the coal industry in Illinois and I accept it as such. This limits the degree to which I am inclined to present it to students without serious discussion of the source. As a result I usually go with materials that have less of bias for a particular industry. K12 Teacher/Survey Participant
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2. Align the curriculum with national standards. More alignment with Common Core reading/math/writing standards and Next Generation Science Standards. K12 Teacher/Survey Participant More aligned to NGSS framework. K12 Teacher/Survey Participant 3. Incorporate adaptations for students with diverse knowledge and skill levels and cultural backgrounds To keep in mind the various levels of abilities within a classroom. Even though I teach 5th grade I have students and very low levels to very high. K12 Teacher/Survey Participant Stakeholder Survey The majority (72%) of stakeholders who completed the survey rated the Coal Curriculum not valuable (see Table 21 below). See Appendix C12 for complete Stakeholder Survey Results.
Table 21 . Stakeholder Survey Ratings of K12 Coal Curriculum on Two Criteria (N = 24, Range 1-5, Mode in bold) Mean Scientific content Balance of perspectives 1.90 1.25 Standard Deviation 1.02 0.72 Very Poor = 1 9 36.0% 17 64.0% Poor = 2 5 20.0% 2 8.0% Average =3 3 12.0% 0 0.0% Well = 4 2 8.0% 1 4.0% Very Well = 5 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Dont Know 4 16.0% 4 16.0%
Stakeholders provided concerns regarding the Coal Education Program as a whole which include the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. Narrow goals focused on the promotion of coal and the coal industry Narrow focus on coal rather than the whole energy portfolio Inaccurate information regarding the economic benefits of coal Lack of scientific information about environmental and health impacts of coal mining and coal processing
1. Stakeholders commented that the goals of the program were biased and narrowly focused on the promotion of coal and the coal industry. I question whether the goal should be restricted to increasing awareness and understanding of the importance of the IL coal industry to the socioeconomic structure of Illinois. While these goals may or may not be achieved, they are hardly a balanced set of goals for this program. People of this state deserve to be educated on the full range of impacts of coal production and use. Environmental concerns should be addressed explicitly and accurately. Stakeholder 2. Stakeholders were dissatisfied with the narrow focus on coal and suggested broadening the scope of the program to address the energy portfolio.
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An energy education program would be more valuable than one that focuses only on one portion of the energy sector. Energy is a complex subject and there are other types of energy that contribute to the Illinois economy, including nuclear and wind that add a broader aspect to this study. Stakeholder 3. Stakeholders were concerned that some economic information was excluded and that the Coal Education Program focused its materials on the economic benefits of coal. The range of information supplied is limited to a narrow conception of economic input and output, but even in economic terms, no comparative data are supplied, nor are costs properly calculated. Stakeholder 4. Stakeholders expressed concerns that the scientific information was not balanced and lacked information about environmental and health impacts of coal mining and coal processing. These programs appear to take a biased and inaccurate scientific approach to the impacts of the coal industry in the state of Illinois. While supporting the Illinois energy industry is a good thing for Illinois, a more holistic view that makes the impacts of coal on climate change and public health is necessary. Stakeholder No balanced scientific information is provided in the teachers education conference, art & essay contest, and K12 curriculum for full consideration of the impact of using coal on climate change, public health, air and water pollution, and legacy health care and retirement costs coal companies have shifted to the public sector. Stakeholder Focus Group #2 Scientific Content Several participants in the focus group #2 commented that the curriculum was scientifically inaccurate, especially with regard to climate change, the carbon cycle, and the effects of coal. For my organization our overwhelming concern is the lack of factual scientific information as well as in some cases outright misinformation... But predominately its the lack of the basic scientific information about the consequences of our reliance on coal. Focus Group #2 Participant There is a part in that curriculum that says some scientists say that climate is changing and some dont and were not really sure. Granted this was 2004, but that is not even close to the science. Focus Group #2 Participant They dont make a distinction between carbon that produced today, such as from respiration or photosynthesis versus ancient carbon that was in the ground for 300 million years now that were taking and combusting. They dont make a difference between that, which is making it even more confusing for kids. Focus Group #2 Participant
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Balance of Perspectives Stakeholders in focus group #2 strongly believe that the curriculum is unbalanced. They offered examples of how it is unbalanced, including the following: 1. Discussion of environmental health effects are left out and/or misleading, especially with regard to reclamation 2. Economic effects are inaccurate and/or misleading 3. Need more discussion on impacts of coal mining and coal processing on communities 1. Discussion of environmental health effects are left out and/or misleading, especially with regard to reclamation Lots of facts were left out, environmental impacts really werent included, impacts to water, health impacts of people living in those areas, also the workers. I didnt see much information about that. Focus Group #2 Participant Reclamations one of those we were talking about pollution. It often refers back to environmental standards or environmental regulations that assure that something is a true statement, but they dont assure, because if you actually go out in the field and look at whats happening, there are problems. Focus Group #2 Participant In terms of health implication, the takeaway seems to be one of our pollution control it sort of sounds like we got our act together, right? And instead were converting the pollution from one form to another, and I think the story doesnt come out in any way, shape, or form. Focus Group #2 Participant 2. Economic effects are inaccurate and/or misleading With respect to the states economics. So if I recall correctly, the coal industry is nearly a billion dollar industry. And you compare that to economic state of the whole and on a gross state product, its miniscule. Its like 1/670 of a percent or something ridiculous like that. And same thing with the jobs. The jobs are less than 1/10 of a percent. So the curriculum seems to build this up as a big economic piece. The students walk away saying, Its important to our state. But its important to the industries who are doing the extraction and exporting what I believe now is as much as 85 percent of it out of state. Focus Group #2 Participant 3. Need more discussion on impacts of coal mining and processing on communities What happens to the communities that are left behind once their resource base is gone? Focus Group #2 Participant Suggestions for Improving Balance of Perspectives To improve the balance of perspectives, stakeholders at the focus group #2 suggested the following: 1. Broaden the scope of the curriculum from coal to all sources of energy 2. Provide information about the positive and negative aspects of coal 3. Engage students in critical-thinking exercises about coal
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1. Broaden the scope of the curriculum from coal to all sources of energy Any type of curriculum that only focuses on coal seems that it would be unbalanced. Its already been mentioned, scientific and all of that kind of stuff, but I think also really bringing in all of the other energies that we use I think would create a more balanced approach to educating kids. Focus Group #2 Participant I think that I would love to see the education program expanded to be an energy curriculum. Focus Group #2 Participant 2. Provide information about the positive and negative aspects of coal If were going to do an energy curriculum, we really need to be comparing and contrasting coal with other energy sources Focus Group #2 Participant 3. Engage students in critical-thinking exercises about coal Lots of facts were left out. Environmental impacts, impacts to water, health impacts of workers and people living in those areas, werent included. I didnt see much information about that I think it makes sense to present the good things and then the bad things and then let students decide, use their own critical thinking skills. Focus Group #2 Participant Pedagogy Stakeholders suggested improving the pedagogy of the curriculum by having students engage in experiments and conduct online research to explore some of the concepts and issues: Plus, its written in an old school way. And thats not the way science is being taught right now. Thats not what the new standards say to do. I would try to set it up where the students actually explore some of the issues. Say sulfur, acid rain, and the amount of sulfur. Kids can develop their own experiments where theyre actually measuring changes with pH at different concentrations of coal or maybe the different types of coal thats out there. Focus Group #2 Participant The other thing comes to mind and Im not a teacher but given the changes that have occurred in the last decade in terms of information access, there is just an enormous amount of information out there through the Internetboth valid and invalid. Focus Group #2 Participant Benchmarking Study The top 7 coal-producing states take a mixture of approaches in providing coal and energy education (see Table 22). Table 23 below provides information about comprehensive, high-quality, up-to-date coal and energy curriculum and educational resources are available from eleven of these national organizations.
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Table 22. Curricula Benchmarking Study Curriculum Provided by Top 7 Coal Producing States
Coal
State* State Curriculum Curriculum Linked to State Standards National Standards Reference Materials Available State Curriculum
Energy
Curriculum Linked to State Standards National Standards Other Energy/ Environmental Reference Materials Available K12 Teacher Professional Development
Wyoming (1) West Virginia (2) Kentucky (3) Pennsylvania (4) Texas (5) Montana (6) Illinois (7)
No No No Yes No No Yes
No No No No No No Yes
No No No No No No No
No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
No (in development) No No (environmental literacy plan as of Dec. 2012) Yes No (environmental literacy program) No No
No No Yes No Yes Yes No
No No Yes No No No Yes
* 1) States are listed in order of 2012 coal production according to the National Mining Association * 2) All websites are listed in the appendix
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Table 23. High-Quality, Nationally Available Energy and Coal Education Resources National Education Resources Review Organization National Energy Education Development Project (NEED) American Coal Foundation National Energy Foundation United States Department of Energy (office of fossil energy and NETL) Keystone US Energy Information Administration (EIA) American Geosciences Institute - AGI Women in Mining (WIM) Education Curriculum Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Grades K12 K12 K12 K12 K12 K12 K12 K12 Other Teacher Available Linked to Resources Workshops On-line Standards Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes for purchase Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Some Yes Focus Energy & coal Coal Energy Energy Energy Energy Energy Coal & mining
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Findings Based on data from these multiple methods and stakeholder perspectives, the evaluation team developed the following ten findings with eight corresponding recommendations: I. II. The current Coal Curriculum emphasizes economic aspects of coal and the coal industry. This emphasis limits applications to the classroom. The current Coal Curriculum could be strengthened by increasing and improving the scientific content. Science content experts, teachers and stakeholders found the scientific content to be outdated, biased towards a positive image of coal, light on natural science content, and lacking discussion of potential environmental and social impacts of coal use. The Curriculums focus on the positive aspects of coal in an Illinois context is limiting and should be expanded to include different aspects of coal and coal mining, including history of coal mining in Illinois, social and community impacts of coal mining, environmental impacts of coal mining, and coal within a U.S. and global energy portfolio which includes alternative energy sources. Teachers and educational specialists found that the Curriculums content could be better aligned with grade level. The K4 section was considered overly challenging in reading level, vocabulary, and concepts. The 58 and 9-12 sections were overly challenging difficult for the earlier grades in a given range (i.e. 5-6, 9-10). Teachers who use the Curriculum found lessons and tie-ins to coal geology and environmental issues to be the most useful curriculum tools. They reported that the scientific content, hands-on activities, and discussion of environmental issues were the most valuable aspects of the Curriculum. Science content experts, education specialists, and teachers who use the Curriculum found that the Curriculum could be better aligned with educational standards. They emphasized the importance of having a Curriculum that is aligned with the new Common Core standards and Next Generation Science Framework. Science content experts, educational specialists, teachers, and stakeholders found the Curriculums pedagogy to be outdated with a teacher-led approach, formulaic lab activities, and encouragement of students to find the right answer rather than engage in critical-thinking about the issues. Science content experts and teachers who use the Curriculum found the presentation of content and materials could be better categorized and organized to make it easier to find information, resources, and review materials. The Curriculum could improve the method of citation for state and national coal educational materials in content and resources.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
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The benchmarking study demonstrates state and national level educational materials on coal, coal and the environment, energy, and energy literacy are readily available. Highquality, nationally developed resources include the following: U.S. Energy Information Administration website; National Energy Education Development Project; U.S. Department of Energys Energy Literacy materials; and the American Geosciences Institutes materials on Coal and the Environment. Recommendations
I. II. III. IV.
The current Coal Curriculum should be retired. New Coal Curriculum should be developed or existing, high-quality state and national curricula on coal and energy should be utilized. New or existing curricula should present coal topics in the context of other energy sources and in national and global contexts. New or existing curricula should include: up-to-date facts and statistics, including citations; balanced content and information; increased amount and quality of scientific information about coal and the environmental and social impacts of coal; and a list that provides further resources for learning about coal. New or existing curricula should provide a balance of perspectives on coal, coal use, and the effects of coal. In particular, the curriculum should discuss the pros and cons of coal as compared with other energy sources; include scientific, environmental, social, and historical content; and discuss coals impacts on communities. New or existing curricula should contain content and materials that are well-organized with easy-to-find sources of information and review materials, including vocabulary. The curriculums pedagogical approach should include critical thinking exercises and inquiry-based lab activities which encourage students to think through the pros and cons of coal, conduct research on different effects of coal, and form their own conclusions based on their thinking and research. Lessons should utilize multimedia technology, including online research, videos, and interactive websites. New or existing curricula should adequately address specific educational standards. Rather than aim for breadth of standards, it is recommended that lessons provide detailed and deep connections to specific educational standards. The English Common Core Standards and the NGSS framework should be prioritized seeing that the existing curriculum most closely aligned with these standards.
V.
VI. VII.
VIII.
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OVERALL FINDINGS
Based on results regarding the Coal Conference, Art & Essay Contest, and the Coal Curriculum, the evaluation team developed six overall findings and recommendations for the Coal Education Program. I. II. III. The DCEO Coal Education Program could be updated to provide information about coal in relation to other sources of energy and in national and global contexts. The Coal Conference, Coal Curriculum, and Art & Essay Contest are separate program activities which could be connected to maximize impact. The Coal Conference is highly valued by many stakeholder groups for its mine tours and classroom resources. The Conference could be improved by revitalizing instructional sessions, increasing connections to current educational standards, and providing more opportunities for classroom applications. The Coal Curriculum could be improved by focusing on scientific content, balance of perspectives, and alignment with educational standards. The Art & Essay Contest is valued by current participants. The Contest could be improved reaching more students from different regions of the state and by providing prompts that address multiple perspectives on coal and the impacts of coal. High-quality educational resources on coal and energy are nationally developed and publicly available.
IV. V.
VI.
OVERALL RECOMMENDATIONS
I. II. III. IV. DCEO should take a phased approach to revitalize the Coal Education Program and implement these recommendations over the next twenty-four months. The Coal Conference, Coal Curriculum, and Art & Essay Contest should be integrated to create a coherent program and maximize impact. The Coal Conference should continue in a streamlined format that emphasizes the mine tours and applications to the classroom. The current Coal Curriculum should be retired and new or existing curriculum should be utilized. This curriculum should provide high-quality scientific content, a balance of perspectives, and present coal as part of an energy portfolio in national and global contexts. The Art and Essay Contest should continue with several enhancements. The Contest should engage more teachers and students from different regions of the state. Prompts should be aligned with educational learning standards and reflect a balance of perspectives on coal and its impacts. DCEO should utilize existing resources that provide high-quality scientific content and a balance of perspectives.
V.
VI.
APPENDICES A Coal Education Program Recruitment Materials B Approval and Data Collection Instruments C Survey Results D Benchmarking Study Results E Standards Alignment Results F Expert Curriculum Review Results G Resources
APPENDIX A COAL EDUCATION PROGRAM RECRUITMENT MATERIALS A1. 2012 Coal Conference Brochure ....................................................................................... A1 A2. 2013 Art & Essay Contest Brochure ................................................................................ A3
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APPENDIX A: PROGRAM RECRUITMENT MATERIALS
Springfield, IL Permit No. 530
Professional & Academic Credit Options

As an approved Authorized Provider of Professional Development, the Office of Coal Development will offer CPDUs to conference participants. By attending all the sessions, conference participants can receive approximately 27 CPDUs.
PRST STD U.S. Postage
State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity From the Coal Mines to the Classrooms
Registration
To register, please complete the attached registration form and mail or fax it to the address below by April 16, 2012. Receipt of this registration form will be confirmed. Detailed conference information will be sent to registrants after the registration deadline. If you have any questions or would like additional information about the conference, please contact Linda Dunbar at the Office of Coal Development. Address all correspondence to: Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Office of Coal Development Coal Education Conference 500 E. Monroe Street Springfield, IL 62701. Phone: 217/558-2648 Fax: 217/558-2647 E-mail: Linda.Dunbar@illinois.gov Web Site: http://www.illinoiscoal.biz
Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity 500 East Monroe Street Springfield, IL 62701
Printed by the Authority of the State of Illinois. W.O. 12-042 10.2M IOCI 12-482 12/11
PAID
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15th Annual Illinois

Coal Education Conference
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunitys Office of Coal Development is pleased to sponsor the Fifteenth Annual Illinois Coal Education Conference. Teachers are invited to southern Illinois for an exciting summer conference exploring the Illinois coal industry and issues regarding its future. Conference dates are June 19-22, 2012. The conference will begin with a welcome luncheon at noon on Tuesday, June 19th. An all-day field trip will be held on Wednesday, June 20th, and the conference will conclude by 11:30 am on Friday, June 22th. The goal of the conference is to give teachers the knowledge and learning tools to incorporate coal education into their lesson plans, as well as learn other uses for one of the states most abundant and valuable natural resources. There is no conference fee. Lodging and meals will be provided at no cost to the participants. Conference participants will be assigned two to a room.
OFFICE USE ONLY

Date received: _____________ Confirm: _____________
15th Annual Illinois Coal Education Conference
To register for this conference, please complete the information below and mail to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Office of Coal Development, 500 East Monroe Street, Springfield, IL 62701 or fax 217/558-2647. Registration forms must be received by April 16, 2012.
Please Print
Name (Dr., Mr., Mrs., Ms.) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Home Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ City _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ State _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Zip _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Home Phone (_______) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ E-mail _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ School _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ School Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ City _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ State _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Zip _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ School Phone (_______) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Grade Level _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Subject(s) Currently teaching_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Location
The conference will be held at the Rend Lake Resort. The resort is in Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park, six miles north of Benton and four miles west of I-57, Exit 77, off Illinois 154.
c Classroom Teacher
c Principal
Sessions
This four-day training will consist of lectures, tours and hands-on activities that are correlated to the Illinois Learning Standards. Topics to be addressed during the conference are the formation/geology of coal, a historical look at coal mining, land reclamation, clean coal technology, generating electricity, economics of coal, coal bed methane, and coal and the environment. A field trip is planned to tour a surface mine, underground mine and power plant.
Other _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ I would like to room with _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

(Roommate must be conference participant)
I want to go underground c Yes c No Belt Size _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Boot Size _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Any health problems/special dietary needs we should know about? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
c CPDU c No Credit
A2. 2013 Art & Essay Contest Brochure
Appendix A: Coal Education Program Recruitment Materials
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Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Office of Coal Development 500 East Monroe Street Springfield, IL 62701
State of Illinois Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
he Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunitys 25th Annual Art & Essay Contest, open to all Illinois fifth through eighth-grade students, provides the opportunity to learn about our states most substantial natural resource, COAL. The contest is designed to highlight the heritage and importance of Illinois coal and the coal mining industry. The visual/written entries will demonstrate the students understanding of how coal is formed, mined or transported, as well as its impact on our daily lives.
Art Division
Posters are judged on originality, technique, visual impact and message as it relates to Illinois coal. Posters must be created in one of the specified medias and must be horizontal on 12 x 18 white paper. A panel of judges will select 13 posters one for each month and the first-place poster will be featured on the 2014 Coal Calendar cover.
Entries
Entries should express the impact of coal on everyday life in Illinois communities. Artwork/essays should be specific to ILLINOIS. Suggested topics include: is coal mining today different from coal mining How in the early 1900s?
Essay Division
Essays must be the original work of the students. Essays should be creative, inspiring and demonstrate what the students have learned from their research. Poems are acceptable. A panel of judges will select 12 essays, and one of the 12 essays will be chosen as the first-place essay winner and will be given special recognition in the 2014 Coal Calendar.
How are new coal power plants different than those built in the 1950s?
What coal means to our state historical figures or events in Illinois Important coal industry
Job opportunities and careers in Illinois coal industry How have mine safety laws and regulations improved mining conditions and coal miner safety? How has Illinois coal played a role in the history of my family or community? Methods of transporting Illinois coal
Judging
Entries are reviewed by a panel of representatives from the industry and education fields. All decisions of the judges are final. Artwork and essay entries will not be returned. They will become the property of the contest sponsor and may be used in promotional documents for Illinois coal. Reasonable care will be taken to ensure the safety of all work. However, the contest sponsor will not be responsible for damage or theft during shipping.
Deadline
Artwork/essays with completed forms must be received no later than March 4, 2013. Due to the increased cost of mailing, we encourage teachers to select and submit the best entries.
SPRINGFIELD, IL PERMIT NO. 530 PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE
A list of research resources can be found at www.illinoisbiz.biz/dceo/Bureaus/Coal/Education/
PAID
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25th Annual Coal Calendar Art & Essay Contest Student Entry Form
(Please print)
Prizes
T o commemorate the 25th year of the calendar contest, the Illinois Clean Coal Institute will award a lap top and projector to the school submitting the most entries and a second lap top and projector to the school with the highest percentage of participating eligible students based on enrollment. A drawing will be held in case of a tie. Therefore, it is necessary for each supervising teacher to record the number of participating students and the number of eligible students enrolled in their school on the Teacher Entry Form. The first-place poster winner and first-place essay winner will receive $100, and the other poster and essay winners will each receive $50 provided by the Illinois Coal Association. Winning students will also receive complimentary copies of the 2014 Illinois Coal Calendar in which their artwork/essays will be displayed. The first-place poster entry will be featured on the cover of the calendar, and the first-place essay entry will have special recognition in the calendar. The Illinois Coal Association will present to the first-place poster winners school a monetary award for its art program and will also present to the firstplace essay winners school a monetary award for the schools writing/research/library program. Each teacher with a winning student will be recognized with an award to display in his/her classroom. All students participating in the contest will receive a participation gift.
Guidelines
Please use the following checklist to ensure that all entries are eligible.
Student Name ______________________________________________________________ Home Address ______________________________________________________________ City __________________________ State _______________ Zip ______________ Home Phone ( ) ________________________________________________________ School __________________________________________________ Grade __________ Classroom Teacher __________________________________________________________ Art Essay (check one)
Entries must be created by students who are currently in the fifth through eighth grade. The student entry form must be fully completed and securely taped to the back of each entry. Each teacher must submit one teacher entry form per class. The number of participating students and school enrollment must be recorded on each teacher entry form. The teacher will receive recognition if his/her student is a winner. Posters may be done in marker, crayon, watercolor, ink, acrylic or tempera paint. Posters must be reproducible. Avoid materials that are difficult to reproduce such as chalk, colored pencils, glitter, beads or three-dimensional art. Posters must be flat. Please refrain from sending folded, matted, mounted, rolled or framed artwork. Art entries must be done horizontally on white 12 x 18 paper. Entries should not contain any copyrighted or trademarked images or material. Essays should be at least one page and no more than two pages in length. Essays may be neatly handwritten or typed, double spaced, on one side of the paper only. Copied material should be indicated by quotations. Essays should have a works cited page.
Title ________________________________________________________________________
Note: Each entry must have one of these forms taped securely to the back. This form may be copied.
cut along dotted line
25th Annual Coal Calendar Art & Essay Supervising Teacher Entry Form
(Please print)
Please complete & submit one form with your classroom entries. Name ______________________________________________________________________ School __________________________________________________ Grade __________ School Address ______________________________________________________________ City __________________________ State _______________ Zip ______________ School Phone ( ) ______________________________________________________ E-mail ______________________________________________________________________ Principal ____________________________________________________________________ Number of essays submitted ________ Number of posters submitted ________
Award Ceremony
An award ceremony to recognize the 25 of the contest will be held during May Springfield. At that time, the awards presented to the students, the teachers school principals of the winning schools. winners 2013 in will be and the
Number of students participating in contest ________ Number of eligible students enrolled in your school ________
Return completed entry form by March 4, 2013 to: Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Office of Coal Development, Attn: Illinois Coal Calendar Contest, 500 East Monroe Street, Springfield, IL 62701.
Printed by the Authority of the State of Illinois W.O. 13-010 9.5M 9/12 IOCI 13-113
APPENDIX B APPROVAL AND DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS B1. Institutional Review Board Approval .............................................................................. B1 B2. Coal Conference: Illinois State Board of Education Survey .......................................... B3 B3. Coal Conference: Pre-Conference Survey ...................................................................... B5 B4. Coal Conference: End-of-Conference Survey ................................................................. B7 B5. Art & Essay Contest: Art & Essay Contest Survey ...................................................... B11 B6. Coal Curriculum: Standards Alignment Templates and Surveys ............................... B15 B7. Coal Curriculum: Science Content Expert Rubric and Survey .................................. B33 B8. Coal Curriculum: Survey of Teachers Who Received the Curriculum .................... B37 B9. Coal Education Program: Staff Interview Protocol...................................................... B49 B10. Coal Education Program: Focus Group Protocols ..................................................... B51 B11. Coal Education Program: Stakeholder Survey ........................................................... B53
B1 APPENDIX B: APPROVAL AND DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS B1. Institutional Review Board Approval
Appendix B: Approval and Data Collection Instruments
B3
B2. Coal Conference: Illinois State Board of Education Survey
Appendix B: Approval and Data Collection Instrument
B5
Part I. General Information

Group (Please circle one):
B3. Coal Conference: Pre-Conference Survey Coal Education Conference PreEvaluation Form
K3
46
78
912
Part II. Please indicate the degree to which you agree with the following statements:
Item 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. I know a lot about the coal industry. The textbook I use has lessons about coal. I teach my students about coal and other sources of energy. Ive learned what I know about coal from personal experiences. Ive learned what I know about coal from media (news, t.v., etc.) Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree
Please provide any additional information related with these questions.
Appendix B: Approval and Data Collection Instruments B7
B4. Coal Conference: End-of-Conference Survey

CoalEducationConferenceEvaluationForm PartI.GeneralInformation Date:_________ConferenceRole(teacher,groupleader,other): Group(Pleasecircleone): Ethnicity: K3 46 78 912 ____ Gender:
Ifyouareateacher,pleaseindicatethefollowing.Ifnot,pleaseskipthissectiontoPartII. Yearsofteachingexperience:________ Contentarea:______________________ Grade/syoucurrentlyteach:______
Region(Pleasecircleone):North Central South Very Didnot Useful Attend
PartII.Towhatextentwerethefollowingpresentationsoractivitiesusefultoyou: Presentation/Activity Notatall Somewhat Neutral Useful Useful Useful 1. WelcomeLunch:IllinoisStateGeological SurveyIllinoisEnergyPortfolio 2. ISBEStateScienceStandards 3. UndergroundMining 4. IllinoisCoalFormation/Geology 5. SurfaceMining 6. CoaltoElectricity 7. HandsonClassroomEducationalTools 8. TurnoftheCenturyCoalMining CompanyisHiringaFewGoodMen 9. TourtoSurfaceMine 10. TourtoUndergroundMine 11. TourtoPowerPlant 12. MineSafety/Ventilation 13. GeologicSequestration 14. CoalPrepPlants 15. CoalBedMethane 16. ISTEMEducationInitiative 17. EconomicsofCoal 18. UndergroundMining,Permitting,& EnvironmentalProtection 19. CleanCoalTechnologyatPowerPlants andCoalByproducts 20. SurfaceMining,PastandPresent, PermittingandReclamation 21. TheGoodOleDaysofCoalMining 22. ReceptionhostedbyCaterpillar 23. CoalJeopardy 24. CareersinMiningandTourRendLake CollegeMiningTrainingCenter 25. CoalintheClassroomwithGroupLeader
B8
Foritems125,ifyoumarkedNotatallUsefulorSomewhatUseful,pleaseexpand.Whatcouldhavemadeit moreuseful? Pleaseprovideanyadditionalinformationrelatedwiththesequestions. PartIII.Pleaseindicatethedegreetowhichyouagreewiththefollowingstatements: Item 26. Ifoundtheconferencebeneficialtomy professionaldevelopment. 27. Theconferenceimprovedmyknowledgeand understandingofcoalandrelatedtopics. 28. Theconferenceimprovedmyknowledgeand understandingofsocialandenvironmental issuesrelatedtocoaluse. 29. TheknowledgeIgainedattheconferencewill bevaluableformyteaching. 30. Theconferenceallowedmetodevelop professionalrelationshipswithotherteachers. 31. Ifoundthecontentofthepresentations informative. 32. Informationprovidedattheconference presentedmanyperspectivesonthecoal industry. 33. Theformatoftheconferencewaseffective. 34. Theconferencewaswellorganized. 35. Thefoodandrefreshmentswereadequate. Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree
Foritems2231,ifyoumarkedStronglyDisagreeorDisagree,pleaseexpand. Pleaseprovideanyadditionalinformationrelatedwiththesequestions.
Appendix B: Approval and Data Collection Instruments B9

PartIV.Pleaserespondtothefollowingquestions. 36. Whatwasthemostvaluableaspectoftheconference? 37. Whatwastheleastvaluableaspectoftheconference? 38. Whatimprovementswouldyousuggestfortheconference?(Pleaseprovide12examples). 39. Inwhatwaysmightyouusetheinformationfromthisconferenceinyourclassroom?(Pleaseprovide12 examples). 40. Pleaselist23additionaltopicsyouwouldliketoseepresentationsonatnextyearsconference. 41. Pleaseprovideadditionalcommentsabouttheconference. Thankyouforcompletingthissurvey!Wegreatlyappreciateyourinput.
B11
B5. Art & Essay Contest: Art & Essay Contest Survey 1. Thank you for considering participating in this evaluation of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Coal Education Program. The evaluation is being conducted by an independent team at the University of Illinois. Our purpose is to provide an objective, balanced and inclusive judgment of the quality of this program so that our findings may contribute to its improvement. In this survey, we will ask you some questions about the Art & Essay Contest led by the DCEO Coal Education Program. The information that we obtain will be confidential. All data will be stored in a locked office, and your responses to the survey will be made available only to project personnel. We will only include group-level, aggregate data in our reports. We will not report any information that could be traced back to or identified with an individual respondent in the evaluation. We expect the survey to take about 5 minutes. We anticipate no risk to participating in this research other than what might be experienced in normal life. Your participation in this evaluation is wholly voluntary. You may skip any questions and, at any point, you may discontinue your participation. Evaluation findings will be distributed to staff members of DCEO and may be made available to participants at their request. Data collected will be used for research and evaluation purposes only. Lessons learned may be offered in scholarly articles, with no identifying information reported. If you have any questions, you may contact Sallie Greenberg at sallieg@illinois.edu or 217-244-4068. For questions about your rights as a participant in research involving human subjects, please feel free to contact the University of Illinois Institutional Review Board (IRB) Office- irb@illinois.edu or (217) 3332670. You are welcome to call collect if you identify yourself as a research participant. Please indicate below if you give your consent to participate in this survey. Yes, I give my consent. No, I do NOT give my consent. Please indicate your familiarity with the DCEO Art & Essay contest. If you select 'not at all', this survey is not appropriate for you. You may exit out of this window. Otherwise, please select the right arrow below to continue taking this survey. 2. How familiar are you with the DCEO Art & Essay Contest? Please indicate your familiarity with the DCEO Art & Essay contest. If you select 'not at all', this survey is not appropriate for you. You may exit out of this window. Otherwise, please select the right arrow below to continue taking this survey. Very familiar A little familiar Not at all
B12 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation 3. Which school district are you affiliated with? (i.e. you teach or work at)
Please check all that apply. 4. Which grade(s) do you teach? Please check all that apply. 5th 6th 7th 8th Other Enter text 5. For how many years have your students participated in the DCEO Art & Essay Contest? Never 1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years 5 or more years Please rate your satisfaction with each aspect of the contest. 6. Suggested essay topics Please rate your satisfaction with each aspect of the contest. Very dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very satisfied I don't remember the topics.
B13
7. Selection of art winners Very dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very satisfied 8. Selection of essay winners Very dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very satisfied 9. Reception and award ceremony Very dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very satisfied 10. Individual student awards Very dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very satisfied 11. How did your student or child hear about the contest?
B14 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation 12. Why did your student or child choose to participate in the contest?
13. Is the Art & Essay Contest connected with other learning objectives, lessons, or assignments? If so, which ones and how?
14. What are the benefits of participating in the DCEO Art & Essay Contest?
15. What improvements could be made to the DCEO Art & Essay Contest?
16. Please provide any additional comments.
B15
B6. Coal Curriculum: Standards Alignment Templates and Surveys ENGLISH COMMON CORE STANDARDS: K-4 CURRICULUM
Lessons Reclamation: Our Productive Resources at Work Tie-Ins
COMMON CORE STANDARDS
What Good Does Coal Serve?
To Surface Mine or Underground Rocks & Mine? Minerals
The Environment
Technology and Types of Mining
Illinois History
Reading and Social Studies Writing About and MoneyCoal-Related Making Coal Careers
Reading: Informational Text Key Ideas and Details RI. K.1 RI. K.2 RI.K.3 RI. 1.1 RI. 1.2 RI. 1.3 RI. 2.1 RI. 2.2 RI. 2.3 RI. 3.1 RI. 3.2 RI. 3.3 RI. 4.1 RI. 4.2 RI. 4.3 Craft and Structure RI. K.4 RI. K.5 RI. K.6 RI. 1.4 RI. 1.5 RI. 1.6
SCALE:0=Notaddressed;1=Marginallyaddressed2=Adequatelyaddressed
B16
ENGLISH COMMON CORE STANDARDS: K-4 CURRICULUM


RI. 2.4 RI. 2.5 RI. 2.6 RI. 3.4 RI. 3.5 RI. 3.6 RI. 4.4 RI. 4.5 RI. 4.6
The Environment
Illinois History
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas RI. K.7 RI. K.8 RI. K.9 RI. 1.7 RI. 1.8 RI. 1.9 RI. 2.7 RI. 2.8 RI. 2.9 RI. 3.7 RI. 3.8 RI. 3.9 RI. 4.7 RI. 4.8 RI. 4.9
B17

The Environment
Illinois History
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity RI. K.10 RI. 1.10 RI. 2.10 RI. 3.10 RI. 4.10 Writing Text Types and Purposes W. K.1 W. K.2 W. K.3 W. 1.1 W. 1.2 W. 1.3 W. 2.1 W. 2.2 W. 2.3 W. 3.1 W. 3.2 W. 3.3 W. 4.1 W. 4.2 W. 4.3
B18

The Environment
Illinois History
Production and Distribution of Writing W. K.4 W. K.5 W. K.6 W. 1.4 W. 1.5 W. 1.6 W. 2.4 W. 2.5 W. 2.6 W. 3.4 W. 3.5 W. 3.6 W. 4.4 W. 4.5 W. 4.6 Research to Build and Present Knowledge W.K.7 W.K.8 W.K.9 W. 1.7 W. 1.8 W. 1.9 W. 2.7 W. 2.8
B19


W. 2.9 W. 3.7 W. 3.8 W. 3.9 W. 4.7 W. 4.8 W. 4.9 Range of Writing W.K.10 W. 1.10 W. 2.10 W. 3.10 W. 4.10
The Environment
Illinois History
Speaking and Listening Comprehension and Collaboration SL. K.1 SL. K.2 SL. K.3 SL. K.4 SL. K.5 SL. K.6 SL. 1.1 SL. 1.2 SL. 1.3 SL. 2.1
B20

The Environment
Illinois History
SL. 2.2 SL. 2.3 SL. 3.1 SL. 3.2 SL. 3.3 SL. 3.4 SL. 3.5 SL. 3.6 SL. 4.1 SL. 4.2 SL. 4.3 Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas SL. 1.4 SL. 1.5 SL. 1.6 SL. 2.4 SL. 2.5 SL. 2.6 SL. 4.4 SL. 4.5 SL. 4.6
B21
K-4 ENGLISH COMMON CORE STANDARDS
ReadingInformationalText
KeyIdeasandDetails K.1 K.2 K.3 1.1 1.2 1.3 2.1 2.2 2.3 3.1 3.2 3.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 CraftandStructure K.4 K.5 K.6 1.4 1.5 Withpromptingandsupport,askandanswerquestionsaboutkeydetailsinatext. Withpromptingandsupport,identifythemaintopicandretellkeydetailsofatext. Withpromptingandsupport,describetheconnectionbetweentwoindividuals,events,ideas,orpiecesofinformationina text. Askandanswerquestionsaboutkeydetailsinatext. Identifythemaintopicandretellkeydetailsofatext. Describetheconnectionbetweentwoindividuals,events,ideas,orpiecesofinformationinatext. Askandanswersuchquestionsaswho,what,where,when,why,andhowtodemonstrateunderstandingofkeydetailsina text. Identifythemaintopicofamultiparagraphtextaswellasthefocusofspecificparagraphswithinthetext. Describetheconnectionbetweenaseriesofhistoricalevents,scientificideasorconcepts,orstepsintechnicalprocedures inatext. Askandanswerquestionstodemonstrateunderstandingofatext,referringexplicitlytothetextasthebasisforthe answers. Determinethemainideaofatext;recountthekeydetailsandexplainhowtheysupportthemainideas. Describetherelationshipbetweenaseriesofhistoricalevents,scientificideasorconcepts,orstepsintechnicalprocedures inatext,usinglanguagethatpertainstotime,sequence,andcause/effect. Determinethemeaningofgeneralacademicanddomainspecificwordsorphrasesinatextrelevanttoagrade4topicor subjectarea. Describetheoverallstructureofevents,ideas,concepts,orinformationinatextorpartofatext. Compareandcontrastafirsthandandsecondhandaccountofthesameeventortopic;describethedifferencesinfocus andtheinformationprovided. Withpromptingandsupport,askandanswerquestionsaboutunknownwordsinatext. Identifythefrontcover,backcover,andtitlepageofabook. Nametheauthorandillustratorofatextanddefinetheroleofeachinpresentingtheideasofinformationinatext. Askandanswerquestionstohelpdetermineorclarifythemeaningofwordsandphrasesinatext. Knowandusevarioustextfeatures(headings,tableofcontents).
B22

1.6 2.4 2.5 2.6 3.4 3.5 3.6 Distinguishbetweeninformationprovidedbypicturesorotherillustrationsandinformationprovidedbythewordsina text. Determinethemeaningofwordsandphrasesinatextrelevanttothegrade2topicorsubjectarea. Knowandusevarioustextfeatures(glossaries,indexes)tolocatekeyfactsorinformationinatextefficiently.
Determinethemeaningofgeneralacademicanddomainspecificwordsandphrasesinatextrelevanttoagrade3topicor subjectarea. Usetextfeaturesandsearchtoolstolocateinformationrelevanttoagiventopicefficiently. Distinguishtheirownpointofviewfromthatoftheauthorofatext. Refertodetailsandexamplesinatextwhenexplainingwhatthetextsaysexplicitlyandwhendrawinginferencesfromthe 4.1 text. 4.2 Determinethemainideasofatextandexplainhowitissupportedbykeydetails;summarizethetext. Explainevents,procedures,ideas,orconceptsinahistorical,scientific,ortechnicaltext,includingwhathappenedandwhy, 4.3 basedonscientificinformationinthetext. IntegrationofKnowledgeandIdeas K.7 K.8 K.9 1.7 1.8 1.9 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.7 3.8 3.9 Withpromptingandsupport,describetherelationshipbetweenillustrationsandthetextinwhichtheyappear. Withpromptingandsupport,identifythereasonsanauthorgivestosupportpointsinatext. Withpromptingandsupport,identifybasicsimilaritiesinanddifferencesbetweentwotextsonthesametopic. Usetheillustrationsanddetailsinatexttodescribethekeyideas. Identifythereasonsanauthorgivestosupportpointsinatext. Identifybasicsimilaritiesinanddifferencesbetweentwotextsonthesametopic. Explainhowspecificimagescontributetoandclarifyatext. Describehowreasonssupportspecificpointstheauthormakesinatext. Compareandcontrastthemostimportantpointspresentedbytwotextsonthesametopic. Useinformationgainedfromillustrationsandthewordsinatexttodemonstrateunderstandingofthetext. Describethelogicalconnectionbetweenparticularsentencesandparagraphsinatext. Compareandcontrastthemostimportantpointsandkeydetailspresentedintwotextsonthesametopic.
B23

4.7 4.8 Interpretinformationpresentedvisually,orally,orquantitativelyandexplainhowtheinformationcontributestoan understandingofthetextinwhichitappears. Explainhowanauthorusesreasonsandevidencetosupportparticularlypointsinatext.
4.9 Integrateinformationfromtwotextsonthesametopicinordertowriteorspeakaboutthesubjectknowledgeably. RangeofReadingandLevelofTextComplexity K.10 Activelyengageingroupreadingactivitieswithpurposeandunderstanding. 1.10 Withpromptingandsupport,readinformationaltextsappropriatelycomplexforgrade1. Bytheendofyear,readandcomprehendinformationaltexts,includinghistory/socialstudies,science,andtechnicaltexts, inthegrades23textcomplexitybandproficiently,withscaffoldingasneededatthehighendoftherange. Bytheendoftheyear,readandcomprehendinformationaltexts,includinghistory/socialstudies,science,andtechnical texts,atthehighendofthegrades23textcomplexitybandindependentlyandproficiently. Bytheendofyear,readandcomprehendinformationaltexts,includingthehistory/socialstudiesscience,andtechnical texts,inthegrades45textcomplexitybandproficiently,withscaffoldingasneededatthehighendoftherange.
2.10 3.10
4.10
B24
Writing
TextTypesandPurposes Useacombinationofdrawing,dictating,andwritingtocomposeopinionpiecesinwhichtheytellareaderthetopicorthe nameofthebooktheyarewritingaboutandstateanopinionorpreferenceaboutthetopicorbook. Useacombinationofdrawing,dictating,andwritingtocomposeinformative/explanatorytextsinwhichtheynamewhat theyarewritingaboutandsupplysomeinformationaboutthetopic. Useacombinationofdrawing,dictating,andwritingtonarrateasingleeventorseverallooselylinkedevents,tellabout theeventsintheorderinwhichtheyoccurred,andprovideareactiontowhathappened. Writeopinionpiecesinwhichtheyintroducethetopicornamethebooktheyarewritingabout,stateanopinion,supplya reasonfortheopinion,andprovidesomesenseofclosure. Writeinformative/explanatorytextsinwhichtheynameatopic,supplysomefactsaboutthetopic,andprovidesome senseofclosure. Writenarrativesinwhichtheyrecounttwoormoreappropriatelysequencedevents,includesomedetailsregardingwhat happened,usetemporalwordstosignaleventorder,andprovidesomesenseofclosure. Writeopinionpiecesinwhichtheyintroducethetopicorbooktheyarewritingabout,stateanopinion,supplyreasonsthat supporttheopinion,uselinkingwordstoconnectopinionandreasons,andprovideaconcludingstatementorsection. Writeinformative/explanatorytextsinwhichtheyintroduceatopic,usefactsanddefinitionstodeveloppoints,and provideaconcludingstatementorsection. Writenarrativesinwhichtheyrecountawellelaboratedeventorshortsequenceofevents,includedetailstodescribe actions,thoughts,andfeelings,usetemporalwordstosignaleventorder,andprovideasenseofclosure. Writeopinionpiecesontopicsortexts,supportingapointofviewwithreasons. Writeinformative/explanatorytextstoexamineatopicandconveyideasandinformationclearly. Writenarrativestodeveloprealorimaginedexperiencesoreventsusingeffectivetechnique,descriptivedetails,andclear eventsequences. Writeopinionpiecesontopicsortexts,supportingapointofviewwithreasonsandinformation. Writeinformative/explanatorytextstoexamineatopicandconveyideasandinformationclearly. Writenarrativestodeveloprealorimaginedexperiencesoreventsusingeffectivetechnique,descriptivedetails,andclear eventsequences.
K.1 K.2 K.3 1.1 1.2 1.3
2.1 2.2
2.3 3.1 3.2 3.3 4.1 4.2 4.3
B25

ProductionandDistributionofWriting n/a K.4 Withguidanceandsupportfromadults,respondtoquestionsandsuggestionsfrompeersandadddetailstostrengthen writingasneeded. K.5 Withguidanceandsupportfromadults,exploreavarietyofdigitaltoolstoproduceandpublishwriting,includingin collaborationwithpeers. K.6 n/a 1.4 Withguidanceandsupportfromadults,focusonatopic,respondtoquestionsandsuggestionsfrompeers,andadddetails tostrengthenwritingasneeded. 1.5 Withguidanceandsupportfromadults,useavarietyofdigitaltoolstoproduceandpublishwriting,includingin collaborationwithpeers. 1.6 n/a 2.4 Withguidanceandsupportfromadultsandpeers,focusonatopicandstrengthenwritingasneededbyrevisingand editing. 2.5 Withguidanceandsupportfromadults,useavarietyofdigitaltoolstoproduceandpublishwriting,includingin collaborationwithpeers. 2.6 Withguidanceandsupportfromadults,producewritinginwhichthedevelopmentandorganizationareappropriateto taskandpurpose. 3.4 Withguidanceandsupportfrompeersandadults,developandstrengthenwritingasneededbyplanning,revising,and editing. 3.5 Withguidanceandsupportfromadults,usetechnologytoproduceandpublishwritingaswellastointeractand collaboratewithothers. 3.6 Produceclearandcoherentwritinginwhichthedevelopmentandorganizationareappropriatetotask,purpose,and audience. 4.4 Withguidanceandsupportfrompeersandadults,developandstrengthenwritingasneededbyplanning,revising,and editing. 4.5 Withsomeguidanceandsupportfromadults,usetechnology,includingtheInternet,toproduceandpublishwritingaswell astointeractandcollaboratewithothers;demonstratesufficientcommandofkeyboardingskillstotypeaminimumofone page inonesetting. 4.6
B26

ResearchtoBuildandPresentKnowledge Participateinsharedresearchandwriting. K.7 Withguidanceandsupportfromadults,recallinformationfromexperiencesorgatherinformationfromprovidedsources toansweraquestion. K.8 n/a K.9 Participateinsharedresearchandwritingprojects. 1.7 Withguidanceandsupportfromadults,recallinformationfromexperiencesorgatherinformationfromprovidedsources toansweraquestion. 1.8 n/a 1.9 Participateinsharedresearchandwritingprojects. 2.7 Recallinformationfromexperiencesorgatherinformationfromprovidedsourcestoansweraquestion. 2.8 n/a 2.9 Conductshortresearchprojectsthatbuildknowledgeaboutatopic. 3.7 Recallinformationfromexperiencesorgatherinformationfromprintanddigitalsources;takebriefnotesonsourcesand sortevidenceintoprovidedcategories. 3.8 n/a 3.9 Conductshortresearchprojectsthatbuildknowledgethroughinvestigationofdifferentaspectsofatopic. 4.7 Recallrelevantinformationfromexperiencesorgatherrelevantinformationfromprintanddigitalsoruces;takenotesand categorizeinformation,andprovidealistofsources. 4.8 Drawevidencefromliteraryorinformationaltextstosupportanalysis,reflection,andresearch. 4.9 RangeofWriting n/a K.10 n/a 1.10 n/a 2.10 Writeroutinelyoverextendedtimeframesandshortertimeframesforarangeofdisciplinespecifictasks,purposes,and audiences. 3.10 Writeroutinelyoverextendedtimeframesandshortertimeframesforarangeofdisciplinespecifictasks,purposesand audiences.
4.10
B27
SpeakingandListening
ComprehensionandCollaboration Participateincollaborativeconversationswithdiversepartnersaboutkindergartentopicsandtextswithpeersandadults insmallandlargergroups. K.1 Confirmunderstandingofatextreadaloudorinformationpresentedorallyorthroughothermediabyaskingand answeringquestionsaboutkeydetailsandrequestingclarificationifsomethingisnotunderstood. Askandanswerquestionsinordertoseekhelp,getinformation,orclarifysomethingthatisnotunderstood. Participateincollaborativeconversationswithdiversepartnersaboutgrade1topicsandtextswithpeersandadultsin smallandlargergroups. Askandanswerquestionsaboutkeydetailsinatextreadaloudorinformationpresentedorallyorthroughothermedia. Askandanswerquestionsaboutwhataspeakersaysinordertogatheradditionalinformationorclarifysomethingthatis notunderstood. Participateincollaborativeconversationswithdiversepartnersaboutgrade2topicsandtextswithpeersandadultsin smallandlargergroups. Recountordescribekeyideasordetailsfromatextreadaloudorinformationpresentedorallyorthroughothermedia. Askandanswerquestionsaboutwhataspeakersaysinordertoclarifycomprehension,gatheradditionalinformation,or deepenunderstandingofatopicorissue. Engageeffectivelyinarangeofcollaborativediscussionswithdiversepartnersongrade3topicsandtexts,buildingon others'ideasandexpressingtheirownclearly. Determinethemainideasandsupportingdetailsofatextreadaloudorinformationpresentedindiversemediaand formats. Askandanswerquestionsaboutinformationfromaspeaker,offeringappropriateelaborationanddetail. Engageeffectivelyinarangeofcollaborativediscussionswithdiversepartnersongrade4topicsandtexts,buildingon others'ideasandexpressingtheirownclearly. Paraphraseportionsofatextreadaloudorinformationpresentedindiversemediaandformats. Identifythereasonsandevidenceaspeakerprovidestosupportparticularpoints.
K.2 K.3 1.1 1.2 1.3 2.1 2.2 2.3 3.1 3.2 3.3 4.1 4.2 4.3
B28

PresentationofKnowledgeandIdeas K.4 K.5 K.6 1.4 1.5 1.6 2.4 2.5 2.6 3.4 3.5 3.6 4.4 4.5 4.6 Describefamiliarpeople,places,things,andeventsand,withpromptingandsupport,provideadditionaldetail. Adddrawingsorothervisualdisplaystodescriptionsasdesiredtoprovideadditionaldetail. Speakaudiblyandexpressthoughts,feelings,andideasclearly. Describepeople,places,things,andeventswithrelevantdetails,expressingideasandfeelingsclearly. Adddrawingsorothervisualdisplaystodescriptionsasdesiredtoprovideadditionaldetail. Producecompletesentenceswhenappropriatetotaskandsituation. Tellastoryorrecountanexperiencewithappropriatefactsandrelevant,descriptivedetails,speakingaudiblyincoherent sentences. Createaudiorecordingsofstoriesorpoems;adddrawingsandothervisualdisplays. Producecompletesentenceswhenappropriatetotaskandsituationinordertoproviderequesteddetailorclarification. Reportonatopicortext,tellastory,orrecountanexperiencewithappropriatefactsandrelevant,descriptivedetails, speakingclearlyatanunderstandablepace. Createengagingaudiorecordingsofstoriesorpoemsthatdemonstratefluidreadingatanunderstandablepace. Speakincompletesentenceswhenappropriatetotaskandsituationinordertoproviderequesteddetailorclarification. Reportonatopicortext,tellastory,orrecountanexperiencewithappropriatefactsandrelevant,descriptivedetails, speakingclearlyatanunderstandablepace. Addaudiorecordingsandvisualdisplaystopresentationswhenappropriatetoenhancethedevelopmentofmainideasor themes. DifferentiatebetweencontextsthatcallforformalEnglishandsituationswhereinformaldiscourseisappropriate;use formalEnglishwhenappropriatetotaskandsituation.
B29
Survey for Teachers Standard Alignment Part I. Background Information Grade level of curriculum reviewed: K-4 5-8 9-12 Standards used: Next Generation Science Standards Years of teaching experience: ________________ Grade levels taught: ____________________________ Areas of expertise: _________________________ Part II. General Survey Questions 1. Overall, how well did the curriculum align with the standards you reviewed?
2. What suggestions do you have for improving the curriculum to better align with the standards?
Additional questions on other side.
B30 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation 3. Overall, how appropriate is the curriculum for each grade level?
4. What suggestions do you have for improving the curriculum to be more grade level appropriate?
5. Please provide any additional comments or concerns about the curriculum related with these questions.
B31
Part III. Science Survey Questions (Completed by Science Reviewers only) Directions: This curriculum was developed from an economic education perspective, and there is interest in revising or developing a new curriculum from a science education perspective. We would like to hear your suggestions based on your content area of expertise and knowledge of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). 6. Do any of the existing lessons/tie-ins offer opportunities for science learning? If so, please list the lessons/tie-ins and their strengths for science learning.
7. How could the existing lessons be improved to offer more opportunities for science learning?
8. What additional topics should be added to improve the science education component of the curriculum?
B32 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation 9. Which (if any) NGSS crosscutting concepts or disciplinary core ideas are relevant to a curriculum about coal?
10. What recommendations would you make for revising the existing curriculum or developing a new curriculum from a science education perspective?
11. Please provide any additional concerns or comments about the curriculum.
B33
B7. Coal Curriculum: Science Content Expert Rubric and Survey External Review of the K-12 Curriculum, From the Power Lines to the Coal Mines Directions: Please indicate a 1, 2, 3, or 4 rating for the overall K-12 curriculum on each of the following criteria. Provide any necessary comments related with your rating.
CRITERIA [As defined by] Scientific Content - Accurate information - Comprehensive information - Reliable sources Balance of Perspectives - Representation and balance of the following perspectives: Economic Social Political Environmental Pedagogy - Valuable for science learning - Grade level appropriate - Addresses needs of diverse learners Energy Literacy - Includes instruction related with the energy literacy principles1 POINTS RATING 1 Scientific content is poor throughout the curriculum. The representation and balance of perspectives is poor throughout the curriculum. Pedagogy is poor throughout the curriculum. No energy principles are addressed in the curriculum. 2 Scientific content is poor in some of the lessons and adequate in others. There are a limited number of perspectives represented. A balance of perspectives is poor in some lessons and adequate in others. Pedagogy is poor in some lessons and adequate or of high quality in others. Several energy principles are addressed in the curriculum. 3 Scientific content is accurate, comprehensive, and reliable across the majority of lessons. Most of the perspectives are represented in the curriculum. A balance of perspectives is mostly present in the curriculum. 4 Scientific content is consistently accurate, comprehensive, and reliable throughout the curriculum. All perspectives are represented. A balance of perspectives is present throughout the curriculum. COMMENTS
High quality pedagogy is presented throughout the majority of lessons.
High quality pedagogy is presented throughout the curriculum.
Many energy principles are addressed in the curriculum.
Most energy principles are addressed throughout the curriculum.
ENERGY LITERACY PRINCIPLES1 1. Energy is a physical quantity that follows precise natural laws. 2. Physical processes on Earth are the results of energy flow through the Earth system. 3. Biological processes depend on energy flow through the Earth system. 4. Various sources of energy can be used to power human activities, and often this energy must be transferred from source to destination. 5. Energy decisions are influenced by economic, political, environmental and social factors. 6. The amount of energy used by human society depends on many factors. 7. The quality of life of individuals and societies is affected by energy choices.
1 As outlined in the U.S. Global Change Research Program report titled, Energy Literacy: Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts for Energy Education.
Download at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/education/energy_literacy.html.
B35
Expert Curriculum Review Survey DCEO Program Evaluation I-STEM Education Initiative Part I. Background Information Educational & professional background: Degrees: ______________________________________________________________ Areas of expertise: ______________________________________________________ Professional background related with coal and/or energy: ______________________________________________________________________ Teaching experience (if applicable): Years of teaching experience: ______________________________________________ Grade levels taught: _____________________________________________________ Subject areas taught: ____________________________________________________ Part II. Survey Questions 1.) What aspects of the scientific content need to be improved (i.e. accurate information; comprehensive information; reliable sources, etc.)?
2.) How could the balance of perspectives (i.e. economic, social, political, & environmental) be improved?
B36 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation 3.) In what ways could the pedagogy be improved (i.e. instructional strategies for science learning; grade level appropriateness; needs of diverse learners, etc.)?
4.) How could the curriculum be improved to better address the energy literacy principles (as listed on the bottom of the rubric)?
5.) What other recommendations would you make?
6.) Please provide additional concerns or comments.
B37 B8. Coal Curriculum: Survey of Teachers Who Received the Curriculum
1. Thank you for considering participating in this evaluation of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Coal Education Program. The evaluation is being conducted by an independent team at the University of Illinois. Our purpose is to provide an objective, balanced and inclusive judgment of the quality of this program so that our findings may contribute to its improvement. In this survey, we will ask you some questions about the K-12 DCEO Coal Curriculum, "From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines." The information that we obtain will be confidential. All data will be stored in a locked office, and your responses to the survey will be made available only to project personnel. We will only include group-level, aggregate data in our reports. We will not report any information that could be traced back to or identified with an individual respondent in the evaluation. We expect the survey to take about 5 minutes. We anticipate no risk to participating in this research other than what might be experienced in normal life. Your participation in this evaluation is wholly voluntary. You may skip any questions and, at any point, you may discontinue your participation. Evaluation findings will be distributed to staff members of DCEO and may be made available to participants at their request. Data collected will be used for research and evaluation purposes only. Lessons learned may be offered in scholarly articles, with no identifying information reported. If you have any questions, you may contact Sallie Greenberg at sallieg@illinois.edu or 217-244-4068. For questions about your rights as a participant in research involving human subjects, please feel free to contact the University of Illinois Institutional Review Board (IRB) Office- irb@illinois.edu or (217) 333-2670. You are welcome to call collect if you identify yourself as a research participant. Please indicate below if you give your consent to participate in this survey. Yes, I give my consent. No, I do NOT give my consent.
2. For how many years have you been teaching?
3. Which grade levels do you currently teach?

K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
B38 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation
11 12 Other Enter text
4. Which of the following are your primary content areas?

Biology Chemistry Other Science Social Science History English Math Other Enter text
5. Which school district do you work for?
6. Have you attended the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Coal Education Conference? If so, please indicate which year you attended.
No I don't remember Yes Enter text
B39
7. As a previous attendee of a DCEO Coal Education Conference, you received a copy of the curriculum, "From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines" curriculum. Are you familiar with this curriculum?
Yes No
8. To what extent have you read through this curriculum?

Not at all A little Some A lot
9. To what extent have you used this curriculum?

Not at all Some A little A lot All lessons and tie-ins from each section of the curriculum (i.e. K-4, 5-8 & 9-12) are listed below. Please indicate the usefulness of each lesson/tie-in from the curriculum. Skip questions that relate with grade levels that you do NOT teach.
10. K-4 Lesson: 'What good does coal serve?'

All lessons and tie-ins from each section of the curriculum (i.e. K-4, 5-8 & 9-12) are listed below. Please indicate the usefulness of each lesson/tie-in from the curriculum. Skip questions that relate with grade levels that you do NOT teach. Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
11. K-4 Lesson: 'Reclamation: our productive resources at work'

Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
12. K-4 Lesson: 'To surface mine or underground mine? That is the Question!'
13. K-4 Tie-in: 'Rocks & Minerals'

14. K-4 Tie-In: 'The Environment'

B41
15. K-4 Tie-In: 'Technology and Types of Mining'

16. K-4 Tie-In: 'Illinois History'

17. K-4 Tie-In: 'Social Studies and Money-Making Coal'

18. K-4 Tie-In: 'Reading and Writing about Coal-related Careers'

19. 5-8 Lesson: 'Density'

20. 5-8 Lesson: 'The Demand for Coal'

21. 5-8 Lesson: 'Discover the Power of Illinois Coal: Persuasive Essays'
22. 5-8 Tie-In: 'Economics'

B43
23. 5-8 Tie-In: 'Careers'

24. 5-8Tie-In: 'Botany'

25. 5-8 Tie-In: 'Mine Safety and Ventilation'

26. 5-8 Tie-In: 'Environmental Issues'

27. 5-8 Tie-In: 'Geology/Earth History'

28. 9-12 Lesson: 'Can My Company Make a Profit in the Development of a New Coal Mine?'
29. 9-12 Lesson: 'Illinois History: The Role of Illinois Coal Industry in Illinois Economics'
30. 9-12 Lesson: 'Coal, Clean Air, and the Economy'

B45
31. 9-12 Tie-In: 'Do the Math: Coal by Numbers'

32. 9-12 Tie-In: 'Laws Influencing the Coal Industry in Illinois'

33. 9-12 Tie-In: 'Early Coal Economics: Company Stores'

33. 9-12 Tie-In: 'Early Coal Economics: Company Stores' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
34. 9-12 Tie-In: 'Individuals and the Shaping of the Coal Industry'
35. 9-12 Tie-In: 'Illinois Coal as a Topic for Discovery'

36. 9-12 Tie-In: 'Coal, Chemistry, and the Environment'

37. If you indicated "not at all useful" for any of the previous items, please expand here.
38. What are the most useful aspects of the curriculum?
B47
39. What are the least useful aspects of the curriculum?
40. What suggestions for improving the curriculum do you have?
41. Please provide any additional comments about the Coal Curriculum.
Survey provided by Web Services in Public Affairs
B49
B9. Coal Education Program: Staff Interview Protocol 1. How would you describe the purpose(s) of the DCEO Coal Education Program?
2. What is the role of the Art & Essay Contest? [What is the purpose of the contest? Who is most impacted by the contest? How does the contest help fulfill the goals of the Coal Education Program?]
3. What is the role of the Coal Conference? [What is the purpose of the conference? Who is most impacted by the conference? How does the conference help to fulfill the goals of the Coal Education Program?]
4. Could you talk about the design of the 2006 curriculum, From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines? [Who designed the curriculum? What were the aims for it?]
5. What have been the impacts of the coal curriculum?
6. Recently, environmental groups have raised criticisms about the curriculum. In your understanding, what are the main concerns? To what extent do you think DCEO can address these concerns?
7. DCEO is under a legal mandate. How does this influence the mission and activities of the Coal Education Program?
8. Overall, what are the strengths of this program?
9. Overall, what improvements to this program would you like to see?
10. Is there anything else you think is important for the evaluation team to know?
B51 B10. Coal Education Program: Focus Group Protocols Focus Group Questions: 1. In what capacity do you work with the DCEO Coal Education Program? 2. What do you see as the role and purpose(s) of the DCEO Coal Education Program? 3. Who do you see as the primary stakeholders of this program? What responsibilities does this program have to these stakeholders? 4. To what extent do you think the DCEO Coal Education Program presents a balance of perspectives (i.e. scientific, economic, environmental, social, and political)? 5. External factors influence the mission and activities in various ways. How have you seen these factors influence this program? (i.e. legal mandate, environmental groups, and changes in government) 6. Overall, what are the strengths of this program? (Including the Coal Education Conference, K-12 Curriculum, and Art & Essay Contest) 7. Overall, what improvements to this program would you like to see? (Including the Coal Education Conference, K-12 Curriculum, and Art & Essay Contest) 8. Please offer any additional comments or concerns.
B52 Focus Group Questions: 1. To what extent are you familiar with the DCEO Coal Education Program? [go around room and invite each person to respond] a. Probe: Coal Education Conference, K-12 Curriculum, and Art & Essay Contest 2. What do you see as the role and purpose(s) of the DCEO Coal Education Program? 3. Who do you see as the primary stakeholders of this program? 4. To what extent do you think the DCEO Coal Education Program presents a balance of perspectives (i.e. scientific, economic, environmental, social, and political)? a. Probe: What suggestions do you have to attain more balance? 5. Can you identify any strengths of this program? a. Probe: Coal Education Conference, K-12 Curriculum, and Art & Essay Contest 6. What do you see as the weaknesses or potential negative impact of the program? 7. Overall, what other suggestions about this program do you have? a. Probe: Coal Education Conference, K-12 Curriculum, and Art & Essay Contest 8. Please offer any additional comments or concerns.
B53
B11. Coal Education Program: Stakeholder Survey 1. Thank you for considering participating in this evaluation of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Coal Education Program. The evaluation is being conducted by an independent team at the University of Illinois. Our purpose is to provide an objective, balanced and inclusive judgment of the quality of this program so that our findings may contribute to its improvement. In this survey, we will ask you some questions about your experiences with and perspectives on the DCEO Coal Education Program. The information that we obtain will be confidential. All data will be stored in a locked office, and your responses to the survey will be made available only to project personnel. We will only include group-level, aggregate data in our reports. We will not report any information that could be traced back to or identified with an individual respondent in the evaluation. We expect the survey to take about 5 minutes. We anticipate no risk to participating in this research other than what might be experienced in normal life. Your participation in this evaluation is wholly voluntary. You may skip any questions and, at any point, you may discontinue your participation. Evaluation findings will be distributed to staff members of DCEO and may be made available to participants at their request. Data collected will be used for research and evaluation purposes only. Lessons learned may be offered in scholarly articles, with no identifying information reported. If you have any questions, you may contact Sallie Greenberg at sallieg@illinois.edu or 217-244-4068. For questions about your rights as a participant in research involving human subjects, please feel free to contact the University of Illinois Institutional Review Board (IRB) Office- irb@illinois.edu or (217) 3332670. You are welcome to call collect if you identify yourself as a research participant. Please indicate below if you give your consent to participate in this survey. Yes, I give my consent. No, I do NOT give my consent. Please indicate your familiarity with the DCEO Coal Education program. If you select 'not at all', this survey is not appropriate for you. You may exit out of the survey window. If you select 'very familiar' or 'a little familiar', please hit the next button and continue taking the survey.
2. How familiar are you with the DCEO Coal Education Program?
Please indicate your familiarity with the DCEO Coal Education program. If you select 'not at all', this survey is not appropriate for you. You may exit out of the survey window. If you select 'very familiar' or 'a little familiar', please hit the next button and continue taking the survey. Very familiar A little familiar Not at all
3. Which type of organization are you affiliated with?

Enter text for question 3 other
4. Which best describes your role/position in this organization?

Enter text for question 4 other Please rate how valuable you think the following DCEO activities are for the program's stated goal of increasing awareness and understanding of the importance of the Illinois coal industry to the socioeconomic structure of Illinois.
5. Coal Education Conference for Illinois Teachers

Please rate how valuable you think the following DCEO activities are for the program's stated goal of increasing awareness and understanding of the importance of the Illinois coal industry to the socioeconomic structure of Illinois. Not valuable Moderately valuable Valuable Very valuable Not familiar
6. Art & Essay Contest for Illinois Students (also known as the Coal Calendar Contest)
Not valuable Moderately valuable Valuable Very valuable Not familiar
B55
7. K-12 Coal Curriculum: "From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines"
8. Please provide any additional information related with the previous items.
Please rate how valuable you think the following DCEO activities are for the program's stated goal of providing factual information on the mining and utilization of Illinois coal.
9. Coal Education Conference for Illinois Teachers

Please rate how valuable you think the following DCEO activities are for the program's stated goal of providing factual information on the mining and utilization of Illinois coal. Not valuable Moderately valuable Valuable Very valuable Not familiar
10. Art & Essay Contest for Illinois Students (also known as the Coal Calendar Contest)
11. K-12 Coal Curriculum: "From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines"
If you are familiar with the DCEO K-12 Coal Curriculum - "From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines" - please rate how well the curriculum addresses the following dimensions:
13. Scientific content

If you are familiar with the DCEO K-12 Coal Curriculum - "From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines" - please rate how well the curriculum addresses the following dimensions: Very poor Poor Average Well Very well Don't know
14. Balance of economic, social, political, and environmental perspectives

Very poor Poor Average Well Very well Don't know
B57
15. Please provide any additional comments or concerns related with the K-12 Coal Curriculum.
16. Please provide any additional comments or concerns related with the DCEO Coal Education Program.
17. Please indicate if you might be interested in participating in a follow-up interview or focus group. If yes, provide your name and e-mail address.
No, I am not interested. Yes, I might be interested. Name and e-mail address:
APPENDIX C SURVEY RESULTS C1. Coal Conference: Pre-Conference Survey Results .........................................................C1 C2. Coal Conference: End-of-Conference Survey Results ................................................... C5 C3. Coal Conference: 2009 Illinois Board of Education Survey Results ..........................C27 C4. Coal Conference: 2010 Illinois Board of Education Survey Results ..........................C39 C5. Coal Conference: 2011 Illinois Board of Education Survey Results ..........................C49 C6. Coal Conference: 2012 Illinois Board of Education Survey Results ..........................C57 C7. Art & Essay Contest: Art & Essay Contest Survey Results ........................................ C65 C8. Coal Curriculum: Survey of Teachers Who Received the Curriculum Results ....... C75 C9. Coal Education Program: Stakeholder Survey Results ............................................... C93
C1 APPENDIX C: SURVEY RESULTS C1. Coal Conference: Pre-Conference Survey K3:n=14,range15,modeinbold

Item 1.Iknowalotaboutthecoal industry. 2.ThetextbookIusehas lessonsaboutcoal. 3.Iteachmystudentsabout coalandothersourcesof energy. 4.I'velearnedwhatIknow aboutcoalfrompersonal experiences. 5.I'velearnedwhatIknow aboutcoalfrommedia(news, t.v.,etc.). Mean SD Strongly disagree =1 7 (50.0%) 3 (23.1%) 2 (14.3%) 3 (21.4%) 1 (7.1%) Disagree =2 3 (21.4%) 8 (61.5%) 4 (28.6%) 2 (14.3%) Neutral =3 2 (14.3%) 1 (7.7%) 3 (21.4%) 3 (21.4%) 7 (50.0%) Agree =4 2 (14.3%) 1 (7.7%) 4 (28.6%) 5 (35.7%) 6 (42.9%) Strongly agree =5 1 (7.1%) 1 (7.1%)
1.93 2.0 2.86
1.14 0.82 1.23
2.93
1.33
3.26
0.83
46:n=22,range15,modeinbold
Item 1.Iknowalotaboutthecoal industry. 2.ThetextbookIusehas lessonsaboutcoal. 3.Iteachmystudentsabout coalandothersourcesof energy. 4.I'velearnedwhatIknow aboutcoalfrompersonal experiences. 5.I'velearnedwhatIknow aboutcoalfrommedia(news, t.v.,etc.). Mean SD Strongly Disagree disagree =2 =1 4 11 (18.2%) (50.0%) 7 2 (36.8%) (10.5%) 3 (14.3%) 1 (4.5%) 3 (13.6%) 4 (19.0%) 5 (22.7%) 2 (9.1%) Neutral =3 1 (4.5%) 4 (21.1%) 2 (9.5%) 5 (22.7%) 7 (29.2%) Agree =4 6 (27.3%) 4 (21.1%) 9 (42.9%) 11 (50.0%) 9 (37.5%) Strongly agree =5 2 (10.5%) 3 (12.5%)
2.41 2.58 3.24
1.10 1.47 1.34
3.18
0.96
3.14
1.13
1 (4.2%)
C2
Item 1.Iknowalotaboutthecoal industry. 2.ThetextbookIusehas lessonsaboutcoal. 3.Iteachmystudentsabout coalandothersourcesof energy. 4.I'velearnedwhatIknow aboutcoalfrompersonal experiences. 5.I'velearnedwhatIknow aboutcoalfrommedia(news, t.v.,etc.). Mean SD Strongly Disagree disagree =2 =1 2 9 (11.8%) (52.9%) 4 4 (23.5%) (23.5%) 2 (11.8%) 1 (5.3%) 1 (5.3%) 1 (5.3%) 2 (11.8%) 4 (23.5%) Neutral =3 4 (23.5%) 5 (29.4%) 4 (23.5%) 3 (17.6%) 5 (29.4%) Agree =4 2 (11.8%) 4 (23.5%) 9 (52.9%) 9 (52.9%) 7 (41.2%) Strongly agree =5 1 (5.3%) 2 (11.8%)
2.35 2.53 3.35
0.86 1.12 1.11
3.53
1.07
3.06
0.97
Item 1.Iknowalotaboutthecoal industry. 2.ThetextbookIusehas lessonsaboutcoal. 3.Iteachmystudentsabout coalandothersourcesof energy. 4.I'velearnedwhatIknow aboutcoalfrompersonal experiences. 5.I'velearnedwhatIknow aboutcoalfrommedia(news, t.v.,etc.). Mean SD Strongly Disagree disagree =2 =1 3 4 (21.4%) (28.6%) 5 3 (35.7%) (21.4%) 2 (14.3%) 3 (21.4%) 3 (21.4%) 1 (7.1%) 4 (30.8%) Neutral =3 2 (14.3%) 3 (21.4%) 1 (7.1%) 2 (14.3%) 2 (15.4%) Agree =4 5 (35.7%) 2 (14.3%) 6 (42.9%) 7 (50.0%) 7 (53.8%) Strongly agree =5 1 (7.1%) 2 (14.3%) 1 (7.1%)
2.64 2.36 3.21
1.22 1.34 1.37
3.14
1.35
3.23
0.93
Appendix C: Survey Results
C3
AllResponses1:n=76,range15,modeinbold
Item 1.Iknowalotaboutthecoal industry. 2.ThetextbookIusehas lessonsaboutcoal. 3.Iteachmystudentsabout coalandothersourcesof energy. 4.I'velearnedwhatIknow aboutcoalfrompersonal experiences. 5.I'velearnedwhatIknow aboutcoalfrommedia(news, t.v.,etc.). Mean SD Strongly Disagree disagree =2 =1 17 29 (22.4%) (38.2%) 23 19 (31.9%) (26.4%) 10 (13.3%) 9 (11.8%) 5 (6.7%) 14 (18.7%) 13 (17.1%) 12 (16.0%) Neutral =3 11 (14.5%) 15 (20.8%) 12 (16.0%) 15 (19.7%) 22 (29.3%) Agree =4 19 (25.0%) 12 (16.7%) 30 (40.0%) 35 (46.1%) 35 (46.1%) Strongl yagree =5 3 (4.2%) 9 (12.0%) 4 (5.3%) 1 (1.3%)
2.42 2.35 3.19
1.10 1.21 1.26
3.16
1.14
3.20
0.96
AdditionalComments: IwasbornintheshadowofcoalminesinSalineCo.andworkedatElCerrejon(Exxon Coal)inNorthernColombiaS.A. Idontuseanytextbooks.Iuseonlynonfictiontexts. Ihaveagriculturekitsavailableandourgeologykitshavecoalsupplements. IteachMathandEnglish,butIaminterestedinlearningmoreaboutcoalandpossibly incorporatingthemintothesesubjectareas. IwasexposedtosomecoaleducationinmyMastersofEngineeringScienceprogram. Schooltextsonlybrieflymentionit. ComEdhasenergyworkshopswhereIhavelearnedaboutcoal. IhadattendedaNEEDconferencein2009andusemanyoftheirmaterialsand referencesitesforlessonsonenergy,coal,fossilfuels,etc.Howevermorebackground needed. Itsabouttimethebookweusetoteachcoversourenergyandcoal.
ThisincludesallK12attendeeswhorespondedand8attendeeswhorespondedbutdidnotindicategradesthey currentlyteach.
1
C4
Italkedaboutenergyformsandissuesinmyphysicscourses.Italkedaboutit,butneed moreinformationregardingnonenergyusesofcoal,suchasdyesinmyMaterials Sciencecourse. Thereisaunitonenergysourcesinourbook,andweareexpectedtocoverit.However, thebookisnotveryinformative,soIamreadytolearn. ItookanenergyclassattheUofI.
C5
C2. Coal Conference: End of Conference Survey All K-12 Responses (N=73, range 1-5, mode in bold) Presentation/Activity 1. Welcome Lunch: Illinois State Geological Survey-Illinois Energy Portfolio 2. ISBE State Science Standards 3. Underground Mining 4. Illinois Coal Formation/Geology 5. Surface Mining 6. Coal to Electricity 7. Hands-on Classroom Educational Tools 8. Turn of the Century Coal Mining Company is Hiring a Few Good Men 9. Tour to Surface Mine 10. Tour to Underground Mine Mean SD 4.29 0.87 -4.00 4.82 4.67 4.77 4.50 4.76 4.14 1.01 0.48 0.58 0.51 0.75 0.54 0.97 2 (2.7%) -----1 (1.4%) 4.83 4.96 0.50 0.20 --Not at all Useful = 1 Somewhat Useful =2 5 (6.8%) 5 (6.8%) 1 (1.4%) 1 (1.4%) 1 (1.4%) 1 (1.4%) 1 (1.4%) 5 (6.9%) 1 (1.4%) -Neutral =3 5 (6.8%) 10 (13.7%) -1 (1.4%) -8 (11.0%) 1 (1.4%) 7 (9.7%) 1 (1.4%) -Useful = 4 27 (37.0%) 30 (41.1%) 10 (13.9%) 19 (26.0%) 14 (19.2%) 17 (23.3%) 12 (16.4%) 26 (36.1%) 7 (9.7%) 3 (4.1%) Very Useful = 5 36 (49.3%) 26 (35.6%) 61 (84.7%) 52 (71.2%) 58 (79.5%) 46 (63.0%) 58 (79.5%) 30 (41.7%) 63 (87.5%) 70 (95.9%) Did not Attend --
----1 (1.4%) 1 (1.4%) 3 (4.2%) ---
C6
Presentation/Activity 11. Tour to Power Plant 12. Mine Safety/ Ventilation 13. Geologic Sequestration 14. Coal Prep Plants 15. Coal Bed Methane 16. I-STEM Education Initiative 17. Economics of Coal 18. Underground Mining, Permitting, & Environmental Protection 19. Clean Coal Technology at Power Plants and Coal Byproducts 20. Surface Mining, Past and Present, Permitting and Reclamation
Mean SD 4.56 4.67 4.43 4.49 4.34 3.93 4.45 4.53 4.45 4.66 0.75 0.60 0.85 0.79 0.81 1.10 0.73 0.77 0.88 0.61
Not at all Useful = 1 ---1 (1.4%) 1 (1.4%) 2 (2.8%) -1 (1.4%) 1 (1.4%) --
Somewhat Useful =2 2 (2.8%) -5 (6.9%) 2 (2.8%) 2 (2.7%) 6 (8.3%) 3 (4.1%) 1 (1.4%) 3 (4.1%) 1 (1.4%)
Neutral =3 5 (6.9%) 5 (6.8%) 2 (2.8%) 1 (1.4%) 3 (4.1%) 15 (20.8%) 1 (1.4%) 3 (4.1%) 3 (4.1%) 2 (2.7%)
Useful = 4 16 (22.2%) 14 (19.2%) 22 (30.6%) 24 (32.9%) 29 (39.7%) 20 (27.8%) 27 (37.0%) 20 (27.4%) 19 (26.0%) 17 (23.3%)
Very Useful = 5 49 (98.1%) 54 (74.0%) 43 (59.7%) 42 (57.5%) 37 (50.7%) 28 (38.9%) 40 (54.8%) 49 (63.0%) 43 (58.9%) 51 (69.9%)
Did not Attend ---1 (1.4%) 1 (1.4%) 1 (1.4%) 2 (2.7%) 2 4 (5.5%) 2 (2.7%)
C7
Presentation/Activity 21. The Good Ole Days of Coal Mining 22. Reception hosted by Caterpillar 23. Coal Jeopardy 24. Careers in Mining and Tour Rend Lake College Mining Training Center 25. Coal in the Classroom with Group Leader
Mean SD 4.47 4.13 4.33 4.63 0.85 1.27 0.99 0.72
Not at all Useful = 1 -5 (6.8%) 1 (1.4%) --
Somewhat Useful =2 3 (4.2%) 2 (2.7%) 4 (5.5%) 3 (4.1%) --
Neutral =3 5 (6.9%) 8 (11.0%) 6 (8.2%) -2 (2.8%)
Useful = 4 13 (17.8%) 10 (13.7%) 15 (20.5%) 15 (20.5%) 8 (11.1%)
Very Useful = 5 39 (53.4%) 35 (47.9%) 38 (52.1%) 47 (64.4%) 52 (72.2%)
Did not Attend 12 (16.4%) 13 (17.8%) 9 (12.3%) 8 (11.0%) 10 (13.9%)
4.81
0.47
--
C8
For items 1-25, please expand. Great presentations, the topics are just not something I can incorporate at the level in which I currently work. Number 19, I couldnt understand and number 22, Im not good at socializing, so I disliked this experience. I may not have been as attentive in this presentation as I was still distracted by the presenters behavior during the presentation at the power plant. As Jason began his presentation, Sallie decided to make a phone call! Those around her couldnt concentrate on Jason's presentation. Sallie was very rude and I hope Jason knows she is not a teacher. Number is 15 not something that I feel can be useful. Number 19s presenter was extremely difficult to understand. I did not understand why it was important for us to know what U of I is trying to do with I-STEM. Need shorter sessions and better presentations. Power plant tour on the bus was just too similar to a classroom experience. The economics of coal is just not as pertinent to my classroom needs. Number 2s PowerPoint was hard to read and it was generalized and not very detailed. No focus. Didnt think it was necessary. We had met a lot of different people during the conference reception. Appears to be for central and northern Illinois, not southern. Good ole days to instruction jeopardy. Just not my personal preference. For number 4, I am a scientist and do not agree with the view presented. I did not attend some sessions which did not relate to my area and were very science specific. Too much of a political stance. Reception: Honestly I dont see a place for alcohol in professional settings. Others: some PowerPoints were hard to read (poor font and color choice). Some groups were too large, I couldnt hear or see much. Seemed like such an agenda. Like any other education presentation. No real useful information. Also, felt no connection to the presenter. The two evening presentations could have been much more useful. However the 1st one I couldnt hear and the 2nd one wasnt detailed enough. Should have been earlier in the week. The next generation standards would be good (NRC). Core standards are done by A.C.T and may be dubious. I already know and use ISBE material.
C9
As to number 7, I didnt really see many. I counted the one Chris did today under the last one 12-15. I already knew a good portion of this. Number 23 was fun. Didnt learn anything new but really fun. Number 24 just a bit dull; too long on description but it could be really useful to physics teachers. At number 16, the presentation was fine but I didnt think the I-STEM program has made it off the U of I campus. I know it hasnt arrived in Peoria yet. The presenter left immediately so she couldnt discuss what we should do to benefit from I-STEM. Coal prep plants: this was very technical and we got a little on the tours which I found more meaningful than the presentation. I got lost in the power chart. The reception seemed like a waste of money. I would rather see more teachers get to come than alcohol being served. Water and tea were fine (and cheap) and the social hour was nice but alcohol is expensive. The I-STEM programs are non-existent! The program is invisible/ unavailable to my school or my students or me. Indicative of the program was the fact the presenter fled the room at the dead run going back to Urbana and away from teachers. God forbid there'd be a chance for interaction. Meant well but just felt like I was looking at vacation photos. I loved the entire conference. Thank you. Since this is a very new area for me, I think everything presented was useful. I learned a lot. Great balance in the conference. I would have liked to go in both kinds of underground mines room and pillar/ longwall. Rend Lake College tour was amazing. Would be more useful to have classes first then show practical application at site. I loved the conference; extremely informative and useful. Dr. Wittowshi was very difficult to understand. This was truly fantastic. I am excited to teach my students what I learned. Super awesome tours especially lifetime treasure of underground mine. A most rewarding experience to share with others. Thank you. I really enjoyed visiting the mines and talking with the miners. I was really impressed with the well rounded, start-to-finish extent of the topics covered. Doing some teaching before the field trip was beneficial since I had no coal background. Curriculum was in revision state so I didnt get it yet. Any defects come more from the presentation mechanics of the individual presenters rather than the information.
Additional information:
C10 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation Coming from Chicago it was really great to interact with people in the coal industry and see the improvements in the mines over time. Economics of coal: I am a scientist and economics bore me so this didnt interest me and I cant see it for my students. The tour was the highlight. The efforts to share their stories were honest. Felt especially welcome from the mining company bosses. Item 26. I found the conference beneficial to my professional development. 27. The conference improved my knowledge and understanding of coal and related topics. 28. The conference improved my knowledge and understanding of social and environmental issues related to coal use. 29. The knowledge I gained at the conference will be valuable for my teaching. 30. The conference allowed me to develop professional relationships with other teachers. 31. I found the content of the presentations informative. 32. Information provided at the conference presented many perspectives on the coal industry. 33. The format of the conference was Mean SD 4.67 0.50 -4.89 0.31 ---8 (11.0%) 65 (89.0%) -Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Disagree 1 (1.4%) 22 (30.1%) Strongly Agree 73 (68.5%)
4.84
0.37 ---12 (16.4%) 61 (83.6%)
4.55
0.58 --3 (4.1%) 27 (37.0%) 43 (58.9%)
4.59
0.57 --3 (4.1%) 1 (1.4%) 2 (2.7%) 1 27 (37.0%) 12 (16.4%) 20 (27.4%) 21 43 (58.9%) 60 (82.2%) 51 (69.9%) 51
4.81
0.43
--
--
4.67
0.53 ---
4.68
0.50
--
--
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Item effective. 34. The conference was well organized. 35. The food and refreshments were adequate.
Mean SD
Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Disagree (1.4%) (28.8%) 12 (16.4%) 4 (5.5%)
Strongly Agree (69.9%) 61 (83.6%) 67 (91.8%)
4.84 4.89
0.37 0.39
--
--
-2 (2.7%)
--
--
For items 26-35, please expand. Please have CAT sponsor and more educational materials. I know I have a lot more to learn but I feel you have helped make my path clearer! For number 32, none of the speakers were anti-coal environmentalists. The perspective of the whole conference seemed to be very pro-coal. The conference was very good. My main objective was to understand career opportunities in coal and energy. Also the training and job expectations this was covered very well I had no real knowledge of the coal industry prior to the conference therefore it was all new and informative. Number 30 and initial mixer or ice breaker would have been useful.
Additional information: Fantastic, thank you. A little more free time to stretch might have been nice. The conference was very well organized and everyone involved was helpful and kind. The facilities and food were excellent. Great conference. Will continue to be reminded of this really super program. This is a wonderful opportunity for teachers. I now am prepared to teach this topic. Thank you. An educational and informative conference. Loved how it covered all over coal: careers, chemistry, use by products etc. Keep up the great work. See above. Thank you for the accommodations much appreciated. It was very useful to have experts in the coal industry available to ask questions. Thank you.
C12 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation I enjoyed the conference especially all the information about emerging technologies and how it affects workers and society. Thank you. I wish I could do this again. I greatly appreciated the efforts of all who developed and presented. This is an experience that I will cherish the rest of my life. Opened my eyes to how much effort coal industry puts forth to provide an adequate supply of energy. Thank you very much! Thank you. Linda Dunbor for everything you have done. Great opportunity. I teach earth science and this conference was very beneficial. I have learned so much. I was teaching some incorrect information before this conference about coal because I was ignorant of the truth. I am glad I have been straightened out. Linda Dumbars organization was outstanding. Bob Fox is a must for the future. I didnt like having speakers during meals. I could rarely see or hear over other people talking and clanking dinnerware. In addition the catering staff were quite loud during clean up in the kitchen. Perhaps better speakers on microphones. Email communication: list of presenters, organization, and participants with affiliation. Electronic list of web resources, not just printed. I would like more lesson plans, but I understand that there usually are, they just cant hand them out due to the protesters or something along that line. What was the most valuable aspect of the conference? Seeing an operational mine and getting the activities. Underground tour. Visiting the mines. The assistance of Joy and Bob Fox. Coming into this conference I knew very little about coal mining. I gained plenty of useful knowledge. Current information. Going underground. I would have liked to see both kinds of underground mines. I liked learning every aspect. I most enjoyed learning about reclamation. Field trips. First-hand experience of working coal projects and the instruction of what was occurring at these locations. Going underground and going to the surface mine. Safety and history of mining. How electricity is made from coal. The presenters were very experienced in their field. I really valued the amount of content knowledge I gained and then the opportunity to apply this to field trip/ excursion day.
1.
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The tours also it was great that the tours were done first made instruction the next day more meaningful. Learning about gasification and sequestration and the field trip to mines. Useful information. The tours were very valuable. Visiting the mines. It was very interesting to actually see where coal is mined. Tours were memorable. The ability to cover all aspects of coal and its use in Illinois and the world, especially reclamation. Seeing the actual site. Working with other teachers and getting ideas. I truly enjoyed every aspect of this conference. Seeing the mines in real life, learning about energy and electricity safety training for coal mines. History of coal and mining in Illinois. The tours were useful. Getting to go to the mines and see them. Realizing how important coal is to IL as a resource and a way of life. Touring the mines to have a visual before classroom instruction. The tours to the mines and power plants. Creating a knowledge base of the coal industry. The field trips. Field trip to the underground and surface mines. The tours and pre-presentations to prepare us for this. Speaking to experts in the field. Speaking to other teachers in this field. Hands-on experience/tours/lessons and the curriculum. Underground coal mine. All of the combined knowledge provided was great, especially with the tours putting it all in focus. Mining tours. Visiting the mines and power plant and the college. The presenters were very knowledgeable. Mine tour and mine safety/ventilation presentation with mine models. The visits to the mines and power plants. Learning about the advances made in coal technology for both mining and uses.
C14 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation Getting to see an actual working mine. Visiting the mines and information related to how the mining industry/government work together to mitigate environmental impact. I really enjoyed the trip to the mines and power plant. I also learned a lot with the activities for a classroom with Chris Larsen! I think kids really get a feel of the mining industry with these activities. The full extent of the information. All aspects of the industry were covered. The information provided exceeded my expectations. The most valuable information was informing teachers about the balanced approach to energy in terms of need, cost, value and social impact. The lingo. Learning about industry and career opportunities. Live tours. The tours. The tours and getting pictures at the sites as well as the PowerPoints on disc. Binder was great. Learning about all the safety procedures that take place in the mines and how they came about. The underground tour and the models during the ventilation presentation. I also enjoyed the geology and sequestration presentations. There were so many valuable aspects. The information in the presentations was wonderful because I came here with virtually no knowledge and feel so informed and understand so much more now. I really valued the tours especially to the underground mine. It was an unforgettable experience. The underground tour, the reclamation discussions, and the history lessons. Seeing the actual process of mining and using coal. This is invaluable. The first-hand experience of going into a working coal mine really helped everything make sense. Mine and power plant tours. Background and tours. Gaining a more complete view of coal related topics and issues as more of an environmentalist. I used to have a bit of a sleeved perspective but hearing about all of the regulations and advancements in mine safety and pollution central have been enlightening. Large quantity of information presented in an interesting and appropriately sophisticated manner. Many different points of view were presented, many thoughtful analogies were
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offered. There is a lot to think about. The visit to the underground was the most impressive. The encouraged camaraderie with the other teachers was fun. I learned what CCS is and the project of Decatur. Also the term carbon gasification I had never heard. This was very interesting, anything to lower CO2 emissions or make coal burn cleaner is very interesting. I also found the land reclamation interesting. The tours and the presentations from those involved in the industry. Information from industry experts with first-hand look at coal and mining.
2. What was the least valuable aspect of the conference? A couple of the presentations were not so helpful. Some lectures. DNA. A few sessions were over my head. Nothing really. We drove five hours to come and the long first day was rough. Maybe ending earlier on the first day would help. The temperature of the rooms. Number 1 presenter could not be understood. Having it at a resort was frustrating because the schedule was so crowded. I had no time to enjoy the surroundings. The power plant at Prairie State. I didnt get much from riding around in bus and being told numbers I didnt know anything about. I-STEM speaker. Not sure. All had some value for me. I guess the more specific workshops like economics of coal and data. Although they were somewhat interesting and informational. I personally do not know enough about electricity to have gotten much out of the power plant drive by. Not enough hands-on activities with each of presentation like O2. Some of the technical sessions could begin with hands-on teacher activity. The one session that did the gas/bubble experiments was amazing. It was very hard to understand one of the presenters. Thursday's presenters made it too long of a day. Some were very boring. n/a Some of the more technical and in depth portions had too much information and were delivered at a very high level.
C16 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation Some presenters did not speak in layman's terms enough. One instructor was difficult to understand, but I agree with what I learned. State standards now common core. ISTEM didnt tell me how to access info. Too much technical info presented. Much of it was very dry. I would like to have had more background info before going on the trips to the mines. I did not like having the speakers during meals. Nothing. I learned something from each session. n/a I-STEM presentations. None. This was great. All of it was valuable. Super food and great accommodations. Would like to see more classroom activities to take home. It was tough at times to sit through sessions. Seeing mine model after mine tour. The old miners. One speaker could not speak English very well. I found every presentation of value. Add on additional workshop for hands on experiences to be used in classroom. The geological formation session. Lessons that were very scientific; I did not understand and quickly lost interest. Coal jeopardy. Too much sitting. The I-STEM information did not give enough information on how to change the trend. The reception. I dont believe that I can say that anything did not have value to some degree. All was necessary in providing a well-rounded picture and understanding of coal and the mining industry. I-STEM presentation didnt really seem fitting or the appropriate platform. Some presenters were difficult to follow and/or shot too high or too low as far as level is concerned. Sequestration lecture, opening speech. Cat reception.
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ISBE standards. Tour of the college but that was just boring to me; I can see how it could have been valuable to others though. Some of the presentations about electricity and chemistry were over my head. Coal prep: as long as what comes out is clean and no product is wasted I am happy. I dont need to know all the specifics. It is to highly technical for my students. Reception seems like a waste of resources. The lunch and dinner speakers.
3. What improvements would you suggest for the conference? (Please provide 1-2 examples). Presenters should bring in more activities. Temperature control and timing. I can't honestly suggest anything. Excellent conference. No suggestions. Provide soda/pop at lunch and dinner. In the application process it seemed to present going down into the underground mine as a scarier experience. It wasnt and I felt some who didnt go would have been fine. Fewer breaks with food, turn air down. Provide menu before arrival for individual planning purposes and needs. It was all good. If at all possible more demos during talks, however, I know this is difficult with most topics. At times I wished presenters were more familiar with their power point slides and interpretation Although topics were interesting, the power points were a bit monotonous. More time/presentations on classroom ideas. Fill out surveys as you go. More hands-on. Find better ways to relate topics to the specific age groups. Everything was great. Did a great job. Please continue and I hope to return. Have all classes first then see sites. Have classes that are more grade level specific. Teachers in charge need to be more aggressive when telling speakers their time is up. Some info on Thurs had overlap of info. Thursday was longest day. Go to Rend Lake training center before you tour the mine. Lengthen sessions on reclamation and safety and shorten others. Try for a more hands on approach. Skip
C18 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation speakers at lunch. If you want lunch to count for CPDUs try putting discussion questions on table and sharing discussion points after everyone is done. Dont have speakers during meals. It should be a time to relax and visit with other teachers and with the jam packed schedule it's just too much. Coming from up north the first day was a very long and tiring; we left at 5am perhaps starting a little later would help. More on the history of mining UMWA, John L. Levis, Mother Jones. More demonstrations and hands-on activities to take back to the classroom. There needs to be just a few minutes of a break between each session. Instead of being so coal focused add nuclear energy (the 2nd main energy source in Illinois) PowerPoints available of each presentation already in the binder to make it easier for note taking. 30 minute breaks between the 4 breakout sessions instead of only 15 minutes. Lunch break not have speakers, especially Thursday. This gives us a little time to stretch our legs, regroup and focus. None. See even more mines maybe. It was super possible grad credit. As many physical models as possible. Would it be possible to get a video from the anti-coal perspective? It could be previewed for factual content whereas an actual speaker would be harder to verify beforehand what they intended to present. An opportunity to meet fellow attendees. A mixer of sorts early in the conference would be great. See 37 and find one that can. I will use information to help students understand how the technology helps provide for energy needs and the balance between meeting needs and caring for the environment. I would like to see more presentations that involved activities. It's hard to pay attention that long just sitting there. Use a microphone on the bus. The tour guide thought we could hear him in the back but we could not. I could not understand the speaker with the really strong accent. Some of the information was very technical and difficult to understand. Maybe start with an intro to coal overview that has vocab. However the conference was excellent and it may not be best use of time to do an introductory session. Maybe a pre-reading assignment for this prior to arrival. None. Be able to choose sessions. There is no reason to attend sessions that are not useful to you or you do not have ability to comprehend.
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Tour prep plant at mines. The mixer should be the 1st evening so people can get to know each other. Not as much sitting- help find ways to improve presentation and update them with today's figures. Getting to know all people in your group when it started for example, at the 1st meal everyone should go around and introduce themselves. There was a lot of repetition. I understand how difficult it must be for presenters to coordinate but sometimes it got tiring. For example, two permitting presentations (power plants and clean coal technology)? None. Maybe splitting the Thursday session day. Half on Thursday and half on Friday and doing the tour on both Thursday and Friday. Thursday is a long day could the Rend Lake field trip be scheduled on this day? Less on permitting of mines and more on subsidence and other such issues. More hands on activities, less power point presentations. I would like a list of names, addresses, subject taught, etc. of the people who attended the conference. Move the reception to a spot earlier in the conference so we can meet the other teachers. The initial ice breaker. Bigger web resource. Digital photos of mines so that we can create presentations of areas we could not photograph. Break up PowerPoint presentations. More time in mine to see long wall and curtinlous. Have time to work with teachers in our content area at least for high school to brainstorm classroom applications. More on land reclamation. I know this is pro-coal but I would have like a little more info on green technologies. They will make up 11% of our energy portfolio so a little information would help like maybe one presentation. Field trips to the best places. I wish Caterpillar could have been more involved. Requirements for attendance. Those who arent teachers/involved with education became distractions.
4. In what ways might you use the information from this conference in your classroom? (Please provide 1-2 examples). Set up a mine in my room. Making a mine as a reading book. Pictures, experiences, lessons given, relate it to literature and incorporate the hands on activities Formation of coal, coal uses, occupations pertaining to coal. This is a way to link my faculty members.
C20 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation Showing my pictures and samples of coal when teaching renewable and nonrenewable resources. Explaining how important Illinois coal is to our states nonrenewable resources. We are planning individual lessons with a school wide centers day at the end. In coordination with science or social studies. Primary sources to stimulate student interest. When doing mineral unit show examples we received and tell them about going down in the mine. Explain how cleaner coal is going into effect here and in the UUS world In our science energy chapter and our mineral and rock unit. I received some great ideas for some lab units During the earth science unit we'll talk about coal formation and during energy unit I'll talk about coal usage to make electricity. Will incorporate into earth science units. Scientific aspects literature can lead into the common core ideas. New common core unit on coal that encompass LA, SS, SC, MA. This is equal to examples. I teach rocks and minerals unit and I can expand my lesson to incorporate coal. CO2 experiments, conversion, employment opportunity, value of coal. It is great for the kids and community to learn about so I would first have materials available in our mobile learning unit. Supply resources to aid other teachers research skills and projects. I would like to develop an interest in my students about coal so they may eventually be interested in a career in mining I plan to have my students use the calendars and have them create one. Teach Illinois history, minerals in Illinois, careers in Illinois earth science, geology of Illinois energy and electricity. When I teach about rocks and minerals this info will be used. Career info for my students. Expand my Illinois fossils unit to include coal and mining (many activity ideas). Will give better explanation of energy/electricity. When teaching about careers and consumerism. I live in Galatia so many students are familiar with the coal industry through fathers, grandfathers, uncles. This gives me more information to share with them. Create a white board activity about the coal industry. Do the demonstrations and handson activities with my students. Create a career chart for the industry.
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I teach rock and mineral units. This leads into energy and how we use it in our everyday life. At this level we just begin an introduction to chemistry. Lots of information from this conference will flow into the explanation of these. When teaching an energy unit I feel more confident in coal energy. Personal experience (stories/pictures of my experience) will aid my teaching of the subject. Recommendation to students for vocational careers. I teach technology and its effects on society and the environment reclamation is a good example of solving a problem Discussion and lessons on coal formation and use. For high school students, guidance for career options. Classroom mining (given by leader Chris). Explaining/showing samples and videos following research. Teaching plate tectonics and minerals. Helping to teach the makeup of the earth's interior. Explanation of energy portfolio. Many opportunities to use coal mining etc. to make real world problems. Use in my potential course on Illinois. Share information with others in the science department. I teach science so it was all good. I teach math so I can work with our science teacher on the expenses of mining to give the kids a real life example of math. I teach economics and Illinois history. I can better show the supply/demand effects on Illinois coal. I can also now encourage careers in mining. I am excited to have visuals that will help to explain the coal industry. I will definitely incorporate a lot of this info into my classroom. We talk about energy, but this is up to date information on the advancements we are making to clean up old resources like coal as well as the importance of incorporating supplemental alternative clean sources and improving the energy profile. The hands on activities. There should be sessions for elementary/ junior high that give specific lessons and ideas for hands-on activities. Teach more about production and uses of coal. Physical and chemical properties. Energy transfer economy. Hands-on labs, demos, teach content on coal mines with PowerPoints and real pictures. Lessons on renewable and nonrenewable resources and about how jobs have changed over time.
C22 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation I loved the prep plant presentation and I can see many ways to include real world applications of physical properties (size and density) and filtration/separation process. I'm excited to have this information now so that I can use it for debate in my classroom as well as having the students research some of the websites given and maybe even have them create informative posters on different aspects of mining and the mining industry. Safety in the lab connects to how safety in mines has come a long way. Future of power, composition of coal, cleaning of coal, environmental tolls, ask the, Why do we need to know this? I can use examples of mechanics in physics from the knowledge I gained about equipment. I can use information on resource use in by the chemistry and physics classes. I can use information on energy values in both of these as well. Research topic, write and learn about on coal. We will learn about scrubbers. We will learn about items made from Illinois coal, fluorite etc. Energy, site properties. Great addition to geologic time, tentativeness of science/ science and technology. Comparing energy use and policies in Europe (presented in our text on the web etc.) with policies and not in the U.S. Comparing the Illinois coal miners experiences with these of the late 19th century and miners in France as described by Zola in germinal. I will be talking about CCS and I think I am going to have my students do a webquest on this. I am going to use Dr. Finlay's PowerPoint and Scott Fowlers on coal formation in my classroom. Discussions and controversial topics.
5. Please list 2-3 additional topics you would like to see presentations on at next years conference. More classroom ideas. n/a How coal affects nature and more on the effects of coal. Give some additional information of how a student can enter a mining program for engineering. Being able to see both the room and pillar mines and the long wall mines. Everything was covered. I feel they cover everything it well. Field trip to coal mining equipment manufacturer. It seemed complete. Maybe more on current research, for example Sallies presentation.
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More on the relationship between animals and coal mining and session on more history for social studies aspect. I think everything was covered. It was great, but maybe more about careers. Common core and Next Generation Science Standards: How does it relate? More on career paths. See 38. Careers. I think something on mine rescue would be interesting. Cannot think of any. Geology and mineralogy: tell us the different rocks/minerals of the state. Some of us do not have the background knowledge. So an introductory mineral/rock session leading into coal would be good. Set a foundation/base for prior knowledge first. Actual interaction with younger miners why they chose profession. None that I can think of. Super and well planned. Possibly add a global look at coal in other nations. I cannot think of anything more that was not covered. I would like a few more hands-on activities because this readily available to us. Address nontraditional (women in coal industry) content. Give specific sessions for language arts ideas. Career/job skills sessions. Have a recent college graduate speak for an another perspective. Chemistry of coal and products made from coal. More tours. More on mercury capture and where it ends up. More on the gasification. Perhaps more on Illinois rock, surrounding coal and the difficulties it can cause for miners? Coal in the media or entertainment or literature. Misconceptions about coal/mining in general (covered some content already). Lesson plans, cross curricular activities. High tech and cutting edge items with photos. For example: sensors, laser guidance, proximity sensors, etc. More about formation of coal and a bit more on the economics of it.
C24 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation One small seminar/breakout session on green technologies. More on reclamation. Perhaps a little retreat to a very nicely reclaimed spot. A female perspective from a female that has worked in the mining industry. Coal opponents and what they are saying/ their tactics.
6. Please provide additional comments about the conference. Thanks. It was a great workshop. Thank you. It was informational and very enjoyable. Really super. Food was more than ample and rooms were great. Thank you. Its great and well organized. This was a valuable resource that I will be able to share with my students for many years to come. Listening sessions for a quality conference. Thank you. I was very grateful to be able to attend I think there is a lot about coal and its implications that I can share with my students. I absolutely loved the excursion day because I learned so much and it was surely a unique experience. Outstanding experience. Great conference. Needs to be more relative to classroom use especially for lower grades. n/a Thank you. Great job. Thank you. It was great. How is this info sent to teachers? Someone should present at ISTA conference in November in Springfield. Very organized. Very good. More than I expected. Conference was extremely helpful, well organized and good food and people. It is an excellent, well organized informative conference. It does not push hidden agendas or brainwash you it presents the facts, good and bad, about coal mining. Wonderful opportunity and experience. It was well worth my time. More interesting than I had anticipated.
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Thank you again. This was on my bucket list of things to experience! Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity to have learned how an industry helps economic development by meeting energy demands and addressing environment concerns. Thank you. It was awesome! It was one of the best I have ever been to. Thanks. Exceeded my expectations. Much better than expected terrific conference. Very good conference. Great. Informative group leader did an awesome job. I loved it. Great experience. Wow. Thank you. This was truly an enlightening experience for me. I came here knowing very little and I am leaving with so much. I hope this conference continues for many years to come. It is a unique experience full of great knowledge that many should get to experience. I like that the conference is being evaluated. I have been to many that have been pronounced successful with little or no basis. I learned 16 tons of info. The industry people were so friendly and answered all questions we asked. You can tell the participants that it was hot in the mines. Field trips were wonderful and especially interesting to see and meet industry people as they worked. Too much food.
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C3. Coal Conference: 2009 Illinois Board of Education Survey Results 2009 K-12, n = 95, range 1-5, mode in bold
Item Mean SD Strongly Disagree =1 1 (1.1%) 4.79 .563 1 (1.1%) 3. It was clear that the activity was presented by persons with education and experience in the subject matter. 4. The material was presented in an organized, easily understood manner. 5. This activity included discussion, critique or application of what was presented, observed, learned or demonstrated. 4.95 .422 1 (1.1%) 4.72 .646 1 (1.1%) 4.80 .615 1 (1.1%) 1 (1.1%) 1 (1.1%) 1 (1.1%) 1 (1.1%) Somewhat Disagree =2 No Opinion =3 3 (3.2%) 1 (1.1%) Somewhat Agree =4 15 (15.8%) 14 (14.7%) 1 (1.1%) 17 (17.9%) 10 (10.5%) Strongly Agree =5 76 (80%) 79 (83.2%) 93 (97.9%) 74 (77.9%) 81 (85.3%)
1. This activity increased my knowledge and skills in my areas of certification, endorsement or teaching assignment. 2. The relevance of this activity to ISBE teaching standards was clear.
4.74
.622
*** In both Questions 4 and 5; 1 respondent didnt answer the question. ***
C28 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation The best features of this activity were: Being able to go into the actual mine helped with understanding! The handouts were also great. The people were very friendly and knowledgeable in their field. Everybody, the workers and SIPC were very helpful in explaining the process of coal. Joy's presentation of the elementary materials. Her and Bob did a great job! Joy and Bob were great! I love all the new ideas. Field trips. Joy and Jenn Fox were an absolute delight! All of the speakers were well qualified. Hands-on activities, free-bees, jeopardy, Bob Fox dressing and talking like a minor, the antiques, the mine trip, coal models, the experiments, free time, Roy Lee Cooke comedic presentations. This was an excellent conference! I learned so much for myself and to take back to my classroom. Joy and Bob Fox in addition to Linda Dunbar were all wonderfully helpful and made this entire conference an enjoyable and educational experience. Visiting gateway was a highlight for me. I enjoyed all of the sessions and speakers. The meals and our rooms were great! Having ready-to-use materials for classroom lessons. Make and take coal mine tours. The hands-on lesson time at the end was very beneficial! The trips to the mines were more beneficial after having the Tuesday afternoon sessions give us some insight. The organization was great. Joy and her husband and their knowledge were so helpful too. They were so nice. They made sure we were comfortable not left behind, and happy. I learned the way the explained standards and activity was good also. The conference has been really useful for me to find ideas as well as background knowledge about mining and how to integrate it in the curriculum through different content areas. Its been a great opportunity to rework with professionals from the coal industry and other educators. The tour to coal mine ability to ask questions of experts the time spent by the experts to answer our questions were all great. It was well organized along with loads of information. All speakers were present afterwards for any further questions that anyone might have.
C29
The field trips were awesome. The eight speakers on Thursday helped to organize my ideas and thoughts from what I saw the previous day. The field trips to and in the mines! Going into the coal mines, hands-on activities on last day. Tours. The tours were very nice and well organized. I learned a lot. The presenter was very knowledgeable. The tours and the hands-on and take home activities. The tours to the mines hands-on activities. Actual hands-on experience. Truly amazing to have so many experts able to speak! Everyone was well versed great material, handouts and such! The activities that were presented worked best for my level of students. The tours. Lots of great info, seeing coal mining first hand, great resources given and made available. Tons of good food. The tours. The expertise and knowledge of the presenters was excellent. The large amount of material and visits to the coal mine. Very inclusive information. Underground tour was awesome. Thank you for the samples to share with the kids. Sallie Greenberg was a fantastic presenter my favorite! Loved the posters, displays and the other support material CD. Awareness of careers, tours of facilities Going to tour the mines and power plant. Food was excellent, going underground was awesome, and the speakers that had a lesson to tie in to their presentation were helpful. I enjoyed learning about how coal is such an important resource in IL. Can't wait to share with my students. Great speakers, going into the mine meeting other teachers.
C30 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation Field trip :), hearing speakers before going in the field trip that gave meaning to the field trip. Meeting great people with great ideas. All the people involved were professional and enthusiastic about what they do! I hope this program continue so many more teachers can experience it. Thank you so much! The underground mine visit was an incredible experience. Willow Lake personal went above and beyond educating us. Hands-on at the mine. Great people were presenting. Fieldtrip! Excellent presentation. Outstanding experiences for participants. I have been to dozens (!) of conferences and this one is unsurpassed! Extremely well organized! Wonderful speakers! Great food and accommodations! Being able to actually go the sites and experience first-hand coal mining. Field trips, accommodations, food. Guest speaker, field trips, curriculum, handouts, accommodations/meals. The mine visit, the presentations from experts in the field, and the variety of info presented in the sessions....and the resort!! Trips to the mine actually see the process were very helpful. Also there were so many knowledgeable people here who actually work in the field. This was an excellent experience. I really enjoyed going to the mines and power plant. All of the presenters did a wonderful job. Mine tour, binder organization, resources available, being placed with grade levels that are similar. Tours of the mine. Lesson plans for me to use in my classroom. Everything. It was all integrated well. Lesson plans, ideas, and information, touring the mines, finding fossils. The field trips were by far the best. Hands-on demos, mine visits quality and enthusiasm of presenters!! The freebies! The food!! Our team leader Chris Toursh- really presentable, helpful, encouraging individual. Outstanding hotel accommodations, food -awesome! Experts presenting and field trips.
C31
The geology info was really great an understandable. I enjoyed all activities about density with rocks, the bubbles and dry ice. Chris our group leader was awesome and so friendly. Very knowledgeable about everything. Coal mine visit, efficient organization, dedicated professionals Field trip to plants and mines. This connected the information given in the lectures to real hands-on visual experience. Going to the mines and going underground. Getting the curriculum and hands-on activity ideas. 1) Tours of the surface and underground mines. 2) Talking to experienced miners. 3) Understanding the future energy needs of coal. 4) Having an outstanding leader: Chris Larsen. Field trips to surface mine, underground mine and power plant. Great speakers who used English (easy to understand scientific language) super well organized. Great food and accommodations. Well done! Coal mine experience. Awesome! Visiting the mines and power plants- fantastic to actually see what we talked about, very well organized, appreciate the samples, Power Points and lessons to take back to kids. The presenters were well knowledgeable. It was very comprehensive from every aspect of the coal mining experience. 1) Tie in with IL teaching was the best I've seen from any of the scores of workshops I've attendant! 2) Underground was fascinating. Thanks! 1) Tours of surface and underground mines. 2) Multiple short sessions w/ everyone being able to do each. Off campus activities and social activities. Coal mine visit. Tour of mines and lots of different presenters. The mine tours and the breakout sessions. The tours of the mining facilities. Being able to go to the actual worksites while they were in operation. Coal mine tours. Attending the mines.
C32 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation Exposure to so many facts of the mining industry, networking, being treated so well with the stay and the food. :) The organization and presentation was top notch! The order of events was well thought out; classes, tour, by far the tour day was the best but the whole event was great. All tours! Great job! I really enjoyed it! Tour of the mines. Definitely going through the different mines. Mine tour was awesome. The fieldtrip. Loved the underground mine. 1. Tour of the mines- amazing, 2. Knowledge of presenters, 3. Treatment of participants. Coal mine tour. Tours of industry facilities. A rare and special opportunity for teachers. Outstanding organization of material. Excellent use of time. I was impressed by the ability to cover both a huge depth and breadth of information in such a short time period. Love the samples. I particularly enjoyed the field trips. The science oriented sessions were very interesting. Because of my science background. The economic lesson was particularly eye opening. I particularly enjoyed having Roy Lee talk. The tour of the coal mines both underground and surface watching the blast was awesome! The coal mine tours was great! I was able to learn a lot from them the tours and hands-on application. Coal mine visit was awesome. I really have a better understanding of the coal industry Sessions were informative but short enough to hold your attention. Field trips to area mines and power plant were awesome.
Suggestions for improvement include: 1. Turn up the temp in the classroom. Save some energy. 5 min passing periods between classes. Turn the air conditioning downvery coldhad to wear coats indoors when it is 95F outside. Air conditioner was too low.
C33
All good. Allow more activities during the session to get up and more. Ask to 3 hole punch handouts. At the underground mine the time needed to be divided a little more equally between above and below ground. Being able to see both room and pillar and long wall mines. Better sound system to understand speaker better. Coal is more than just science. I would like to see more of coal's history explored. This way you could reach even more teachers. It's believed that the USSS main explored in 1898 due to a coal fire. Teddy Roosevelt as president helped to end an anthracite coal strike. I would love to be given an opportunity to teach a session on coal's important impact on U.S history. degroffdl@vvsd.org Day trip-just 2-3(...), power plant and mine, power plant and underground mine. Do some hands-on activities between lectures. It got to be over my head and it was hard to stay seated. Gear more to grade levels. Hard copies of presentations from presenters made it easier to follow along, take notes and retain info. I wish all presenters did that. Have a map of IL showing countries that are labeled. Having soda (caffeine) to drink during the day. I enjoyed it completely as is. I will recommend this to others. I enjoyed my tour and I have lived in Southern Illinois all of my life. However, I learned a lot about the coal industry. This was so great that this was offer without any out of pocket expenses. I felt overload on number of sessions. I thoroughly enjoyed this conference. I would also like to see more information or relationships to Quarry pits because I am from the extreme north and the only mining going on is rock Quarry. At times I found it difficult to hear. The use of the microphones helps considerably but did not always work. I wish I could have seen the long wall mining. I would suggest break time for maps in-between some of the sessions. It seemed to be information over load at some point.
C34 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation I would suggest breaks built in during the day. Yesterday w/ 8 sections was informative but a very long time to be sitting. Ice Cream bar. Include state standards not just how you'll use them. I would have liked ppts included in booklets. Info outlines instead of blank sheets for note taking. Large grouping sessions at start for everyone to get the big picturehave the individual sessions tie together. Also give the basis of the science involved to the history teachers and others not as familiar with it. Then getting it again during the sessions well it can't hurt. It was somewhat difficult to hear speakers in the great room proper (not the breakouts). Just a creature comfort-air conditioning was too high! Just going to an underground mine and surface mine would have been enough for Wednesday. Keep it up! Timing was good. Less air conditioning. Longer breaks- the social hour on Thursday should be on Tuesday evening. It was a great chance to meet everyone. Longer tour to the mine, more time spent on actual visitation to reclaimed sites. Make a list of email addresses for participants in their folders. Good for networking! Make a map so people can put push pins in of where they are from. Make it easier to understand. Make Thursday a more interactive. It is hard to sit for 8 hours. Maybe a follow up on Thursday about what we saw Wednesday. This is a history person talking. Otherwise none. Microphone speakers in back of crowd also. Moderate air conditioning temp up if possible. More activities/ social events for after scheduled day activities. More economics needed. More hands-on activities, more time between lectures. More hands-on activities. More time in the mines. More groups to the longwall mine. More simplification of terms.
C35
More time for classroom activities, mix at the beginning, go from Monday to Thursday. More time on the tour day. Our group was way behind. More time between experts. Need more movement time during the day. Realize how much material to cover but human factors needed to be considered. None- go Linden Dunbar and her crew! None. (Five respondents included this comment.) Not so much info on Thursday. Very in depth for a grade school teacher. Maybe break up the tours. Perhaps questions submitted to leaders to give to speakers to answer at the end. Possibly some free time about mid-day through the conference and have some evening time used for meetings. Pre-plant tour, copies of all Power Points on jump drives or saved to a website, mine museum, show October sky. Quick overview of entire conference on 1st day. Require teachers to do a pre and post-test with students about their understanding of coal/ the coal industry before and after the teachers is at the conference to get data to show the industry how effective this program is. Sessions were very informative but putting 8 on one day seemed a bit much- brain overload. Time to enjoy these beautiful facilities would be nice. Need more movement in sessions to keep us actively listening. Fieldtrip main trip stopped people in back couldnt hear or see what was going on (I hated to miss anything). Some discussions presented by industry reps lacked a critical component or time for sufficient discussion. Some of the speakers talked over my head and were hard to understand. But for the most part it was very interesting and I really enjoyed it. The education sections, which is the most valuable for teachers should be more extended and or more connections to classroom use should have be done during the presentations. The eight sessions in one day was a bit much. The presenters were great but the day was long. (Too much sitting.) The number of sessions per day- a little overwhelming. The sessions were too jam packed. More hands-on and less sitting. More breaks provided I felt like I was being pushed along.
C36 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation The tour day was very long. Try to split into 2 days? This was excellent. Can't imagine how to make it better. This was extremely well done a once in a lifetime experience. Thursday was too long. I felt I was unable to give the presenters my attention. Thursday was too long. Sessions were boring Too many sessions on Thursday. Warmer rooms
Other comments and reactions I wish to offer: A great conference! I would recommend this to anyone! Thanks Awesome thanks! Definitely take next year's group to the college when everything is set up. Excellent food! Staff was friendly and open to all questions Excellent job- something to be had for so many different disciplines and grade levels. Would and will recommend this conference to others! Excellent location and food. Well organized. Excellent staff. Great location. Food and accommodations were fabulous! Food was fantastic, facilities very nice, staff was helpful and knowledgeable. Food was great! For those who might take the train- provide a shuttle from the station. Great conference! Great leaders well organized. I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to come and be a part of this conference. I appreciated having the experts give us the information. They were knowledgeable. I could tell they enjoyed what they do and truly wanted to share with us. I enjoyed conference and would/will recommend to others. A big thank you to commerce dept. I had an amazing time and learned so much. Thank you very much for this wonderful opportunity!
I plan to use this cross curriculum.
C37
I was disappointed to see how many educators left early. If there were a way to do the tours later in the conference or hold off on the CPDU's, these teachers would get more out of this. Chris Larsen was an amazing group leader even if he never learned my name! I was very disappointed to see so many of my colleagues leave the conference early. They came for the tours of the mines and then left. Is there any way the tours could be moved to a different day in the conference? I wish we had more time to explore the resort. I would like Mr. Fox to come to my class next year. Thanks Sherry Viecia I would like to thank all of the people that helped put this together. Great job! I would love to be able to get a hold of a bucket of rocks for the kids to sort and use for pottery, etc. It was a wonderful conference! Everyone was so nice and knowledge filled. Joy and Bob fox did a great job! Loved it. Thank you for all the support. MSI's room situation weren't in order. Our rooms seemed to change quite a bit by the time we arrived at the Rend Lake. N/A. Neat! Well organized! Will recommend this to anybody but especially our science teachers. None. (two respondents included this comment) Our leader was so helpful and nice! Overall- very well organized and put on not a lot of prioritizing but what seemed like a usually even handed presentation of info. Please keep this and not let the state cut the program. Thank you for a wonderful experience. Organization and planning were clearly evident. Thank you for dividing the groups by level. It made it so much easier to find common ground within the group Thank you for the great hospitality. Thank you so much for this workshop. Great experience! Thank you! Cindy Fry was an excellent group leader great planned conference.
C38 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation Thank you! I know a lot of time and thought went into this. It appeared to go smoothly and very organized. Thanks for a great conference. Thanks for all of the organization, good food, and knowledge provided to us thanks. John F. Pierce. Thanks for allowing the museum to attend as well. Thanks for the time and effort to put this together! It really is appreciated by those of us who seldom have our work acknowledged. Thanks to everyone for their support! Thanks! (two respondents included this comment) The conference was awesome! I enjoyed it immensely. However, I think since it is at a place not many a few have the opportunity. The room and board were excellent. There was so much great material. I'm anxious to share this with my classes. It's also great to interact with science teachers from all over the state. Thanks! This has been the very best conference I have attended. :) This was an excellent week and I look forward to using the materials. This was the best conference I have ever attended. Keep up the great work. This was very worthwhile and I will tell other dept. members about this experience and I am sure they will want to participate next year Very satisfied! Very well done. Will use this info the best I can and share with staff and students. Wish I could stay! Wonderful.
C39
C4. Coal Conference: 2010 Illinois Board of Education Survey Results 2010 K-12, n= 91, range 1-5, mode in bold Item Strongly Disagree =1 Somewhat Disagree =2 No Opinion =3 Somewhat Agree =4 Strongly Agree =5
Mean
SD
4.86
.507
1 (1.1%)
9 (9.8%)
81 (88%)
4.84
.522
1 (1.1%)
11 (12%)
79 (85.9%)
3. It was clear that the activity was presented by persons with education and experience in the subject matter.
4.96
.419
1 (1.1%)
90 (97.8%)
4. The material was presented in an organized, easily understood manner. 5. This activity included discussion, critique or application of what was presented, observed, learned or demonstrated.
4.75
.508
1 (1.1%)
20 (21.7%)
70 (76.1%)
4.80
.499 1 (1.1%) 1 (1.1%) 13 (14.1%) 76 (82.6%)
C40
The best features of this activity were: The hands-on activities were fantastic! I so appreciate all the ideas and take homes. WOW! We are so excited! We think we are going to suggest a coal expedition (science and math night) for our whole school! We do one every other year. Tours to the sites to see actual work in progress; visual aids. The tours were extremely enlightening. The information presented was very valuable to me as a science teacher; very relatable knowledge. Visiting the mines and the activities for the classroom. The awesome activities. I will be sure to use them in my classroom. Underground tour. Going into the mines. Seeing the mining program at Rend Lake Junior College. The trip underground. The hands-on and the field trips are outstanding. Touring the underground and surface mine and power plant. Hands-on activities presented Joy and Fox on Friday were wonderful! Awesome activities and field trips- clearly a lot of effort has been put into the planning and execution of all the sessions. The final session with lesson plans really helped to pull everything together. Going underground to the mines. To actually see it in action. The presenters were awesome! Very knowledgeable. The hands-on activities with Joy and Bob Fox. They are so hard working! Also touring the mines and power plant. What a great experience; thank you! The field trips to the mines. Bob and Joy Fox were wonderful educators. All of the presenters knew a lot about their field! Going underground in the mine. Joy's presentation of activities to use in classroom. Very knowledgeable leaders and speakers. Bob and Joy Fox were wonderful ambassadors for the coal industry. I enjoyed the field trips and found the trips very informative. Joy Fox's session! It was wonderful! I am excited to go back to school and have a coal mine unit! I have so many neat ideas that joy shared with me! Thank you! The hands-on activity for our appropriate grade levels on Friday. We can take it all back home and use it! The visit to the mines and Rend Lake were most useful as well!
C41
Able to see/hear each presentation. Other conferences you need to choose. Previewing mine practiced/types before field trip and reviewing info after field trip. Geologist on field trip. Very informative about coal IND. I enjoyed all aspects. The trip to the power plant, surface mines and underground mine were terrific. The presentations were also great. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the coal industry Field trips, final days activities. Presenters and tours. It was very informational and enjoyable. Great experience. Tours, knowledge of presenters, and enthusiasm. The passion and interest the presenters showed toward their subjects and their dedication toward teaching the participants. The tour was awesome! We actually got to enter a mine! Visiting the coal mines! The info and passion of the presenters. Trips to mines! Field trips! Field trips were great! Loved going down in the mine and seeing it first-hand. Knowledgeable people presenting material in language we all can understand. Presenters were all very professional and knew what they were talking about. The hands-on activities and the field trip to the mines. The tours to the mines and the power plant. Very good resources to take back to my classroom. Field trips and curriculum! The field trips. Especially the underground mine. Tour of coal and surface mines! The tour of the power plant and mines. Tours. Visit to the underground mines.
C42
Mines, activities with junior high, were all very interesting. The trips to the mines were very informative, interesting and exciting! Being able to visit an actual working site. I6A with lots of goodies for my classroom. Plus I'd have to say the underground mine tour was by far my favorite part. Plus the classes the day before really prepared me for what I was going to see. The underground mine, power station visit, Chris, classroom ideas and demo. hands-on-great lessons and ideas Chriss lessons were great Hands-on; very informative. The set up was great. Hands-on tours and activities. The field trip to the mines was great all of the speakers presenters were very knowledgeable great food and nice rooms. The mine visits and hands-on activities. I best enjoyed the tour day. Knight Hawk Mine was extremely hospitable and informative. The field trips and the hands-on manipulative that the speakers used. The tours hands-on work chance to talk to other educators. Going into the coal mines. Field trips access to experts. Allowing us the go underground is very much appreciated. It was a great perspective experience. Current information I can tie to my classroom. Super information. Many great presenters all were knowledgeable. Good food and super service by hotel staff good site, good leaders, good presenters, good info, and super conference. The mine! The knowledge of the speakers trip to the underground mines. The expertise of all of the speakers, our leader and the support staff. The mine tours were invaluable to our understanding the coal industry the future gen discussion was great and exposed us to cutting edge technology (politics aside).
C43
Actually getting to see the real coal mine surface mine and power plant pictures dont justify how it really looks. Lots of knowledge in a form that is understandable relates to current environmental issues. Visiting the mines and the hands-on activities the lesson plans were great! All of the hands-on activities and the field trips to the mines every speaker did an outstanding job wow! Tour of the mining opportunities. Visiting working sites. The trips to underground and surface mines. The hands-on experience. The small groups. Just learning about the importance of coal on the state's economy. There were many aspects that I was not aware of. The tours were fascinating. All of the speakers were excellent Presenters were from their field of work experience. Tour and speakers. Getting to go into the mine. The actual tour of the mines. You can read about them, but to experience it first hand was interesting and educational. Tour of underground mine and networking. The tour of the power plant and coal mines. The field trips to mine and power plant sites were fantastic. All of the descriptions in the world dont compare to the experience of being there and taking part first hand. Initial classroom before field trips. The field trips to the mines. Actually going into the mine and seeing the process. The variety of topics/presenters. The field trip was great being able to see first-hand was a great learning experience. The mine tour, power-plant tour, the speakers, and their presentations.
C44
Suggestions for improvement include: A little more free time to enjoy Rend Lake Resort. Absolutely best conference I have ever been to. Add an extra day if possible. All speakers should be geared toward the age group you are teaching. All was great! Better coordination with tour and field trip providers to show complete cycle of coal life Cold conference rooms. Expanding the program to help out other disciplines areas I.E. more for social studies. Handouts of presenters Power Points would have been helpful. Have snacks during breaks!! Have courses for elementary teachers that are aimed toward little ones. Having 8 sessions in 1 day was a lot. I dont think I would change a thing; very well run. I felt there was a lot of repetition that could have been eliminated. I have no suggestion for improvement. I was very pleased with the conference. I think the speakers should not assume we know and understand everything there is to know about the coal industry and making energy. Other than that, all the sessions were great! I thought there was a good balance of lecture to free time I dont have any suggestions for improvement. I would have liked to have been able to visit a coal preparation plant. I would like to see the scope of conference widened to include and incorporate political issues, debates, and current proposed legislation surrounding energy/electricity generation. It would have been interesting to see a coal prep plant. Less food. Make it one day longer and dont cram so much in so quickly brain death occurs quickly as well. Make some of the info easier for those not at all familiar with the coal mining industry. Maybe 30-40 minute presentations more short breaks in between speakers on Tuesday
C45
Maybe break up the 2 big sessions AM and PM on Thursday. It was so much sitting with little or no interaction. One could be put on Friday and move Friday's activity to Thursday PM. Also much information was above our k-4 grade level. Maybe more application for us... Friday was the only appropriate grade level stuff for us. Maybe more hands-on activities during lectures for elementary teachers. More activities. More classroom application ideas/curriculum. More hands-on activities! Intermixed with information. More hands-on activities, more time for classroom ideas/lessons. More hands-on esp. break up the days with the rotations of presentations. More hands-on or more sites to visit. More hands-on, such as what sally Greenfield did. She was great. More info on site reclamation process. More info/activities geared towards lower elementary. More of the same. N/A. Thanks. No suggestions necessary. None. (Five respondents included this comment.) None; it is great. None; perfect. None; perfect. Out of your control but would have liked to get out of surface mines. Please consider lengthening the breakouts by combining presenters so less redundant and more time to go in depth. Also revamp field trip days so every part goes to each option I want to see long wall and SIU power plant. PowerPoint slides in binder. Rend Lake Tour first to intro mining long wall mining tour I'd like to see it breakout session sign up? Seeing long, well mining and getting off the bus at the surface mine.
C46
Some sessions appeared to repeat others. Maybe more communication between speakers would help ensure that the same materials are not covered. Some talks and information overlapped. The accommodations rooms were a bit subpar. The combustion of coal presentation was a little too technical to follow. The more activities the better. There seemed to be a little redundancy with some sessions. I would like to have seen both types of underground mining. Through probably not feasible, it would be nice to split up tours and workshops. Workshop days were very long but greatly educational. Tie in the fossil and fossil formation with formation of coal sessions on fossils look for fossils. Try to work out with the coal companies to do the safety video on site at the hotel. This would free up time at the mine. Turn the A/C down. Vary the breakout sessions so they include information easy to teach to younger grades. X.
Other comments and reactions I wish to offer: None! All was amazingly put on very well I appreciated receiving current/timely information about technology and research. This was very interesting! Thank you for the opportunity and the experience. I loved it Joy and Bob are great leaders. The accommodations/food and guest speakers were excellent. Lots of info wonderful presenters. Awesome experience. Joy and Bob Fox are excellent guides and I really appreciate their work to make this conference an enjoyable and valuable experience. I just want to say how nice everyone was this week. Thank you. I can use all this information and supplies in my room Great conference, great food, thank you so much :) This was a great! Thanks so much!
C47
I would recommend this to others. Thanks. Facilities were so cold! Even with long sleeves, long pants and sweatshirt! Thank you for a wonderful workshop! Excellent conference taught by individuals who were passionate about their filed. Thank you to all of the presenters and organizers. Our group leader (Cindy) was great too! A big "thank you" to all the supporters and workers that made this all possible. Wonderful and insightful conference! Fabulous and worthwhile conference! Very good conference and Cindy did an excellent job. Thank you I had a wonderful time. Thanks! Thank you! Wonderful people The hotel might want to work on food taste. If that is the worst thing you ...this was a very successful conference. Keep it up! This was an awesome conference and I would highly recommend it to anyone. Great conference. Chris L was great. The speakers with an accent were very hard to understand and therefore hard to comprehend. One of the presenters was hard to understand with heavy accent. Overall an excellent conference. Excellent facilities and presenters. I hope you continue to hold this class; I was able to see how I could use these activities within the science I already teach. I would have loved a chance for elective advanced classes in some of our classes. It was a great experience. I will try to come back. Being able to talk to experts who work in field was uniquely valuable.
C48
Great experience with energetic and educated instructors. Thanks for great week! Fantastic conference tons of great info I'll enjoy taking this material back to the classroom. Combine presenters and lengthen sessions allowing more field trips time and more time for in depth discussion. I certainly appreciate the opportunity of being able to participate in the coal and education conference. I feel like I have gained a lot of knowledge to show in my classroom and to the people in my home town. Fantastic conference I cant wait to get back to the class to apply these principles into my curriculum. I learned a lot and was able to combine from the different lectures many ideas. The planning team for the conference did an excellent job and sent me with a ton of new info to pass along. The resort also was excellent in terms of food and service. Great facility awesome presenters and information! Would recommend to anyone interested. Chris L was awesome! Keeps this program going! The workers at the mine were very courteous and were just the best people you would expect to meet. Food and lodging was also very well done. I arrived with preconceived notion about coal and mining this conference was informative and educational and was able to change my ideas about coal and its uses. Please do not end this program. Everyone involved did an excellent job! Excellent conference! Great presenters, super food and temp at A, B, C too varying. Thanks for sponsoring this activity. Outstanding presentations all presenters very knowledgeable but sometimes it got too technical. Very fast.
C49
C5. 2011 Illinois Board of Education Survey Results 2011 K-12, n= 64, range 1-5, mode in bold Item Mean SD Strongly Disagree =1 Somewhat Disagree =2 No Opinion =3 Somewhat Agree =4 1 4.98 .125 (1.6%) 1 4.91 .294 (1.6%) 3. It was clear that the activity was presented by persons with education and experience in the subject matter. 4. The material was presented in an organized, easily understood manner. 5. This activity included discussion, critique or application of what was presented, observed, learned or demonstrated. (90.6%) 64 5.00 0 (100%) 3 4.95 .213 (4.7%) 6 4.91 .294 (9.4%) (90.6%) (95.3%) 58 61 (98.4%) 58 Strongly Agree =5 63
C50 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation The best features of this activity were: Loved the hands-on teaching ideas for students. Undermine tour was fantastic as was observing the surface mine. Hands-on- in the mine at the training facility. Great ideas to take to the classroom. Entire conference awesome. Informative speakers; no down time, everything kept moving, delicious food, great tours, everyone helpful and friendly, met some wonderful people. Speakers, teachers, and tour guides were very knowledgeable. Lodge staff was very friendly. The mine tours and the hands-on activities to be used by our grade levels. Our leaders were also great! The classroom activities, the food, going into the mines, being on SIU power-plant roof. Going in the mines! I like that we had the classes on Tuesday that prepped us for being in the mines. The underground mine tours and the teaching workshop at the end. Tours and Friday. It was all wonderful. Going into the mine "M class" was awesome. Tour of the underground mine; surface mine and power-plant accommodation were great. Food wonderful, meeting with group for teaching ideas fantastic. Everything was great! Everything and everyone; it was great. Tours on Wednesday. I loved going underground; the guys were very informative. They were very kind to us. The conference was very good. Teacher ideas at the end were awesome! Coal mine tours were great! Presenters were very knowledgeable. The group leader and our activities were wonderful! Going underground was awesome. Rooms and food were great; I learned a lot. The best feature of the activity was having the full experience of going underground to the coal mine. It put all the knowledge I gained about the coal in perspective. How to use information learned in lessons for school. Friday morning materials given by Joy Fox. Underground coal mine tour and 1 on 1 time with state mine inspector James Steiner.
C51
I really gained the most information from participating in the field trips. I really appreciate the hands-on activities joy fox prepared for us Visiting the mines and how to use it in the classroom. Everything! The scheduling presenters field trips, food, etc. was all great. Everything! The experts that shared information regarding their topics were exceptional! Everyone was so warm and friendly and shared their Southern Illinois hospitality The field trips, talks from experts in each hands-on experience area the vast range of topics and depth of info. Learned a lot very informative love all the resources, lesson plans etc. All free, so much great info, good was great, used experts, wonderful setting, mines very supportive, kept us busy never a dull moment All the speakers were great. Cindy fry was wonderful. She was very helpful and made everything easy. The trip down into the mine was a once in a lifetime experience. I feel I have come away knowing so much Everything! Very intelligent presenters. Tours of the mines, curriculum and samples to take to class. The mines were fabulous the presenters were great! Hands-on activities touring the mines loved it and location and meals both excellent really enjoyed the workshop. Underground mine tour loved it. The tours to the underground and surface mines. The power-plant tour and the abundant amount of excellent resources sent home with us. Also the fact that it was offered at an excellent cost to teachers Field trips were awesome. Presenters were very knowledgeable. Hands-on visit. Underground mine tour. Hands-on activities from our leader talking to the experts Coal mine and power-plant tours! Being able to go into the mines. Background information was much needed Mine/power-plant tours, lesson plan with Chris. Very informative presentation by Chris Larsen for practical classroom application. The field trip day was very informative. Great conference
C52 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation The mine tours were very informative! The table top models of the long wall and room and pillar mines was essential to my overall understanding of the professors Presentations and the mine experience. Even at the mine people were very courteous and explanative. Leaders Chris very welcoming and helpful On site tours treated very well very professional thanks! Field trips and accompanying information for professionals in the field. Talking with professionals in the field and seeing the actual mine. I learned so much. The knowledgeable presenters and the amount of eye opening information learning the huge scope of science professions and researchers involved. Chris Larsen was an excellent group leader and the conference had the best speakersleader in their topics. The tours and having the opportunity to actually see the operations in action. New knowledge materials I can use in the classroom. I will be recommending this to other teachers in my dentist. Field trips to working facilities were excellent, excellent opportunities to talk to experts in the field and future research in this field. Truly educational experience with so many great topics. This is the best of the best, a privilege and a pleasure. Thank you grace I will share the treasure of this. Really charismatic and energetic speakers, many people with actual field experience! Day trip to the mines. Very good presenters. Field trips. Facilities and presenters. Tours. Mine field trip! It was fantastic to view 1st hand the workings of both the surface and underground mines. Presenters were experts in their field and were willing to answer questions. Going underground to the mine. Actually touring the underground and surface mines and seeing the real life operations was great an experience that I'll never forget and an exciting event to share with my students. Hands-on tours in actual mines, 2nd hearing from people in the top of their field or dept.
C53
Suggestions for improvement include: I enjoyed it all! More tours! The gentleman from Poland was hard to understand. Please ask him to slow down when he speaks and on his and his coworker Power Point to write out what the initials stand for. Many of us got lost. Some microphone hearing issues in great room, rooms not ready for check in (10-12) didnt get them until 4:00 One gentleman was a vegetarian and had very little food options on Thursday dinnereven the green beans had bacon in them. Some of the speakers were way too advanced and did not bring it to a simple level that we could then pass on. Add more hands-on activities to Thursday (the day with 8 lecture sessions). On Thursday, the long conference day it would be nice to have a longer break between sessions or have fewer sessions. None. None. Look at mine models from DNR before visiting the real mine. Not needed. The scientists from SIUC were really hard to understand. Some speakers overlapped information but were very informed. I enjoyed everything. My only request is to get to attend again. Handouts from presenters would be nice. Splitting up Thursday's breakout sessions (8-45 min sessions is a bit much). I didnt gain any info from Debrlina and Dr. Anthony. It was very difficult to follow their presentations and be interested in the content. I am sorry but I tried to be interested. Great location for this conference. None. Thursday was a hard day! 8 sessions pushed my attention limit. Maybe an hour of break time per day. Break up the class sessions on Thursday so all the class instructions are not on one day.
C54 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation Lemonade and milk at meals, day 2 class am, field trip pm (underground), day 3 class am, field trip pm (surface and power-plant). My only suggestion is Pepsi! Possibly breaking up field trip to two days so there isnt a full day of class room. Presenters need to build in time for questions I was late to presentations because class wasnt dismissed on time. Make sure rooms are ready at check in time and have iced tea already available all day starting with breakfast. Please make sure you include all non-public schools- 1st time I have ever been included. None. Mid-day perhaps after lunch, walk around the area. Break up 4-5 min sessions with other activities (8 in one day was a bit much) Some of the topics of the speakers had the same information and made the presentation long. Speakers could communicate prior to this. Vocabulary terms we will forget this before school starts it would be helpful for reference Analysis of mine accident. Have politicians polish presentation before speaking. They appeared unknowledgeable. Encourage people to use are of the 3 H2O bottles they received rather than keep. Wasting plastic cups (hard to do but more time to enjoy the area Shorter sessions- too much detail at times. A few minutes longer for breaks in between classes to allow time to stretch and maybe walk around the area. It is difficult to select how this excellent conference could be improved. Allocate more time for networking. None. More hands-on activities. Some repeated information. Music at reception. None. We heard about sequestration 3 times a touch repetitive very minor. Less lecture and more activities.
C55
Have small group activities/5-10 min the prep for the upcoming speaker to further deepen our understanding of his presentation or significance of their lecture. Also serve as a motivator and help relax audience.
Other comments and reactions I wish to offer: I am so glad that I was able to attend this conference it greatly enhanced my own coal mine educationlots of things I was not aware of thanks! I feel lucky to have received this opportunity! Thank you! Thank you for allowing me to attend this conference. Everything was far beyond my expectations. We had Bob and Joy Fox with our group. They were great! I enjoyed the speakers and how most of them explained things on a level (lower level beginner) so everyone could comprehend the information We had a wonderful guide: Joy Fox. This was a fantastic opportunity. I would love to have a chance to share it with others. Its cold. Everyone was terrific! I had an amazing time. Joy was terrific as our group leader and so was her husband Bob Fox. Awesome! Nice job! This was a very good conference for educators! Very helpful. Every teacher should take this! Very nice conference. Very informative. Food was great! Thanks for a great week! Thanks so much! I felt every activity was very organized. Everyone was very knowledgeable about the experienced they shared and information shared. Put more information about each tabbed topic in the binder. Some sections had no info except the learning standards. Perhaps an ice breaker in the beginning of each day to meet new people. Joy and Bob great job! I learned a lot it was presented in an enjoyable way! Thanks!
C56 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation Best conference I have ever attended! People that did not attend will never know what they missed! A trillion thank yous. Wonderful knowledge and education best ever! 1 session had 2 presenters that were hard to understand because of their English. Thanks for all you do! Thank you for the opportunity! Thank you for a wonderful experience. I have learned so much that I can utilize in my classroom. I am truly thankful for the opportunity to attend such a wonderful event! I would love to attend next year to revisit the m class mine and see it in full swing thank you very much. Sheri Wombacher. Sugar camp M class was an excellent field trip. I had a great experience thank you. Separate coal gasification and clean coal technology into two sessions. This is a tremendous conference! I was very impressed that the workshops could possibly offer so much relevant information the mining tours were icing on the cake. Very insightful. I'm glad I came because my perspective changed greatly especially with the reclamation information. Great experience! This was one of the best conferences I have been to that included real life applications. Thanks to everyone involved for their time and effort. The pride in the coal mining industry is refreshing. Great people! Thank you for the opportunity to attend this fantastic conference. This was the best conference that I have attended in my career. Good use of our time here. Disseminating information. Excellent conference! Great conference! Awesome! Thank you to Joy for manufacturing the social time. What a great week! Best conference ever!!
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C6. Coal Conference: 2012 Illinois Board of Education Survey Results 2012 K-12, n= 71, range 1-5, mode in bold Item Strongly Disagree =1 Somewhat Disagree =2 1 (1.4%) No Opinion =3 1 (1.4%) Somewhat Agree =4 10 (14.1%) Strongly Agree =5 59 (83.1%)
Mean
SD
4.79
.532
4.82
.425
1 (1.4%)
11 (15.5%)
59 (83.1%)
3. It was clear that the activity was presented by persons with education and experience in the subject matter. 4. The material was presented in an organized, easily understood manner. 5. This activity included discussion, critique or application of what was presented, observed, learned or demonstrated.
4.99
.119
1 (1.4%)
70 (98.6%)
4.86
.350
10 (14.1%)
61 (85.9%)
4.87
.445
1 (1.4%)
6 (8.5%)
64 (90.1%)
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DCEO Coal Education Program Evalutation
The best features of this activity were: School connection-I feel it was a positive and informative workshop that increased by knowledge of coal and improvements that have occurred through the last 10+ years. Mine tour and classes. Hands-on. The entire conference was very well organized. Underground mine. Tours and presenters. The food was great and the cook was also nice. Touring a mine, hands-on activities. Field trip, demonstrations. Everything! Going underground to the mine. I loved this once in a life time experience I am so glad this opportunity is available for teachers. The variety of information presented. The last day learning how to teach the things we learned in our own classroom also the tour were invaluable joy and bob were a great asset! Touring of the mines. I loved listening to bob fox he has such knowledge of the mines The tour day all the opportunities to see the different mines power plant. The sessions with hands-on activities for our teaching level I feel like bob and joy were just the best team. Together they taught us so much. Mine tour and extremely knowledgeable teachers. The tours and opportunity to have discussion with people actively working in the field Tours, speakers, teachers treated professionally. Knowledge. Underground and surface mine. Seeing the mines and learning about the history. The tours of the underground and surface mines were phenomenal. So many knowledgeable people had information to share with us I learned so much from the talks and question /answer sessions. Quite an opportunity to go underground good information presented fun atmosphere. Field trips, presenters were well experienced in these areas.
C59
Visit to the underground coal mine. On site time. Applies to so many areas of curriculum. Very organized! Loved the tours. Underground mine, speakers on underground and surface mines. Great tours and opportunity to go see things in person. Last day with class activities! Loved tour of coal mine. Tours and variety of topics. The professional manner and actual hands-on experiences members of the industry Lectures from the mining industry and of course the underground mine and surface mine etc. The hands-on going to the coal mine not just videos etc. Going to and into the mines learning all of the processes in past present and future coal production and use. The activities and tours and the availability of the speakers to interact with the participants. Underground mine tour-surface mine tour and explanation by contractors great jeopardy review. The overall conf. was very diversified by people from all aspects of coal energy and power. I mean it wasnt just coal employees but IDNR, educators, etc. Educating me on everything they could about coal it is incredible the amount of work involved and how far we have progressed in the technology of mining and more importantly the safety of the miners. Mine tour. On site visits to the mines and power plant especially the undergrounds mines. Chance to acquire first-hand information from a real life experience. Also, the chance to share thoughts and ideas with teachers of similar age groups. Getting to see what we learned. Opportunities to visit working mines. The mine and how to incorporate it into the classroom thanks Chris Larsen. Excellent quality presenters very knowledgeable and up to date information.
C60
The hands-on activities. Visiting the mines was a once in a lifetime experience and it was fantastic. We had a wonderful guide and I enjoyed this experience The mine tours field trip day / good conference center. The employees of the resort very polite/helpful. All presenters/organizers very nice and helpful. Good people The tours and coal mile models. Also other teachers and exchanging ideas The visuals, real life field trips to see the theory in action, the level of the presenters knowledge and expertise and the food and the facilities. Thanks for the wealth of resources, I am well equipped. The underground mine tour and presentations from experts. Tours, excellent presenters (who did a fantastic job even though they dont usually stand up in front of large groups of people). Ease of movement from one session to another (session rooms were conveniently located). Interaction with people in coal industry and from ISGS. Getting to see the mining operations. Very organized I never felt like I was wasting my time. Trips and interactions with experts in fields Visit to underground mine, large quantity of information presented by experts, discussion with other teachers. Carbon capture and sequestration Decatur project. That it was all about Illinois resources. Resource I never knew existed. Land reclamation. I found this very interesting. The tours. All the content material, the hands-on tours, samples to use in classroom, and all the materials (organized binder and samples) Best features were the guided tours on the underground and surface level mines. The tours. Mine tours. Field trips to mines and hands-on/eyes on experience. Knowledgeable presenters. There was a very good overview of all aspects of coal mining everything from basic knowledge to complex information. The field trips and the fact that presenters were from the industry and state offices. The presenters of a large amount of original sources are especially useful. I want to hear about coal from coal guys and I got to.
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Suggestions for improvement include: Split the tours into 2.5 days so we dont sit in classrooms as long. Turn up A.C so that we wont freeze. N/A. DNA. Change nothing. I think we would benefit from going to both types of underground mine. I would have liked to have seen the room and pillar and the long wall mine. Rooms were too cold. The day after the tours was too many lectures. 10 lectures in one day made me lose interest. Possibly shorten the conference. Air conditioning needs to be turned down. Break up the speaker day counting lunch/dinner they were 10 sessions lectures makes for a very long day perhaps go to rend lake mining program for part of that day. More tours. N/A. More teacher/classroom activities relationships. More hands-on activities during breakout sessions to take back to classroom. Communicate to Chicago area teachers about the importance of coal. All classes then on site time. Go to training centers at RLC before mine tours shorter sessions. No speakers at lunch. More hands-on activities and teaching ideas-would be nice for each presenter to have a sample lesson with activities to teach students about their particular topic. None. Maybe hear from your lower on the totem employees or to someone who is new. And one quit why? One you never .. I would like to spend more time at the rend college getting to experience their mine. Some of the sessions were a little repetitive. None! This was truly exceptional.
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Maybe see if more people were willing to utilize the camp ground so more could attend with the resources available. I really liked/loved conference! Well planned and glad tours in one day! Even though busy well planned and stimulating. If any suggestions would be more hands-on activities for classroom use. More descriptive modeling of mine/ what you will see prior to tours Try to go to power-plant with the most advanced mitigation measures as possible. Possibly a group mixer at the beginning to allow better interaction among group members. Make sure every instructor speaks clear English. Break up the conference on Thursday. Great info but too long to sit. Printouts of Power Points to leave for available /easier note taking for participants / put into binders for each section ahead of time. More Friday morning activities to Thursday afternoon to break up class seat time. I could not understand one of the presenters because his accent was too strong. N/A Letting people from far away arrive the day before. More time in the mines (see continuous and long wall). Time to work with teachers in our content area to develop LP's. Mixed electronic info. Electronic images of mines. None. Be able to hand out the revised curriculum as planned we would love to have it! At times on Thurs. there seemed to be an information overload. But ultimately it was good. Presenters that are easier to understand and/or have improved presentation skills. More of a break between sessions would be nice. All of the information was good but an entire day of lectures was too much and it was hard to retain everything. Some would suggest including other views but that suggestion misses the point of this seminar. Participants are clear enough to realize that there are other views and to seek them. Okay this is the coal p.m.; people wants to disseminate the point-of-views can freely do so. Coal is important to Illinois. We live in Illinois. Duh.
C63
Other comments and reactions I wish to offer: Great workshop opportunity- thanks! Thank you. Super! It is nice that Illinois finally offers its teachers a real life and useful conference for no cost. Our family and friends work in mining in Illinois we should definitely teach it to our next generation. The food was excellent but too much. The resort was poorly run because 1 mixes up with our room when we checked in. And 2 soda machines were empty. I came into the conference knowing very little about the coal industry and I am leaving with much knowledge. Coming to the resort is an added bonus-lodging food etc. It is a wonderful perk also. The facility and food were excellent. The conference was very well organized. Fabulous conference, well prepared and designed! Should continue. Nice! Fantastic! Very good conference! Thank you so much for including me in this amazing opportunity. A quality conference! I am so glad I came. Hotel food was wonderful however the rooms need updating and improvement. Supply e-mail addresses of participants to everyone. Wonderful food and people. Thank you. So very informative. My students will benefit. Excellent. Belt buckles for everyone thank truck continuous minerals raffle. Everyone was exceptionally nice. Lots of wonderful information. Thank you. Chris great hands-on mining classroom activities, great leader, and great with sharing ideas with others.
C64
Great activities. Thank you. Great job by all involved. Kudos to the chef. This is the best conference experience I have had the opportunity to attend. Thank you! None. Great conference! Thank you for providing a quality conference! Good conference. Thank you! This conference had given me a deeper knowledge of coal industry and geology of IL We had the best facilitator he was well informed. I was teaching incorrect information about coal because I was ignorant of the facts. N/A. So happy I came was enlightening! Very well organized workshop. It was kind of rude that some of the presenters talked on their phones during the presentations. I hope that this conference continues for many years to come. It is a unique experience full of great knowledge that many should get to experience. This is an incredible opportunity, I thought there was a lot of useful information here and as a high school reading/English teacher I think I can incorporate some of this into my class. I would have loved to see more lesson ideas but I have some ideas of my own already. Why doesnt Illinois do similar programs for other state ventures like manufacturing agriculture maybe divided into grain and dairy and other? Teachers in Illinois, no matter what subject, need to know more about Illinois and hearing the raw facts from the horses mouth as we do here and then subjects them to an analysis and ideas Id find especially useful. I encourage my students to seek and use original sources and from their original
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C7. Art & Essay Contest: Art & Essay Contest Survey Results
DCEO Art & Essay Contest Stakeholders' Survey

Total submissions: 31 Status: result
1. Thank you for considering participating in this evaluation of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Coal Education Program. The evaluation is being conducted by an independent team at the University of Illinois. Our purpose is to provide an objective, balanced and inclusive judgment of the quality of this program so that our findings may contribute to its improvement. In this survey, we will ask you some questions about the Art & Essay Contest led by the DCEO Coal Education Program. The information that we obtain will be confidential. All data will be stored in a locked office, and your responses to the survey will be made available only to project personnel. We will only include grouplevel, aggregate data in our reports. We will not report any information that could be traced back to or identified with an individual respondent in the evaluation. We expect the survey to take about 5 minutes. We anticipate no risk to participating in this research other than what might be experienced in normal life. Your participation in this evaluation is wholly voluntary. You may skip any questions and, at any point, you may discontinue your participation. Evaluation findings will be distributed to staff members of DCEO and may be made available to participants at their request. Data collected will be used for research and evaluation purposes only. Lessons learned may be offered in scholarly articles, with no identifying information reported. If you have any questions, you may contact Sallie Greenberg at sallieg@illinois.edu or 217-244-4068. For questions about your rights as a participant in research involving human subjects, please feel free to contact the University of Illinois Institutional Review Board (IRB) Officeirb@illinois.edu or (217) 333-2670. You are welcome to call collect if you identify yourself as a research participant. Please indicate below if you give your consent to participate in this survey. Yes, I give my consent. No, I do NOT give my consent.
Percent
Count
94% 6%
29 2
2. How familiar are you with the DCEO Art & Essay Contest? Very familiar A little familiar Not at all
Percent 84% 16% 0%
Count 26 5 0
3. Which school district are you affiliated with? (i.e. you teach or work at) Answered Skipped
Count 27 4
1. Collinsville Unit 10 2. rotolo 3. Wood River-Hartford SD 15
Reporting provided by Web Services at Public Affairs | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation 4. Seneca School District

5. Marissa 6. Batavia 101 7. PORTA #202 9. Rochelle Middle School 10. Homer 33C 11. yorkville 115 12. West Chicago District #33 14. Sesser-Valier District 196 15. Orland School District 135 16. AlWood Middle High School #225 17. 111 18. Pana CUSD #8 19. Seneca grade school Dist. #170 20. No longer teach ~ unemployed new teacher w/ MS 21. yorkville 115 22. Wood River-Hartford AD 15 23. 111 24. Pleasant valley - art teacher 25. Belleville 118 27. Batavia School District 101 28. Geneseo 29. Sesser-Valier 31. Bureau valley
4. Which grade(s) do you teach? 5th 6th 7th 8th Other
Percent 13% 42% 42% 58% 6%
Count 4 13 13 18 2
5. For how many years have your students participated in the DCEO Art & Essay Contest? Never
Percent 0%
Count 0
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1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years 5 or more years 19% 13% 13% 3% 52% 6 4 4 1 16
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6. Suggested essay topics Very dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very satisfied I don't remember the topics.
Percent 3% 3% 13% 52% 26% 3%
Count 1 1 4 16 8 1
7. Selection of art winners Very dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very satisfied
Percent 0% 3% 16% 48% 29%
Count 0 1 5 15 9
8. Selection of essay winners Very dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very satisfied
Percent 3% 0% 10% 48% 35%
Count 1 0 3 15 11
9. Reception and award ceremony Very dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very satisfied
Percent 3% 0% 19% 32% 39%
Count 1 0 6 10 12
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10. Individual student awards Very dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very satisfied Percent 3% 0% 13% 39% 42% Count 1 0 4 12 13
11. How did your student or child hear about the contest? Answered Skipped
Count 29 2
1. Through me. 2. I did it as a graded assignment in Literature or Science class 3. I give them the information that is sent to me. 4. I tell my class about the contest. 5. Flyer in the mail 6. The contest information was given to me by another teacher who entered the contest prior to his retirement. 7. I attended the Coal workshop 8. Mail- letter 9. I learned about it years ago and had each student enter one of the two parts of the contest. 10. I received a brochure in the mail. 11. I was the teacher who offerred it as extra credit for my science class. 12. Teacher 13. Other teachers in my building. 14. Mail 16. I believe I received a flyer in the mail or possibly by e-mail. 17. I recieved a pamphlet about it in the mail. 18. I informed them about the contest. 19. Brochure 20. I promoted the contest with my classes,as I heard about it from other teachers in other districts. I believed it was a topic that needed to be explored with my students. 21. I spent a class period taking about Illinois Coal and offerred it as extra credit. 22. flier handed out at school 23. mail
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24. the school received a pamphlet in the maid. 25. We received mailings. 26. Classroom teacher 27. I use this contest to teach expository writing, and research. 28. I get a brochure and share it 29. Mailing 31. Classroom study
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12. Why did your student or child choose to participate in the contest? Answered Skipped
Count 29 2
1. I believe that it is important for the students. 2. We choose winners 3. I give them a grade for this activity. 4. I make it a class assignment and then they have the option of entering their work in the contest. 5. It was a requirement 6. We use this essay to satify our expository/research essay. Students are taught to write to a specific audience on a specific researched topic. 7. It was the final of the coal unit 8. extra credit 9. It was initially for a grade to go along with my lessons on energy. 10. It was an art class assignment. 11. The student received extra credit for completing the optional assignment. 12. assignment 13. All my sixth grade language students participate as part of my class. 14. It was a classroom activity used with the natural resources unit. 16. We learn about Illinois coal during class. Students conduct research, then they make their posters. It is required. 17. I asked them to create posters after I taught them about coal. 18. The students completed a poster or essay as a project in my class. I submitted the ones I felt were unusual or had a chance of winning. 19. Teacher encouragement 20. Motivation from me. 21. Extra credit was given for entering the contest. 22. they were given it as an assignment
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DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation 23. teacher promoted

24. I felt it was a great learning experience for our students and myself. 25. It was offered as extra credit and we have several students who are interested in art. 26. Offered as an extra credit option 27. I encourage all of my students to participate. 28. They have a choice of contests as an essay unit 29. Class project. 31. The teacher informed them about and the teacher submitted the entries
13. Is the Art & Essay Contest connected with other learning objectives, lessons, or assignments? If so, which ones and how? Answered Skipped
Count 30 1
1. Several Illinois Social Studies and Science goals. 2. not sure 3. It goes with my energy unit. 11a and 12e 4. Yes, we use it as a culminating activity to our mining unit. 5. No 6. Yes, it fits into our writing curriculum. 7. Science and technology, How economy fuels technology and the industry, also many English objectives and the Common Core 8. Writing to explain 9. Energy - Analyze the interaction of resource acquisition, technological development and ecosystem impact (e.g., diamond, coal or gold mining; deforestation). Identify advantages and disadvantages of natural resource conservation and management programs. Apply classroomdeveloped criteria to determine the effects of policies on local science and technology issues (e.g., energy consumption, landfills, water quality). Analyze historical and contemporary cases in which the work of science has been affected by both valid and biased scientific practices. 10. Students research Illinois coal. In art class, they were instructed on the rules of effective posters. 11. It was but I am retired now and do not have a list. 12. science 13. Yes, Six traits writing, research 14. Yes, renewable and nonrenewable resources. 15. Electricity curriculum/unit 16. I incorporate this with Science, Technology (past, present, future), Engineering, Mathematics. I am able to use this project in so many different ways to help ensure student success.
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Appendix C: Survey Results 17. It doesn't align with the standards for 8th grade right now, but I was happy to introduce this topic to my students and talk about coal.
18. We do the project when we student nonrenewable and renewable energy sources. 19. 5th & 6th Grade: 26.B.2d; 27.A.2a; 27.B.2b 7th & 8th Grade: 26.B.3d; 27.B.3b 20. Environmental projects and hands-on learning. If your curriculum lends itself to add things, the Coal Contest has well-written lessons that I recommend. 21. Yes. There is one that has to do with science in the real world setting. 22. we do an energy unit every year which talk about coal energy. 23. no 24. We watched a video on where does coal and electricity come from. Then read articles about coal, where it comes from etc. Then students looked through coal books, decided on a Slogan, then drew and colored posters. They also learn about coal in science. 25. We combined it with the energy unit. 26. Science rocks and minerals 27. Yes, writing. Research (Big 6 model), and expository writing. 28. We use it in our essay unit 29. Yes, Energy and Natural Resources 31. No
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14. What are the benefits of participating in the DCEO Art & Essay Contest? Answered Skipped
Count 31 0
1. It gives the students an opportunity to show off their abilities and to learn about Coal and it's importance. 2. Not as much anymore as we participate in the EPA poetry/prose contest instead and I can tie it into Science better 3. It is another way to show the importance of coal as an energy source. 4. The students get recognition for their efforts. The parents and school district are extremely proud of the students and are very excited to see the students participate and occasionally win the contest. It allows an opportunity for students to be recognized academically. The students enjoy seeing their work published. I have seen shy students win and it has really boosted the students self-esteem and carried on throughout the child's social and academic development. I have had local retired miners read about my students winning the contest and they have asked for a copy of the calendar and come to our classroom and shared pictures and stories of their mining days. It highlights the importance of the mining and aggregate industries. This contest gives recognition and meaning to those who have lost their lives in the mines. It reminds us all of the sacrifices made by those in the industry to provide us with energy for our everyday comfort. I could go on and on. It is really a great program. 5. It linked to the curriculum on resources 6. Students practice writing to a specific audience for a purpose, and research a topic that contributes to our state and our economy.
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DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation 7. Student recognition, change of pace and evaluation, covers some goals that may not typically be covered
8. boost in self-esteem 9. The students learn about energy production with coal in the state of Illinois. 10. Students learn about an important resource in our state.Students design and develop a visual product within a deadline.Students critique posters and participate in the selection process. 11. The student had the opportunity to receive extra credit in my science class for participating even if they did not win. It was a chance to show what they knew about the importance of coal in Illinois to a real audience. 12. demonstrating knowledge learned in class 13. Students get a chance to be excited about there writing and go to Springfield. 14. A creative outlet for learning more about natural resources and fossil fuels in the state of Illinois. 15. Students are able to demonstrate talents that may not be easily expressed in a classroom such as artistic ability or poetry. Further, they research background information on the state of Illinois which is wonderful since they should know about the state they live in. 16. The students enjoy the project as they are learning. 17. Gets the students involved with a contest outside of the school. It makes them more aware of what is going on in the world around them. 18. I think providing an opportunity for students to receive recognition for their work is important. I always award the students whose work was sent to the contest on Awards Day. 19. Students gain experience competing with other artists. They are challenged to stay within parameters to achieve a desired message. 20. Students feeling a sense of ownership and pride in a contest; students having the opportunity to travel to Springfield, some of which had never traveled or gone out to dinner before. This was a very enriching life experience for my students from East Aurora, IL. 21. Besides the extra credit for the students, they are seeing an opportunity to use hwat they have learned or researched to be recognized. 22. gives students a chance to learn about coal energy. 23. students develop self confidence. 24. Students learn about coal and all the things it is used for. Then using their creativity producing a coal poster. 25. It allows the students to learn more about Illinois is directly affected by the coal industry. 26. Exposure to information that is not normally taught in the curriculum. Provides opportunities for students that are excellent writers and artists to be recognized. 27. Students get to write for a specific audience, and learn about a major economic contributor to our state. 28. The students have an opportunity to practice essay writing and earn recognition. 29. Creative Achievement and Academic Recognition 30. One of the benefits I have observed has been that students become motivated to produce their highest quality work for competition. I think another benefit is that they get to do something that serves a purpose aside from just working for themself and a grade.
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31. Students learn about coal and the importance in Illinois.
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15. What improvements could be made to the DCEO Art & Essay Contest? Answered Skipped
Count 23 8
2. It seemed like it was a persuasive essay(why coal is good) and it really wasnt an expository like I thought the essay should be 4. Send a box to mail the posters to you along with the contest information. It is a struggle to find an appropriate size box for the posters. Perhaps having a box readily available and addressed would encourage more schools to participate. 5. I don't know 6. Not sure. 8. offering more places to research as a class- the info needed in the essay 9. I don't think there needs to be any change in the contest itself. 10. I would like to have more up to date facts and statistics about coal for the research part. 11. I think it was just fine the way it was. 15. The reception needs more seating and more treats. It is a 3 hour drive to the reception for our school. I would prefer 8 x 11 paper for the poster contest because it would be easier to ship. 16. Videos, animations, games on your website as a resource. 17. I like how it is run. I have no complaints. 18. I personally wish the contest deadline could be moved to later on in March. 19. None. 20. I like the way the contest in run. I feel like participation may be decreased due to environmental issues surrounding coal. 21. I have received positive feedback from all my student winners and their families. 22. none 23. Fine as is considering the subject matter! 24. Maybe ceremony could start at 1:00. It is a great program. 25. It would be nice to include some of the energy alternatives to coal that are finding their place in Illinois. 27. The contest is wonderful, and the people working with it continue to make each year special for the contestants. 28. None 30. It is a neat opportunity. I can't think of any improvements to suggest. 31. More topics to choose from.
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16. Please provide any additional comments. Answered Skipped Count 17 14
2. Coal is not the answer....time to look at other enery sources and include them too! 4. Award Ceremony: The award ceremony is very nice I just have a few suggestions. Keep the upper floor open for parents and students to tour. They have drove a long way and it is nice to get to see a little more of the mansion. Consider not having all the essays read, perhaps just the main essay winner's essay read. It makes it a long ceremony for the kids. You could have a program and have all the essays typed on an insert for the program instead. Give the kids a trophy. They love trophies! Have enough refreshments for those at the end of the line to get some. It is really nice that you have the teachers recognized too.... thank you for doing so. Thank you for all you do... This is a great program! 5. None 6. I think this is a great opportunity for students to have their writing judged and evaluated by tying in business, economy, etc. 10. I have attended many ceremonies and it is always rewarding to see the pride of the winning students and families. I hope this contest continues. It was a wonderful tie in when I taught 6th grade science,natural resources. Now as an art teacher, I teach it using the poster as an effective means of communication. 11. I would be interested in judging the contest this year now that I am retired. 15. The people who run the contest are very professional, easy to communicate with and respond quickly with the results. 16. I appreciate this contest. 20. Thank you for giving students this opportunity ~ it enriched at least 5 students lives! 21. I am retired now and available to judge if needed. 22. none 23. none 24. Linda does a wonderful job with the whole contest. It is very well organized. Thanks for providing this type of contest for our writers and artists. 25. The art judging seems to be unfair. They did not say that it wording was required on the art pieces. 27. Great opportunity for expository writing, and learning about our state's contributions to the economy. 30. Over the past few years I think I have seen an improvement in the quality of work that has been selected. I think that the bar is getting raised, and that is great. I was surprised that the super awesome drawing that my school sent in last year of a mule in a mine didn't make it. I hope it is doing well somewhere. I thought it was very nice that each entrant received some Illinois coal. Thank You. 31. I have not entered in the past few years due to time restraints.
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C8. Coal Curriculum: Survey of Teachers Who Received the Curriculum Results
Survey for Teachers with the DCEO Coal Curriculum

1. Thank you for considering participating in this evaluation of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Coal Education Program. The evaluation is being conducted by an independent team at the University of Illinois. Our purpose is to provide an objective, balanced and inclusive judgment of the quality of this program so that our findings may contribute to its improvement. In this survey, we will ask you some questions about the K-12 DCEO Coal Curriculum, "From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines." The information that we obtain will be confidential. All data will be stored in a locked office, and your responses to the survey will be made available only to project personnel. We will only include group-level, aggregate data in our reports. We will not report any information that could be traced back to or identified with an individual respondent in the evaluation. We expect the survey to take about 5 minutes. We anticipate no risk to participating in this research other than what might be experienced in normal life. Your participation in this evaluation is wholly voluntary. You may skip any questions and, at any point, you may discontinue your participation. Evaluation findings will be distributed to staff members of DCEO and may be made available to participants at their request. Data collected will be used for research and evaluation purposes only. Lessons learned may be offered in scholarly articles, with no identifying information reported. If you have any questions, you may contact Sallie Greenberg at sallieg@illinois.edu or 217-244-4068. For questions about your rights as a participant in research involving human subjects, please feel free to contact the University of Illinois Institutional Review Board (IRB) Officeirb@illinois.edu or (217) 333-2670. You are welcome to call collect if you identify yourself as a research participant. Please indicate below if you give your consent to participate in this survey. Yes, I give my consent. No, I do NOT give my consent.
Percent
Count
93% 7%
57 4
2. For how many years have you been teaching? Answered Skipped
Count 55 6
1. 8 2. 6 years 3. 9 4. 7 5. 8 6. 23 7. 3 8. 23
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DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation 9. 34

10. 19 11. 6 12. 44 13. 25 14. 35 15. 12 16. 4 17. 25 18. 25 19. 35 years 20. 8 21. 25 22. 18 years 23. 15 24. 10 25. 18 26. 34 27. 10 years 30. 6 31. 17 32. 17 33. 35 years 34. 11 36. 0 37. 9 38. 12 40. 22 41. 7 42. 34 43. 3 44. 7 45. 26 46. 14 47. 8
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48. 5 50. 12 52. 28 53. 15 54. 4 years 55. 14 56. 10 57. 13 years 58. 12 59. 15 60. 12 61. 19 years
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3. Which grade levels do you currently teach? K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Other
Percent 7% 7% 11% 10% 13% 13% 28% 33% 31% 15% 21% 18% 18% 11%
Count 4 4 7 6 8 8 17 20 19 9 13 11 11 7
4. Which of the following are your primary content areas? Biology Chemistry Other Science Social Science History English Math Other
Percent 15% 15% 43% 26% 10% 20% 26% 33%
Count 9 9 26 16 6 12 16 20
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5. Which school district do you work for? Answered Skipped Count 61 0
1. Elem 2C 2. Northfield Township Dist 225 3. Valley View School District 365U 4. Riverside School District 96 5. Freeburg District 77 6. Farrington#99 7. St. Agatha School, New Athens IL 8. joliet#86 9. Bourbonnais Dist 53 10. Hamilton County Unit 10 but employee of ROE #25 11. Cornell School District 12. Unit #4; University of Illinois 13. Schuyler-Industry Community Unit District 5 14. Round Lake 15. CARLINVILLE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT 1 16. salem 111 17. 79 18. Center Cass s.d. 66 19. Pinckneyville District #50 20. 111 21. Paxton Buckley Loda 22. West Chicago Elementary District #33 23. 168 24. #10 25. Coulterville Unit District #1 26. lowpoint-washburn 27. Southern Region Early Childhood Program through SIUC 28. none at the moment 29. Monticello Community School District #25 30. North Berwyn SD 98
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31. 101 32. Chicago Public Schools 33. Saunemin District # 438 34. Franklin CUSD #1 35. Morton High School District 201 36. None -- Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago 37. Mt. Pulaski Grade School 38. North Mac 39. Carlinville 40. District 86 41. Valley view365 42. dist.21 43. Archdiocese of Chicago 44. Chicago 45. Bond County Unit 2 46. Harvard District 50 47. RPS205 48. 143.5 49. Massac 50. Massac Unit 1 51. Pinckneyville District #50 52. Carlinville School District #1 53. 168 54. Grayville when attending the coal conference 2011 55. 53 56. Valley View 365U 57. CCSD 168 58. District #176 59. diocese of joliet 60. Bccu2 61. rockford east high
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6. Have you attended the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Coal Education Conference? If so, please indicate which year you attended.
Percent
Count
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No I don't remember Yes 0% 5% 95% 0 3 58
7. As a previous attendee of a DCEO Coal Education Conference, you received a copy of the curriculum, "From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines" curriculum. Are you familiar with this curriculum? Yes No
Percent
Count
93% 7%
57 4
8. To what extent have you read through this curriculum? Not at all A little Some A lot
Percent 7% 28% 39% 26%
Count 4 17 24 16
9. To what extent have you used this curriculum? Not at all Some A little A lot
Percent 23% 51% 16% 10%
Count 14 31 10 6
10. K-4 Lesson: 'What good does coal serve?' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 5% 5% 11% 23% 13%
Count 3 3 7 14 8
11. K-4 Lesson: 'Reclamation: our productive resources at work' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 7% 3% 10% 28% 8%
Count 4 2 6 17 5
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12. K-4 Lesson: 'To surface mine or underground mine? That is the Question!' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful Percent 5% 10% 18% 16% 5% Count 3 6 11 10 3
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13. K-4 Tie-in: 'Rocks & Minerals' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 2% 5% 7% 20% 20%
Count 1 3 4 12 12
14. K-4 Tie-In: 'The Environment' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 2% 2% 10% 21% 18%
Count 1 1 6 13 11
15. K-4 Tie-In: 'Technology and Types of Mining' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 2% 13% 8% 23% 7%
Count 1 8 5 14 4
16. K-4 Tie-In: 'Illinois History' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 2% 3% 13% 20% 15%
Count 1 2 8 12 9
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17. K-4 Tie-In: 'Social Studies and Money-Making Coal' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful Percent 3% 10% 13% 13% 11% Count 2 6 8 8 7
18. K-4 Tie-In: 'Reading and Writing about Coal-related Careers' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 5% 3% 13% 23% 8%
Count 3 2 8 14 5
19. 5-8 Lesson: 'Density' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 13% 10% 18% 28% 5%
Count 8 6 11 17 3
20. 5-8 Lesson: 'The Demand for Coal' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 5% 11% 13% 31% 13%
Count 3 7 8 19 8
21. 5-8 Lesson: 'Discover the Power of Illinois Coal: Persuasive Essays' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 7% 10% 26% 20% 5%
Count 4 6 16 12 3
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22. 5-8 Tie-In: 'Economics' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful Percent 7% 13% 16% 26% 5% Count 4 8 10 16 3
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23. 5-8 Tie-In: 'Careers' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 0% 11% 16% 28% 8%
Count 0 7 10 17 5
24. 5-8 Tie-In: 'Botany' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 5% 5% 28% 18% 5%
Count 3 3 17 11 3
25. 5-8 Tie-In: 'Mine Safety and Ventilation' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 8% 8% 20% 18% 7%
Count 5 5 12 11 4
26. 5-8 Tie-In: 'Environmental Issues' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 0% 3% 8% 36% 15%
Count 0 2 5 22 9
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27. 5-8 Tie-In: 'Geology/Earth History' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful Percent 0% 2% 13% 33% 16% Count 0 1 8 20 10
28. 9-12 Lesson: 'Can My Company Make a Profit in the Development of a New Coal Mine?' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 15% 5% 31% 10% 2%
Count 9 3 19 6 1
29. 9-12 Lesson: 'Illinois History: The Role of Illinois Coal Industry in Illinois Economics' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 10% 8% 21% 21% 3%
Count 6 5 13 13 2
30. 9-12 Lesson: 'Coal, Clean Air, and the Economy' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 5% 8% 23% 20% 8%
Count 3 5 14 12 5
31. 9-12 Tie-In: 'Do the Math: Coal by Numbers' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 7% 11% 21% 16% 3%
Count 4 7 13 10 2
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32. 9-12 Tie-In: 'Laws Influencing the Coal Industry in Illinois' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful Percent 11% 20% 11% 11% 3% Count 7 12 7 7 2
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33. 9-12 Tie-In: 'Early Coal Economics: Company Stores' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 10% 16% 15% 11% 2%
Count 6 10 9 7 1
34. 9-12 Tie-In: 'Individuals and the Shaping of the Coal Industry' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 11% 7% 20% 16% 2%
Count 7 4 12 10 1
35. 9-12 Tie-In: 'Illinois Coal as a Topic for Discovery' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 7% 15% 13% 21% 0%
Count 4 9 8 13 0
36. 9-12 Tie-In: 'Coal, Chemistry, and the Environment' Not at all useful Somewhat useful Neutral Useful Very useful
Percent 7% 10% 20% 16% 2%
Count 4 6 12 10 1
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37. If you indicated "not at all useful" for any of the previous items, please expand here. Answered Skipped Count 21 40
1. This is not in my content area. 2. For the most part I have not been able to use any of the components of this curriculum "as-is." I have been able to draw on the ideas within it for presentation to my students, but because of time constraints and my the construction of my courses using any of the curriculum as it is written is unlikely. 3. Due to the strict pacing schedule that we must follow in our district, we are only able to teach topics that directly relate with our curriculum. I try to fit in the coal activities as often as possible, but there are few that I have been able to use. 4. I do not teach sciences, so I did not use those items. 6. I am an administrator and don't use the curriculum . I passed it on. I do answer many student questions about coal . yesterday I took students on a trip. we passed a mine in Hillsboro on the way. my student group had many questions about coal in the state museum. I wish I could get more of my teachers to attend your conference . I promote coal. my husband works for lays mining. 9. not in my grade level 10. My students are all independent study so I didn't use it very much but we have coal mines coming to Hamilton County so I hope to use more of it & let them read it. 12. I don't think that teachers will take the time to teach these topics when others are more important. They do have a limited amount of time! 14. Does not fit my subject area curriculum 16. I taught 4th grade for 2 years and 6/7 for 2 years - Don't teach social studies - just have not had the opportunity to use it. 17. content is not covered in class 18. Out of my grade level material. 20. They aren't useful because they are not the grade level I teach. Coal isn't a part of the curriculum either, so I used the resources for 2 days during the year as something I feel the students might be interested in. 24. I cover coal in a unit on energy and the environment which stresses replacing fossil fuels with alternative fuels. Mine safety doesn't apply to that area of discussion. 29. Kindergarten doesn't 'get it'. 40. I left the curriculum material with District 86 so I have nothing to refer to. 43. Not enough time to go in depth about these topics in second grade. Need to keep it interesting and light. 47. I've only used the posters as visual aids in teaching about resources. I've also used the coal and rock samples that were distributed at the conference. 48. Hard to fit in with curriculum and prepare fir standardize test. 56. #19 and #20 ..... Sorry, I marked these in error. I teach grade 3 58. They are items that I do not teach in my grade level.
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38. What are the most useful aspects of the curriculum? Answered Skipped Count 40 21
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1. Activities that are hands-on. 2. Big ideas and some specifics (stats, numbers, etc.) that let me discuss the history of coal mining. 3. Hands on activities and information. 4. I teach economics and those items are useful 6. being able to make others aware of the value of coal 8. The reasons why we use coal, how coal is used to make electricity, what a coal mine is like, jobs in the coal mine. I need to keep things very basic for first graders. 9. Meets and adds to district and Illinois standards 12. Topics that: 1) Review the usefulness of coal; Discuss the environmental impacts of coal; 3) How coal is important in both the Illinois and National economy; 4) Scientifically related topics. 13. The tie into the standards 14. General info that can relate to engineering 15. Material 16. tie in to my "traditional" curriculum, hands on activities. 17. current environmental issues 18. The use in our modern society. 19. I believe actually seeing the underground mine gave me a real appreciation for the hard work that coal miners do everyday. 20. Many topics to choose from. 22. Lessons, manipulative and CD's and posters too! 23. The hands on cooperative learning strategies. 24. History of Illinois, economics, use of coal 28. The enclosed lists of resources 29. The ways to use the knowledge in the classroom were wonderful. 30. User friendly 32. I felt the conference was an eye-opening experience for me. I feel students need to understand that there are ways to use coal safely without harming the environment. 33. very useful and tie in well with current issures 34. I have thoroughly used the mineral samples that I received with the curriculum and have shown pictures from my visits to the coal mine. The experience was great! 39. Giving info. about when in geologic time coal was formed, fossil info. and how coal is used to generate electricity. 40. We used the material in a cross curricular activity in our study of rocks and minerals.
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DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation 43. The videos and information about the hands on activities we received from the workshops.
44. Coal samples with the curriculum 45. NA 47. visual aids and samples. 48. Density 51. learning about the different aspects of the coal industry 52. The materials that were given to me at the conference for use in the classroom were of great help. 53. Bringing the history of Illinois coal to urban schools. Students here don't realize the importance of coal and its lasting impression on their lives. To many children coal is something Santa will bring to them if he or she is bad at Christmas. It is not a life long career nor a job. It is just a dirty piece of rock that to some is "black gold." 54. The coal curriculum is easy to follow and has many great topics to utilize and expand on. 55. The lessons are easy to use. 56. Everything related to rocks and minerals ... This is part of the present third grade curriculum 60. Information they have included in them. 61. I teach chemistry and the aspects of the chemistry of coal I found most useful. I also found the important minerals of illinois information to be helpful.
39. What are the least useful aspects of the curriculum? Answered Skipped
Count 27 34
1. Some of the material was boring for the kids to get through. For some reason this generation wants to be entertained. 3. Some of the activities aren't engaging for students if they don't have a vested interest in coal. 4. Items that are science related. 8. I think all parts of the curriculum can be useful for different grade levels. I can't use everything with first graders but what I can't use is probably good for an older grade. 9. None 12. Historical underpinnings for coal usage, 13. N/A 14. specifics not related to my curriculum 15. too broad 16. at my grade level - anything that is too technical or has vocab that is out of our comfort range 17. the demand for coal 18. No answer.
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Appendix C: Survey Results 19. There were some classes that were way above some teachers ability--however, learning all aspects of the coal curriculum makes this an easy way to taylor the lessons for our classes.
23. Obtaining the materials 24. mine safety, anything that promotes the growing future of coal as "clean" 29. For a kindergarten class, the details of deeper science weren't useful for me, but I am sure they were for higher level teachers. 30. time to fit in our curriculum 39. economic 44. Na 45. NA 47. Its very difficult in my school district to expand the science curriculum to include lessons on coal. Since science isn't tested on the 5th grade ISAT test and math and reading are, science and social studies take a back seat. Administration would not outwardly admit this but we in the "trenches" (teachers) know this to be true. Most of my time is spent on ISAT related subjects. 48. Economics 51. some of the curriculum was over the 4th grade level 53. There are none. The curriculum may be adapted for higher level students at the lower levels or lowered for students who need to be accommodated at the higher grades. It is still challenging for our honor students. The curriculum meets the needs of all of our students especially with the hands on approach. 54. Some of the Geology did not tie into some of the areas I taught. If you could work with the other science teachers to make sure all aspects were covered it would be more useful 56. Future Gen ... Not applicable right now for third grade ... However, very interesting to educators. 61. I did not find the history of coal mines in IL to be very useful.
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40. What suggestions for improving the curriculum do you have? Answered Skipped
Count 28 33
1. More videos or even better interactive whiteboard activities. 2. I know that this curriculum has been developed with support of the coal industry in Illinois and I accept it as such. This limits the degree to which I am inclined to present it to students without serious discussion of the source. As a result I usually go with materials that have less of bias for a particular industry. 3. Possibly include more photographs. Students are very visual learners and having photographs that correlate with the topics/activities could be very beneficial. 4. When I attended, some of the facilitators were fawning all over President Obama and Global Warming. President Obama has set out to deystroy the coal industry and that should be highlighted. Global Warming and the increase of CO2 is a hoax 8. I think it is good as is. 9. Can materials be provided on line?
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DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation 12. Be very aware of the time needed to teach the curriculum; the degree to which the teacher will need to teach background information in order for the class to understand the topic to be taught; the degree to which the teacher will need to become familiar with the science, math and other topics assumed in the lessons.
13. none 14. none offhand 16. more hands on projects - more tie in to Common Core reading/math/ writing standards alligned with Next Generation Science standards. 17. relating the use of coal to urban areas 18. Updates on current policies and information. 19. Make the classroom sessions more hands-on for the teachers. 22. To keep in mind the various levels of abilities within a classroom. Even though I teach 5th grade I have students and very low levels to very high. 23. Larger pieces of coal would be useful in the kit for students' experiments. 24. Acknowledging more of the problems and what we can do to make coal useful (because we have so much) in the future. 29. I really don't know, I thought it was great. 30. none 39. more info. about generating electricity. 43. There is so much information. Give us a highlighted more condensed version. 44. Give more time during the conference for teachers to go thru the curriculum. I haven't used it as much as I might have if I had really worked with it during my time. 45. I just can't find the time and the district is asking that all classes teach more aligned with each other. 47. I havn't used it much so I have no suggestions. 48. More align to ngss or frameworks 51. none--very good curriculum 52. I would like powerpoints to use with my students. 53. None, just include more! 54. I think the curriculum is good because it gives the teacher a start with something to expand on. At the highschool level I could tie it into my Agriculture lessons and work with the science teachers to see what they have already taught.
41. Please provide any additional comments about the Coal Curriculum. Answered Skipped
Count 28 33
1. I enjoyed this opportunity, I learned quite a bit myself. 7. It's dated, the pictures aren't interesting in the younger grade books and the content is way over a kindergartner's head
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9. Great information and resources! 13. It was a great experience. 14. Should be great for teachers of other subjects. 16. I enjoyed the conference and have use the materials quite a bit - my new teaching job this year will let me use them even more. 17. negative factors about coal use should also be discussed, as they are covered in media 18. The real time days spent in the mines was useful. 19. I really enjoyed the coal conference and learned so much. I had never been in an energy plant and learning about this was a highlight as well as going underground. I felt that the Rend Lake tour of the underground coal and how fast miner can loose sight really brought home the safety aspect of underground mining. 20. It is hard to incorporate so much when it is not a part of my curriculum, but I am keeping the information handy so if my curriculum changes I can use it. 22. Thank you so very much for the opportunity of obtaining the teacher materials and attending the conference. 23. Going to the coal conference was an experience that every teacher should have. I never invisioned the need for coal. Nor did I realize how much our country depends on the black "gold" supplied by our state. Coal is very much in demand. Many economic opportunities lie under our feet. The future looks very secure with the enhanced development of coal. 24. Very well presented but not realistic outside of "coal country." 29. Thank you so much for the opportunity to attend this conference. I had a great time, and learned a lot about the coal industry. The reclamation information was really interesting to me, and those areas look great! 30. none 33. Good curriculum. 34. I hardly looked at the curriculum binder once I got home but I have used the experience of the conference in my teaching. Our textbooks don't go very deep into coal mining, but what they do cover is supplemented by the samples, pictures, and information I got at the conference. 43. It is a great program! 45. I apologize that I haven't used the information you gave me. I have used the video we took while touring the mine. The students are always amazed that I got the opportunity t 47. The visuals and samples I've used have been great. 48. None 50. Thank you for the opportunity to attend. Even if I never used the curriculum in the classroom, it has made an impact on me. I learned so much and I've lived in this area my whole life! 51. really enjoyed meeting your people from the Coal Companies and the scientists 53. Love everything you have done! The workshop is outstanding! Your contest approaches students at different grade levels with different abilities from the artistic to the written communication. Your award ceremony at the Governor's mansion demonstrates your appreciation to all the young people who have learned about coal through the curriculum you have graciously placed in the hands of us teachers. What a positive feedback you have achieved! Thank you! 54. Coal mines will hopefully continue to grow within the next few years creating more jobs for our students. The more education we can give them, the safer and more "work ready" they will be. I
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DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation loved this conference and learned so much. I appreciate the opportunity for teachers to see up close the mining process
55. I appreciate the time put into creating and providing the Coal curriculum. 60. I liked teaching about Coal and it's uses 61. I do not use the curriculum per se but I do mention the importance of coal to the economy of Illinois often. I learned alot about coal mining and the generation of electricity at the conference. I use this knowledge in my classroom often. I have encouraged students to study mining engineering at SIU or to study mining engineering in general. We complete a writing prompt on the EPA's planned carbon credit program and its potential effect on Illinois coal. This was a very informative workshop, both in terms of knowledge and contacts made.
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C9. Coal Education Program: Stakeholder Survey Results
DCEO Coal Education Program Stakeholders' Survey

1. Thank you for considering participating in this evaluation of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Coal Education Program. The evaluation is being conducted by an independent team at the University of Illinois. Our purpose is to provide an objective, balanced and inclusive judgment of the quality of this program so that our findings may contribute to its improvement. In this survey, we will ask you some questions about your experiences with and perspectives on the DCEO Coal Education Program. The information that we obtain will be confidential. All data will be stored in a locked office, and your responses to the survey will be made available only to project personnel. We will only include grouplevel, aggregate data in our reports. We will not report any information that could be traced back to or identified with an individual respondent in the evaluation. We expect the survey to take about 5 minutes. We anticipate no risk to participating in this research other than what might be experienced in normal life. Your participation in this evaluation is wholly voluntary. You may skip any questions and, at any point, you may discontinue your participation. Evaluation findings will be distributed to staff members of DCEO and may be made available to participants at their request. Data collected will be used for research and evaluation purposes only. Lessons learned may be offered in scholarly articles, with no identifying information reported. If you have any questions, you may contact Sallie Greenberg at sallieg@illinois.edu or 217-244-4068. For questions about your rights as a participant in research involving human subjects, please feel free to contact the University of Illinois Institutional Review Board (IRB) Officeirb@illinois.edu or (217) 333-2670. You are welcome to call collect if you identify yourself as a research participant. Please indicate below if you give your consent to participate in this survey. Yes, I give my consent. No, I do NOT give my consent.
Percent
Count
96% 4%
24 1
2. How familiar are you with the DCEO Coal Education Program? Very familiar A little familiar Not at all
Percent 28% 64% 8%
Count 7 16 2
3. Which type of organization are you affiliated with? Government Geological Survey Coal education program Environmental organization
Percent 0% 0% 0% 36%
Count 0 0 0 9
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Citizens' advocacy organization Other 24% 36% 6 9
4. Which best describes your role/position in this organization? Director Assistant director Program manager Assistant program manager Administrative staff Outreach staff Other
Percent 4% 0% 8% 4% 0% 8% 72%
Count 1 0 2 1 0 2 18
5. Coal Education Conference for Illinois Teachers Not valuable Moderately valuable Valuable Very valuable Not familiar
Percent 56% 8% 8% 4% 20%
Count 14 2 2 1 5
6. Art & Essay Contest for Illinois Students (also known as the Coal Calendar Contest) Not valuable Moderately valuable Valuable Very valuable Not familiar
Percent 80% 0% 4% 4% 8%
Count 20 0 1 1 2
7. K-12 Coal Curriculum: "From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines" Not valuable Moderately valuable Valuable Very valuable Not familiar
Percent 72% 4% 8% 0% 12%
Count 18 1 2 0 3
Count
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Answered Skipped 16 9
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3. What might also be valuable would be to state the health care costs the citizens of IL (and surrounding states) have to pay as a result of the burning of coal (as well as the dangers to water and the important agricultural sector from increased reliance on extractive industries). 4. It's obvious that Illinois and the USA as a whole needs to restructure, retool & retrain coal workers into eco-friendly & green energy technologies. 5. These programs are simply propaganda for the coal industry. 6. The goal of this is not to create awareness about socioeconomic well-being, this is to ensure that coal continues to be a source of wealth for a few individuals. A green economy of renewable resources like wind and solar, as well as new technologies like high-speed rail and restoring existing infrastructure are the real answer to our socioeconomic problems. Brainwashing is the only word I can think of in regards to this program to "educate" children on how to put populations at risk of coal sludge and pollute our earth beyond repair for the exact generation that they claim to be educating. It's disgusting and sociopathic. 7. The programs potentially provide a great deal of information. My concern is that the information is not well-rounded. The calculation of economic value is poorly done. 8. These appear tp be propaganda questions with little to no alternative views! 9. Having been a teacher for 34 years, I would not use such materials in my classroom. There's plenty of reliable, unbiased sources online and elsewhere that one can use without relying on the coal industry's predictable slant aided by government and/or academia. 10. No balanced scientific information is provided in the teacher's education conference, art & essay contest, and K-12 curriculum for full consideration of the impact of using coal on climate change, public health, air and water pollution, and legacy health care and retirement costs coal companies have shifted to the public sector. This entire "education" program is a blatant PR blitz for coal. It is not valid by any educational assessment as being up-to-date regarding climate, health and environmental concerns. Public funding should not be provided for this because it is totally skewed in favor of the coal industry. There is no balanced information on the social costs of coal including public health costs from air pollution from coal; water pollution from coal processing and burning of coal; destruction of farmland and loss of streams; contamination of water and land from coal mining; damage to public roads and costs to the public for road repairs; loss of public access caused by mine road closures; loss of private water wells; contamination of the Pearl Sand Aquifer in Clinton County; and the list could go on and on. 11. As far as I am aware, none of the above materials impart an accurate picture of the "importance of the Illinois coal industry to the socioeconomic structure of Illinois." Namely, students and teachers that encounter these programs would likely come away with the impression that coal mining is a major industry in Illinois. In fact, coal mining accounts for less than a fraction of a percent of both Illinois' gross state product and total employment. Similarly, students and teachers that encounter these programs would likely come away with the impression that coal will continue to figure prominently in Illinois' energy future. In fact,the opposite is true. Due to the state's ambitious Renewable Portfolio Standard (which mandates 25% generation from renewables by 2025), as well as low natural gas prices, coal's future role in providing electricity in Illinois is sure to decrease. Finally, the programs in question seem to convey that coal mining promotes economic development. Again, this runs counter to empirical evidence. The counties and towns that have hosted coal mines historically are also some of the most economically disadvantaged counties in the state today. No mention is made in the D.C.E.O.'s programs or materials of the historic "boom-and-bust" cycles driven by external market conditions that have characterized the social and economic history of the coal industry in Illinois. Time does not permit me to continue, but I have similar concerns that these programs and materials fail to impart an accurate awareness and understanding of the importance of the Illinois coal industry to the socioeconomic structure of Illinois by failing to address other issues of social and economic importance (including but not limited to worker safety, black lung disease, community health impacts and environmental justice issues).
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DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation 13. I question whether the goal should be restricted to "increasing awareness and understanding of the importance of the IL coal industry to the socioeconomic structure of Illinois." While these goals may or may not be achieved, they are hardly a balanced set of goals for this program. People of this state deserve to be educated on the full range of impacts of coal production and use. Enviornmental concerns should be addressed explicitly and accurately.
16. Coal is a technology that should be moved away from. At the very least, carbon emission should be controlled as much as possible. As long as this education is not "coal friendly" or affiliated with the cola industry as such, providing a whitewash, exposure of dangers and possibilities of coal as an energy source could be taught. 20. I think it'd be important to include the other aspects of coal mining, slurry ponds, subsidence, pollution, 21. The coal curriculum is more like promotional material to enhance coal mining. The reality of coal's effect on health and the environment is not presented in the PR material. The science presented is invalid and inadequate 22. The coal industry can well afford to promote their coal activies and agenda and not depend on Taxpayers or government funds. 23. These programs appear to take a biased and inaccurate scientific approach to the impacts of the coal industry in the state of illinois. While supporting the Illinois energy industry is a good thing for Illinois, a more holistic view that makes the impacts of coal on climate change and public health is necessary. 24. An energy education program would be more valuable than one that focuses only on one portion of the energy sector.Energy is a complex subject and there are other types of energy that contribute to the Illinois economy including nuclear and wind that add a broader aspect to this study.
9. Coal Education Conference for Illinois Teachers Not valuable Moderately valuable Valuable Very valuable Not familiar
Percent 52% 8% 12% 4% 20%
Count 13 2 3 1 5
10. Art & Essay Contest for Illinois Students (also known as the Coal Calendar Contest) Not valuable Moderately valuable Valuable Very valuable Not familiar
Percent 72% 0% 8% 4% 12%
Count 18 0 2 1 3
11. K-12 Coal Curriculum: "From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines" Not valuable
Percent 76%
Count 19
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Moderately valuable Valuable Very valuable Not familiar 0% 4% 4% 8% 0 1 1 2
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12. Please provide any additional information related with the previous items. Answered Skipped
Count 14 11
5. The information provided is not factual. It is simply propaganda for the coal industry. 6. Please refer to my response above. None of this is actually beneficial to our children, teachers or citizens. It is only beneficial to the coal companies and their bank accounts. 7. The range of information supplied is limited to a narrow conception of economic input and output, but even in economic terms, no comparative data are supplied, nor are costs properly calculated. 8. Is there any info about mountain top removal in this "curriculum"? Do you mention mercury contamination of our lakes and streams within this "curriculum"? 9. By no stretch of the imagination can the source of these materials be considered unbiased. 10. There is no balanced information on the impacts of longwall mining which subsides the land surface causing earthquake type impacts affecting homes, other buildings, changes water drainage, and causing road closures. There is no balanaced information on the impacts of strip mining in destroying forests and how few mined areas are returned to hardwood forests. There is no information on the percentage of miners who suffer black lung and other mining injuries and current mining fatality records of Illinois mines. There is no information that the utilization of Illinois coal mean high sulfur coal is added unnecessarily causing more pollution from old coal power plants that do not have adequate air scrubbers. There is no information on the tons of mercury added to the air and water each year in Illinois from the buring of coal and what the health impacts and costs are from mercury, or other heavy metals in coal. There is no information on the use and history of coal slurry waste impoundments that are left as permanent fixtures on the land and contain tons and tons of heavy metals and toxics, but are labelled "woody wildlife areas" or pasture by the state when they are capped with dirt. There is no information on the communities who have had to go to piped public water supplies because wells have been contaminated by mining impacts. 11. All of these programs and materials omit key facts about (1) mining's impact on the environment, and (2) provide a distorted picture of how coal mined in Illinois is utilized. Pertinent to the first issue is the lack of any mention of the overwhelming scientific evidence that mining coal in a watershed typically causes increases in sediment and other pollutant loading into receiving waters. In recent years, numerous Illinois coal mines have violated their water pollution permits by discharging pollution in excess of allowable levels. By making the assertion that coal mines no longer contribute to environmental degradation thanks to new laws(S.M.C.R.A., C.W.A.) mischaracterizes how environmental regulations work. In spite of these laws, coal mines regularly degrade the environment by discharging increased (and in some cases, unlawful) levels of pollution into the environment. While it is certainly a positive development to have laws in place that may afford some opportunity to prevent or rectify pollution from coal mines, it is disingenuous to assert that coal mine's no longer pollute due to those laws. Regarding the second issue, the programs and materials in question tend on the whole to convey that coal mined in Illinois is largely used to meet Illinois' electrical needs. Again, this is simply not the case. Since the 1990's most of the coal fired power plants in Illinois have not chosen to invest in the air pollution control technologies that would enable them to lawfully burn Illinois' high sulfur coal. Most coal fired generation in Illinois relies on coal imported from other coal producing regions of the country for this reason. Importantly though, as discussed in #8 above, the share of coal fired generation in Illinois' overall energy portfolio is predicted to decrease quite precipitously over the next decade. As a result, coal
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DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation mined in Illinois is increasingly in search of a market, whether out of state or abroad. Again, the DCEO's programs and materials convey the mistaken impression that Illinois coal will continue to play a major role the state's energy future, when in fact its use in Illinois is predicted to continue to diminish.
13. Again, there should be an accurate assessment of the environmental consequences of coal mining and use for power generation. Otherwise, this risks being a state supported advertisement and unmitigated endorsement of the coal industry. That is not healthy for the coal industry nor the people of Illinois. While coal is and will remain an important part of our balanced energy portfolio, the externalities associated with coal usage (and usage of all energy sources) should be taught. 16. See above 21. The PR material does not address the damage from coal mining, emissions from coal-fired power plants, and coal combustion waste that occurs in communities. 22. Teachers of any grade level are well acquainted with past, current and future energy sources and do not need input from the Coal Curriculum promoted by the coal industry or DCEO. 23. The facts here are again biased and not using the full scientific information available. DCEO should be addressing the full energy spectrum available in Illinois and coal has many deleterious impacts on the residents of the state that should be acknowledged. 24. The information is biased in many ways and does not fully portray the environmental and health impacts of coal mining and power production from coal. It does not explain the full cost of the externalities of coal. 25. After examining a copy of the old curriculum, learning about the conference, and looking at entries for the coal calendar contest, it became extremely clear to me that the information presented in the coal curriculum was not accurate. The program presents coal in an extremely favorable light and does not adequately provide information about the problems associated with coal mining and coal fired power plants.
13. Scientific content Very poor Poor Average Well Very well Don't know
Percent 36% 24% 12% 8% 0% 16%
Count 9 6 3 2 0 4
14. Balance of economic, social, political, and environmental perspectives Very poor Poor Average Well Very well Don't know
Percent 68% 8% 0% 4% 0% 16%
Count 17 2 0 1 0 4
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15. Please provide any additional comments or concerns related with the K-12 Coal Curriculum. Answered Skipped Count 11 14
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2. The curriculum is slanted towards favoring the coal industry and is directly implemented in schools. State taxpayer money should not be used for this purpose, especially when benefiting a single industry and misleads children with its content. 3. While meeting the very minimum definition of factually correct, there's a glaring lack of context...e.g., "clean coal" is a misnomer--gasification doesn't aid the environment in any significant way, and is, in fact more harmful in many ways. It fails to put the need for a sustainable energy policy in any context. (Extractive industries, are by there very nature, unsustainable.) While coal may be a necessary evil at the current time, there isn't a presentation of how we can move beyond coal (or even why we should). 6. The perspective of these education programs leaves out the utter and complete destruction of ecosystems due to mountain-top removal, the pollution caused by extraction and transportation, the lessened health of coal workers and surrounding communities, let alone the pollution caused once the coal itself is used. If the curriculum included the research paper I wrote on the negative effects of the coal industry on the Appalachian people, maybe it would be more balanced. 7. Let me first say that the weaknesses of this program are widely shared. The major problems are two: that environmental information is robustly provided. Even in narrowly economic terms, the *cost* of environmental damage is not calculated. Second, coal as a source of energy is largely considered in isolation, as if in a world of trains, planes, taxi, bicycles, diesel, etc., a school curriculum said, "This year we will study how to drive yourself in a gasoline-powered car from Chicago to Detroit." Reframe the question: "Transportation options in the Midwest," and the curriculum would look very different. 8. This is nothing more than coal industry propaganda! 9. The so-called curriculum doesn't take into account or address the full costs of coal. 10. This curriculum is horribly weak on current scientific facts regarding the environmental impacts of mining and burning coal. This curriculum is horribly lacking of balanced information on the public health costs of burning coal, the public infrastructure costs to townships and other entities of damages to roads, loss of taxes from farm buildings torn down by coal companies, lack of balanced environmental information on what the mining and processing of coal does to the land in the operations area of the mine and how thousands of acres of farmland are lost to food production from these operations for the one-time taking of coal. There is no information that the mines pay minimal fees for their mining permit and revisions to the permit and other actions requiring extensive state agency hours are in no way paid by the coal companies as a cost of doing business, but are supported by taxpayers who support the state agencies. The influence of coal companies on local politics via donations to all levels of candidates is not covered and the influence peddling of coal operators who come in to a community and give money to local not-forprofits, promise jobs, and development and then when the mine is gone the jobs are gone and the community crashes, are not adequately covered. 11. In addition to the lack of scientifically appropriate information regarding the water quality impacts of coal mining, all of the above materials and programs fail to address the relationship between coal and global climate change. There is a well established scientific consensus that human activity is contributing to global climate change, and that coal fired power plants are the number one source of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. No where in the Coal Curriculum is this acknowledged or discussed in a way that would allow students to understand the consequences of coal fired electricity. In some places in the (contrary to established scientific consensus), educators are instead encouraged to plant seeds of doubt in the mind of students about whether or not human activity is contributing to global climate change. In others, students
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are taught that the coal industry is becoming "cleaner" and working to develop technologies to capture and sequester its carbon emissions. However, this leaves the mistaken impression that carbon capture and sequestration technologies are actually used, when in fact no commercial scale coal fired electrical generating units currently employ these technologies. Indeed, due to their high cost, it seems unlikely (in an age of cheap gas and lower cost renewables) that these technologies will ever be widely employed. Not only is the Coal Curriculum's information pertaining to climate change inaccurate, it is simply irresponsible, and runs counter to the state's learning standards which mandate that students be able to understand current scientific issues in their appropriate social and historical contexts. Also missing from these programs and materials is any kind of meaningful discussion about the well established, devastating public health impacts of coal fired power plants. In place of a detailed elaboration of this point, I will simply refer the reader to this study by the Harvard School of Public Health as a single example of this consensus that is missing from the curriculum: http://chge.med.harvard.edu/resource/mining-coal-mounting-costs-life-cycleconsequences-coal 13. From the materials I have been able to obtain, I would say this balance is very poor when it comes to the social and environmental perspectives, as well as the indirect economic impact. 22. The Coal Curriculum facts are based on the coal industry lobby program which is harmful to the environment, out dated and not promoting tomorrow's technology or energy sources. 23. The curriculum seems biased towards the coal industry, and as someone who works to educate the public on the benefits of a diverse energy portfolio, this is not useful. It is blatantly pro coal.
16. Please provide any additional comments or concerns related with the DCEO Coal Education Program. Answered Skipped
Count 9 16
5. It is not just a farce to call this education, it is morally and ethically wrong to do so. The government, and my tax dollars, should not be used as a PR firm for coal. 6. Any program that makes non-renewable energy look to children as something that will make their lives better is one that aims to lessen their quality of life by continuing to deny and avoid renewable energy and a shift in lifestyle that will actually promise our children a healthy and prosperous, sustainable future. This education program proves that the investors and leaders of coal and fossil fuel companies are truly sociopathic and have no remorse for what their greed is costing the lives of everyone on this planet, especially our children who are already suffering and will suffer even more as the planet tries to adapt to our overconsumption. Any temporary "socioeconomic" benefit of the coal and fossil fuel industries that workers themselves even sadly defend so vehemently is short-sighted and ignores the larger picture of long-term prosperity. 8. A fair and balanced education program needs to tell both sides of the coal issue! 9. It is not an education program as much as it is a propaganda program for the coal industry. The DCEO should be ended. 10. This 'education program' is essentially a public relations tool for coal companies and is not balanced with current scientific, economic, social, public health, or other factual information about what coal and coal mining really does and the full costs of coal to society and to the environment. There is not balanced coverage of the alternatives to coal and the amount of wind energy and solar energy options, the utilization of energy conservation to reduce energy consumption, and the facts regarding climate change. 21. The state should not be promoting the coal lobby's agenda.
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Appendix C: Survey Results 22. DCEO or any State of Illinois funds needs to used to promote coal in the public schools. Science and environmental teachers are capable of teaching fair and balanced approach to energy sources.
23. I hope DCEO can refine this to be a more comprehensive energy curriculum, encouraging students to understand the energy needs in context of public health, equity and environmental security. 25. Illinois's economy has traditionally been strongly associated with coal, but that is beginning to change. If the DCEO would like to educate students and teachers about the role of coal in our state, then there needs to be a less biased presentation. Kids should not walk out of the classroom believing that they gained a full understanding of the effects and importance of coal in Illinois when little information is presented about the pitfalls of coal. If students are to be taught a scientific program, then the curriculum ought to be fully based on the science. The mining and burning of coal poses a threat to Illinois residents health and the stability of their environment and students ought to be taught about these dangers.
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17. Please indicate if you might be interested in participating in a follow-up interview or focus group. If yes, provide your name and e-mail address. No, I am not interested. Yes, I might be interested. Name and email address:
Percent 48% 40%
Count 12 10
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APPENDIX D BENCHMARKING STUDY RESULTS D1. Seven Top Coal-Producing States Websites ...................................................................D1 D2. National Coal and Energy Educational Resources Websites ......................................... D3
D1
APPENDIX D: BENCHMARKING STUDY RESULTS D1. Seven Top Coal-Producing States Websites State Wyoming (1) Website http://wyoming.gov/ http://governor.wy.gov/Energy%20Related%20Documents/Topics%201317,%20Education%20Innovation%20and%20New%20Technologies%20Draft%20Initiatives.pdf http://www.wv.gov/Pages/default.aspx http://www.wvcommerce.org/energy/default.aspx http://kentucky.gov/Pages/home.aspx http://keec.ky.gov/ http://keec.ky.gov/publications.htm http://eeinkentucky.org/net/content/search.aspx?s=0.0.113.37933&keyword=curriculum http://energy.ky.gov/Programs/Pages/EnergyEducation.aspx# http://pa.gov/portal/server.pt/community/pa_gov/20387 http://www.elibrary.dep.state.pa.us/dsweb/Get/Document-86378/0130-BK-DEP2281.pdf http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/curriculum_class_activities/13906 http://www.texas.gov/en/Pages/default.aspx http://www.tceq.texas.gov/p2/education/k-12education/K12education.html http://commerce.mt.gov/energy/default.mcpx http://commerce.mt.gov/Energy/publications.mcpx http://www.illinois.gov/Pages/default.aspx http://www.ildceo.net/dceo/Bureaus/Coal/Education/
West Virginia (2) Kentucky (3)
Pennsylvania (4)
Texas (5) Montana (6) Illinois (7)
D3
D2. National Coal and Energy Educational Resources Websites

Organization National Energy Education Development Project (NEED) Mission The mission of the NEED Project is to promote an energy conscious and educated society by creating effective networks of students, educators, business, government and community leaders to design and deliver objective, multi-sided energy education programs. NEED works with energy companies, agencies and organizations to bring balanced energy programs to the nation's schools with a focus on strong teacher professional development, timely and balanced curriculum materials, signature program capabilities and turn-key program management. The American Coal Foundation (ACF) is a nonprofit educational organization supported by a coalition of coal producers, electric utilities, railroads, equipment suppliers, and sellers along with the labor union. ACFs objective is to educate the public about the advantages and potential of coal: Its abundant; its affordable; its American; and with the commercialization of innovative new technologies, it can be used in an environmentally acceptable manner. NEF is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit educational organization dedicated to the development, dissemination, and implementation of supplementary educational materials, programs, products and services. These resources for education relate primarily to energy, water, natural resources, science and math, technology, conservation and the environment. All products and services enrich and enhance teaching and learning to recognize the importance and contribution of natural resources to our economy, to national security, the environment and our quality of life. The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy and the NETL offer a toolkit for teachers and parents with printable study guides and activities emphasizing the importance of coal, natural gas, and petroleum to our everyday lives. The goal is to familiarize students with the science and technologies that make using fossil fuels cleaner and to enhance interest in math and science and to provide resources and instructional materials. A partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE) and National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) to develop an interdisciplinary middle and high school curriculum (grades 5-12) designed to explore the issue of global climate change. Website http://www.need.org/
American Coal Foundation
http://teachcoal.org/
National Energy Foundation
http://nef1.org/
United States Department of Energy (office of fossil energy and NETL) Keystone
http://www.netl.doe.gov/education/tea chers.html http://www.fossil.energy.gov/educatio n/energylessons/Study_Guides_and_ Activities.html http://www.keystonecurriculum.org/c urricula.html http://www.keystonecurriculum.org/c urricula/lessonplans/table/3/0.html?resetfilters=1
D4
Organization US Energy Information Administration (EIA)
American Geosciences Institute - AGI
Women in Mining (WIM)
Mission EIA collects, analyzes, and disseminates independent and impartial energy information to promote sound policymaking, efficient markets, and public understanding of energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment. EIA is the nation's premier source of energy information and, by law, its data, analyses, and forecasts are independent of approval by any other officer or employee of the U.S. Government. AGI is a nonprofit federation of geoscientific and professional associations that represents more than 250,000 geologists, geophysicists, and other earth scientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests in our profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education, and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in society's use of resources, resilience to natural hazards, and the health of the environment. WIM is a nationwide organization composed of individuals employed in, associated with, or interested in the mining industry. The overriding goal of WIM is to educate both the members and the public about the mining industries. WIM's stated objectives are: 1)To educate members of the technical and other aspects of the mineral resource and related industries through informative and educational programs.; 2) To institute and promote such educational, scientific, legislative and other programs as will foster public awareness of the economic and technical interrelationship of mineral production with the national economy and the public good and 3) To preserve the heritage, and maintain the history of mining and mining people.
Website http://www.eia.gov/kids/energy.cfm?p age=6
http://www.agiweb.org/index.html http://www.agiweb.org/education/curr iculum/index.html
http://www.womeninmining.org/ default.asp
APPENDIX E STANDARDS ALIGNMENT RESULTS E1. Alignment with English Common Core Standards......................................................... E1 E2. Alignment with Math Common Core Standards .......................................................... E19 E3. Alignment with Illinois Learning Standards Geography .......................................... E39 E4. Alignment with Illinois Learning Standards Economics ........................................... E43 E5. Alignment with Next Generation Science Framework ................................................. E47 E6. Standards Alignment Survey Results ............................................................................. E59
APPENDIX E: STANDARDS ALIGNMENT RESULTS E1. Alignment with English Common Core Standards ENGLISHCOMMONCORESTANDARDS:K4CURRICULUM
Lessons Reclamation: Our To Surface Productive Mine or Resources at Underground Work Mine? Tie-Ins
E1
Rocks & Minerals
The Environment
Illinois History
Social Reading and Studies and Writing About MoneyCoal-Related Making Coal Careers
Reading: Informational Text Key Ideas and Details RI. K.1 RI. K.2 RI.K.3 RI. 1.1 RI. 1.2 RI. 1.3 RI. 2.1 RI. 2.2 RI. 2.3 RI. 3.1 RI. 3.2 RI. 3.3 RI. 4.1 RI. 4.2 RI. 4.3 Craft and Structure RI. K.4 RI. K.5 RI. K.6 RI. 1.4 RI. 1.5 RI. 1.6 RI. 2.4 RI. 2.5 RI. 2.6
1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 2 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0
1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 0 1 2 0 0
1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
E2
ENGLISHCOMMONCORESTANDARDS:K4CURRICULUM
Lessons Reclamation: Our To Surface Productive Mine or Resources at Underground Work Mine? 2 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Tie-Ins Social Reading and Studies and Writing About Illinois MoneyCoal-Related History Making Coal Careers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0

RI. 3.4 RI. 3.5 RI. 3.6 RI. 4.4 RI. 4.5 RI. 4.6
What Good Does Coal Serve? 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
Technology Rocks & The and Types of Minerals Environment Mining 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas RI. K.7 RI. K.8 RI. K.9 RI. 1.7 RI. 1.8 RI. 1.9 RI. 2.7 RI. 2.8 RI. 2.9 RI. 3.7 RI. 3.8 RI. 3.9 RI. 4.7 RI. 4.8 RI. 4.9
1 0 0 1 0 0
Appendix E: Standards Alignment Results
E3
Lessons Reclamation: Our To Surface Productive Mine or Resources at Underground Work Mine? 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 Tie-Ins Social Reading and Studies and Writing About MoneyCoal-Related Making Coal Careers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1
Rocks & Minerals 0 0 0 0 0
The Environment 0 0 0 0 0
Technology and Types of Mining 1 1 1 1 1
Illinois History
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity RI. K.10 0 RI. 1.10 0 RI. 2.10 0 RI. 3.10 1 RI. 4.10 1 Writing Text Types and Purposes W. K.1 W. K.2 W. K.3 W. 1.1 W. 1.2 W. 1.3 W. 2.1 W. 2.2 W. 2.3 W. 3.1 W. 3.2 W. 3.3 W. 4.1 W. 4.2 W. 4.3
0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1
1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0
0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1
0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0
0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0
1 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0
1 2 0 0 2 0 1 2 0 1 2 0 1 2 0
0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0
0 1
0
0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0
E4
Lessons Reclamation: Our To Surface Productive Mine or Resources at Underground Work Mine? 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 2 2 0 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 Tie-Ins Social Reading and Studies and Writing About MoneyCoal-Related Making Coal Careers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1
Rocks & Minerals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1
The Environment 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Technology and Types of Mining 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1
Illinois History
Production and Distribution of Writing W. K.4 W. K.5 W. K.6 W. 1.4 W. 1.5 W. 1.6 W. 2.4 W. 2.5 W. 2.6 W. 3.4 W. 3.5 W. 3.6 W. 4.4 W. 4.5 W. 4.6
0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 Research to Build and Present Knowledge W.K.7 1 W.K.8 1 W.K.9 0 W. 1.7 1 W. 1.8 1 W. 1.9 0 W. 2.7 1 W. 2.8 1 W. 2.9 0 W. 3.7 0
E5
Lessons Tie-Ins Reclamation: Our To Surface Productive Mine or Technology Resources at Underground Rocks & The and Types of Illinois Work Mine? Minerals Environment Mining History 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 1 0 1 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1
W. 3.8 W. 3.9 W. 4.7 W. 4.8 W. 4.9 Range of Writing W.K.10 W. 1.10 W. 2.10 W. 3.10 W. 4.10 Speaking and Listening Comprehension and Collaboration SL. K.1 SL. K.2 SL. K.3 SL. 1.1 SL. 1.2 SL. 1.3 SL. 2.1 SL. 2.2 SL. 2.3 SL. 3.1 SL. 3.2 SL. 3.3 SL. 4.1 SL. 4.2 SL. 4.3
What Good Does Coal Serve? 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1
Social Reading and Studies and Writing About MoneyCoal-Related Making Coal Careers 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1
1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0
1 0 0
1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0
1 0 0
1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0
1 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0
1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1
1 0 0
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0
1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0
1 0 0
1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0
1 0 0
E6
Lessons Reclamation: Our To Surface Productive Mine or Resources at Underground Work Mine? 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 Tie-Ins Social Reading and Studies and Writing About MoneyCoal-Related Making Coal Careers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
What Good Does Coal Serve? 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0
Rocks & Minerals 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
The Environment 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Technology and Types of Mining 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Illinois History
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas SL. 1.4 SL. 1.5 SL. 1.6 SL. 2.4 SL. 2.5 SL. 2.6 SL. 4.4 SL. 4.5 SL. 4.6
E7
ENGLISHCOMMON CORESTANDARDS Density
ENGLISHCOMMONCORESTANDARDS:58CURRICULUM Lessons TieIns Discoverthe Demand Powerof MineSafety forCoal IllinoisCoal Economics Careers Botany andVentilation
Environmental Issues
Geology/ Earth History
Reading:InformationalText
KeyIdeasandDetails RI.5.1 RI.5.2 RI.5.3 RI.6.1 RI.6.2 RI.6.3 RI.7.1 RI.7.2 RI.7.3 RI.8.1 RI.8.2 RI.8.3 CraftandStructure RI.5.4 RI.5.5 RI.5.6 RI.6.4 RI.6.5 RI.6.6 RI.7.4 RI.7.5 RI.7.6 RI.8.4 RI.8.5 RI.8.6 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
SCALE:0=Notaddressed;1=Marginallyaddressed2=Adequatelyaddressed3=Welladdresed
E8
ENGLISHCOMMONCORESTANDARDS:58CURRICULUM Lessons TieIns Discoverthe Demand Powerof MineSafety ENGLISHCOMMON IllinoisCoal Economics Careers Botany andVentilation CORESTANDARDS Density forCoal IntegrationofKnowledgeandIdeas RI.5.7 0 2 2 2 2 1 1 RI.5.8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 RI.5.9 0 2 2 1 2 1 1 RI.6.7 0 0 0 2 2 1 1 RI.6.8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 RI.6.9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 RI.7.7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 RI.7.8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 RI.7.9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 RI.8.7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 RI.8.8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 RI.8.9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 RangeofReadingandLevelofTextComplexity RI.5.10 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 RI.6.10 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 RI.7.10 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 RI.8.10 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 Writing TextTypesandPurposes W.5.1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 W.5.2 1 1 2 2 2 0 2 W.5.3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 W.6.1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 W.6.2 1 1 2 2 2 0 2 W.6.3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 W.7.1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 W.7.2 1 1 2 2 2 0 2 W.7.3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Environmental Issues 2 0 2 2 0 2 2 2 2 0 0 2 1 1 1 1
Geology/ Earth History 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1
0 2 2 0 2 2 0 2 2
0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0
E9
ENGLISHCOMMONCORESTANDARDS:58CURRICULUM Lessons TieIns Discoverthe Demand Powerof MineSafety ENGLISHCOMMON IllinoisCoal Economics Careers Botany andVentilation CORESTANDARDS Density forCoal W.8.1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 W.8.2 1 1 2 2 2 0 2 W.8.3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ProductionandDistributionofWriting W.5.4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 W.5.5 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 W.5.6 0 0 1 2 2 0 0 W.6.4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 W.6.5 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 W.6.6 0 0 1 2 2 0 2 W.7.4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 W.7.5 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 W.7.6 0 0 1 2 2 0 2 W.8.4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 W.8.5 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 W.8.6 0 0 1 2 2 0 2 ResearchtoBuildandPresentKnowledge W.5.7 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 W.5.8 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 W.5.9 0 2 2 1 2 1 1 W.6.7 0 0 0 2 2 1 1 W.6.8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 W.6.9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 W.7.7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 W.7.8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 W.7.9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 W.8.7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 W.8.8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 W.8.9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Environmental Issues 0 2 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 2 1 2 2 0 2 2 2 2 0 0 2
Geology/ Earth History 0 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
E10
ENGLISHCOMMON CORESTANDARDS Density RangeofWriting W.5.10 0 W.6.10 0 W.7.10 0 W.8.10 0 SpeakingandListening ComprehensionandCollaboration 1 SL.K.15.1 SL.K.25.2 1 SL.K.35.3 0 SL.K.6.1 1 1 SL.K.6.2 SL.K.6.3 0 SL.7.1 1 SL.7.2 1 0 SL.7.3 SL8.1 1 SL.8.2 0 SL.8.3 0 PresentationofKnowledgeandIdeas 1 SL.5.4 SL.5.5 0 SL.5.6 0 1 SL.6.4 SL.6.5 0 SL.6.6 0 SL.7.4 1 0 SL.7.5 SL.7.6 0
ENGLISHCOMMONCORESTANDARDS:58CURRICULUM Lessons TieIns Discoverthe Demand Powerof MineSafety forCoal IllinoisCoal Economics Careers Botany andVentilation 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Environmental Issues 1 1 1 1
Geology/ Earth History 1 1 1 1
2 1 0 2 1 0 2 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0
1 1 0 1 2 0 1 2 0 1 1 0 2 1 2 2 1 2 2 1 2
0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 2 0 1 2 0
0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 1 1 2 1 1 2 1
0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 2 1 1 2 1
0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 2 1 1 2 1
0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 2 1 1 2 0
E11
ENGLISHCOMMONCORESTANDARDS:58CURRICULUM Lessons TieIns Discoverthe Demand Powerof MineSafety ENGLISHCOMMON IllinoisCoal Economics Careers Botany andVentilation CORESTANDARDS Density forCoal 1 1 2 1 1 0 1 SL.8.4 SL.8.5 0 0 1 2 2 0 2 SL.8.6 0 0 2 0 1 0 1
Environmental Issues 1 2 1
Geology/ Earth History 1 2 0
E13
ENGLISHCOMMONCORESTANDARDS912CURRICULUM
CanMy IllinoisHistory: CompanyMake TheRoleofthe Laws aProfitinthe IllinoisCoal Dothe Influencing Developmentof Industryin Coal,Clean Math:Coal theCoal aNewCoal Illinois Airandthe bythe Industryin Mine? Economics Economy Numbers Illinois
Lessons
TieIns
Individuals andthe Coal, Shapingof IllinoisCoal Chemistry,and theCoal asaTopic the Industry forDiscovery Environment
ENGLISHCOMMON CORESTANDARDS
EarlyCoal Economics
Reading:InformationalText KeyIdeasandDetails RI.9.1 1 RI.10.1 1 RI.9.2 2 RI.10.2 0 RI.9.3 0 RI.10.3 0 RI.11.1 0 RI.12.1 0 RI.11.2 0 RI.12.2 0 RI.11.3 0 RI.12.3 0 CraftandStructure RI.9.4 0 RI.10.4 0 RI.9.5 0 RI.10.5 0 RI.9/6 0 RI.10.6 0 RI.11.4 0 RI.12.4 0 RI.11.5 0 RI.12.5 0 RI.11.6 0 RI.12.6 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
E14
Lessons
TieIns
EarlyCoal Economics
IntegrationofKnowledgeandIdeas RI.9.7 0 2 RI.10.7 0 2 RI.9.8 0 0 RI.10.8 0 0 RI.9.9 0 0 RI.10.9 0 0 RI.11.7 0 2 RI.12.7 0 2 RI.11.8 0 0 RI.12.8 0 0 RI.11.9 0 0 RI.12.9 0 0 RangeofReadingandLevelofTextComplexity RI.9.10 0 RI.10.10 0 RI.11.10 0 RI.12.10 0
0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 2 0 0 2 2 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
E15
Lessons
TieIns
EarlyCoal Economics
Writing TextTypesandPurposes W9.1 0 W.10.1 0 W.9.2 0 W.10.2 0 W.9.3 0 W.10.3 0 W.11.1 0 W.12.1 0 W.11.2 0 W.12.2 0 W.11.3 0 W.12.3 0 ProductionandDistributionofWriting W.9.4 0 W.10.4 0 W.9.5 0 W.10.5 0 W.9.6 0 W.10.6 0 W.11.4 0 W.12.4 0 W.11.5 0 W.12.5 0 W.11.6 0 W.12.6 0
1 1 2 2 0 0 1 1 2 2 0 0 2 2 1 1 0 0 2 2 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 1 2 2 0 0 1 1 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 2 2
1 1 0 0 2 2 1 1 0 0 2 2 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1
E16
Lessons
TieIns
EarlyCoal Economics
ResearchtoBuildandPresentKnowledge W.9.7 0 W.10.7 0 W.9.8 0 W.10.8 0 W.9.9 0 W.10.9 0 W.11.7 0 W.12.7 0 W.11.8 0 W.12.8 0 W.11.9 0 W.12.9 0 RangeofWriting W.9.10 0 W.10.10 0 W.11.10 0 W.12.10 0
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0
1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1
1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 2 1 1 0 0 2 2 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1
E17
Lessons
TieIns
EarlyCoal Economics
SpeakingandListening ComprehensionandCollaboration 2 0 2 0 0 SL.9.1 SL.10.1 2 0 2 0 0 SL.9.2 0 2 2 0 0 SL.10.2 0 2 2 0 0 SL.9.3 0 0 0 0 0 SL.10.3 0 0 0 0 0 SL.11.1 2 0 2 0 0 SL.12.1 2 0 2 0 0 SL.11.2 0 1 2 0 0 SL.12.2 0 1 2 0 0 SL.11.3 0 0 0 0 0 SL.12.3 0 0 0 0 0 PresentationofKnowledgeandIdeas SL.9.4 2 0 1 0 0 SL.10.4 2 0 1 0 0 SL.9.5 0 0 0 0 0 SL.10.5 0 0 0 0 0 SL.9.6 0 0 0 0 0 SL.10.6 0 0 0 0 0 SL.11.4 1 0 1 0 0 SL.12.4 1 0 1 0 0 SL.11.5 0 0 0 0 0 SL.12.5 0 0 0 0 0 SL.11.6 0 0 0 0 0 SL.12.6 0 0 0 0 0 SCALE:0=Notaddressed;1=Marginallyaddressed2=Adequatelyaddressed3=Welladdresed
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 2 0 0 1 1 2 2 0 0
2 2 1 1 0 0 2 2 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0
2 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0
E2. Alignment with Math Common Core Standards MATHCOMMONCORESTANDARDS:K4CURRICULUM

Lessons TieIns
E19
COMMONCORESTANDARDS Kindergarten CountingandCardinality Knownumbernamesandthe countsequence Counttotellthenumberof objects Comparenumbers OperationsandAlgebraicThinking Understandadditionasputting togetherandaddingto,and understandsubstractionas takingapartandtakingfrom
WhatGood Reclamation:Our ToSurfaceMine DoesCoal Productive orUnderground Rocks& Serve? ResourcesatWork Mine? Minerals
The Environment
Technology andTypesof Mining
Illinois History
Readingand Writing Social Studiesand aboutCoal Related Money Careers MakingCoal
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
NumberandOperationsinBaseTen Workwithnumbers1119to gainfoundationsforplacevalue. MeasurementandData Describeandcompare measurableattributes Classifyobjectsandcountthe numberofobjectsineach category. Geometry Identifyanddescribeshapes Analyze,compare,create,and composeshapes 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 0
1 0
1 0
1 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
E20
MATHCOMMONCORESTANDARDS:K4CURRICULUM
Lessons TieIns Readingand Writing Social Studiesand aboutCoal Related Money Careers MakingCoal
COMMONCORESTANDARDS 1stGrade OperationsandAlgebraicThinking Representandsolveproblems involvingadditionand subtraction Understandandapplyproperties ofoperationsandthe relationshipbetweenaddition andsubtraction Addandsubtractwithin20 Workwithadditionand subtractionequations NumberandOperationsinBaseTen Extendthecountingsequence Understandplacevalue Useplacevalueunderstanding andpropertiesofoperationsto addandsubtract MeasurementandData Measurelengthsindirectlyand byinteratinglengthunits Tellandwritetime Representandinterpretdata Geometry Reasonwithshapesandtheir attributes
The Environment
Illinois History
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
1 0 2 0
0 0 2 0
0 0 2 0
0 0 2 0
0 0 1 0
0 0 1 0
0 0 1 0
0 0 1 0
0 0 0 0
E21
COMMONCORESTANDARDS 2ndGrade OperationsandAlgebraicThinking Representandsolveproblems involvingadditionand subtraction Addandsubtractwithin20 Workwithequalgroupsof objectstogainfoundationsof multiplication NumberandOperationsinBaseTen Understandplacevalue Useplacevalueunderstanding andpropertiesofoperationsto addandsubtract MeasurementandData Measureandestimatelengthsin standardunits Relateadditionandsubtraction tolength Workwithtimeandmoney Representandinterpretdata Geometry Reasonwithshapesandtheir attributes
The Environment
Illinois History
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0 0 2 1
0 0 0 1 0
0 0 0 2 0
0 0 0 2 0
0 0 0 1 0
0 0 0 1 0
0 0 0 1 0
1 0 1 2 0
0 0 0 0 0
E22
COMMONCORESTANDARDS 3rdGrade OperationsandAlgebraicThinking Representandsolveproblems involvingmultiplicationand division Understandpropertiesof multiplicationandthe relationshipbetween multiplicationanddivision Multiplyanddividewithin100 Solveproblemsinvolvingthe fouroperations,andidentifyand explainpatternsinarithmetic
The Environment
Illinois History
NumberandOperationsinBaseTen Useplacevalueunderstanding andpropertiesofoperationsto performmultidigitarithmetic NumberandOperationsFractions Developunderstandingof fractionsasnumbers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
E23
COMMONCORESTANDARDS MeasurementandData Solveproblemsinvolving measurementandestimationof intervalsoftime,liquidvolumes, andmassesofobjects Representandinterpretdata Geometricmeasurement: understandconceptsofareaand relateareatomultiplicationand toaddition Geometricmeasurement: recognizeperimeterasan attributeofplanefiguresand distinguishbetweenlinearand areameasures Geometry Reasonwithshapesandtheir attributes
The Environment
Illinois History
2 0
2 0
2 0
2 0
1 0
1 0
1 0
1 0
0 0
E24
COMMONCORESTANDARDS 4thGrade OperationsandAlgebraicThinking Usethefouroperationswith wholenumberstosolve problems Gainfamiliaritywithfactorsand multiples Generateandanalyzepatterns
The Environment
Illinois History
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
NumberandOperationsinBaseTen Generalizeplacevalue understandingformultidigit wholenumbers Useplacevalueunderstanding andpropertiesofoperationsto performmultidigitarithmetic NumberandOperationsFractions Extendunderstandingoffraction equivalenceandordering Buildfractionsfromunit fractionsbyapplyingand extendingprevious understandingsofoperationson wholenumbers Understanddecimalnotationfor fractions,andcomparedecimal fractions
E25
COMMONCORESTANDARDS MeasurementandData Solveproblemsinvolving measurementandconversation ofmeasurementsfromalarger unittoasmallerunit Representandinterpretdata Geometricmeasurement: understandconceptsofangle andmeasureangles Geometry Drawandidentifylinesand angles,andclassifyshapesby propertiesoftheirlinesand angles
The Environment
Illinois History
E27
MATHCOMMONCORESTANDARDS:58CURRICULUM
Lessons Demand for Coal Discover the Power of Illinois Coal Tie-Ins Mine Safety and Environmental Ventilation Issues Geology/Earth History
5th Grade Operations and Algebraic Thinking Write and interpret numerical expressions Analyze patterns and relationships Number and Operations in Base Ten Understand the place value system Perform operations with multi-digit whole numbers and with decimals to hundredths Number and Operations - Fractions Use equivalent fractions as a strategy to add and subtract fractions Apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication and division to multiply and divide fractions Measurement and Data Convert like measurement units within a given measurement system Represent and interpret data Geometric measurement: understand concepts of volume and relate volume to multiplication and to addition Geometry Graphic points on the coordinate plane to solve real-world and mathematicl problems Classify two-dimensional figures into categories based on their properties
Density
Economics Careers
Botany
0 0 1
0 2 1
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0
0 2
0 1
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
E28
Lessons Demand for Coal Discover the Power of Illinois Coal Tie-Ins Mine Safety and Environmental Ventilation Issues Geology/Earth History
6th Grade Ratios and Proportional Relationships Understand ratio concepts and use ratio reasoning to solve problems The Number System Apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication and division to multiply and divide fractions Compute fluently with multi-digit numbers and find common factors and multiples Apply and extend previous understandings of numbers to the system of rational numbers Expressions and Equations Apply and extend previous understandings of arithmetic to algebraic expressions Reason about and solve one-variable equations in inequalities Represent and analyze quantitative relationships between dependent and independent variables Geometry Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving area, surface area, and volume Statistics and Probability Develop understanding of statistical variability Summarize and describe distributions
Density
Economics Careers
Botany
1 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
E29
Lessons Demand forCoal Discoverthe Powerof IllinoisCoal TieIns MineSafety and Environmental Ventilation Issues
7thGrade
RatiosandProportionalRelationships Analyzeproportionalrelationshipsand usethemtosolverealworldand mathematicalproblems TheNumberSystem Applyandextendprevious understandingsofoperationswith fractionstoadd,subtract,multiply,and dividerationalnumbers ExpressionsandEquations Usepropertiesofoperationsto generateequivalentexpressions Solvereallifeandmathematical problemsusingnumericalandalgebraic expressionsandequations Geometry Draw,construct,anddescribe geometricalfiguresanddescribethe relationshipsbetweenthem Solvereallifeandmathematical problemsinvolvinganglemeasure, area,surfacearea,andvolume StatisticsandProbability Userandomsamplingtodraw inferencesaboutapopulation Drawinformalcomparativeinferences abouttwopopulations Investigatechanceprocessesand develop,use,andevaluateprobability models
Density
Economics
Careers
Botany
Geology/Earth History
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
E30
Lessons Demand forCoal Discoverthe Powerof IllinoisCoal TieIns MineSafety and Environmental Ventilation Issues
8thGrade
TheNumberSystem Knowthattherearenumbersthatare notrational,andapproximatethemby rationalnumbers ExpressionsandEquations Workwithradicalsandinteger exponents Understandtheconnectionsbetween proportionalrelationships,lines,and linearequations Analyzeandsolvelinearequationsand pairsofsimultaneouslinearequations Functions Define,evaluate,andcompare functions Usefunctionstomodelrelationships betweenquantities Geometry Understandcongruenceandsimilarity usingphysicalmodels,transparencies, orgeometrysoftware UnderstandandapplythePythagorean Theoreum Solverealworldandmathematical problemsinvolvingvolumeofcylinders, conesandspheres StatisticsandProbability Investigatepatternsofassociationin bivariatedata
Density
Economics
Careers
Botany
Geology/Earth History
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
E31
MATHCOMMONCORESTANDARDS912CURRICULUM
Lessons
Can My Company Make a Profit in the Development of a New Coal Mine? Illinois History: The Role of the Illinois Coal Industry in Illinois Economics
TieIns
COMMON CORE STANDARDS Number and Quantity The Real Number System Extend the properties of exponents to rational exponents Use properties of rational and irrational numbers Quantities Reason quantitatively and use units to solve problems The Complex Number System Perform arithmetic operations with complex numbers Represent complex numbers and their operations on the complex plane Use complex numbers in polynomial identities and equations Vector and Matrix Quantities Represent and model with vector quantities Perform operations on vectors Perform operations on matrices and use matrices in applications Statistics and Probability Investigate patterns of association in bivariate data
Do the Math: Coal by the Numbers
Laws Influencing the Coal Industry in Early Coal Illinois Economics
Individuals and the Shaping of the Coal Industry
Illinois Coal as a Topic for Discovery
Coal, Chemistry, and the Environment
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
E32 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation MATHCOMMONCORESTANDARDS912CURRICULUM

Lessons
TieIns
COMMON CORE STANDARDS Algebra Seeing Structure in Expressions Interpret the structure of expressions Write expressions in equivalent forms to solve problems
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
Arithmetic with Polynomials and Rational Expressions Perform arithmetic oeprations on polynomials 0 Understand the relationship between zeros and factors of polynomials 0 Use polynomial identities to solve problems 0 Rewrite rational expressions 0 Creating Equations Create equations that describe numbers or relationships Reasoning with Equations and Inequalities Understand solving equations as a process of reasoning and explain the reasoning Solve equations and inequalities in one variable Solve systems of equations Represent and solve equations and inequalities graphically
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 1 1 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
E33
Lessons
TieIns
COMMON CORE STANDARDS Functions Interpreting Functions Understand the concept of a function and use function notation Interpret functions that arise in applications in terms of the context Analyze functions using different representations Building Functions Build a function that models a relationship between two quantities Build new functions from existing functions
0* 0* 0*
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0* 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
Linear, Quadratic, and Exponential Models Construct and compare linear, quadratic, and exponential models and solve problems Interpret expressions for functions in terms of the situation they model Trigonometric Functions Extend the domain of trigonometric functions using the unit circle Model periodic phenomena with trigonometric functions Prove and apply trigonometric identities
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0

Lessons
TieIns
COMMON CORE STANDARDS Geometry Congruence Experiment with transformations in the plane Understand congruence in terms of rigid motions Prove geometric theorems Make geometric constructions
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
Similarity, Right Triangles, and Trigonometry Understand similarity in terms of similarity transformations Prove theorems involving similarity Define trigonometric ratios and solve problems involving right triangles Apply trigonometry to general triangles Circles Understand and apply theorems about circles Find arc lengths and areas of sectors of circles
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
Expressing Geometric Properties with Equations Translate between the geometric description and the equation for a conic section 0 Use coordinates to prove simple geometric theorems algebraically 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
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Lessons
TieIns
COMMON CORE STANDARDS Geometric Measurement and Dimension Explain volume formulas and use them to solve problems Visualize relationships between two-dimensional and threedimensional objects Modeling with Geometry Apply geometric concepts in modeling situations

Lessons
TieIns
COMMON CORE STANDARDS Statistics and Probability
Interpreting Categorical and Quantitative Data Summarize, represent, and interpret data on a single count or measurement variable Summarize, represent, and interpret data on two categorical and quantitative variables Interpret linear models Making inferences with Justifying Conclusions Understand and evaluate random processes underlying statistical experiments Make inferences and justify conclusions from sample surveys, experiments and observational studies
1 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
Conditional Probability and the Rules of Probability Understand independence and conditional probability and use them to interpret data 0 Use the rules of probability to compute probabilities of compound events in a uniform probability model 0 Using Probability to Make Decisions Calculate expected values and use them to solve problems
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Lessons
Can My Company Make a Profit in the Development of a New Coal Mine? 0 Illinois History: The Role of the Illinois Coal Industry in Illinois Economics 0
TieIns
COMMON CORE STANDARDS Use probability to evaluate outcomes of decisions
Coal, Clean Air and the Economy 0
Do the Math: Coal by the Numbers 0
Laws Influencing the Coal Industry in Early Coal Illinois Economics 0 0
Individuals and the Shaping of the Coal Industry 0
Illinois Coal as a Topic for Discovery 0
Coal, Chemistry, and the Environment 0
E3. Alignment with Illinois Learning Standards Geography IL LEARNING STANDARDS: GEOGRAPHY - K-4 CURRICULUM
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17: Understand world geography and the effects of geography on society, with an emphasis on the United States.
Lessons
Reclamation: Our To Surface Productive Mine or Resources at Undergroun Rocks& Work d Mine? Minerals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Tie-Ins Social Readingand Studiesand Writingabout Money CoalRelated MakingCoal Careers

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
A. Locate, describe, and explain places, regions and features of the Earth. 17.A.1a 17.A.1b 17.A.2a 17.A.2b B. Analyze and explain characteristics and interactions of the Earth's physical systems. 17.B.1a 17.B.1b 17.B.2a 17.B.2b C. Understand relationships between geographic factors and society. 17.C.1a 17.C.1b 17.C.1c 17.C.2a 17.C.2b 17.C.2c D. Understand the historical significance of geography. 17.D.1 17.D.2a 17.D.2b
What Good Does Coal Serve? 0 0 0 0
The Environment
0 0 0 0
Technologyand TypesofMining
0 0 0 0
Illinois History
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
1 1 1 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 1 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
1 0 0 1 0 0
1 0 1 0 0 0
1 1 0 0 1 1
1 1 0 1 0 0
1 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 0 0 1 1
1 1 0 1 0 1
1 0 1 1 1 0
1 0 0 1 1 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 1 1
0 0 1
0 1 0
SCALE: 0= Not addressed; 1= Marginally addressed; 2= Adequately addressed
E40
IL LEARNING STANDARDS: GEOGRAPHY 5-8 CURRICULUM State Goal 17: Understand world geography and the effects of geography on society, with an emphasis on the United States.
Lessons Tie-Ins MineSafety Geology/ and Environmental Earth Ventilation Issues History
IllinoisLearning Standards Geography

A. Locate, describe, and explain places, regions and features of the Earth. 17.A.3a 17.A.3b B. Analyze and explain characteristics and interactions of the Earth's physical systems. 17.B.3a 17.B.3b C. Understand relationships between geographic factors and society. 17.C.3a 17.C.3b 17.C.3c D. Understand the historical significance of geography. 17.D.3a 17.D.3b
Density
Discover the Power Demand for of Illinois Coal Coal
Economics
Careers
Botany
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 2
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 2
1 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
2 0
0 0
0 0
2 0
1 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
1 2 0
0 0 0
1 0 0
0 0 0
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0 1 0
0 0
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0 0
0 0
0 0
0 2
0 0
0 0
0 0
SCALE: 0=Not addressed; 1=Marginally addressed; 2=Adequately addressed
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IL LEARNING STANDARDS: GEOGRAPHY 9-12 CURRICULUM

State Goal 17: Understand world geography and the effects of geography on society, with an emphasis on the United States. Lessons Tie-Ins
Can My Company Illinois History: Individuals Laws Make a Profit The Role of the andthe IllinoisCoal Influencing Do the in the Illinois Coal Shapingof asaTopic Coal,Chemistry, Development Industry in Coal, Clean Math:Coal theCoal for andthe theCoal Industry in Early Coal by the of a New Coal Illinois Air and the Mine? Economics Economy Discovery Environment Illinois Economics Industry Numbers A. Locate, describe, and explain places, regions and features of the Earth. 17.A.4a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17.A.4b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17.A.5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 B. Analyze and explain characteristics and interactions of the Earth's physical systems. 17.B.4a 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 17.B.4b 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17.B.5 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 C. Understand relationships between geographic factors and society. 17.C.4a 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 17.C.4b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17.C.4c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17.C.5a 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 17.C.5b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 17.C.5c 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D. Understand the historical significance of geography. 17.D.4 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 17.D.5 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
Scale: 0 = Not Addressed; 1 = Marginally Addressed; 2 = Adequately Addressed
E4. Alignment with Illinois Learning Standards Economics IL LEARNING STANDARDS: ECONOMICS K-4 CURRICULUM
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State Goal 15: Understand economic systems, with an emphasis on the United States.
Lessons Tie-Ins Reclamation: andWriting Social Our To Surface Studiesand aboutCoal Technology What Good Productive Mine or Related Money Rocks & The and Types of Illinois Does Coal Resources at Underground Serve? Work Mine? Minerals Environment Mining History MakingCoal Careers A. Understand how different economic systems operate in the exchange, production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. 15.A.1a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15.A.1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 15.A.2a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 15.A.2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 15.A.2c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 B. Understand that scarcity necessitates choices by consumers. 15.B.1 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 15.B.2a 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 15.B.2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15.B.2c 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 C. Understand that scarcity necessitates choices by producers. 15.C.1a 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 15.C.1b 0 2 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 15.C.2a 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 15.C.2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 15.C.2c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D. Understand trade as an exchange of goods and services. 15.D.1a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15.D.1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15.D.2a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 15.D.2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 E. Understand the impact of government policies and decisions on production and consumption in the economy. 15.E.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 15.E.2a 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 15.E.2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
Reading
IllinoisLearning Standards Economics
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ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS: ECONOMICS 5-8 CURRICULUM State Goal 15: Understand economic systems, with an emphasis on the United States.
MineSafety Discover the and Environmental Geology/Earth Demand for Power of Density Coal Illinois Coal Economics Careers Botany Ventilation Issues History A. Understand how different economic systems operate in the exchange, production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.
15.A.3a 15.A.3b 15.A.3c 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Illinois Learning Standards Economics
Lessons
Tie-Ins
15.A.3d 0 0 0 B. Understand that scarcity necessitates choices by consumers. 15.B.3a 0 0 0
15.B.3b 0 0 1 C. Understand that scarcity necessitates choices by producers. 15.C.3 0 0 1 D. Understand trade as an exchange of goods and services. 15.D.3a 15.D.3b 0 0 0 0 1 0
15.D.3c 0 0 0 1 1 0 E. Understand the impact of government policies and decisions on production and consumption in the economy. 15.E.3a 15.E.3b 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 2
SCALE: 0 = Not addressed; 1 = Marginally addressed; 2 = Adequately addressed
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IL LEARNING STANDARDS: ECONOMICS 9-12 CURRICULUM

Lessons Tie-Ins Can My Illinois Company History: The Individuals Laws Make a Profit Role of the Coal, andthe IllinoisCoal Influencing Dothe Illinois in the Illinois Coal Chemistry, as a Topic Shaping of the Coal Math: Coal Learning Development Industry in Coal, Clean andthe for theCoal Industryin EarlyCoal bythe Illinois Air and the Standards of a New Coal Mine? Economics Economy Discovery Environment Industry Illinois Economics Numbers Economics A. Understand how different economic systems operate in the exchange, production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. 15.A.4a 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 15.A.4b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15.A.4c 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15.A.4d 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 15.A.5a 1 1 2 1 0 1 2 1 0 15.A.5b 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 15.A.5c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15.A.5d 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 B. Understand that scarcity necessitates choices by consumers. 15.B.4a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15.B.4b 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 15.B.5a 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 15.B.5b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15.B.5c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 C. Understand that scarcity necessitates choices by producers. 15.C.4a 0 2 1 2 1 0 2 2 0 15.C.4b 1 2 0 2 0 0 2 2 0 15.C.5a 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 15.C.5b 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 15.C.5c 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0
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IL LEARNING STANDARDS: ECONOMICS 9-12 CURRICULUM

Lessons Tie-Ins Can My Illinois Company History: The Individuals Laws Make a Profit Role of the Coal, andthe IllinoisCoal Influencing Dothe Illinois in the Illinois Coal Chemistry, as a Topic Shaping of the Coal Math: Coal Learning Development Industry in Coal, Clean andthe for theCoal Industryin EarlyCoal bythe Illinois Air and the Standards of a New Coal Mine? Economics Economy Discovery Environment Industry Illinois Economics Numbers Economics D. Understand trade as an exchange of goods and services. 15.D.4a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15.D.4b 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 15.D.4c 0 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 15.D.5a 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 15.D.5b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15.D.5c 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 E. Understand the impact of government policies and decisions on production and consumption in the economy. 15.E.4a 0 2 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 15.E.4b 0 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 15.E.4c 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 15.E.5a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15.E.5b 0 2 1 2 0 2 0 2 0 15.E.5c 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
E5. Alignment with Next Generation Science Framework NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS K-4
Reclamation: Our To Surface Productive Mine or Resources at Underground Work Mine? 2 2
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NGSS: Scientific and Engineering Practices

1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering) 2. Developing and using models 3. Planning and carrying out investigations 4. Analyzing and interpreting data 5. Using mathematics and computational thinking 6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering) 7. Engaging in argument from evidence 8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
What Good Does Coal Serve? 1
Technology Rocks & The and Types of Minerals Environment Mining 0 0 0
Illinois History 0
Social Studies Reading and and Money- Writing about Making Coal-Related Coal Careers 0 0
SCALE: 0 = Not addressed; 1 = Marginally addressed 2 = Adequately addressed
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NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS K-4

Reclamation: Our To Surface Productive Mine or Resources at Underground Work Mine? Social Studies Reading and and Money- Writing about Making Coal-Related Coal Careers
Crosscutting Concepts
Patterns Cause and effect: Mechanism and explanation Scale, proportion, and quantity
Technology Rocks & The and Types of Minerals Environment Mining
Illinois History
Systems and system models Energy and matter: Flows, cycles and conservation Structure and function
Stability and change
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Disciplinary Core Ideas

Physical Sciences: Matter and its interactions Physical Sciences: Motion and stability: Forces and interactions Physical Sciences: Energy Physical Sciences: Waves and their applications in technologies for information transfer Life Sciences: From molecules to organisms: Structures and processes Life Sciences: Ecosystems: Interactions, energy, and dynamics Life Sciences: Heredity: Inheritance and variation of traits Life Sciences: Biological evolution: Unity and diversity Earth and Space Sciences: Earth's place in the universe Earth and Space Sciences: Earth's systems
Illinois History
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Disciplinary Core Ideas

Earth and Space Sciences: Earth and human activity Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science: Engineering design Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science: Links among engineering, technology, science, and society
Illinois History
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NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS 5-8 CURRICULUM NGSS: Scientific & Engineering Practices
1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering) 2. Developing and using models 3. Planning and carrying out investigations 4. Analyzing and interpreting data 5. Using mathematics and computational thinking 6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering) 7. Engaging in argument from evidence 8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information Lessons Discover the Power of Illinois Coal Tie-Ins
Density
Demand for Coal
Economics
Careers
Botany
MineSafety and Ventilation
Environmental Geology/Earth Issues History
0 2 2
1 0 1
0 0 0
0 0 1
0 1 1
0 0 1
0 0 0
0 0 1
0 0 1
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NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS 5-8 CURRICULUM

Lessons Demand for Coal Discover the Power of Illinois Coal Tie-Ins
Crosscutting Concepts Patterns
Density
Economics
Careers
Botany
Cause and effect: Mechanism and explanation Scale, proportion, and quantity
Systems and system models Energy and matter: Flows, cycles and conservation Structure and function
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Lessons Disciplinary Core Ideas Physical Sciences: Matter and its interactions Physical Sciences: Motion and stability: Forces and interactions Physical Sciences: Energy Physical Sciences: Waves and their applications in technologies for information transfer Life Sciences: From molecules to organisms: Structures and processes Life Sciences: Ecosystems: Interactions, energy, and dynamics Life Sciences: Heredity: Inheritance and variation of traits Demand for Coal Discover the Power of Illinois Coal Tie-Ins
Density
Economics
Careers
Botany
E54

Lessons Disciplinary Core Ideas Life Sciences: Biological evolution: Unity and diversity Earth and Space Sciences: Earth's place in the universe Earth and Space Sciences: Earth's systems Earth and Space Sciences: Earth and human activity Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science: Engineering design Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science: Links among engineering, technology, science, and society Demand for Coal Discover the Power of Illinois Coal Tie-Ins
Density
Economics
Careers
Botany
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Lessons Illinois Can My History: The Company Make a Profit Role of the Illinois Coal in the NGSS: Scientific Development Industry in and Engineering of a New Coal Illinois Economics Mine? Practices 1. Asking questions (for science) and 1 1 defining problems (for engineering) 2. Developing and using models 3. Planning and carrying out investigations 4. Analyzing and interpreting data 5. Using mathematics and computational thinking 6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering) 7. Engaging in argument from evidence 8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information 1 0 Tie-Ins
Coal, Clean Air and the Economy 1
DotheMath: Coalbythe Numbers

0
Laws Influencing theCoal Industryin Illinois

0
EarlyCoal Economics
0
Individuals Coal, andthe IllinoisCoalas Chemistry, Shapingofthe aTopicfor andthe CoalIndustry Discovery Environment
0 0 0
0 1
0 1
0 1
0 1
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 1
0 0
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Lessons Illinois Can My History: The Company Make a Profit Role of the Illinois Coal in the Development Industry in Illinois of a New Coal Economics Mine? Tie-Ins
Crosscutting Concepts
Patterns
EarlyCoal Economics
Cause and effect: Mechanism and explanation Scale, proportion, and quantity
Systems and system models Energy and matter: Flows, cycles and conservation
Structure and function
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Lessons Illinois Can My History: The Company Make a Profit Role of the Illinois Coal in the Development Industry in Disciplinary Core of a New Coal Illinois Economics Mine? Ideas Physical Sciences: Matter and its interactions Physical Sciences: Motion and stability: Forces and interactions Physical Sciences: Energy Physical Sciences: Waves and their applications in technologies for Life Sciences: From molecules to organisms: Structures and processes Life Sciences: Ecosystems: Interactions, energy, and dynamics Life Sciences: Ecosystems: Interactions, energy, and dynamics Tie-Ins
EarlyCoal Economics
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Lessons Illinois Can My History: The Company Make a Profit Role of the Illinois Coal in the Development Industry in Disciplinary Core of a New Coal Illinois Economics Mine? Ideas Life Sciences: Biological evolution: Unity and diversity Earth and Space Sciences: Earth's place in the universe Earth and Space Sciences: Earth's systems Earth and Space Sciences: Earth and human activity Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science: Engineering design Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science: Links among engineering, technology, science, and society Tie-Ins
EarlyCoal Economics
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E6. Standards Alignment Survey Results 1. Overall, how well did the curriculum align with the standards you reviewed? Many of the lessons are under-developed, which do not allow for full alignment with the standards. Overall, very few met the 2adequate level. Barely at all. Some activities touched upon some standards, but did not actually delve into them.More late elementary standards than early.Not K-2 appropriate. *The overall curriculum aligned best with research and informational writing. I found that the tie-ins sought to embed more standards than the main lessons. I found opportunities for research, writing, and use of multiple [unclear]. Reading informational text was [unclear], and it was not clear whether students in fifth grade were expected to read the same texts as eighth graders. Many of the lesson activities/tie-ins where too vaguely described, which led to a large majority being scored as marginally addressed or not addressed. The first 2 lessons had some elements of the 5-8 CC Math standards. The third did not. The math was appropriate for middle school. The second lesson involved making scatterplots which often doesnt enter curricula until 7th or 8th. There were many entry-points for addressing all of the geography standards, but the given lesson plans/materials explicitly addressed very few standards. Not particularly well. But few align exceptions when it did go it was content + not cognition. It did not. The tie-ins more directly incorporated important reading/writing skills, but the curriculum as a whole failed to meet many standards. The Can My Company Profit? lesson could align with the standards well after moderate development, but the rest of the lessons need to be expanded substantially to satisfy common core standards. There are 136 boxes, 1 gal, 1 2, 23 1s, and 112 os. So, on the whole, they did not align well with the geography standards. Overall, the curriculum marginally addressed the grades 9-12 Economics standards. The three lessons and seven tie-ins only marginally address the standards around Economics for students in grades 9-12
2. What suggestions do you have for improving the curriculum to better align with the standards? The curriculum is highly problematic due to it being written for K4 students. The developmental levels are not being considered, and it conveys a one-size-fits-all model. It should be written for each specific grade and aligned with those individual standards. There are times where additional standards could have been incorporated into the lesson. For example, in Lesson 1, it would have been easy to incorporate renewable vs. nonrenewable and/or how human activity affects the environment (17Clc & 2c). The standards need to be put first and then the activities/content decided, not vice-versa.
E60 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation Asking questions at the beginning of a lesson is not always enough. How do you build background knowledge for students on specific topics? Vocabulary instruction/ explorationvoid in curriculum. More modelingexplicit instruction. Include specific description of the types of informational texts the students will engage with (e.g., just starting a website is not clear). Embed various genres of writing in lessons (not just in tie-ins). I found persuasive, narrative, fact-based writing, commercials, etc. in the tie-ins, but quite limited in the actual lessons. What if teachers do not get to the extension/connections tie-ins? Different forms of writing (per grade level) should be a component of every lessonnot just worksheets, but authentic writing experiences. (Writing process over number of days should be specified. Build in more opportunities for speaking/presentations in lessons. All the math was appropriate Scaffold student thinking about how human activity interacts with resource availability. Expand activities around geographic thinking. Include more diagrams and maps. Add more about how human activity changes over time due to presence, exploitation, and depletion of coal resources. Challenge students beyond facts to explain, describe, etc. There are opportunities to address more standardstake advantage. By offering opposing viewpoints that challenge the pro-coal propaganda in the curriculum, students would be able to develop many of the critical thinking skills neglected in this curriculum. There is a lot of data in the curriculum which the students are asked to evaluate qualitatively, but there is little analysis from a statistical or functional reasoning perspective; expanding on the lessons with modeling activities in which the students represent the data with functions and then measure statistical error in these models would increase the number of standards satisfied. On the whole, this is written by Illinois Coal Supporters; Illinois is a very small section of the earth, and the geography standards look at a big picture. Geography as a whole has become a much smaller section of 912. So if this were used, it would need to be comparative across the US and world. Reading: where are the readings that go along with each lesson? In some cases, web links are provided and in one case the novel Trapped is used. Generally speaking though, procedures and materials make no mention of the texts included/necessary in order to achieve the learning objectives. 2. Vocabulary use: How is the content vocabulary explicitly built into students learning and teacher instruction? While procedures in the three lessons call for background building time on Day 1, none of the lessons offer ways to integrate it into instruction/assessment. Quality is Questioning: In what ways do the debriefing questions offer students opportunities to both 1.) Critique their findings, and 2.) Reflect on their learning (meta)? see pg 58 #3. For an example of a reading question. Seldom do the debriefs enable students to make connections between standards (A and C) and across economic contexts (coal and corn). 4. Did you know: How is this information related to students? What if they dont know? Are the concepts coconstructed or told to the students? This brings me to comment that the entire curriculum
E61
presupposes an incredible depth in economics understanding. The curriculum makes no mention of modifications for ELLs, students with special needs. 5. Connections between curriculum, instruction, and assessment: Curriculum is well-outlined and aligned to various standards. Instruction is evenly paced and achieves a balance between scripted and open-ended. But assessment lacks breadth and depth. Only 1 rubric appears here, writing is privileged most often, and theres little opportunity for students to know how they will show what they know. 3. Overall, how appropriate is the curriculum for each grade level? See previous comments. This curriculum could potentially be used with grades 3 and above. But it is not appropriate for K-2 students in the way it is presented. Not. Most activities are fine for grades 3-4, but only a few segments of each lesson can be adapted for K-2 (IE not appropriate for K-2) I do not think that (bulking?) 5-8 grade is appropriate at all. I had a hard time understanding how students in 5th grade would be expected to know 19 (e.g. Density) highly sophisticated vocabulary words over a two-day period. In fact, I found this inappropriate overall seeing as no explicit vocabulary instruction was included in lessons. Fine. The math + writing involved in the 2nd and 3rd lessons seem to match standards at 7th + 8th more than 5th or 6th. Seems relatively appropriate, could be about more challenges. (Cognition) This seems appropriate for secondary course work, but it is not appropriate for an English class. Most of the math included in the curriculum is simple graphing, unit conversion, and geometry which would generally be covered before high school under the common core standards. The curriculum seems doable or appropriate for 9-12 on a cognitive level. However, I wonder how relative it is overall in IL? 12 million people in IL, 10 million around Chicago, so the most student there. These dont seem as relevant to the majority of Chicago students as they may be to people in Peru, Virter, Pecatus or Panville with smaller overall population. Appropriate, but not useful. See #4
4. What suggestions do you have for improving the curriculum to be more grade level appropriate? Write for each grade level specifically. Teachers should not have to re-write a curriculum to teach it. Provide adequate and appropriate resources (e.g. book lists, handouts) Appropriate that teachers can actually use. Have teachers who have experience with those grade levels help.Lessons should be broken down to show activities modified for younger vs. older grades (IE in gr K-2, do this activity to address reclamation; for gr. 3-4, do this one, etc.).Curriculum needs to
E62 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation focus less on coal (and content related to coal) and more on what the big ideas students should know at each grade level are, with coal being the content vehicle. Content is put first rather than standards/big ideas/process skills. Highlight ways to differentiate based on grade level. Provide specific examples of how teachers can do this. There are differences between fifth grade and 8th grade literacy standards and a one sided approach should be avoided. A curriculum is not teacher friendly when it has to be re-developed for a specific grade. 5th and 8th grade do not belong together. Make the student materials more student friendly. Much of the reading is length bulleted lists or large paragraphs of text. Use subheadings, graphics, and embedded Qs to improve the delivery of this information Cognition. Attend to standards with words of describe, explain, analyze. Extension activities seemed a bit too hard. Keep it lined up with standards. This curriculum, as it stands, would only be appropriate if targeted to teachers in small learning communities with opportunities to co-teach in blocks such as Eng/Math, Eng/Sci, or Eng/Soc. Utilize statistical models and functional reasoning rather than just providing students with data and observing trends. As above it seems grade level appropriate, just not necessarily appropriate to the majority of Illinois students. At the simplest level, recognize the difference between early and late high school standards and adapt the unit accordingly. However, I would argue that the approach is in itself narrow and yields low-level thinking. The standards reflect a need for macro-level, instrumental case analysis across multiple economic contexts. Why coal? And why just one energy source? Why not take standard A for example, and dissect it through lessons on various energies across Illinois, the country, and the world (as appropriate).
5. Please provide any additional comments or concerns about the curriculum. I saw very little information on how to differentiate instruction for students. How about English language learning and cultural considerations? Lessons should be broken down by days i.e., Day 1:(list activities), day 2:, etc.). Prerequisite knowledge should be listed for lessons.Lessons seem disjointed both within the lesson (IE activities dont seem to fit together) as well as between lessons. Where do (debriefing?) questions fit?Where do tie-ins fit? There should be guidance.In many lessons, writing activity seems forced.Why are obvious standards that could be addressed in a coal-focused curriculum neglected? (IE 17Clc, 2c).Too content-focused! Provide resources/sources for the teachers e.g. booklists to utilize when implementing supplemental/grade appropriate materials. Lots of research projects embedded, but very little direction given to the teachers on how to effectively implement. Why so many extensions/connections? Why not elaborate on a few and describe how teachers could effectively utilize them with materials.
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The material obviously serves an agenda rather than just general education. Should there be a chance to hear about some of the drawbacks of coal use? Should students be allowed to choose what type of persuasive essay they want to write? (Pro-Illinois Coal Vs. Against?) See comments on back of salmon sheet. While a balance of perspectives is warranted at times (and noted in my review), on the whole the curriculum seems genuine and helpful to teachers. There is nothing wrong with focusing on such a major resource in IL schools any more than oil in Texas (or something) and so the balance can be attained without dismissing important coal overall by providing info that provides multiple perspectives on coal helping student make sense of why coal is still preferred. See previous comments or binder. This isnt a geographical concern However the general approach seems to be coal is good, its all those other fossil fuel uses that are bad. The overall 1PTS touch on critical thinking and this seems to be an anti-critical thinking approach. Perhaps coal is great, but shouldnt there be a bigger discussion of all sides of the sciences argument on emissions and clean energy?
APPENDIX F EXPERT CURRICULUM REVIEW RESULTS F1. Expert Reviewer Rubric Rating Results .......................................................................... F1 F2. Expert Reviewer Survey Results ...................................................................................... F9 F3. Expert Reviewer Additional Comments ......................................................................... F17
F1 APPENDIX F: EXPERT CURRICULUM REVIEW RESULTS F1. Expert Reviewer Rubric Rating Results CRITERIA [As defined by]
Scientific Content - Accurate information - Comprehensive information - Reliable sources
REVIEWER #1 RATING
K-4: 2 5-8: 2 9-12: 2
COMMENTS
The focus is on the economics of mining coal, not on the science behind coal and the environment. Facts are presented as almost randomly arranged bullet points. Connections between facts are rarely drawn in a logical manner. Background information necessary for the teachers and the students to understand about coal formation, controls on quality, mining coal, environmental impacts, etc. is limited and scattered throughout the curriculum. Some of this information is in the PowerPoint, some from a website or a report, some not found at all. The economic aspects are taught more clearly than the scientific aspects and seem to drive the curriculum. It sounds like this was written by an economist, not a geologist. There is a strong economic perspective, but weak scientific and environmental perspective. There is bias in what is presented and how it is presented. I find it hard to call this a science curriculum because of the imbalance and the bias. For example, there are no scientific sources listed for climate change, and yet there are many out there, some with wonderful K-12 modules. The sources given are just those of websites for branches of government responsible for promoting the coal industry. There should be a balance. I think the economic emphasis in the K-4 and 5-8 curricula is beyond the grade levels as presented. It is presented in a somewhat cookbook-like manner so kids can do it, but are they really able to understand it? Some aspects are very good. It is not teaching much science though. The extension activities are often biased. The debriefing questions are good, but there is no background offered for much of it, and suggested sources and answers are biased/not balanced. The curriculum addresses Principles 5-7, but not 1-4. Principle 4 is barely addressed in some of the debriefing questions, but no background information is given.
Balance of Perspectives - Representation and balance of the following perspectives: Economic Social Political Environmental Pedagogy - Valuable for science learning - Grade level appropriate - Addresses needs of diverse learners
K-4: 2 5-8: 2 9-12: 2
K-4: 2 5-8: 2 9-12: 2
Energy Literacy - Includes instruction related with the energy literacy principles
K-4: 2 5-8: 2 9-12: 2
F2
CRITERIA [As defined by]

REVIEWER #2 RATING
4
COMMENTS
I found no issues with the scientific content. The content needs to be more diverse.
The focus is very much on the mining side. Little time is given to power production and environmental stewardship.
There are some concepts I feel are too advanced for some of the grade levels. Students will be unengaged and confused within a few minutes if lessons don't make sense to them.
The tie in to how coal creates energy was weak. A few lessons on the production of power from the coal and how the energy is released are necessary. There is too much focus on the mining aspect.
Appendix F: Expert Curriculum Review Results
F3

REVIEWER #31 RATING

3
COMMENTS
2.5
Reviewer #3 submitted comments separately. See Appendix F3 for all reviewer additional comments.
F4

REVIEWER #4 RATING
4
COMMENTS
I think the science presented is solid, and though, as a scientist, I might like to see a little more, I think the interdisciplinary nature of the lessons is good. Resources are good, though I found several broken links (see document comments). I also think the age-appropriateness is present in each set of lessons.
I teach environmental science, and based on your reasoning for requesting this review I must admit that I was looking for an imbalance where the environment was concerned. I do think that there is a lack of completeness when considering the environmental and political perspectives of coal as most of this information was found in Tie-Ins and Extension Activities. I do not think there was a bias as much as a lack of important information. I will further address this below. Obviously, the economic perspective is present as there are many lessons that focus on this. I also definitely saw the social perspective woven throughout. As I mentioned before, I like the interdisciplinary nature of all of the lessons, and there are a variety of skills engaged (math, research, writing, etc.). This approach gives a solid context for the science and will hopefully result in more informed students as they see the impact of coal in their daily lives.
I have trouble clearly identifying the following principles: 1, 2, and 3. To me, these principles would be illustrated by thermodynamics, food webs, and closely analyzing the formation of coal (there is a bit of this in the Tie In: Botany). The following principles are clearly present: 4, 5, 6, 7.
F5

REVIEWER #5 RATING
3
COMMENTS
In general the Scientific Content is accurate. However there is some information given I question. See attached comments.
This is my greatest concern about the curriculum. I don't think it is as balanced as should be. The economic side of coal is emphasized too much. See attached comments.
Overall the curriculum is well done as to how it relates to age appropriateness. However, it is too advanced for the very young, Kindergarten to 2nd grade. See attached comments.
This is one of the strong points. The only comment I would make would have more discussion as to how coal is converted to electricity. See attached comments.
F6

REVIEWER #6 RATING
3
COMMENTS
The scientific content is mostly accurate. I found a couple of minor points that need updating or slight rewording. The content is very comprehensive, and in fact for lower grades may be too comprehensive. By that I mean that some activities, fact sheets, etc., could have some content cut or modified to stay more focused on single topic areas addressed by the lessons.
Activities do a good job of combining science, economic, social, and environmental issues where appropriate. The activities are being written from a coal industry association so there is a possible perception of industry bias here. I found several places where some statements could be slightly reworded to broaden perspectives and possibly soften any perceived bias. There are places where "electricity use" rather than strictly "coal use" might be appropriate.
2-3
This is a little outside of my area of expertise, but I thought most of the lessons were explained well and had many opportunities for learning. I felt that some of the K-4 curriculum might have been a little advanced for this grade level, but a K-4 teacher would better be able to address these concerns. Some of the activities might also be helped with more diagrams, maps, and visual data to better engage student interest. I think the lessons would address curriculum needs of diverse learners.
Energy Literacy - Includes instruction related with the energy literacy prin ciples
I think coal-energy principles are well addressed throughout the curriculum. There are some places where broader energy and electricity issues could be substitute or included, rather than just coal energy or coal-derived electricity issues. Energy literacy principles 4 through 7 are well addressed in the curriculum. Principles 1 through 3 could be addressed better with only minor adjustment (e.g., addition of information about photosynthesis, carbon, carbon cycle, etc.)
F7

REVIEWER #7 RATING
3
COMMENTS
Scientific content is accurate throughout, although environment science content is sorely lacking in K-4 and 5-8 curricula, which is why I rate this = 3. It is not comprehensive.
I think this is a great curriculum, but it does not present environment perspectives or environmental facts with nearly the same weight as it does economic perspectives. There is no mention at all of negative environmental impacts of the use of coal in the K-4 curriculum and little in 5-8. Economic, social, and historical perspectives are well represented.
I very much like the pedagogy used in these lessons. The concepts are presented to the students in creative ways. I especially like how many different concepts in mathematics are woven throughout the curriculum. Economics as well! Students will be learning math and economics without even realizing it!
I would say that principles 1, 2, & 3 are not addressed as well as the rest.
F9
F2. Expert Reviewer Survey Results1 1.) What aspects of the scientific content need to be improved (i.e. accurate information; comprehensive information; reliable sources, etc.)? It would be helpful to a teacher to have these sources of info better organized. I have found it challenging in reviewing this curriculum to know where to find information. Sometimes I never find it so I assume it does not exist. (Reviewer #1) Factual information is put in a bulleted list with little context for the statement and little attempt to link it to other facts. (Reviewer #1) Where sources for more information are given, they tend to represent only one side of the discussion necessary for a topic. (Reviewer #1) There is a lot more emphasis on the economics of coal than on the science of coal and environmental issues related to its extraction and use. (Reviewer #1) The curriculum materials should be encouraging students to see all sides of issues related to coal production and to learn to grapple with these different perspectives. Students should be taught to pay attention to the source of their information and learn how that may influence what is said by that source. They should be encouraged to try to understand the different perspectives and to try to find solutions that can be agreed upon by the various interest groups. They should not be taught to read and listen to just the perspectives they agree with. That is not true education. If our students learn this, our future leaders (them) will have the tools to work out of the severe red-blue extremist crisis we currently have in Washington. These skills will serve not only our country better, but our smaller communities, including our families, our places of work, and our churches, as well as our greater world community. In reviewing this coal curriculum, I have found that it does not teach these skills. It tends to err on the side of having them focus on one perspective. It does it subtly at times, but it avoids much discussion of other perspectives. (Reviewer #1) The information is accurate, however the material is very focused on mining. Lessons need to be added on the production of power and environmental stewardship. Lessons on how coal is made and where does it come from are also necessary. (Reviewer #2)
As I mentioned in my comments above and my line-item edits below, there is an inherent challenge to keep the statistics and background up-to-date in an ever-changing industry. Teachers should be encouraged to find updated information from other sources (like the EIA.gov web site). Students should be reminded that when they are looking for sources to always look at the source of the content. What perspective does it come from? As all teachers know, there is a lot of misinformation and half truths about energy out there. (Reviewer #3) In my PDF, page 14 is missing content and it seems important to assess the scientific content. Tie-in on page 71 helps to fill this gap for me, and that is comprehensive. (Reviewer #4) I realize that this is from 2004, but my understanding is that now in 2012, the international scientific consensus is that this statement, "The evidence is very mixed and does not give a clear answer", (page 265) is inaccurate and that the evidence supports anthropogenic carbon
Reviewer #5 only provided additional comments. See Appendix F3.
F10 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

contributions are the main cause of climate changes. Yes, it is messy and complex, and natural systems do contribute, but this should be updated. (Reviewer #4) The Tie-in sections have a lot of good information. I would suggest putting "links" to the appropriate Tie-in throughout the text so the teacher knows that more information is available if they would like it. I think this would improve that "lack of completeness" I mentioned above with regard to perspective. (Reviewer #4) There are several important links that don't work, and thus the lessons cannot be used. In the last unit, the information was actually included (page 267-272), and I would recommend this strategy rather than depend upon the stability of external links. (Reviewer #4) For example, the only environmental perspective that is well-considered is land reclamation after mining. I would like to see data for each stakeholder to use to assess the state of the environment for reclamation. Again, I realize that this is for young children, but it's not just that the land that was mined is messy (like their bedroom), but depending on the mining, the land can be contaminated. There could easily be a false sense that the reclamation may not be essential to provide for more than people's aesthetic sensibilities. What about water, air, and soil that can be contaminated? The Tie-ins on page 73 and page 79 provide good information for this, but it could be easily skipped. (Reviewer #4) The content is mostly scientifically accurate. I applaud authors in bringing together a large amount of diverse information into the activities. There are a couple of places in the K-4 activities that I question the grade appropriateness of some of the material, but trust K-4 teachers would be better able to address if it is appropriate or not. There are also several areas in which I thought material may have strayed off focus a little, and I have tried to point those out and offer suggestions to keep the activity more focused on its objectives (e.g., the density activity). I have worked with the Kentucky Coal Association, and have been at numerous anti-coal meetings. I have worked with teachers that support the coal industry, and with teachers that distrust the industry as a whole. Because of that experience I am perhaps sensitive to how coal information is presented to the public, teachers and students. I found several places in the activities where questions were asked or facts were presented on fact sheets that might be considered leading or biased. Simply removing a line or two, or slightly rewording a line or two, might help decrease any perceived bias. I have made some suggestions that I hope will help. Three aspects of content that could be modified or updated (since these were written in 2004) are (1) in several places the use or products of electricity are presented as coal products or as a product of coal (only) energy. These could be rewritten to electrical use or energy use with coal as an example. (2) In the 9-12 curriculum, some of the questions about climate change are all- or-nothing questions, which could be modified or adjusted so they are not absolute and offer more discussion and discovery for the students, and (3) the economics of coal being cheaper than natural gas is not currently correct in parts of the U.S., and should be updated. (Reviewer #6) There is not enough information on the environmental effects of coal use. There is no mention, that I can find, of , for example, acid mine drainage. Very little mention of mercury. Where does the mercury come from? How does it behave in the environment? Global climate change is treated very lightly. Mountain top mining is not mentioned. (Reviewer #7)
2.) How could the balance of perspectives (i.e. economic, social, political, & environmental) be improved? If this is called a science curriculum, it needs more emphasis on the natural science aspects of coal how coal forms, how and why its quality varies, how it is mined (which is covered fairly well), how it is used (also covered), and the environmental impacts of
F11
each stage of extraction, processing, and use. This latter aspect is not covered well. (Reviewer #1) The focus seems to be on the coal mines making money. While this is important one also has to recognize that it is the low cost of products and services from coal that are also a strong economic driver. (Reviewer #2) As you look at the text, it seems in more places than not coal is viewed as the preferred energy instead of one of the choices for electricity. Please look over my line-item edits to find examples of this. Students should discover for themselves the plusses and minuses of coal-based electricity instead of being lead in that direction from the beginning. (Reviewer #3) I think to improve the environmental perspective, there is a bit of comprehensive information necessary. Coal is controversial because there are some real environmental concerns: air pollutants, water contamination, soil contamination, land disruption, and a contribution to climate change. Though I believe that children don't need to be burdened with the overwhelming issues, I also think it is important not to leave these aspects out because it can be confusing. For example, the lessons often mention "clean-coal technology", but there is no background explaining what that is, how it differs from "old" technology, and why there is a need for it except a few places where it is mentioned (Topic #9 on pg 181 and the externalities on pg 183, Tie-in: Botany (pg 189), pg 190; Tie-In: Environmental Issues (bottom of pg 194/ top of 195). A suggestion to add a coal technology time-line could explain and highlight why the technology has evolved. Also Scenario #5 on pg 139 & 147 talks about scrubbers, but I don't see any other information about what scrubbers are or do. These are additional places where either more information can be added to the lesson itself, refer teachers to appropriate Tie-ins whenever a pollutant or other environmental issue is mentioned, or add short descriptive paragraphs to both add science content and improve the environmental perspective. There are several bullets, ironically on one of the last pages (297) that describes some of the environmental impacts and the contribution that clean coal tech has had, but most are not going to read to the end of the 300-pg document! (Reviewer #4) "To Surface or Underground Mine" is also missing the environmental perspective. There is nothing in the descriptions for surface and underground mining about the costs of either environmental prevention or cleanup to help students make decisions about these mining types. In other places in the curriculum, you mention that scrubbers cost a lot of money, and that changes in environmental laws greatly impacted Illinois' economy (pg 251, for example). The costs of preventing and/or remediation play a role in companies' decisions. (Reviewer #4) The Tie-in for economics (pg 185-186) is weak, I think mostly because the facts aren't tied to any dollar value. Even if the value was for an older year, it would still be more meaningful, especially for children. The next tie-in on careers seems to have more dollar value-type facts. (Reviewer #4) The careers should have more information about what basic skills these workers need to help children see the importance of learning such basic skills in school. (Reviewer #4) There are several statements (for example pg 210) about the economic impact after a mine has closed. This seems a bit biased, too, because there might be good reasons that a
F12 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation mine has closed (there is no more profitable coal to extract, or even that technology improves as the Tie-in eludes to on pg 293), too, or alternative employment opportunities that are encouraged. (Reviewer #4) The political perspective is present, but mostly for the older grades. I think including facts about basic laws and policies that are present to prevent and control coal pollution (but first you have to mention that coal can pollute) will solve that issue, especially for the younger students. They simply need to know that the protection is in place, not the details as in the more advanced curriculum. (Reviewer #4) I liked many of the mixed lessons with recitations or discovery that mixed science and social perspectives. I have made some suggestions where I thought more science or math could be added, or where there were opportunities for more tie ins to earth science. Chemistry tie ins could be added to the upper grade environmental issues. (Reviewer #6) Relative to overall balance, this was written from a coal-industry perspective and I think there will be many people who think parts are biased. I have offered some suggestions for minor rewords and edits that might broaden perspective of fuel sources, but still focused on importance of coal in Illinois. (Reviewer #6)
There needs to be much more on environmental perspectives. Potential environmental risks are essentially dismissed. There is no mention of environmental problems in the K-4 curriculum. Little in the 5-8 curriculum. Too much emphasis is given to the economic benefits, for example, the average salary of miners. That is mentioned over and over but climate change is dismissed as unproven and controversial. (Reviewer #7)
3.) In what ways could the pedagogy be improved (i.e. instructional strategies for science learning; grade level appropriateness; needs of diverse learners, etc.)? Some of the activities are well designed, but some are biased. In general I think the information that the teachers and students need is not well presented. It is both scattered and hard to find and not put in a context nor connected to related information to allow for a meaningful presentation. (Reviewer #1) Some of the concepts and vocabulary (especially in K-4) are too advanced. The concepts may be taught easier if words more common to a young child's vocabulary are used. (Reviewer #2) As mentioned above, I am not an educator. This is not my sweet spot. My only comment is to recheck the exercises for the K-4 children as some of the exercises seemed too complex for that grade level. (Reviewer #3) For science literacy, use of graph-building, use and analysis of data, and the generation of hypotheses were present. Meeting the needs of diverse students and skill sets was present, especially when reading the Extension Activities and Tie-in materials. I was impressed at the lessons themselves and types of activities. (Reviewer #4) I think the pedagogy is fine clearly a great deal of thought and creativity has gone into the pedagogical aspects of this curriculum. Good job! (Reviewer #7)
F13
4.) How could the curriculum be improved to better address the energy literacy principles (as listed on the bottom of the rubric)?
Principles 1-4 were not addressed at all. (Reviewer #1) I have detailed notes about various parts of the curriculum that I am submitting as part of my report that gives some suggestions. (Reviewer #1) I think reorganizing the material will be a big first step. (Expert Reviewer #1) I think someone who understands the science needs to be writing the curriculum to cover all of the principles more scientifically. (Reviewer #1) Add more discussion on power production. Kids understand what fire is, how water boils, steam coming off the water. How does the energy in coal get to their outlet. The link between energy and electricity needs to be stronger. Discussion on the FutureGen Alliance would be a good starting point. (Reviewer #2) From what I could decipher I think youve followed the principles. But, to be honest, Im not sure how relevant that is to the value of the curriculum to teachers and students. Take principle number seven, for example. You certainly talk about how our quality of life is affected by energy choices, but it seems the only possible affect of using less coal is a downturn in our quality of life. In most instances, the curriculum seems to suggest that the correlation between using less coal and a lower quality of life is fact. (Reviewer #3) I would argue that were using less and less coal every year and our quality of life hasnt changed to any major degree. I dont want coal to go away. I do think it has great value to our energy mix. But teachers and students should be able to come to that conclusion on their own (including the local economic consequences of jobs being lost in the local community). Its like saying well always need to build nuclear submarines to safeguard American security and keep jobs in Connecticut. That might be true to some extent but it might not always be true. Give the students the opportunity to see all the possibilities and I trust they will end up with various conclusions that include coal. (Reviewer #3) The only way I can think to address the missing principles is to add more energy basics to the lessons. Content such as thermodynamics, energy transformations, trophic levels and energy flow through them, etc. For example, the formation of coal could include data about the energy of the original plant, what is represented by different stages of coal formation, and how much energy we can obtain from coal. While this could add to lessons like "To Surface Mine or Underground Mine" and "The Demand for Coal", I'm not sure it would enhance those lessons as much as quagmire them with more information that requires a greater foundational understanding of
energy concepts in physics. (Reviewer #4) Perhaps more on basic energy principles (literacy principles 1, 2, 3). (Reviewer #7)
5.) What other recommendations would you make?

The topic of global climate change is very poorly covered. The sources do not include any scientific sources, many of which have activities for K-12. How can one address a major scientific issue and not direct the audience to scientific sources? I have listed some good sources in my separate comments. While it is good to point out that people often confuse greenhouse effect with global warming, global warming should be one of the points of discussion; so should acid rain and other environmental impacts. The activity entitled Coal, Clean Air, and the Environment just references carbon sequestration as a way to diminish the environmental impact, without talking about the science behind greenhouse gases. (Reviewer #1)
F14 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

I believe in the value of coal and coal-based electricity. This curriculum is designed to also showcase that value. However, in a perfect world DCEO would create an energy curriculum instead of a coal curriculum so students would have a better sense of where their power, transportation fuels and heat come from. This would make them less inclined to believe hyperbolic propaganda from environmental groups and, yes, industry sources and more inclined to look deeper into the issues because theyve learned that energy is not easyits not freeand its not perfect. None of it is. And to think otherwise is something we should never teach our children. (Reviewer #3) However, the energy world is also dynamic, game-changing and directly relevant to everyones quality of life. As energy companies begin to wonder where the energy workers of tomorrow will come from (no matter what energy were talking about) DCEO has an opportunity to excite our students about the career and life changing possibilities in the energy industry. This includes coal for sure, but it also includes Illinois wind, nuclear, natural gas, solar, refineries, utilities, etc. Since this might not be a possibilityI submit that the curriculum should be updated to be more flexible, more current and more welcoming of coal as one of the pieces of the energy pie, instead of the best piece of the energy pie. They all have their pros and cons and that conversation should be encouraged. (Reviewer #3) I would suggest the addition of a very simple, clear, short lesson on what coal is, how is it used, and the positives/negatives of using it. This can be simple, and very science-based, but give the students a thorough understanding of the resource. The addition of seemingly random bits of information about the environmental consequences, in particular, may give the appearance of the curriculum trying to hide the consequences. (Reviewer #4) If the aim here is to show the advantages of coal over other energy sources, there should really be a lesson comparing the net energies and costs of various sources. Coal quickly rises to the top, especially considering our energy demand. (Reviewer #4) I would also recommend not just comparing coal to natural gas, but also to wind as that energy source is taking hold in Illinois, too. For example, Scenario #3 pg 137 & 145 could have wind added. (Reviewer #4) Try to be more balanced The science and pedagogy are good, but it seems like some of this was written by the coal industry as an advertisement. There is no question that coal is important, but there are also serious issues. Perhaps make the curriculum more global more discussion of what is going on in other parts of the US or the world. All coal is not as safe or clean as Illinois. Students need to know this. (Reviewer #7)
6.) Please provide additional concerns or comments2.

Statements like this, "What are some advantages of using coal as a fuel source? (Answers will vary but may include: readily available, abundant, relatively inexpensive, boosts the regions economy; reduction in pollution due to technology, etc.) (pg 196)" are not accurate. Using coal does not have an environmental advantage over other energy sources, but new technologies make it less impactful. Other sources have lower pollution even with the new coal technologies.
(Reviewer #4)
As I mentioned above, we've done a great job of reducing emissions from coal, so that can easily be highlighted. For example, see Figure 2 on pg 271. That is part of the reading, but it illustrates that we have reduced the environmental impact of coal over the years. Maybe not eliminating it, but we also have not ignored it. Coal is a powerful resource and has improved the quality of life
Reviewers 2, 3, and 6 provided additional comments. See Appendix F3.
F15
around the world, however, using it does come with costs that we must accept. We must accept the higher costs of scrubbers and sequestration so we lower the probabilities we will face smog and climate change. These costs are in the curriculum, but they seem to be vague statements, added in Extension Activities and Tie-ins. With a lack of obvious inclusion, it leaves me feeling that they can be skipped. Though difficult, the curriculum should include the environmental costs so children learn that some costs are necessary and unavoidable, and desirable. (Reviewer #4)
F17
F3. Expert Curriculum Review Additional Comments Reviewer #2 General Comments I am very pleased to see that the coal industry is getting time in the public schools to stress the importance of the use of coal for Illinois and our nation. The science presented in the curriculum is sound and easy to follow. A teacher in-service day (or morning) may be necessary to go over some of the finer points of the material. The focus was very much on the mining of coal. I would like to see more on power production. There is also a large focus on the mining company making money. We would not mine coal if it was a losing venture; however it is the low cost consumer products that are also an economic driver. The tie between coal and electricity needs to be stronger overall. A state representative from the state of California told a colleague of mine, We dont use energy in California, we use electricity. Situations like this happen every day and can be minimized with proper knowledge and education. The lessons seem to be a bit disjointed. It seems as though there is not a continuous thought pattern that can be taught. For example teach in the following sequence: coalification, mining, power production, environmental stewardship..this may lead to less confusion. Grades K-4 Some of the concepts seem very advanced for K-4. For example it will be difficult if not impossible to explain opportunity cost to a kindergartner. On page 11 the statement that 50% of our electricity comes from coal is outdated. Due to low natural gas prices this has changed in the past year. I would suggest using nearly 50%, this covers both over and under 50%. The curriculum has a focus almost exclusively on mining. I would suggest the following additions: o Discuss the coalification process. (I see this mention but could not find the material for it). o Spend at least one lesson on power production. Kids love to know how something happens. Simply telling them you using the black substance to make the electricity they use in their homes may leave them confused. o Environmental stewardship. Coal plants are as environmentally sound as they have ever been in our nation. The industry has done excellent work in this area. I think it should be highlighted in at least one lesson.
Grades 5-8 Page 3. Stating that anthracite coal produces little smoke may be a bit misleading. There are too many additional factors in play. I would suggest removing that part. Anthracite is difficult to ignite and doesnt always burn to completion. Sometimes it can smoke a lot.
F18 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation I would suggest teaching the coalification process separately from the density lesson. While the two are related I think the student will get confused by being hit with all of this information at one time. The teacher resource page needs to be updated in the supply and demand lesson. The EIA has monthly statistics as noted on the bottom of the page but the latest coal price in the table on page 27 is from 1999. There is a tie-in on environmental issues but it seems to be from the mine side for the most part. The power production side needs to be discussed more, maybe separately from the mining portion.
Grades 9-12 This seems to be focused again on economics and mining, while important is not the entire story with coal usage. Lesson 1(page 9) was nicely done and integrates mathematics, writing, geography and economics very nicely. Lesson 3 (page 55) is the first time that pollution control is inserted in to the curriculum but without teaching how the power is made, it may not be as affective. I would suggest some time spent on power production. Some of the environmental regulations on page 59 need to be updated. Much has happen with these rules in the past two years, some of them have been vacated and new rules are in place. The EPA has even adopted a regulation on CO2 for new plants >25MW. Much of the research community has now adopted global climate change instead of global warming. I would suggest making this change as well. You will hear a lot of rhetoric on this issue from two very passionate sides. A very useful activity may be to have students debate parts of this issue. Ask them leading questions and assign them to debate the opposite of their opinion on the matter. The reality is this topic is so complex that either side has a hard time proving their points with sound scientific research. The dollar figures involving Illinois state investments in to the coal industry and research need to be updated (pages 71 and 72). I believe the data are from 2004 or earlier. I would also like to see some discussion on the FutureGen Alliance. The project is taking place in the state if Illinois. This discussion could be the bases for a lesson on how power is made from coal.
F19
Reviewer #3 Comments on the External Review of the K-12 Curriculum Scientific Content The historical content seems accurate as far as I can tell. The major problem with it is that in many instances it is outdated because so much has changed in the past 5-10 years in our energy world. Some of these have helped the coal industry (new mercury scrubbing systems) and other have hurt the industry (the new found abundance of natural gas, the continued government push for fewer and fewer emissions from old coal plants, the difficulty in financing and permitting new coal plants). I would suggest an attempt to update the statistics or challenge the students to find the latest statistics (especially in the higher grades) and have them defend the sources they use to come to their conclusions. Remember, Internet-based research can end up with a variety of statistics, some more reliable than others. Perhaps one of the key lessons is to remind students to keep up on the latest statistics (as things change) and always look at the perspective of the source. Balance of Perspectives This middling grade is based on the fact that its hard to give a balance of perspective when it comes to a coal-centric curriculum. By definition its biased toward one part of our energy portfolio. Given that, I was glad to see mention of some of coals challenges (mining and generation) and how those challenges have changed over the years. In my line-item comments below I was doing my level-best to try and take out any biases in the language presented in the curriculum. Pedagogy Since I am not an educator, I will leave it to those who are to best judge this criteria. However, I did get the sense that the K-4 lessons seemed a bit high-level for kids of that age. Again, Im not the expert. Energy Literacy I believe youve got most of not all of the principles covered in the curriculum. My only nit (as youll see in my line-item comments) is that you seem to have a bias for coal over other forms of energy.instead of presenting coal in the context of the changing landscape (both good and bad) of other energy sources. Grades K 4 Lesson: What Good Does Coal Serve? The statistics here are a bit dated
F20 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation Page 12 debriefing questions: How might life be different if coal were not utilitzed? Various answers are all negativeassumes that no other form of energy could ever replace coal. Page 13 Create a coal conservation booklet this makes the student think that all energy comes from coal. It should be an electricity conservation booklet. Page 13 Doing commercials or ads for coal? Promoting its many uses? Isnt there a better way to remind kids about how we are dependent on electricity and, therefore, coal for many reasons?
Lesson: Reclamation: Our Productive Resources at Work I like the concept of reclaimed landbut doesnt it make is seem like the coal is simply strip mined and not mined underground? Page 58 Point 29 : A small nit, but possible criteria currently states jobs for a number of people. As a company, they look at the criteria as how many people will be needed to do the work? Companies try to keep labor costs down. Page 58 point 33 Im impressed the curriculum suggests using scenes from October Sky. That is a rather start portrayal of life in a coal mining town, including strikes and cave-ins. Page 59 -- Extension Activities: Asking students to draw pictures of surface and underground mines when Im not sure theyve been shown any examples of either. Page 71 Did you know? Last bullet point predicts that the U.S. has enough coal for 300 years at the present rate of use. Technically, this might be correct. But energy sources are use more and/or less frequently at different times depending on many factors. This point is a bit misleading as students might believe there is 300 years of coal left. Perhaps this gets reworded to: If the United States were to keep using the same amount of coal it uses today, it has enough coal for the next 300 years. Just a suggestion. Page 71 Questions/Issues: small nit, but a possible answer to coal not being readily available is finding ways to generate more energy from other current sources, i.e. nuclear, natural gas, wind, solar. This is not to say it would be easy to do this. It would not be. But if coal disappeared tomorrow we still would have about 60% of our electricity in place (depending on where you live in the U.S.). Page 74 Tie In. The Environment: In the following section: If you were a federal government representative, what might your reaction be to a potential mining site in Illinois? I would include in the various answers the possibility of public reaction/opinion and the reputation and experience of the company involved. Page 74 Extensions/Connections: For some reason I find the thank-you card from the animals point of view a bit over the top. Seems as though the animals life would have been a bit disrupted from the operations which usually last years. But perhaps Im overthinking this. Page 75 Did you know?: There is mention of long-wall and room-and-pillar mining and how that is done, but no mention of the effects (if any) on the surface of each option. I think that should be mentioned. I also think this section should mention in a bit more detail how the use of technology has resulted in fewer miners producing the same or more amounts of coal. Perhaps there is an industry standard (or a standard rule in
Lesson: To Surface Mine or Underground Mine? That is the Question.
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Illinois) for the amount of miners it takes to get x amount of coal produced per day and how that compares to 30, 50, 70 years ago. (Note: on page 79 there is reference to thisperhaps a notation could be added on page 75 to alert the teacher to this.) Page 81 Did you know?: Second bullet point is a bit over the top. We use coal to make us more safe at home? Stick with the first sentence and perhaps talk about how much we rely on electricity in our daily lives. Page 81 Did you know?: Third bullet point is inaccurate. Illinois coal plants do import a lot of coal from Wyoming and West Virginia because their coal has less sulfur than Illinois coal. And Im not sure that coal-burning plants on the coasts import a lot of coal from foreign countries. Thats worth checking on. Page 81 Did you know?: Fourth bullet point is out-dated. Natural gas is now cheaper than coal. I might just take this bullet point out or try and explain how costs of generation can change. Or, talk about the advantages of a diverse supply of energy (all of the above). Page 81 Did you know?: Ninth bullet point could be outdated. Im not sure coal provides as much as 50% of employment in any one county. Perhaps a range could be provided here. Page 81 Did you know?: Tenth bullet point seems a bit outdated. Salaries change and complete health care? What does that mean anymore? Perhaps the jobs could be compared to Illinois salaries, such as beginning salaries have historically been xx% above the average salary in Illinois. Page 81 Did you know?: Number twelve (last) bullet point could be outdates. Perhaps give a url to link to more updated information. Page 82 Questions/issues: Third bullet point compare price of coal and oil. This is tough to keep track of in todays energy world. Since oil and coal are used for different things (electricity vs. transportation fuel) why have it in there at all? It would just confuse the kids. Perhaps you could put in a url to a site that compares cost of coal with natural gas, wind and solar? Page 82 Questions/issues: Fourth bullet point should be specific about job loss economy would weaken in Illinois due to job loss especially in counties with a larger percentage of coal-related employment and economic development. Page 82 Questions/issues: Fifth bullet point. Here youve opened up a can of worms that the teacher should be warned about. This is a complicated answer. Which clean coal laws? The ones concerning regulated emissions or greenhouse gases? Coal plants can get cleaner in terms of regulated emissions but have a much harder time reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Its not as simple as plants shut down and electricity prices will certainly go higher. I would suggest cutting this bullet point unless the teacher likes cans of worms. Page 82 Extension/Connections: Fourth bullet point again seems over the top. A cynic would say the coal mined in Illinois will most likely not be used to generate electricity in Illinois, so the students shouldnt be writing the letter. At best they could write the coal company thanking them for the jobs, keeping miners safe and continuing efforts to find better ways to mine coal and produce coal-generated electricity with fewer environmental impacts. Might be too big of a carry for this grade level. Page 82 Extension/Connections: Tenth bullet point also seems over the top. Role playing the closing of a coal mine? At best students could discuss the downsides and
F22 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation upsides of a coal mine closing in Illinois. It could lead to good discussions. Again, this seems a bit much for this grade level. Page 82 Extension/Connections: I simply do not understand bullet point 11. How does a voluntary exchange of toys have anything to do with coal? Page 83 Did you know?: Fifth bullet pointI have the same objection here as the tenth bullet point on page 81. Page 84 Extensions/Connections: Ninth bullet point its good to write a letter to someone in the coal industry with questions, but you dont have to admire them or compliment them on their admirable career. This seems a bit over the top. Ask them questions because you are curious about what they do every day and if they like their job and why?
Grades 5-8 Introduction page: The statistics on how much we rely on coal in Illinois differs from the intro page for Grades K-4. You might want to be consistent. Lesson: Density Page 5 Teacher Resource Page A: Number 7 I would include in this conversation any possible downsides to coal mining in the community. It could lead to good discussion in class about the trade-offs of energy development and difference between real and perceived benefits and/or detriments to coal production. Page 5 Teacher Resource Page A: bullet point six and seven talk about pollution from high-sulfur coal. Perhaps this is a good time to add bullet points about regulated emissions (lead, mercury, PM, etc.) and non-regulated emissions (CO2). This will come up later in discussion coal anyway so why not bring it up now. Page 20 Extension Activities: Bullet point three should not be specific to coal. Even if the student researched the coal and clean coal technologies, how would they be able to create an ad persuading people to use coal-generated electricity vs. natural gas or petroleum? At best they should do an ad espousing the changes in coal-generated electricity. However, you might want to pull this out, all together. Page 25 Teacher Resource Page B In the first paragraph it states that coal is far cheaper than other fossil fuels and more abundant. The abundant part is probably still correct but I dont believe its still the cheapest. Natural gas is currently cheaper. We can argue about how long that will last but the reference should be updated or explained. It seems the language on this page should have a reference point after the year 2000. Page 33 Teacher Resource Page F Again, there should be updated references here. It all seems to be from the year 2000. Few if any of the students in these classes were alive in 2000. Page 45 Teacher Resource Page L Scenario #2: If 5,000 homes are built in Galatia, it may or may not mean an increase in the demand for coal. Most Illinois coal is exported so it wouldnt necessarily increase demand for Illinois coal. Such growth would certainly increase demand for electricity but that doesnt necessarily mean all that will come from coal.
Lesson: The Demand for Coal
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Page 59 number 8 I dont like the Positive/Negative examples here. One has to do with apples and one has to do with factories that pollute. Is that the best pair of examples you could find? Perhaps the positive could also be about factoriesyou dont work there but it provides jobs and tax revenue that helps the financial health of the town in which you live. Overall note on this lesson: This lesson seems to miss an opportunity. Perhaps it can not only include the opportunity to compare it to other sources of energy, it can also give some students the chance to find reasons why coal development might not be the best idea for the state. I say this not because I believe it to be true, but I can imagine if students are allowed to look at all the positives and negatives associated with coal development, theyll most likely come to the conclusion that it should remain an option. And wouldnt it be better for the students to figure that out for themselves rather than having teachers just assume its true? This debate is actually in your debriefing questions on page 61 and your extension activities on page 62. Page 93 Did you know?: Bullet point six should have a url link to more updated employment numbers and mine numbers. I believe both have grown in the past four years. Same idea with bullet point #6 (average salary). Page 93 Did you know?: Bullet point seven if there are any reclamation issues associated with long-wall mining vs. room and pillar mining they should be mentioned here. Note: There is no mention of the average age of a coal plant and how that affects the companys ability to upgrade it with newer, cleaner technologies. Page 94 Questions/Issues: Bullet point five -- you might want to mention how technology has significantly decreased the amount of regulated emissions from coal plants. Its a very important point. Page 94 Extensions/Connections: bullet point three should be stricken. Consumers dont buy coal. Page 95 Did you know?: Bullet point two -- Can you add a url to a link that might provide more updated employment information? Page 101 General point. You may want to include information, questions and extension of the CO2 issues associated with burning coal (and other fossil fuels).
Grades 9-12 Page 13 Debriefing Questions: question number 5 I think is misleading. Clean coal legislation is usually focused on the burning of coal, not the extraction of coal. Therefore the effects of clean coal regulations could be a lower demand for coal (unless its shipped to other countries with different regulations). Big picture comment on the coal-mining exercise: Nowhere in the exercise is permitting or community input mentioned. It might not be possible to calculate that but it should at least be mentioned as something companies consider when deciding whether or not to mine in a certain area. Page 47, topics list, number 8 Im not sure you want students to weigh on a whether mining operations should hire strikebreakers. I know it can be an issue but it can also open up a can of worms most teachers would like to shy away fromjust a suggestion.
F24 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation Page 55 Overview Im not sure I understand that you mean by the misconceptions of the greenhouse effect. On page 58 its defined in more detail. I might suggest changing the language to whats the difference between the Greenhouse Effect and the discussion of Climate Change. Page 58 number 7 I would suggest also brainstorming about the perceived or real downsides of coal production (in addition to its contributions). Students should eventually be asked to weigh both factors in determining the value of coal production. Page 50 Debriefing questions, number 3 the answer you give doesnt fit the question. The question should read why are coal burning power plants blamed for causing global warming? If you really want to ask why the climate change discussion is so complicated the answers would include: political and economic self-interest, lack of trust in governments/scientists, the confusion of climate change vs. weather anomalies, etc.) General Point: Im not sure Kyoto Accord is the best and only benchmark to be studied by students. Could they look at European models and other subsequent attempts by the international community to come up with agreements? They might find out how well they work (or in many cases, dont). Page 59 Extension Activities: bullet point four should also allow students to try to make the case that coal is NOT essential for national security and economic independence. Students should be able to debate both sides of the coin. Page 63 Figure 1. Students should not use this graph as its way outdated. They should get an updated graph or a url to a site that updates it for them. Page 63, point 1: You can still ask the questions but dont assume the answers are the same. Especially point c in terms of the causes of fluctuation of national gas. They all still fluctuate and students should know why, but the answers are different because natural gas production is different. Page 63, point 3 the question has to be updated or it is irrelevant to the world these students live in today. Page 63, point 4: The statement should be rewritten to something like coal generated electricity is still one of the major sources of the nations power supply. Again the questions are valid, the example of the answers are not necessarily the only ones anymore and are worth discussing. Since coal is now about 43% of our electricity (different in different states) just what would the effect be? Page 65, point 2: I understand why the national security issues are included in this version of the curriculumbut should it stay? Perhaps the question should be is our abundance of coal still a benefit to our national security. The answer still might be yes, but its not as obvious as it once was and to have credibility the students should come up with that conclusion and not be led by a bias in the curriculum. Page 65, point 5: the second bullet point is a doozy. Ask students to defend or refute it at your own peril. Ive had adults go at each others throats on this. It gets really personal, really fast. Page 67, point 2 Since fewer and fewer people get their heat from fuel oil (from crude oil), the supply interruption argument holds little water here. This whole point should be reassessed. Page 67, point 4 its a bit of hubris to say this initiative could substantially increase the cost of electricity and have a negative impact on the economy. Its also possible we find advances in technology that make it less expensive. Its also possible that other sources
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of energy take coals place and there is little impact on the economy. The point is no one knows what the future will hold for coal and/or the other energy resourcesso we shouldnt show a bias toward one possible outcome. We should instead showcase the challenges of predicting the future and making assumptions based on myths instead of facts. Page 69, point 5, second bullet point: Again, bring this up at your own peril. The best suggestion is to discuss the percentage of man-made greenhouse gasses comes from burning coal for electricity (compared to buildings, transportation, etc.). But to say the evidence is mixed and does not give a clear answer is not a place this curriculum should goyou could turn off a majority of the teachers who might want to use this curriculum. Page 71 Clean Coal Technologies, last paragraph: I would update this to showcase how Illinois has successfully reduced mercury emissions by almost 90% (please check that number but it is very high and a huge success story). Page 79, point 6 This should be deleted. It is no longer relevant. Page 81 please see my comments from page 63. Page 83 Did you know?: In bullet point four, we should not say that every American uses 20 pounds of coal each day in the form of clean coal based electricity. Clean coal has many definitions and even the industry says its trying to find cleaner ways to burn coal. To say weve already gotten there is a stretch. Though we should, at every turn, showcase the progress the industry has made in making coal cleaner. Page 84 Extensions/Connections: Bullet point two answers should include the possibility of more vehicles running on electricity that, in part, is produced by coal burning power plants. Overall I think this bullet point is a bit of a stretch. Page 98 Questions/Issues: Bullet point three links coal generated electricity with reliable, affordable electricity for Illinois. Again, the students should be asked to come to their own conclusion on this instead of stating it as fact. Page 101: in bullet point seven you might want to update Illinois success story as it pertains to mercury emissions. Page 103: in the first bullet point there are many other possible answers, some good for the coal industry and some not. Teachers should be given a few more examples. Page 103 Extensions/Connections: In the third bullet point the second question assumes more restrictive regulations equals higher rates for electricity. This is a false assumption. Students should be asked if that is the case before moving on to the next questions. Page 103 Extensions/Connections: In the fifth bullet point the question should be about how the price of oil and natural gas affect the use of coal. It shouldnt be just about the rise of those prices.but the price in general as they go up and down.
F26 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation Reviewer #5 General Comments You may want to rethink as to how this curriculum is to be taught and state this clearly. When I go through the curriculum I am not sure. Is it meant to be lessons that build on each other as the student goes through Kindergarten to 12th grade? Is it meant to be resource that a teacher may use at random as simply select the lessons for the appropriate age? If this is case as I would suspect it is; I think it would be desirable to have the same lesson titles for each age group and make the lessons appropriate for that age group. This would make the whole thing more consistent. Regardless of age group there a number of basic ideas that students need to understand about coal these are: o Where it comes from? o How much does the U.S. (an Illinois) have? o What are the economics of coal and how does this relate to other fuels? o How it is mined? o What is it used for? o How is it transported? o What are the environmental impact of using coal and what is being done to mitigate those concerns? I am not sure this curriculum consistently answers those questions in any systematic way. Also in reading this I get the impression that the purpose of this curriculum is to not only teach about coal but also to utilize other skills as well. If so, I think this second purpose often is at odds with the primary purpose to teach the kids about coal.In concert with my first comment, I believe you are emphasizing the economic aspect of coal production and usage too much. The students would find it much more interesting if the other questions I posed above were stressed to a greater degree. The overall structure of the curriculum is very confusing. I think it needs to be made simpler and better structured. Make sure the curriculum has tabs for each section and subsection when it is sent out. Also, because within each lesson there are different activities and instructions depending on age, the use of tables rather than bulleted points may make things more clear. You need to upfront for each age group has a discussion as to what is expected that the kids would understand at the completion of all the lessons. Again this discussion should relate to the questions I posed above. The K-4 lessons are beyond the understanding of the Kindergarten and maybe even the 1st and 2nd grade. I think it would be better to start the lessons beginning at the 3rd and 4th grade level. If you want to introduce coal to the younger kids it will be have to be on a very basic level. Maybe I am old, but I have a grandchild just entering kindergarten and I am sure he would have difficulty understanding a lot of this. I dont understand the relationship between the Tie-Ins and the lessons. What are they for? Are they optional? When do you use them? I think in some cases the tie-ins are more important than the lessons. For example, you cannot talk about the use of coal without discussing environmental issues. This hardly is mentioned in until the tie-ins in the later grades. This needs to be a lesson? The environmental issues in addition in concert with the economics will be driving coal usage in the future.
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I assume the teachers in Illinois know what they mean, but I have no idea what the Common Core and Illinois Learning Standard nomenclature means. Who are the debriefing questions for? Teachers, students, etc. I think what this curriculum is trying to is divorce the mining industry from the utility industry and I dont think this is appropriate because they are so tightly linked that it doesnt present a full picture. Currently and for the foreseeable future, all products produced from coal other than electricity, although important, are relatively minor in the overall scheme of things. For those lessons at the high school level how would they be taught? Would it be the science/math teachers or the social studies/economics teachers that would conduct the lessons or do you envision a team effort. Some of the lessons are fairly technical in nature and really need a science based teacher while others are more geared to a social studies or economics teacher and these are even intermixed within lessons.
Kindergarten through 4th grade Lesson What Good Does Coal Serve A brown paper bag will only smell like a brown paper bag no matter what is in it. May want to use some other type of opaque bag. As a suggestion, the kids may want to talk to their grandparents or other older person in their community about how they used coal to heat their homes. The kids may find this is interesting and at the same time they would have a good conversation with someone that is older but not their parents. Add lights in your room to Activity Worksheet A This is very important part of the coal story as this illustrates the connection between coal and electricity better than the other examples used. Teacher will need to explain what a coal byproduct is. There are some excellent videos on U-Tube or Teacher Tube that helps young students learn how coal was formed. Especially at the younger levels but at all levels I suggest that video be used as much as possible. Need to make a stronger connection between coal and electricity. Make sure the kids understand that a large part of the electricity used in the United States today is generated burning coal. Also during this lesson do you want to provide some information (depending on the students grade) as to how electricity is made from coal? I know that is a question I would ask at that age if a chunk of coal was shown to me. The creative coal story that the kids are to write is first mentioned in procedure 17. I think the instructions for this may need to be expanded. I am not sure the kids; especially the younger one would know what is expected of them. I would expect the teacher would give more instructions but still it would be good to provide more explanation in the curriculum. As was discussed above in general comments, I think rather than just discussing reclamation this whole lesson should be about environmental issues including both land reclamation and emissions when burning coal. Both in terms of the issues and what the
Lesson Reclamation: Our Productive Resources at Work
F28 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation industry is doing to mitigate those concerns. For this age group of course it would need to be done in simple terms. The overall lesson is confusing. I was attempting to go through the mining activity and it took me some time to figure out what the instructions were. For example are they actually supposed to remove the coal pieces from the sand or just find the coal pieces? The work sheets may be a bit much especially for the younger kids. There is a Tie-In for the Environment but there is no discussion on air and water issues and what is being done to mitigate them. There is little discussion on mine safety. I suspect some of the older kids will have seen the news or possibly read about mine cave-ins. You could play the song Big Bad John by Jimmy Dean. Then discuss what is being done in modern mines to help insure the safety of workers. You could even discuss some of the differences between underground and surface mining as it relates to safety issues.
Lesson To Surface Mine or Underground Mine? That is the Question!
5th grade through 8th grade Lesson Density I am not sure why this lesson should be a separate topic especially at this grade level. A lot of the discussion in the Teachers Resource must be done before the students would understand the concept of coal density and what it means. I think there are a lot better ways of discussing the different types of coal. For example I really like the idea of showing a movie about coal formation and then discussing how the different coals were formed. It brings home the concept of biology and its relationship to coal. Beside younger kids really like seeing dinosaurs and it captures their attention. I think you may want to explain where the different coals come from in the United States. There are good maps that show this. You could then point out what types of coal are located in Illinois. In Student Activity Page A. The concept of regulation is first brought up. This is very important to the future of coal and needs more discussion. It is brought up in a way that seems to make a minor issue. This seems to be a lot of effort to learn about the law of supply and demand. Although an important concept I think it can be discussed in a section that is about coal utilization. I like the Scenarios in the Teachers Resource Page L. I think these are real world lessons that will help the kids understand some of the competing situations that coal companies must deal with.
Lesson The Demand for Coal
Lesson Discover the Power of Illinois Coal: Persuasive Essays This is an excellent lesson. Not sure if the essays are for each student or pair of students.
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9th grade through 12th grade I am a real strong believer that kids at this grade level to do not do enough creative writing and I impressed that this is an important part of this curriculum. This whole section focuses too much on economics and not the science of coal. Lesson Can My Company Make a Profit in the Development of a New Coal Mine In general I like this lesion teaches the kids a lot about how our system of risk reward works. However, the teacher for this lesson must have some training in economics. I know this is the environmentalist in me speaking again, but isnt it possible that clean coal legislation may result in new technologies that would reduce costs. Also it may allow for expansion of coal usage increasing the potential profitability. In addition, when discussing climate change in the Tie-ins. You make the statement there is a lot of disagreement whether climate change is occurring. This is simply not true. The vast majority of scientists who are trained in climatology say there is no dissent. There is still some discussion as to what role fossil fuels are playing in climate change but even here there is an overwhelming consensus that these fuels are a large part of the problem. I know that Illinois is a large producer of coal and I come from a state (North Dakota) that also has large seams of coal as well as oil and gas. I believe these resources are essential to our future but the must be used in an environmental friendly and sustainable way. This must be acknowledged in a classroom discussion on coal if it is to have future. This is an excellent lesson. The kids in this age group should learn about the history of coal mining. Although the lesson title mentions economics, the history needs to be emphasized and I think this lesson does that. I would even drop the word economics from the title. Stress the economic side of coal production in the previous lesson. Again I want to go back to my general comments about the basic ideas that students need to understand about coal. In this lesson I would discuss the geological history of coal. In addition as history as it relates to actual mining. Again there is no balance. Everything seems to be stressing economic issues. Although economics will always drive decisions relating coal or anything else for that matter, it is only part of the story of coal. There needs to be more discussion on other aspects of coal. This again goes back to the questions I posed in general comments.
Lesson Illinois History: The Role of the Illinois Coal Industry in Economics
Lesson Coal, Clean Air, and the Economy
F30 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation Reviewer #6 What good does coal serve? Coal is used to make electricity. How electricity is made is part of the national K-4 standards so this activity fits in well. Measurement of properties and description of properties is also important in core content, so this fits those needs. However, because the activity is what good is coal?, it begins as a somewhat biased exercise. Title could be switched to Coal for electricity or Making electricity in Illinois if authors want to decrease a perceived bias in the activity. Words used in the activity include electricity and energy and for younger audience it might help to define those terms in the introduction, and then state that coal is a key energy source to make electricity in Illinois and half the Nation. Also, I understand that this is a coal activity, but its OK to say there are other fuels, which are used to generate electricity including natural gas and nuclear in Illinois. Instead of Coal conservation booklet, could say Energy conservation booklet since what the students are doing is reducing energy use regardless of its source? If there is a perception that the content is too biased, small changes like this might make the activities appear more concentrated on the subject matter (energy conservation) rather than on the future of coal in Illinois. Activity can still use coal as the example for the math, and will still promote coal education, but would seem less biased. Research additional goods and servicesneed to clarify the difference between produced by electricity (regardless of fuel) or by coal byproducts directly. Some of the coal byproducts material may be a little advanced for K-4. Gaining multiple products from single sources, byproducts, recycling, etc. are perhaps more suited for older students. A K-4 teacher could better address this. The last question and comparing electricity produced from a unit of energy would seem to be something that would be very difficult for K-4 without some guidance. I think this is a great idea, telling students that electricity can be made in many ways, but they need to be told that all of the sources (including coal) have limitations in terms of resource, costs, and amount of energy produced.
Reclamation activity This is mostly an economics activity. It involves simple math to get students to see that to make a profit there are limits and tradeoffs to make energy work, and that reclamation costs are part of this equation. If its being used as a math example, or an intro to addition/subtraction than it should be introduced that way. As for the science part of this activity, I think it is important to define reclamation and get students to understand what it is, but am uncertain if it fits K-4 curriculum level? K-4 physical science core content concentrates more on properties of materials and what light, heat, electricity, and magnetism are? Reclamation perhaps fits in better with what soils are and sediments are in Middle School core content or in human influences in middle and high school. However, if introduced in K-4, suggest it might make point better and show how much work needs to be done by tying this activity to some discussion or extension of the different physical materials (seeds, water, soil, fertilizer, etc.) needed for the different types of reclamation and their properties rather than just the economics of reclamation.
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For each of the different reclamation types more info may be needed, even in a simple exercise so that students can better understand trade-offs, limitations, and benefits for each of the examples used. o If houses, than firm substrate needed, would have to put a layer of cement to make it stable for homes and have to wait several years..so not done as often because it more costly, so the costs shown could be adjusted to make it take longer and cost more. o For farming, needs to be a farming area beforehand; need to preserve top soil before mining, so short time and middle or low cost. o For forest, have to start from scratch, and regrow. If you added topsoil to be removed as a variable it would give students a chance to save their topsoil first than reuse it. <you could put a layer of soil over the sand and have students remove it and put it back if they want to farm or forest or build a golf course>. This would be a take time, have higher costs, etc. o Wildlife habitat should be designed to be cheapest because it is, which is why it is used so often. Farming, forestry, housing, etc. have added costs, but potentially added benefits. We did an activity similar to this once where we used black charcoal for aquariums to represent coal, covered with layers of sand and silt and covered with a thin layer of topsoil. Students had to first reclaim the topsoil, dig out the coal (and try to get it out without impurities like sand and topsoil mixed in), then regrade the sand and place the topsoil back. If you added topsoil on top of the sand box students could remove, and reclaim and try to grow seeds in soil, vs. sand to see how important it is to reclaim the topsoil. Growing seeds in different medium is a common science class activity (I think in middle school), and this activity could be incorporated into this activity easily. The economics are important, but Im just suggesting a natural science tie-in. There are many more opportunities for the science of reclamation to be highlighted through introduction of scientific concepts like soil, rooting, etc., if activity is to be extended beyond just economics. For question 6, discuss the pros and cons for various types of energy sources. This seems like a question that would be better aimed at middle and high school students rather than third and fourth graders. How can this age student evaluate this? Are any materials given to teachers to determine this? To provide students info for this? I think some guidance could be given to teachers through some key web sites (EIA, etc.), or make it a web search to see if students can find a single pro and a single con for each of the resources. Then they could discuss or debate. One big pro for coal in Illinois is the abundance of resource and short transport distance, and the con for other fuels that could be stressed relative to Illinois is how far away they are. Question 7 is another question which might be difficult for teachers and students to grasp or get a handle on unless they have maps that show what resources are at the surface in areas where mining is going on, etc Seems like a lot for a K-4 activity. Are any materials given to teachers to determine this? To provide students info for this? I think some guidance could be given to teachers through some key web sites (EIA, etc.), or these two question could be deleted.
F32 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation Surface or underground mine? Dont understand why Trade offs is being used as a key concept for a K-4 curriculum? Not sure this concept fits K-4, but if it does, fine. The activity starts as a chocolate taste test, which Im sure students would enjoy. Im not sure however, that there really is that much of an analogy between a blind taste test using chocolate and making a decision to surface or underground mine an energy resource? The principal decision on whether to mine at the surface or underground is depth of the coal. Its not really a good, bad, or yuck, matrix decision. Perhaps the analogy could be better made with some other aspect of coal as a resource or a material, or by calling the activity Coal as an energy resource? Tie in-rocks and minerals. This is good information. There are plenty of additional resources teachers could use for graphics and slide presentations on line. Most of these key ideas/terms could be tied into what properties coal has as an energy source or solid substance, which is a standard K-4 curriculum topic. Somewhere in here the difference between rocks and minerals should be defined (if this is a rock and mineral tie in). A piece of coal and crystalline pyrite could be used for comparison. You could have kids look at a piece of coal or the list of coal properties and determine if it is a rock or mineral? Last two lines dont have much to do with defining properties of the material, and will sound a little like a sales job to many teachers. Suggest deleting them for this activity. These last two lines really arent important concepts for K-4 students. Making a matrix of simple properties for the four coal rank types might be a useful exercise to show how properties define the coal. The first two questions of the question and issues section of the rocks and minerals tie in has nothing to do with the preceding definition or description of coal or types of coal. The next several questions are good. Not sure enough information is given to answer the coal products question or the cost of anthracite question. Also the coal products question (coal tar, etc.) seems an advanced idea for K-4. If authors of this particular exercise want to make a case for the use of coal products as part of the exercise, perhaps the properties of the substances could be shown and then a list of products that require certain properties in their making could be made? The students could try to match the properties of the substance to what was needed to make a product. One of the extension activities is making fossils. If this is to be an extension activity, might want to add some more explanation of fossil fuels, define fossil, define fuels, etc. What fossils are and fossil properties is sometimes part of K-4 curriculum. Perhaps adding a tie-in to fossils might aid the exercise. Illinois has many famous coal-age fossils, so this would be a natural tie in for Illinois. o Could also mention that the official state fossil is the Tully Monster, which was found in coal mines and lived in ancient coal swamps
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From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines: 5-8 Density Lesson Very good, but will teachers be able to get samples of different coal ranks for the class room? Also, are pieces of coal that have already been cleaned and contain as little pyrite or rock partings as possible? I once helped teachers in a rock ID exercise where they were given coal that was loaded with pyrite so it was actually more pyrite than coal. Questions 4 through 7 have nothing to do with density. Perhaps questions in this part of the exercise should stick to the density issue or quality/use issues directly related to density? This might be a good opportunity to also measure pyrite and or galena (minerals) or other rock densities (sandstone, limestone) to compare with coal. If they dont measure something denser, they might not see how light coal is. This could also guide students to see how density as a specific property is used to clean coal. Teacher resource (page A) could make a better link between density and rank. Between questions 3 and 4, perhaps link density to carbon content or something that will more easily show teachers and students how the two are related. Do students have enough info to answer questions 6 and 7? What do these questions have to do with density of coal/heating value of coal? Again, if there is a perception is that the content is too biased, just deleting statements or questions like this might make the activities appear more concentrated on the subject matter (density) rather than on the future of coal in Illinois. This sheet has little directly to do with density or how density differences occur in coal. Suggest it could be altered somewhat to tie back to density: o Instead of the Pennsylvanian period had an environment that alternated between terrestrial and marine, why not add a sentence or two that are more related to the conditions of depositing and preserving peat and coal? Also, the peat to coal thickness ratio is given, but no definition or discussion of peat precedes that statement. I suggest connecting plants with carbon to peat to coal to coal ranks: During Pennsylvanian in Illinois, tropical climates like modern Indonesia and widespread forest swamps common in which thick peats were deposited. o Carbon in plants comes from photosynthesis. o Photosynthesis is o Peats are. o Peat contains abundant plant debris, so a lot of carbon o Pennsylvanian peats were made of various plants you discuss. Coals formed in different ages were formed by different types of plants, but always from peat. Anthracite IS NOT a metamorphic rock. I understand the point that is trying to be made that rank changes through heat and pressure but not to degree of metamorphism. Anthracite is still a sedimentary rock! Technically it is meta-sedimentary (as is most of coal ranks). It is not normally considered metamorphic.
Student Activity sheet A, p. 1
F34 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation Line about sulfur in seawater that once covered Illinois Suggest changing this to seawater that covered and buried many of the ancient swamps The sulfates form the mineral pyrite, which can occur in coal and causes Illinois coal to have high sulfur content. The sentence about low-sulfur coal beneath shale relates to a special circumstance in part of Illinois, which might be too detailed for this level of background information. Suggest a more general statement like: Different peat swamps were formed and buried under different conditions, so their properties (thickness, quality, etc.) vary. Some graphics might really help this section. Its a lot of text and there are plenty of graphics available on how coal forms, coal rank, etc. (e.g., Kentucky Geological Survey website) The last five bullets here have more to do with how coal forms and what coal is rather than history, geography, or regulations, so suggest moving them up to the previous page. Maybe keep page 1 focused on what coal is and how it forms and then have page 2 be more on the resource, mining, and history? Some graphics might really help this section. Its a lot of text. Map of coal areas in ILL would help.
Student Activity Sheet (p. 2)
Demand for coal This is good information and if this type of economic activity is common in grades 5-8 it would be fitting. I know this is being produced by the coal council, but would the exercise be better and seem less biased if it was called Demand For Energy, and then the examples used were mostly coal-based as an example? Point 21. Maybe some examples could be used for each factor for another product or resource as a guide to use with coal. Page 25 is way out of date. The reason that coal production is currently decreasing nationally is because the price of gas has dropped below the cost of coal in many areas. Many teachers will know this. The last sentence at least needs to be slightly rewritten, to will continue to use it. And delete last part. Activity describes competition with natural gas on page 34 related to steel manufacturing, so they could also add it on p. 25. Coals not going to go away as a fuel, but northeastern natural gas price is going to be competitive and most new power plants being built are gas fired. Page 45-53 worksheets. Does this represent an increase or decrease in demand for coal? The question for all of these would be a demand for energy/electricity? Scenario 3, p. 45 and 53, may have been valid in 2004, but is it still? I dont think so. Perhaps students could make a comparison of the price of gas and coal on an equal-unit energy basis over many years to see that coal prices are relatively more stable and predictive, while gas prices have gone up and down. However, in the next few years it looks like natural gas prices will stay low. Scenarios 4 and 5 are for coal and should stay for coal.
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Discover the Power of Illinois Coal This seems like a good question for use as a writing assignment. There should be plenty of resources available to find answers to the question and allow for different perspectives. In the Glossary, why are the coal ranks added if this is for Illinois? Suggest only Bituminous is needed. Reclamation and Regulation might be added as glossary words Certainly Positive and Negative should be known already by middle or high-school? Maybe these could be deleted from the glossary? p. 93, room-and-pillar mining should have hyphens here and elsewhere in the pages p. 97-Tie in botany. Most of this is not a tie-in to botany at all, so title is misleading. If this is supposed to be a tie to botany delete the first 15 or so bullets until the first statement that is related to botany: Suggest more info or statements could be added for photosynthesis and carbon, plant types, carbon cycle, etc. Could add a statement that scientists can study modern peats to see how peat forms and therefore how coal forms. Pennsylvanian-age coals had different plants then today, but those plants have ancestors today (lycophytes, sphenopsids, etc.as were included in the K-4 section). Maybe delete the geology parts on the botany page that are duplicated on the geology tiein page The sulfur content is because of sulfates that make the mineral pyrite. Maybe this is better on the environment tie-in or geology tie-in than the botany tie-in? It has more to do with chemistry. For that matter, perhaps a chemistry tie in could be added? Could introduce sulfates, sulfides, and chemical formulas like pyrite, so students and teachers can see where the sulfur comes from. Last question is very good, but photosynthesis needs to be introduced up front in the bullets. Environment tie-in is good. Suggest AGIs Coal and Environment book as a useful resource. p. 104. Several of the questions here require information not contained in the activity. More maps, etc. would be needed (KGS has a coal and environment web links and resource links page, if that would help). Earth-science or geology tie-in Could mention that Illinois is world famous for coal-age fossils found in historic coal mines along Mazon Creek in central Illinois o Official state fossil is the Tully Monster from this area From the Coal Mines to Power Plants: 9-12 Can my Company Make a ProfitNew Mine I like the use of maps to determine area and incorporating data, a simple spread sheet, graph reading, etc. Illinois History I like the student recitation to discover if their own community has any coal history. Coal, Clean Air and the Economy
F36 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation p. 55-maybe make the first sentence, The future of the U.S. coal industry, The future of the U.S. energy industry The rest of the paragraph makes it clear that this is about coal. AGIs Coal and the Environment might be a useful resource for this activity. P. 59, the KYOTO accord, is somewhat old now. Several accords since. May want to provide updated info for students to search or investigate P. 69 is very leading and would be the kind of questions that lead teachers and students to feel this activity is biased. If the point is to show that trere is not unanimous consensus than that could be done by asking two sets of opposing all-or-nothing questions, rather than just one. o Question 1 is one sided and potentially misleading. Greenhouse effects are not necessarily devastating and some degree of them is important for life on the planet. Agreed. But if authors dont want this to sound like a biased question or activity, than they should follow up with another question like: The Greenhouse Effect has no potential harmful effects, or something that lets students discover that the opposite view is also not true. Otherwise, it could be interpreted as greenhouse gas increases are not important, which would be misleading. Students could debate the two juxtaposed questions to discover it is a complicated issue. o Question 2 could also easily be interpreted as a leading question and biased. I agree with the concept of the question (that there is not unanimous consensus that anthropogenic alone is the cause of climate change), but there is scientific consensus that were likely a large part of it, and to pretend otherwise is not scientific. Most scientific associations in the U.S. and the World now have clear statements on human contributions (see National Academies web site). The evidence is overwhelming that there have been dramatic changes in the last 100 years. Again to get around this, maybe ask two questions: Human-caused CO2 is definitely the cause for climate change, and Human emissions of CO2 cannot be the cause for climate change, or something that is similarly all-or-nothing that lets students discover its a complicated issue. o Another question that could be asked here that would seem to be appropriate since sequestration is addressed in the activity, is a set of questions that get more to the heart of the real issue: Not that CO2 might be formed by humans or not, but that regardless, it is rising and what can we do about it? In the K-4 activities there were questions about how students can reduce energy use. That would seem to be more appropriate here. If we need cheap energy, and we need more energy as population increases, what technologies can be used to decrease carbon emissions by governments or industry? Or some question that leads student to inquire about sequestration (terrestrial and geologic), transportation, or land-use practices. What is my own personal carbon signature? How can I reduce my carbon signature? o These latter two questions have a lot of possible web resources to use, and would let most students see how wasteful they are. Most students (and teachers) dont know how much energy they use and how wasteful they are.
APPENDIX G RESOURCES G1. Heartland Coalfield Alliance Evaluation........................................................................ G1 G2. EcoJustice Recommendations for DCEO Coal Education Program .......................... G9 G3. Letters to the Governor about DCEO Coal Education Program ............................... G11 G4. CREDO Petition ............................................................................................................. G17 G5. Reckoning at Eagle Creek Book Review....................................................................... G19 G6. Newsletters about DCEO Coal Curriculum ................................................................ G21 G7. News Articles about DCEO Coal Education Program ............................................... G27
G1 APPENDIX G: RESOURCES G1. Heartland Coalfield Alliance Evaluation
EVALUATION --
FROM THE COAL MINES TO THE POWER LINES

A Teaching Curriculum for Grades Kindergarten through 12 Distributed by the State of Illinois, Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. PURPOSE AND SCOPE From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines will give teachers and students the knowledge, skills and tools necessary to provide their students a sound and meaningful understanding of coal in Illinois. (page 1, Introduction to each section) This manual is being provided free of charge by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Office of Coal Development as a public service to education. Given its length, the curriculum is remarkable in the absence of material honestly discussing the mounting and documented environmental and social costs attributable to coal. Virtually nothing is said about the devastating health effects of coal combustion; that according to the American Lung Association 24,000 people die prematurely each year because of coal-fired power plants1, that coal plants are the largest source of mercury in the world2, or that coal is responsible for much of the U.S. power-related emissions of particulates, nitrous oxide, sulfur dioxide, contributors to respiratory illness, lung and heart diseases and asthma attacks3. Discussion of minings impacts to surface waters or the generation and disposal of harmful mine wastes and coal combustion waste are nowhere to be seen. The profound effects of longwall and strip mining on Illinois property owners and rural communities are similarly absent. Is this really a public service to education? Instead, the curriculum is predominantly a series of exercises on the virtues of coal and the economic tradeoffs involved in its production. If our young people are to be taught about coal, then lets tell them the whole truth, not a one-sided, biased and self-serving story contrived for the benefit of Illinois economic interests and the coal industry.
American Lung Association, 2010. Statement of Charles D. OConnor, President and Chief Executive Officer of American Lung Association. http://www.lung.org/press-room/press-releases/statement-ofcharles-d.html 2 USEPA 2011. USEPA Webite - Mercury-Basic Information http://www.epa.gov/hg/about.htm 3 Epstein, Paul R. et. al. 2011. Full Cost Accounting for the Life Cycle of Coal. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1219:73-98.
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POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EXTERNALITIES (Students are asked to conduct research on coals positive and negative externalities and given one of nine topics to investigate) Explain to the students that while they are conducting their research, they should pay particular attention to examples of positive and negative externalities. (page 63, Grades 5-8) Of the nine topics provided, only two deal with coal mining and production. A list of ten coal research websites are provided, none of which provide any level of analysis of coals negative social or environmental effects. Four of them literally refer back to IDCEOs website. The resources offered in every case are woefully lacking in academic breadth and balance. SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER POLLUTION While surface mining can destroy the local environment, reclamation laws ensure that mined areas are restored to useful purposes. (page 108, Grades 5-8) In these initiatives (clean air legislation), there is a great deal of concern that anthropocentric (human caused) power plant emissions can cause toxic materials like mercury to bioaccumulate in the food chain through species like tuna and cause health risks to humans. (page 69, Grades 5-8) The curriculum is essentially devoid of meaningful discussion or analysis of coals impacts to surface and groundwater. References to reclamation imply universal protection and restoration to an improved condition. The curriculum mentions the link between mercury emissions and the potential health impacts of eating tuna, but makes no mention that Illinois, along with nearly every other state, has a special fish consumption advisory in place for mercury recommending that children and women of childbearing age limit their consumption of predator fish from Illinois waters due to elevated mercury levels from coal plant emissions. It is shockingly dishonest to neglect to disclose this piece of information to our children, the very population that is most at risk from the burden of mercury pollution that the coal industry has guaranteed will remain a part of our landscape for the foreseeable future. Furthermore, the curriculum wholly avoids mentioning the significant effects of coal mining and coal ash disposal on Illinois water resources. Surface water contamination from coal mining is a serious problem in Illinois, with numerous coal mines in Illinois reporting serious compliance issues with their water permits and with over 1000 stream miles impaired by mining activities of the mere 21% of streams assessed by the Illinois
Appendix G: Resources
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EPA4. In 2010, groundwater sampling conducted by the Illinois EPA at 22 of 24 coal ash disposal sites found exceedances of health standards for coal ash contaminants at every location5.
AIR POLLUTION Various technologies including flue gas desulfurization (scrubbers), low NOx burners, atmospheric circulating fluidized bed, combustion, gasification and sedimentation ponds, reduce the amount of pollution from burning coal. This allows us to benefit from the use of coal as a natural resource, while limiting the negative effects on the environment. (page 108, Grades 5-8) The intended take-away from this is clearly that clean coal technologies have rendered the combustion of coal a safe and benign process for providing energy to society. Scientific data strongly suggest otherwise. US EPA data demonstrate that in spite of the proliferation of such technologies, coal is still responsible for much of the U.S power generation emissions including 51 percent of the fine particulate matter, 35 percent of nitrogen oxides and 85 percent of sulfur dioxide6. The latter two in turn contribute to increased airborne particulates through secondary transformation processes. Exposure to fine particulates is linked to cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary and respiratory diseases, stroke, lung cancer and the triggering of asthma attacks. A 2010 study by the Clean Air Task Force, estimated that each year coal power plants are responsible for 13,200 premature deaths, 20,400 heart attacks and over 1.6 million lost work days7. Coal fired power plants also are responsible for approximately one third of all mercury emissions attributable to human activity8. Mercury, a strong neurotoxin, can cause neurological damage resulting in impaired mental development and lifelong loss of intelligence. Researchers have estimated that between 317,000 and 631,000 children are born in the U.S. each year with elevated blood mercury levels9.
http://prairierivers.org/articles/2011/12/proposed-new-strip-mine-threatens-drinking-water/ Stant, Jeff and Traci Barkley, 2011., Illinois at Risk: Lax Safeguards and No Enforcement Endanger the Water, Air & Lives of Residents Near Coal Ash Dumps, Environmental Integrity Project and Prairie Rivers Network http://prairierivers.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Illinois-at-Risk1.pdf. 6 Epstein et. al., 2011. op.cit. 7 Clean Air Task Force. 2010. The Toll From Coal: An Updated Assessment of Death and Disease from Americas Dirtiest Energy Source 8 Us Department of Energy, 2011. Website- Mercury Emission Control R&D http://www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/powersystems/pollutioncontrols/overview_mercurycontrols.html 9 Trasande L, Landrigan and PJ, Schechter C 2005. Public Health and Economic Consequences of Methyl Mercury Toxicity to the Developing Brain. Environ Health Perspect 113:590-596. http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.7743
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While regulatory requirements and coal combustion technologies have reduced power plant emissions over time, coal remains one of the dirtiest fuel sources available. To teach otherwise is to misinform the student. RECLAMATION Laws hold mining companies to stringent guidelines, mined land must be returned to the same quality or higher, many mines are reclaimed as natural areas. (page 101-102, Grades 5-8) Explain to the student that it takes a great deal of planning and money to mine for coal in Illinois, and once the coal has been extracted, the land needs to be put back neatly or made into something better. (page 27, Grades K-4) The curriculum repeatedly refers to laws limiting environmental impact and assuring the protection of natural resources. The implication is that the actual compliance rates are 100 percent and that all mined lands are immediately returned to beneficial public uses like natural areas, nature preserves, golf courses or productive farmland. According to the USEPAs Enforcement and Compliance database (http://www.epaecho.gov/echo/), the track record for the 72 coal mines operating with water pollution permits in Illinois is abysmal*: Here are a few highlights: In the last three years, 34 coal mines (47%) have been out of compliance with their permit for 6 months or more. In the last three years, 21 coal mines (29%) have been out of compliance with their permit for 12 months or more. The scope of the pollution violations can be enormous. 40% of coal mines with pollution violations in the past three years (14 of 35) were polluting at levels up to 200 times greater than the allowed amount for some pollutants.
This data is supplied to the Illinois EPA by the coal mine operators themselves. It is hard to say how many more problems might be found if our state regulators actually conducted on-the-ground inspections to ground-truth this self monitoring. Less than 17% have been inspected in the last five years.
CLIMATE CHANGE Why is the Greenhouse Effect not as negative as most people believe? Answer: Without the Greenhouse Effect, it is probable that life on earth as we know it could not exist. The radiation of heat that has been absorbed
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from the atmosphere is responsible for much of the beneficial warming that the earth receives. Why is the concept of global warming so complicated to address? Answer: There are numerous and variable sources of carbon dioxide and particulate matter besides power plants. These sources include industries, automobiles, volcanoes, and the burning of forests. Much attention is given to power plants because they are big, visible and stationary. (Students are asked to defend or refute the following statements): The evidence is clear that the combustion of fossil fuels has lead to global warming and climate changes. Answer: The evidence is very mixed and does not give a clear answer. Global warming is also complex due to natural phenomenon such as volcanoes and forest fires. (page 71, Grades 9-12)
The treatment of coals role as a contributor to global climate change is willfully misleading. To fail to rigorously examine the scientific evidence that coal plays a significant role in contributing to climate change seriously undermines the credibility of the curriculum. Over 97% of all climate scientists are in consensus that global warming is real and that human activities such as the combustion of fossil fuels are contributing to it10. A survey of all peer-reviewed abstracts on the subject 'global climate change' published between 1993 and 2003 shows that not a single paper rejected the consensus position that global warming is caused by humans11. In addition, virtually all academies of science throughout the world endorse the consensus position that "most of the global warming in recent decades can be attributed to human activities". The burning of fossil fuels is the single greatest contributor of carbon dioxide emissions to our atmosphere, and coal-fired power plants are accountable for nearly one third of these emissions in the U.S12. To fail to even consider these facts in a curriculum purporting to provide students with a sound and meaningful understanding of coal is inexcusable. This is a biased and anti-scientific treatment of the subject and ultimately disrespectful to students of this academic level.
(Students are asked to defend or refute the following statements):

Doran, Peter and Maggie Kendall Zimmerman, 2009. Examining the Scientific Consensus on Climate Change. EOS, Transactions American Geophysical Union. Vol. 90, No. 3, page 22. 11 Oreskes, Naomi, 2004. Beyond the Ivory Tower: The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change. Science: Vol. 306 No. 5702 p. 1686 12 USEPA, 2011. Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse GAs Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2009. http://epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/usinventoryreport.html
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The Greenhouse Effect has a devastatingly harmful impact on the earth. Answer: Not true. Life as we know it is related to this effect. In the absence of an atmosphere, the earth would average about 30 Celsius degrees (about 50 Fahrenheit degrees) lower than it does at present. (page 71, Grades 9-12
Why this statement is included as part of the discussion of coal, clean air and the economy is unclear. It seems to imply that the greenhouse effect and by extension any process that manifests itself through it is quite natural and not necessarily detrimental to human existence. The concept that the greenhouse effect is neither good nor bad, but a physical phenomenon that with the accumulation of greenhouse gases can produce devastating changes in climate, seems to be lost in the prepared answer.
COST OF COAL GENERATED ELECTRICITY The cost of generating electricity with coal is about half the cost of using other fossil fuels. In 2004, the cost of electricity from coal was$1.36 per one million Btus (British Thermal Units), compared to oil at $4.29 per one million Btus. (page 77, Grades K-4) The cost of generating electricity from coal is widely touted as very inexpensive relative to other fuel sources. A serious discussion of the real price of electricity must be based on a full life-cycle analysis of all costs associated with producing electricity with a given energy source. Teaching students that coal is inexpensive relative to other fuels fails to account for the billions of dollars provided through subsidies and the externalization of its associated social and environmental costs. If all of the social and environmental costs of coal-generated electricity were internalized in its market price, the electricity would cost an additional 175 to 523 billion dollars annually. This would add from 9 to 17 cents more per kWh to the consumers electric bill, making it one of the most expensive sources of electricity13. Why not compare the full cost of coal-produced electricity with that of non-fossil fuel alternatives? ILLINOIS COAL FACT SHEET Teachers are asked to Distribute copies of Student Activity Page B: Illinois Coal Fact Sheet for discussion. This two page fact sheet addresses coal markets, clean coal technologies, Illinois financial subsidies to coal industry and additional historic and economic data.
13
Epstein et.al. 2011. op.cit.
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Nothing in the Coal Fact Sheet addresses social and environmental issues and concerns around the use of coal, nor the externalized costs absorbed by the public. Nothing addresses coals documented pollution of Illinois surface and groundwaters. Nothing speaks of the health impacts of coal on millions of Americans. No mention is made of the rural families and communities in Illinois who are displaced by planned subsidence associated with longwall mining. Acknowledgement of coals influence on our planets changing climate is absent. Our children deserve better.
Heartland Coalfield Alliance 03/12
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G2. EcoJustice Recommendations for DCEO Coal Education Program
G10 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation
Appendix G: Resources G11
G3. Letters to the Governor about DCEO Coal Education Program
HEARTLAND COALFIELD ALLIANCE
March 29, 2012 Governor Pat Quinn Office of the Governor 207 State House Springfield, IL 62706 Attention: Ryan Croke, Deputy Chief of Staff Re: Illinois DCEO Coal Education Program
Dear Mr. Croke: We are writing on behalf of the Heartland Coalfield Alliance to thank you for taking the time to talk with us via conference call on March 6, 2012. The call provided an important opportunity for each of us to share our views regarding the DCEOs curriculum From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines. DCEO plays a significant role in promoting economic development opportunities within our state. However, we believe that in carrying out its mission, DCEO must not disregard the longterm health and welfare of Illinois residents. We are greatly concerned that the department is using its position and public funds to distribute biased information for the sole purpose of marketing a private industry. It is particularly egregious because the marketing target is our children. We believe the coal curriculum to be flawed, harmful to the integrity of our educational system, and therefore an inappropriate use of public funds. A growing number of Illinois groups and residents agree with us. In the short time since our efforts began to call attention to the curriculum, over 5,500 people have signed petitions and postcards to the Governor calling for an end or reform of the program. With this letter we are sending a summary of some of the comments received. Also enclosed is an overview of the curriculum, discussing just a few of the many problems of inaccuracy and omission.

We understand that the DCEO is embarking on a lengthy process of revising the curriculum, acknowledging that an update is needed based on the fact that since the material was first prepared, much more is widely known about the full lifecycle of coal and its role as an energy source. Accordingly, members of the Heartland Coalfield Alliance hereby request: 1. That the State of Illinois immediately cease distribution of the coal education curriculum entitled From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines until its contents can be fully reviewed and revised by an interdisciplinary team with expertise enabling them to objectively address the full spectrum of health and environmental impacts associated with the use of coal. 2. That the DCEO send a letter to each person, organization or institution that has been a recipient of the curriculum, notifying them that the curriculum materials do not adequately reflect current understanding of coal and therefore, until they can be fully updated, should not be used as teaching tools. 3. That the DCEO cancel its Annual Coal Education Conference at Rend Lake, scheduled for June 2012, since the materials to be conveyed to teachers are not accurate. Thank you for opening the dialogue on this important issue. We trust that all of us have the best interest of Illinois children in mind. We look forward to continued conversations and await your response to our requests. Sincerely,
Traci Barkley Water Resource Specialist Prairie Rivers Network
Lan R. Richart Co-Director Eco-Justice Collaborative
Brian Perbix Grassroots Organizer Prairie Rivers Network
Terri Treacy Conservation Field Representative Sierra Club Illinois Chapter
Laura Knezevic Executive Director Illinois Student Environmental Coalition Enclosures (2) cc: Bill Hoback, Deputy Director, Office of Coal Development, IDCEO (w/enclosures)
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May 2, 2012 Governor Pat Quinn Ofce of the Governor 207 State House Springeld, IL 62706 Mr. David Vaught, Director Illinois DCEO James R. Thompson Center 100 W. Randolph Chicago, IL 60601 Re: Illinois DCEO Coal Curriculum Dear Governor Quinn and Director Vaught: As organizations who value the integrity of education in the State of Illinois and the pursuit of public policies that support a healthy future for our children, we are writing to express our concern over the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunitys (IDCEO) Coal Education Program. Through this program IDCEO uses taxpayer money to develop and distribute an educational curriculum that is plainly and simply a publicly funded marketing tool for the coal industry. The curriculum, aimed at kids in grades Kindergarten thru 12, is called From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines. Within the curriculum, our children are taught to create coal advertisements, that environmental regulations will raise the cost of producing electricity and that the evidence is not clear that the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal has led to global climate change. Virtually no mention is made of the well documented social and environmental costs of coal that are externalized to the public. The curriculum materials do not address coals documented pollution of Illinois surface and groundwaters. The curriculum materials do not speak of the health impacts of coal on millions of Americans and no mention is made of the rural families and communities in Illinois who are displaced by strip mining or planned subsidence associated with longwall mining. If our young people are to be taught about coal, then lets tell them the whole truth, not a one-sided, biased and self-serving story contrived for the benet of private economic interests. Each year, IDCEO also spends tens of thousands of dollars on a three-day, all expenses paid retreat at Rend Lake in Illinois so that teachers can be instructed on how to use the curriculum in their classrooms. At a time when our state is in dire nancial trouble, we believe that the funds and staff time dedicated to coal education and coal retreats can be put to better use. That is why we are calling on the Governors ofce and the Department Commerce and Economic Opportunity to: 1. Immediately cease distribution of the coal education curriculum entitled From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines until its contents can be fully reviewed and revised by an interdisciplinary team with expertise enabling them to objectively address the full spectrum of health and environmental impacts associated with the use of coal; 2. Send a letter to each person, organization or institution that has been a recipient of the curriculum, notifying them that the materials do not adequately reect current understanding of coal and therefore should not be used as teaching tools until they can be updated; and
G-14 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation
Letter to Governor Quinn and Director Vaught
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3. Cancel the IDCEO Annual Coal Education Conference scheduled for June, 2012 since the materials being conveyed to teachers are not accurate. Its time to stop misleading our kids about coal and use our tax dollars more wisely. Sincerely,
Lan and Pam Richart Co-Directors Eco-Justice Collaborative Chicago, IL 60626
Traci Barkley Water Resource Specialist Prairie Rivers Network Champaign, IL 61820
Terri Treacy Conservation Field Representative Sierra Club Illinois Chapter Chicago, IL 60601 Cathy Edmiston President Citizens Against Longwall Mining Litcheld, IL
Ellen Rendulich Director Citizens Against Ruining the Environment Lockport, IL 60441
Jeff Biggers Illinois author of Reckoning at Eagle Creek: The Secret Legacy of Coal in the Heartland
Brenda Dilts Canton Area Citizens for Environmental Issues Canton, IL 61520 Susan Buchanan, MD,MPH Great Lakes Center for Childrens Environmental Health Chicago, IL 60612 Angie Viands Rainforest Action Network-Chicago Chicago, IL
Naomi Davis, Esq. President BIG: Blacks in Green Chicago, IL Stephanie Dernek 8th Day Center for Justice Chicago, IL
Sarah Lovinger MA, MD Executive Director Physicians for Social Responsibility Chicago, IL Dave Kraft Executive Director Nuclear Energy Information Service Chicago, IL Dr. Michael Hogue Religion and Environment Initiative The University of Chicago Chicago, IL
Kimberly Wasserman Nieto Executive Director Little Village Environmental Justice Organization Chicago, IL
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Caroline Wooten Chicago Youth Climate Coalition Chicago, IL
Jarrod Hill Co-Founder Topless America Chicago,IL
Dorian Breuer Pilsen Environmental Rights and Reform Organization Chicago, IL
G4. CREDO Petition CREDOPETITION:http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/illinois_dceo_coal/ TelltheIllinoisDepartmentofCommerce:Stopmisleadingkidsaboutcoal DidyouknowthattheStateofIllinoisrunsa$145millionperyearprogramthat distributesinaccuratecoalindustrytalkingpointstoschoolchildrenandteachers?Iwas prettyupsetwhenIfoundouttoo. TheDepartmentofCommerceandEconomicOpportunity'sOfficeofCoalDevelopment,which journalistJeffBiggersdescribesasa"marketinganddevelopmentslushfund"forthecoal industry,providesmaterialstoIllinoiskidsandeducatorsthatareheavyonprocoal propagandaandlightonthepublichealthandenvironmentalimpactsofminingandburning coal.1 Thesematerialsaresofriendlytothecoalindustrythattheycouldhavebeenwrittenbythe coalcompaniesthemselves.Forexample,theOfficeofCoalDevelopment'skidssiteincludesa chapterentitled"Whatiscoal?"thatdoesn'tmentionpublichealthandenvironmentalimpacts atall.2 TelltheIllinoisDepartmentofCommerceandEconomicOpportunity:Stopmisleadingkids aboutcoal.ClickheretoautomaticallysignourpetitiontotheIllinoisDepartmentof Commerce. Inasectionofthekidssitecalled"Howdoescoalaffecttheenvironment?"thereisnomention whatsoeverofeitherclimatechangeorthehealthimpactsofcoalpollution.3Inreality,coalis thelargestsourceofclimatechangecausinggreenhousegasemissionsworldwide,anda February2011Harvardstudyfoundthatthepublichealthcostsofcancer,lungdiseaseand respiratoryillnessesrelatedtocoalpollutionexceed$187billiondollarsannually.4 Teachingschoolchildrenaboutcoalinabalancedandaccuratewaywouldn'tbeaproblem. Suchacurriculumwouldincludeinformationaboutcoal'sdevastatingeffectsonour environmentandpublichealth.Butthatisn'twhattheStateofIllinoisisengagedin. AccordingtotheDCEO,theIllinoisCoalEducationProgram"strivestopreserveandenhance themarketabilityofIllinoiscoal"and"createapositiveimagefortheminingandutilizationof coalinIllinois.5ThissoundslikesomethinganindustryPRfirmwouldbeinvolvedin,not somethingthestateshouldbespendingtaxpayermoneyon. Illinois'OfficeofCoalDevelopmentcoststhestate$145millionperyear,aboutadollarper monthperresident.Illinoisshouldn'tbespendingtaxpayermoneytomisleadthestate's schoolchildrenaboutthepublichealthandenvironmentalimpactsofdirtycoal. TelltheIllinoisDepartmentofCommerceandEconomicOpportunity:Stopmisleadingkids aboutcoal.ClickheretoautomaticallysignourpetitiontotheIllinoisDepartmentof Commerce. 1.HeartlandCoalCrisis:IllinoisBankrollsBigCoalSchoolProgram,Alternet,June22,2011 2.WhatisCoal?,IllinoisDepartmentofCommerceandEconomicOpportunity 3.HowDoesCoalAffecttheEnvironment?,IllinoisDepartmentofCommerceandEconomic Opportunity 4.CoalCostsUSPublicUpto$500BillionAnnually:HarvardStudy,Treehugger.com,February 17,2011 5.IllinoisCoalEducationProgram,IllinoisDepartmentofCommerceandEconomicOpportunity
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G5. Reckoning at Eagle Creek Book Review ReckoningAtEagleCreek TheSecretLegacyofCoal
PraiseforReckoningatEagleCreek "Thisisaworldshaking,beliefrattling,immenselyimportantbook.Ifyou'reanAmerican,itis almostapatrioticdutytoreadit."ElizabethGilbert,authorofEat,Pray,Love "Ifyoutakeawayanythingfromtheworkofplaywright,journalist,historianandactivistJeff Biggers,itshouldbethis:Theresnosuchthingascleancoal."LouisvilleLEOWeekly Parthistoricalnarrative,partfamilymemoir,partpastoralpaean,andpartjeremiadagainst theabuseofthelandandofthemenwhogaveandcontinuetogivetheirlivesto(andoften for)themines,[ReckoningatEagleCreek]putsahumanfaceontheindustrythatsupplies nearlyhalfofAmericasenergyitoffersararehistoricalperspectiveonthevitalyetlittle consideredindustry,alongwithadevastatingcritiqueofthemythofcleancoal.Publishers Weekly "...atourdeforce."AmyGoodman,DemocracyNow JeffBiggersexposesthetruthaboutcoalinAmericahowthemythofcleancoaldestroys evenfamilyhistories.ButBiggersisalongtimewarriorinanotherfighttostabilizeclimate andpreserveagoodlifeforyoungpeople.Letushopehismessageaboutdirtycoalisreadfar andwide.JamesHansen,NASAGoddardCenter,authorofStormsofMyGrandchildren Asthisfinebookmakesclear,coalhasalwaysandeverbeenacurse,poisoningeverythingand everyoneittouchesrightuptotheclimateonwhichwedependforourdailybread.Whata story!BillMcKibben,authorofEarth:MakingaLifeonaToughNewPlanet
G20 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation [An]enrichinghistoryAnimportantlookatthestaggeringhumanandenvironmentalcostsof mining.KirkusReviews "Biggersisaculturalhistoriananditisthesocialstripminingthatangershimmost.Butseldom havetheenvironmentalandsociallandscapesbeensowelldescribedinasingleessay."New Scientist "Biggers,withhiscoalcountrybackgroundandauthenticfolkherostyle,joinsaliterary movementaswellasapoliticalonethefieldofcreativenonfiction.LikeRobertMorganinhis biographyBoone,hepacksthepanoramaandlaysclaimtobeingtransformationalaswellas authoritative."CitizenTimes,NorthCarolina "Ahistorythatanystudentofcoal'slegacyshouldknow."PittsburghPostGazette "NobodywritesaboutAppalachialikeJeffBiggers.Hisvoiceisaswirlofhistoryandmemory,of factandanalysis,ofhillbillywisdomandjournalisticoutrage.ReckoningatEagleCreekisbigger andbrawnierthanamemoirorculturalchronicleitsapassionatehowlfromthedarkheartof Americancoalcountry."JeffGoodell,author,BigCoal "Biggersoffersmuchthatsnew,especiallyconcerningeventsinthecoalfieldsofsouthern Illinois,wherehisgrandfatherworkedinthepits,wherestripminingbegan,whereMother Jonesorganizedworkers,andwheresomeofournationsfiercestlaborbattleswerefought." ScottRussellSanders,OrionMagazine "Alotofhistoryispresentedhereinapersonalstylebyaculturalhistorianwithakeeneye.A valuablereadforfollowersofenvironmentalhistory."LibraryJournal Availableat:IndieBound,Amazon,andBarnes&Noble. Awards SierraClubs2010DAVIDBROWERAWARDforENVIRONMENTALREPORTING SouthernIllinoisUniversitysDELTAAWARDforLITERATURE Summary AwardwinningjournalistandculturalhistorianJeffBiggerstakesusonajourneyintothesecret historyofcoalminingintheAmericanheartland.Setintheruinsofhisfamilysstripmined homesteadintheShawneeNationalForestinsouthernIllinois,Biggersdeliversadeeply personalportraitofthelargelyoverlookedhumanandenvironmentalcostsofournationsdirty energypolicyoverthepasttwocenturies.ReckoningatEagleCreekdigsdeepintothetangled rootsofthecoalindustrybeginningwiththepoliciesofThomasJeffersonandAndrewJackson. ItchroniclestheremovalofNativeAmericans,andthehiddenstoryoflegallysanctionedblack slaveryinthelandofLincoln.Ituncoversacenturyofregulatorynegligence,vividlydescribing theepicminingwarsforunionrecognitionandworkplacesafety,andthedevastating environmentalconsequencesofindustrialstripmining. ReckoningatEagleCreekisultimatelyanexposofhistoricide,onethattracescoals harrowinglegacythroughthegreatAmericanfamilysagaofsacrificeandresiliencyandthe extraordinaryprocessofrecoveringournationsmemory.Coalwillneverbecalledcleanor cheapagain. BookTrailer DemocracyNowInterview
G6 Newsletters about DECO Coal Curriculum SELLINGCOALTOOURKIDS ECOnnectionsJune13,2011Volume6,Issue3
ScholasticPublications CalledontheCarpetfor SimilarEthicsSlip LastmonthScholasticInc. wasthetargetofaNewYork Timesexposerevealingthat thepublisherofchildren's readingmaterialshad teamedwiththeAmerican CoalFoundationtodistribute curriculummaterialsthat gavechildrenaonesided viewofcoal. Dayslater,underpressure fromnationalgroupssuchas theCampaignfor CommercialFreeChildhood andRethinkingSchools,the publisherstopped distributionofthecurriculum acknowledgingthatthere problemswithits sponsorshippolicythat allowedcorporateslanted materialstobeprovidedto teachers. Letyourstaterepresentative
Greetings! Theeducationofourchildrenisasacred trustthatwegivetoourteachers.Yet, educatorsinIllinoisarebeingaskedto violatethattrustfortheeconomicgain andvestedinterestsofthecoalindustry. Startingtoday(June14)andcontinuing throughJune17,theStateofIllinois DepartmentofCommerceandEconomic Opportunity(IDCEO)willhostitsannual CoalEducationConferenceatRendLake Resort,afourday,allexpensespaid teachers'immersionextollingthevirtues of"cleancoal".Attendeeswillreceive27 ProfessionalDevelopmentUnits,astheylearnhowtoteach childrenages5to18fromcurriculummaterialsdeveloped by...youguessedit...specialinterestgroupssuchastheKnight HawkMiningCompany,IllinoisCleanCoalInstitute,Illinois OfficeofCoalDevelopmentandtheSouthernIllinoisPower Cooperative. StateSupportedSchoolCurriculum ThispastApril,EJCobtainedacopyofthecurriculummaterials entitled"FromtheCoalMinestothePowerLines".Thestate supportedcurriculumincludeshundredsofpagesofmaterial, maps,postersandCDROMspurportingtobeaneffective vehicleformeetingIllinoisStateLearningStandardsteaching languagearts,math,naturalscienceandsocialscienceinour schools.Takenasawhole,itisahighlybiasedprogramaimed atcastingcoalandcoalcompaniesinthemostpositivelight possibleandencouragingpublicallegiancetothecoalindustry, beginningwithouryoungestandmostimpressionablecitizens. Inlaudingtheattributesofcoal,thecurriculumskillfully ignoresorglossesoverissuessuchas: Theravagestothelandscapecausedbystripmining andthemassivelandsubsidenceoflongwallmining. Thewidespreaddisplacementofresidentsbythe
andsenatorknowhowyou feelaboutIDCEO's curriculum! EJCHappenings What'snew?Seesomething youlike?Contactusand we'llworkwithyoutodoit again!
practiceofstripmningandlongwallmining. Thousandsofviolationsofsafetyandenvironmental regulationsbycoalcompanies. Thelongtermstorageoftoxiccoalsludgethatresults fromprocessingcoal.Thistoxicsoupcontaining chemicalslikelead,arsenic,cadmiumandseleniumis storedacrossourIllinoisfarmlandsinunlined reservoirsoveronehundredacresinsize.
People'sCollegeof TransitionSkills ThePeople'sCollegeof TransitionSkills(ofwhichEJC isapart)ispleasedto announceSundaymorning programmingfromJuly26 throughmidOctober,aspart oftheRogersParkTransition TownInitiative.Skillshares willtakeplaceattheMess HallonGlenwoodAve.in RogersPark. Interested?Clickheretosee what'sbrewing!.Aflierwith detailsforeachweekisinthe works. Eachweekofferseachoneof usanopportunitytolearna newskill,reduce consumptionandlowerour ecologicalandcarbon footprints.
Shay1SlurryPond,MacoupinCo., Illinois Thecurrentpracticeofinjectingcoalwastesbackinto theground. Surfaceandgroundwatercontaminationthattakes placebothduringandaftermining. Thethousandsofpeoplewhodieprematurelyor developlung,heartandrespiratoryproblems aggravatedbyemissionsfromcoalfiredpowerplants. Thedramaticlossofunionminingjobswithinthestate ofIllinois(nowonly200statewide). ThemillionsofdollarsofcostsexternalizedtoIllinois residentseachyearbythecoalindustryintheformof healthandenvironmentaldamages. Thefactthatourcontinuedburningoffossilfuelsisthe singlegreatestcontributorofcarbondioxideemissions toouratmosphere,andcoalfiredpowerplantsare accountablefornearlyonethirdoftheseemissionsin theU.S. IDCEOCurriculumandClimateChange Over97%ofallclimatescientistsandvirtuallyeveryAcademy ofScienceintheWorldareinconsensusthatglobalwarmingis realandthathumanactivitiessuchasthecombustionoffossil
fuelsarecontributingtoit.Yet,intheTeachersResource SectionoftheIDCEOcurriculumn,highschoolteachersare coachedtorespondtostudentsquestioningwhetherthe evidenceisclearthatthecombustionoffossilfuelshasledto globalwarmingandclimatechangewiththereply: "Theevidenceisverymixed anddoesnotgiveaclearanswer". Photocourtesyof Greenpeace.Clickimagefor Atatimewhenthesestudentsareconsideringwhatcouldbe story thegreatestthreattotheirentiregeneration,theyaretobe ChicagoCleanPower toldthattheevidenceisunclear,thattheissueiscomplex; Ordinance essentiallycoalisnotaproblem. TheChicagoCleanPower Coalitionismovingforward Let'sTellOurKidstheTruth! withamultipronged Ifouryoungpeopleareto strategyinthisnextlegof betaughtaboutcoal,then thecampaigntoreduce let'stellthemthewhole emissionsfromtheFisk& truth,notaonesided, Crawfordcoalplants,or biasedandselfservingstory permanentlyshutthem contrivedforthebenefitof down.Detailssoontobe Illinoiseconomicinterests. released! WhyelsewouldanIllinois departmentchargedwith economicdevelopmentandanindustryseekingfinancialgain joinforcestobecome"educators". Ourchildren'strustshouldnotbeviolatedandtheireducation shouldnotbeforsale. ActNow! CoalTours Willyoucontactyourstaterepresentativeandsenatorand ComingthisFall! TravelwithEJCtocentraland ask,whyistheIllinoisDCEOinthebusinessofeducation,and whoispayingforit? southernIllinoiscoalfields. Thesedrivingtoursof contemporaryandhistoric minesprovideinsightsinto theimpactsofcoalonour air,landandwaterresources andaffectedcommunities. Teacherswelcome!Contact PamorLanRichartat773
5563417/3418formore information
GreatLakesChapter ChicagoBioneers Bioneersisinspiringashiftto liveonearthinwaysthat honortheweboflife,each otherandfuture generations. Thisisaterrificwaytoget involvedinaneffortthatis positiveandlooksatthe interconnectednessoflife, learningfromandmimicking earth'secosystems. Interested?Contactus here!
Clickontheimagetofindandthen contactyourstatesenatorandrepresentative ForacopyoftheIDCEOcurriculumcontactLindaDunbarat (217)7856055orlinda.dunbar@illinois.gov ForaviewoftheIDCEOperspectiveonlandreclamationand environmentalimpactsrelatedtocoal,clickhere.
EcoJusticeCollaborativelinksourlifestylestoourunconstraineduseofresources,pollution, globalclimatechangeandglobalpovertyandresourcewars.Thisinformationisnotintendedto makeusallfeelguilty,butrathertoraiseconsciousnessandprovideincentivestofindwaysto livethataremoresustainable,givingbacklifetoourpreciousearthandallwhoinhabitit. Visitourwebsiteforrecommendedactionsforchangethatbothindividuallyandcollectively willreduceourimpactonourworld,andmoveourcountrytowardjust,sustainablelivingfor all. Thankyouforbeingonthisimportantandexcitingjourneywithus! PamandLanRichart EcoJusticeCollaborative
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HEARTLAND COALFIELD ALLIANCE
March 2012
SELLING COAL IN THE CLASSROOM

The education of our children is a sacred trust that we give to our teachers. Yet, educators in Illinois are being asked to violate that trust for the economic gain and vested interests of the coal industry. In May of this year a New York Times editorial sharply criticized educational publisher Scholastic for distributing a poster funded by the American Coal Foundation that gave a one-sided view of coal usage.[1]. Educators and child advocacy organizations across the nation immediately voiced their strong objections to ostensibly objective and responsible institutions disseminating educational curricula that are inaccurate, biased and ultimately harmful to students. Ultimately, Scholastic agreed after receiving comments from 60,000 concerned parents and educators, Scholastic withdrew the curriculum, stating that the mere fact of (industry) sponsorship may call into question the authenticity of the information.[2] Shortly after the Scholastic debacle, the Heartland Coalfield Alliance obtained a copy of From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines, a taxpayer supported curriculum developed by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to teach elementary and high school students that coal is the clean, safe fuel of the future. To put it lightly, we were appalled to find that the State of Illinois is distributing a full teachers' curriculum and online materials that offer a one-sided, inaccurate, and willfully distorted view of coal, clearly written on behalf of the coal industry. Virtually no mention is made of coal's liabilities, of the environmental damage that is unavoidable in its extraction and use, nor of its documented social and environmental costs. Taken as a whole, it is a highly biased program aimed at casting coal and coal companies in the most positive light possible and encouraging public allegiance to the coal industry, beginning with the youngest and most impressionable members of society our children. Within the curriculum, children are taught to create commercials promoting coal, that environmental regulations will significantly raise the cost of producing electricity and that the evidence is not clear that the combustion of fossil fuels has led to a warming climate. In highlighting the attributes of coal, the curriculum skillfully ignores or glosses over the enormous social and environmental costs associated with a clean coal economy. The coal curriculum fails to live up to Illinois Learning Standards for Science, which require that students be able to know and apply concepts that describe the interaction between science, technology and society in historical and contemporary contexts. Here is tiny fraction of the current scientific consensus about coals public health and environmental impacts that you wont find in the DCEOs coal curriculum:
Toxic Coal Slurry, Shay #1 Mine Carlinville, Illinois
Intl Day of Climate Action, Chicago (Photo by Kyle Miskell)
G-26 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation
Selling Coal in the Classroom!

Heartland Coaleld Alliance !
Page 2 of 2 February 2012
The entire coal life cycle including extraction, transportation, burning, and disposal - has devastating impacts on human health.[3] The externalized annual costs of coal and its associated waste streams have been estimated at one third to one half a trillion dollars.[4] In Illinois, emissions from coal-fired power plants are responsible for 621 premature deaths and 1,018 heart attacks every year. [5] The burning of fossil fuels is the single greatest contributor of CO2 emissions and coal-fired power plants account for nearly one third of these emissions in the U.S.[6] Groundwater contamination from coal ash disposal has been documented at dozens of sites across the country. [7], [8], [9] Nearly 1000 miles of streams in Illinois are considered impaired for either public drinking water supply or aquatic life due to impacts from mining activities. [10]
CAMPAIGN FOR SCIENCE-BASED ENERGY EDUCATION

The Heartland Coalfield Alliance is a state-wide alliance of community and environmental organizations working to educate residents about the full array of impacts associated with a dependence on coal as a primary fuel source and to promote a gradual transition from a fossil fuel-based economy to one reliant on conservation, efficiency and clean, safe renewable energy sources.
WHAT YOU CAN DO ... ... TODAY!

Call Governor Quinns office at (217) 782-0244. Tell him, Stop misleading our children about coal. Write Governor Quinn at: Office of the Governor, 207 State House, Springfield, IL 62706. Join the Heartland Coalfield Alliance campaign for sciencebased energy! Contact: Lan Richart, Eco-Justice Collaborative 773.556.3418 or lrichart@ecojusticecollaborative.org Brian Perbix, Prairie Rivers Network 217.720.9289 or bperbix@prairierivers.org Tell your colleagues and friends about the campaign. Stay informed at: www.heartlandcoalfieldalliance.org.
We are asking you to join us in calling upon the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to stop mis-informing our kids about coal and to support economic measures that will build a clean energy future for our children.
ENDNOTES
[1] Scholastics Big Coal Mistake, New York Times, May 12th, 2011, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/13/opinion/13fri4.html?_r=1&ref=opinion. [2] Scholastic Releases Statement on Coal Foundation Curriculum, Publishers Weekly, May 13th, 2011, http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/ by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/47211-scholasticreleases-statement-on-coal-foundation-curriculum.html. [3] Physicians for Social Responsibility, Coals Assault on Human Health, 2009, http://www.psr.org/assets/pdfs/coals-assault-executive.pdf. [4] Paul R. Epstein et al. 2011. Full cost accounting for the life cycle of coal in Ecological Economics Reviews. Robert Costanza, Karin Limburg & Ida Kubiszewski, Eds. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1219: 7398. [5] Clean Air Task Force, 2010. The Toll From Coal: An Updated Assessment of Death and Disease from Americas Dirtiest Energy Source http://www.catf.us/resources/publications/view/138. [6] Environmental Protection Agency, Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gs Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2009, 2011. http://epa.gov/climatechange/ emissions/usinventoryreport.html. [7] Environmental Integrity Project and Prairie Rivers Network, Illinois at Risk: Lax safeguards and no enforcement endanger the water, air & lives of residents near coal ash dumps, 2011, http://prairierivers.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Illinois-at-Risk1.pdf. [8] Physicians for Social Responsibility, Coal Ash: The Toxic Threat to Our Health and Environment, 2010, http://www.psr.org/assets/pdfs/coalash.pdf. [9] Environmental Integrity Project, Earthjustice and Sierra Club, In Harms Way: Lack Of Federal Coal Ash Regulations Endangers Americans And Their Environment, 2010, http://www.environmentalintegrity.org/news_reports/documents/INHARMSWAY_FINAL3.pdf. [10] Illinois EPA, 2011. Illinois Integrated Water Quality Report and Section 303(d) List - 2010: Water Resource Assessment Information and Listing of Impaired Waters, Vol. 1. Surface Water. Draft Report http://www.epa.state.il.us/water/tmdl/303d-list.html.
G7. News Articles about DCEO Coal Education Program Coalcurriculum Whatisthestateteachingchildrenaboutcoal? ByPatrickYeagle JeffLucasandabout20otheranticoalprotestorspicketedoutsideDCEO'sofficeindowntown SpringfieldonMay3.PHOTOBYPATRICKYEAGLE Illinoisisacoalstatetheeighthlargestproducerofcoalinthenationat33.2milliontonsin 2010,accordingtotheU.S.DepartmentofEnergy.TheIllinoisGeologicalSurveyestimates IllinoiscoalholdsmoreenergypotentialthanallofSaudiArabiasandKuwaitsoilreserves combined.Itmakessensethatthestatewouldwanttopromoteoneofitsmostabundant resources.ButoneanticoalIllinoisgroupsaysthestateismisleadingschoolchildrenaboutthe environmentalimpactofcoal. TheHeartlandCoalfieldAlliance,acoalitionofseveralIllinoisenvironmentalgroups,gathered inSpringfieldonMay3,protestingoutsidetheofficesoftheIllinoisDepartmentofCommerce andEconomicOpportunity.TheobjectoftheprotestersireisaschoolcurriculumtitledFrom theCoalMinestothePowerLines,whichDCEOoffersfreeofchargetoIllinoisschools.While DCEOsaysthecurriculumismandatedunderstatelaw,theallianceclaimsitpaintsarosy pictureofcoalmining,pollutionandthecoalindustry. Fundamentally,theissuehereisDCEOistakingtaxpayermoneyandbasicallyspendingitto misinformourschoolchildrenfortheprivategainofthecoalindustry,saidBrianPerbix,a grassrootsorganizerwiththePrairieRiversNetwork. DCEOspokeswomanMarcelynLovepointstoastatelawpassedin2006thatrequiresthe agencytocreateanddistributeinformationpromotingIllinoiscoaltoschoolagechildren, amongothergroups.Thelawearmarks1/64thofthestatesutilityexcisetax,paidbyutility customers,forpromotionofcoal. Webelievethatsaprioritythatneedstobechanged,Perbixsays. Loveestimatedthecostofthecurriculumtobesomewherenear$50,000. Thecurriculumconsistsofdifferentlessonplanstargetedatstudentsinkindergartenthrough fourthgrade,fifthgradethrougheighthgrade,andninthgradethrough12thgrade.Itincludes specificlessonsonscience,socialstudies,andmathematics,andincludeshandsonprojectsand questionsthatreinforceskillslikesolvingalgebraicwordproblems. Thelessonsspecificallyaddressresponsibilitytorestorelandtousefulnessandrespecting communitywishes.Forexample,theK4curriculumtoutstheimportanceofcleaningupafter
G28 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation oneself,statingoncethecoalhasbeenextracted,thelandneedstobeputbackneatlyor madeintosomething better. ButPerbixsaysthatdoesntreflecttherealityofcoalmininginIllinois,whichtheHeartland CoalfieldAlliancecharacterizesasaburdenofenvironmentaldestructionandadversehealth effects. Inhundredsofpages,DCEOscurriculumfailstomentioncoalsdevastatingimpactsonclean waterinIllinois,includingmassivehabitatdestructionfromcoalmines,harmfulpollutionin minewastewater,andleakingcoalashdumpsatpowerplantsthatarepollutingrivers,streams andgroundwateracrossthestate,Perbixsaid.Illinoiscommunitieshavebornetheburdenof coalpollutionforfartoolong.Ourkidsdeservetohearthetruth. DCEOsaysitsintheearlystagesofupdatingthecurriculum,withafinishedproductexpected inDecember.PerbixsaidtheHeartlandCoalfieldAlliancehasofferedtoworkwiththeagency tocorrectwhatthealliancedeemsmisinformationinthe curriculum. Itsnotthefirsttimelessonplansregardingcoalhavecomeunderfirebyenvironmental groups.In2011,educationalpublisherScholasticdroppeditsUnitedStatesofEnergy curriculum,whichwasfundedbytheAmericanCoalFoundation,afterthecurriculumwas criticizedfornotincludinginformationonnegativeaspectsofcoalpower. AttheprotesteventinSpringfieldonMay3,organizersattemptedtodeliverpetitionsagainst thecurriculumtoDCEOoffices,butweredeniedentrytothebuilding,accordingtoPerbix. DuringasimilarprotestatDCEOsChicagoofficethepreviousday,protesterswereallowedto deliverpetitionsandmeetwithaDCEOrepresentative,Perbixsays. ContactPatrickYeagleatpyeagle@illinoistimes.com.
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January11,2013 Thisistheprintpreview:Backtonormalview HeartlandCoalCrisis:IllinoisBankrollsBigCoalSchoolProgram?InterviewWithEcoJustice LeaderLanRichart Posted:06/22/1105:42PMET Atgroundzerointhenation'scleanenergyfight,TheHeartlandCoalCrisiswillbeaperiodical seriesofblogsoncoalandenergyissuesfacingstatesintheMidwest,withaspecialfocuson theHeartlandCoalfieldAlliancecampaignforajusttransitiontoacleanenergyandsustainable economy. WhileanationalcampaignsucceededlastmonthingettingpublisherScholastic,Inc.tonixtheir unabashedlyBigCoalcheering"TheUnitedStatesofEnergy"curriculum,fewpeoplerealized somestatessuchasKentuckyarequietlyusingtaxpayerfundstosubsidizesimilarcoal industrycomposedmaterialsandwebsitesforchildren. InastatewherechildlaborerslosttheirlivesinthecoalminesasPeabodyCoaltookoutadsfor "cleancoal"inthe1890s,Illinoisisnoexceptionevenasthestateslashestheeducation budgetforschools. Aspartofthewhopping$145millionbudgetfortheDepartmentofCommerceandEconomic Opportunity'sOfficeofCoalDevelopmentamarketinganddevelopmentslushfund,forthe mostpart,tokeepthestate's"coalrevival"ingearIllinoishasbeenpushingamisleadingand downrightshamelessBigCoalapprovedcurriculumandeducationalactivitiesonchildrenand theirteachersaroundthestate. Forgetdimebaghustlersontheplayground:Thestatespendsthousandsofdollarsayearto distributesmallbagsofcoalunitprice:10,000bags@.25perbagtoIllinoischildren,even asmercuryratessoar,andcoalburningcitieslikeChicagorankamongthehighestinrelated asthmaandhealthcareproblems. Here'sonequickexample:WhileIllinoisisthebirthplaceofindustrialstripmining,where thousandsofacresofthebestfarmlandsanddiverseShawneeNationalForestshavebeenleft inruins,DCEO'swebsiteforkidsproclaims:"Reclamationisreturningthelandtothewayitwas orbetterthanbeforemining."Alittlecartoonfigureaddsakicker:
G30 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation Courtesy:IllinoisDepartmentofCommerce AtitsannualCoalEducationConferenceatRendLakeResortlastweek,thestatepickedupthe tabforafourdayBigCoaljunkethailedasan"excitingsummerconferenceexploringthe Illinoiscoalindustry." ForCarbondaleactivistandradiohostBrentRitzel,whoorganizedacounterexhibitatthe conference: Theonesidednessoftheproceedings(theyneverknewtheanswertoanyquestionthatcould potentiallybeusedtopaintthecoalindustryinanegativelight,herewasnodiscussion concerningthepublichealthimpactsofcoalatall)wasnotlostonmanyofthem,andone teacherindicatedthatshewasgoingtobecontactingIllinoisAttorneyGeneralLisaMadiganto expressherdissatisfactionandconcernsregardingtheevent. PerhapsthemostegregiousexampleoftheIllinoissponsoredBigCoalpusheronchildrenisthe statesupportedcurriculum,"FromtheCoalMinestothePowerLines,"whichprovides hundredsofpagesofmaterial,maps,postersandCDROMsinanattempttoglorifythecoal industry. IspokewithLanRichart,cofounderoftheEcoJusticeCollaborativeinChicagoandafounding memberoftheHeartlandCoalfieldAlliance,aboutthestate'scoaleducationprogramand curriculum. JB:TheDCEOcoalcurriculumisdirectedtowardchildrenandadolescentstheveryage groupaffectedbycoalburningpollutants.Howdoesthecurriculumhandlecoalburning realities? LR:Givenitslength,thecurriculumisremarkableintheabsenceofmaterialhonestlydiscussing theenormousenvironmentalandsocialcostsattributabletocoal.Virtuallynothingissaid aboutthedevastatinghealtheffectsofcoalcombustion;thataccordingtotheAmericanLung Association24,000peopledieprematurelyeachyearbecauseofcoalfirepowerplants,that coalplantsarethelargestsourceofmercuryintheworld,orthatcoalisresponsibleformuch oftheU.S.powerrelatedemissionsofparticulates,nitrousoxide,sulfurdioxide,contributorsto respiratoryillness,lungandheartdiseasesandasthmaattacks.Manyofcoal'svictimsarethe verytargetsofthiscurriculum. Thevoluminousmaterialsalsototallyignoreorglossover: Theravagestothelandscapeofstripmining;themassivelandsubsidenceoflongwall mining; Thelongtermstorageoftoxiccoalsludge,containingchemicalslikelead,arsenic, cadmiumandseleniuminunlinedreservoirshundredsofacresinsizeacrossourIllinois farmlands; Thedisruptionofsurfacedrainage;damagestowells,septicsystems,homesand outbuildings;and Theinjectionofminewastesintotheground. JB:Threeminersdiedailyfromblacklungdisease,andastherecentUpperBigBranchreport noted,thereisa"deviant"cultureofplacingprofitoversafetyinmanymines.ManyIllinois
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mineshavebeencitedforconstantviolations.Doyouthinkthecurriculumdealsforthrightly withtherealitiesofundergroundminingandworkplacesafety? LR:Absolutelynot.Theoverarchingmessageinthecurriculumisthatalthoughminesafety regulationsaffectthecostofcoalproduction,theirimplementationhavebroughtabout dramaticimprovementsoverthepastcentury.Byexample,minefatalitiesofthe1940sare comparedtothoseofthe1990s,showingareductionof98percent.Isawnomentionof contemporaryexamplesofminingviolations,orrecenttragediesresultingfromquestionableor unethicalminingoperations. Thetreatmentofmininglawsfocusesonimprovementsmadenotoncurrentconditions.Inthe realworldminingsafetyandenvironmentalviolationsarerampant.Asanexample, SourceWatchstatesthatsince2005,theGalatiaminingcomplexinSalineCounty,Illinoishas incurredover2,700citationsand$2.4millioninproposedfines.AspokesmanfortheUnited MiningWorkersnotedthatthismineisnotparticularlybetterorparticularlyworsethanany othermineinthecountry. JB:Speakingofchildren,coalminingbeganwithchildlaboruntilseveralmajormovestohalt it.Whatsortofhistoricalperspectivedoesthecurriculumprovide?Likewise,Illinoisused legalslavesinthefirstminesisthateverdiscussed? LR:Referencesaremadetohistoricalminingpractices,especiallyasawaytocontrastthem withcurrentconditions.Theroleofimmigrantsandchildlaborarementioned,aswellasthe developmentofunionstoimproveworkerconditions.Nomentionismadeoftheearlyuseof slavelabor. JB:Illinoishasanimportantlegacyofunionactivism.Doesthecurriculumprovideany contextfortheconditionsthatledtotheriseofunionsforworkplacedemocracy? LR:Severalshortsectionsprovideahistoricalcontextfortheconditionsdrivingthe developmentofminers'unionsinthelate19thandearly20thcenturies.Theeconomicreasons whymineownersofthepastmighthaveexploitedworkersarereferenced.However, discussionsoftoday'sminingconditions,issuesofworkerexploitationorunionbustingare lacking. JB:ThousandsofacresofShawneeforestsandrichfarmlandhavebeenstripminedin Illinois,andcitizenshavebeenforciblyremovedofftheirancestrallands.Howdoesthe curriculumdealwithstrippingandreclamation? LR:Anyonewhoisfamiliarwithsurfaceminingoperationsknowsthatthisformofcoal extractionrequiresmassivelanddisturbance,theexposureandreleaseoftoxicmaterialsfrom thecoalseamandthedisruptionofsurfaceandgroundwaterdrainage.Examplesaboundof inadequatelyreclaimedminedland,withlostfarmlandproductivity,waterqualityproblems, limitedvegetativecoverandlowhabitatdiversity.Insteadofacknowledgingthesechallenges, thecurriculumteacheschildrenthatminedlandsareroutinelyrestoredtoparks,wildlifeareas, golfcoursesandfarmlands.TheDCEOwebsitestatesthat"reclamationisreturningthelandto thewayitwasorbetterthanbeforemining."Iwishitweretrue. JB:Doesthecurriculumdiscussclimatechangeinanadequatefashionespeciallygiven Illinois'roleinFutureGenandcoal? LR:Greenhousegasemissionsfromcoalfiredelectricity,accountfor27percentoftotalU.S. emissionsandareprojectedtogrowbyathirdby2025.Over97percentofallclimatescientists andvirtuallyeveryAcademyofScienceintheWorldareinconsensusthatglobalwarmingis
G32 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation realandthathumanactivitiessuchasthecombustionoffossilfuelsarecontributingtoit.Yet, intheTeachersResourceSection,highschoolteachersarecoachedtorespondtostudents questioningtheconnectionbetweencoalandclimatechange,thattheevidenceisunclear whetherthecombustionoffossilfuelshasledtoglobalclimatechangeandthatglobalwarming iscomplexduetonaturalphenomenon. Atatimewhenthesestudentsareconsideringwhatcouldbethegreatestthreattotheirentire generation,theyaretoldthattheevidenceisunclear,thattheissueiscomplex;essentiallycoal isnotaproblem. TheStateofIllinoisisheavilypromotingthecoaleconomyandFutureGen,anadvancedcoal technologyplanthathopestosuccessfullydemonstratecarboncaptureandsequestration (CCS)inconjunctionwitharetrofittedcoalfiredpowerplant.DespitethefactthatCCSisstillin thedevelopmentphaseandtherearenoguaranteesthatitcanbesuccessfullyimplementedon ascaleandinatimeframenecessarytoaddressclimatechange,thecurriculumspeaksofitas anavailabletechnology.Ironically,CCSismentionedprimarilyinthecontextofthecostof implementationandtheincreasedpriceofgeneratedelectricitythatwouldresultifthepower industryhadtoreducecarbonemissions. JB:Howdoyouseethiscurriculumasservingthecoalindustry? LR:Thecurriculumisaseeminglyexhaustiveattempttoextolthevirtuesofcoalandthecoal industry,emphasizingthedifficultiescoaloperatorsfaceinbringingcoalservicesandproducts toconsumers,ofteninthefaceofrestrictiveregulations.Theintroductionclearlystatesits purpose:"Byincludingcoaleducationintheircurriculum,teacherswillbringtotheirstudents andcommunitiesanawarenessofourstate'sgreatestnaturalresourceandthepositiverole coalplaysinourdaytodaylivesandtheeconomyofthestate." ItwouldseemthatinpromotingsuchacurriculumthecoalindustryandDCEOareattempting tolayaculturalfoundation,beginningwiththeveryyoungestmembersofourcommunities, thatsupportstheunquestionedgrowthanddevelopmentofaprivateindustry;anindustrythat eachyearisresponsibleforbillionsofdollarsofhealthandenvironmentaldamagesandisright nowusheringusheadlongintoclimatecatastrophe.Shorttermthebigfinancialwinnerwillbe thecoalindustry.Longterm,theloserswillbethestudentswhoseteachershaveindoctrinated themintothe"coalculture." JB:Otherthoughts? LR:Idon'tthinkthatthecoalindustryortheIllinoisDepartmentofCommerceandEconomic Opportunityhaveanybusinessproducingeducationalcurriculaforourschools. Iwouldhopethatanyteacherreceivingthesematerialswouldbeabletoseethemforwhat theyare:amediumforpromotinganeconomicagenda.Whileitistruethatcoalcurrently servesasaprimarypowersourceforourcountry,italsohasaverydarkside.TheDCEO curriculumanditscurrenteffortstopromoteacoalfutureinIllinoisfailtoaccountforthe significantsocialandenvironmentalcostsbornebysocietyonbehalfofthecoalindustry.
February4,2013
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Thisistheprintpreview:Backtonormalview ThePoisonWeNeverTalkAboutinSchool Posted:02/01/20132:17pm Themostdangeroussubstanceintheworldisbarelymentionedintheschoolcurriculum.Coal. AccordingtotheInternationalEnergyAgency,burningcoalcreatesmoregreenhousegases thananyothersourceincludingoil.JamesHansen,directorofNASA'sGoddardInstitutefor SpaceStudiesandarguablytheworld'sforemostclimatologist,hascalledcoal"thesingle greatestthreattocivilizationandalllifeontheplanet." And,as350.orgfounderBillMcKibbenpointedoutrecentlyinaremarkablearticleinRolling Stonemagazine,"GlobalWarming'sTerrifyingNewMath,"fromamathematicalstandpoint,it isdemonstrablyimpossibletopreventtheclimatefromspinningoutofcontrolwith unimaginablyhorribleconsequences,ifweburnthefossilfuelsthatenergycorporationsarein theprocessofexploitingandselling.Andtheworstfossilfuelfromaclimatestandpointiscoal responsiblefor45percentofglobalgreenhousegasemissions,athirdmorepollutinginterms ofcarbondioxidethanoil,andtwiceaspollutingasnaturalgas. SowhenyouthinkaboutSuperstormSandy,meltingicecaps,wildfiresinAustralia,droughtin theSouthwest,floodsinPakistan,climaterefugeesfromBangladesh,dyingpolarbearsand speciesyou'veneverheardof,increasedratesofasthma,andfarmlandthatcannolongerbe farmedthinkcoal. Givencoal'senormousroleinthemostsignificantchallengefacinghumanitytheclimatecrisis you'dimaginethatcoalwouldoccupyasimilarlycentralplaceinourtextbooks.You'dbe wrong. No,whattextbooksdoinsteadistoleavestudentswiththeimpressionthatcoalissomething weshouldregardasa19thcenturyphenomenon.TakethewidelyusedModernWorldHistory, publishedbyMcDougalLittell,ownedbygiantHoughtonMifflinHarcourt.Thetextdevotes threesentencestocoalmininginthe1840s,tellingstudents:"Themostdangerousconditions ofallweretobefoundincoalmines."And:"Manywomenandchildrenwereemployedinthe miningindustrybecausetheywerethecheapestsourceoflabor."Threehundredpageslater,a singlebriefmentionofcoalinonesentenceonnonrenewablesourcesofenergyunderscores thebook'ssubtext:Coalwasaprobleminthe19thcentury,buttodayit'snobigdeal. InenvironmentallyconsciousPortland,whereIlive,thesoleadoptedhighschoolU.S.history textbook,HistoryAlive!,similarlydumpscoalinadistantandpollutedpast.HistoryAlive! managessimultaneouslytoignorethecontemporaryroleofcoalaswellastoadheretothe GreatManMakesHistoryscript: [PresidentTheodore]Roosevelthelpedimproveworkingconditionsforcoalminers.In1902,he pressuredcoalmineownersandthestrikingUnitedMineWorkerstosubmittoarbitration,a legalprocessinwhichaneutraloutsidepartyhelpstoresolveadispute. OnewouldthinkthattheunionandactivistslikeMotherJonesmightearnsomecreditfor organizingworkerstochallengetherichandruthlessmineowners,butinsteadTeddyRoosevelt
G34 DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation appearsinthispassageastheangelofprogress.AccordingtoHistoryAlive!,theunionwasas biganobstacletoimprovedworkingconditionsaswerethemineowners. Themoresignificantpointisthatyetanothertextbookfailstoalertstudentsto"thesingle greatestthreattocivilizationandalllifeontheplanet."Andintoomanyschoolsthesedays,the textbooksshapecurriculum. Thesilenceaboutcoaldoesnotjustenforcekids'ignoranceabouttheworld,itfailstoequip themtothinkcriticallyaboutcrucialissuesintheirlives.HereintheNorthwest,forexample, coalandrailcorporationshopetotransporttensofmillionsoftonsofcoalthroughthe ColumbiaRiverGorgeeveryyear.Singlecommoditytrainsluggedbypoisonspewingdiesel enginesandbargeswouldturntheGorgeintoavirtualcoalchute,shipping150milliontonsof coaltoAsiaeveryyear.Indeed,inonlythreeyears,between2009and2011,coalexportsfrom theUnitedStatestoAsia,viaBritishColumbia,tripledtomorethan21milliontonsin2011. NASA'sJamesHansencallscoaltrains"deathtrains." AndelectricitythroughoutmuchoftheeasternUnitedStatesstillcomesfromburningcoal minedthroughmountaintopremovalinAppalachiaaprocessthatscrapesawayentire mountainstoaccessthethincoalseamsbelow.Thecoalcompanies'exploitativeworldviewis reflectedinthelanguagetheyusetodescribethisattackonnatureandcommunities;anything thatisnotcoalislumpedintothethisisgarbageterm:"overburden."Thetrees,theboulders, thestreams,thebushesandherbs,thecrittersthatdependontheland:anannoyance,a burden,tobeblastedawayanddumpedintothevalleys.Tosaynothingoftheland'sbeauty andthememoriesthatonceadheredtothosemountains. What'sneededisacurriculumnotchainedtotestsandtextbooksacurriculumthatfires studentstolifebyaddressingthemostpressingissuesfacinghumanitylikeoursourcesof energyandclimatechangeallthewhileteachingstudentstoquestion,toimagine,toread critically,toexploretheinterconnectionsbetweenmathandscienceandmusicandsocial studies,tospeaktheirminds,tomakeadifference. Thegoodnewsisthatthechallengetothecurriculum'sprocoalbiasisgainingmomentum. Lastyear,acoalitionofeducationandenvironmentalgroups,spearheadedbyRethinking SchoolsandtheCampaignforaCommercialFreeChildhood,exposedthecozyrelationship betweenthecoalindustryandScholastic,theworld'slargestpublisherofmaterialsforchildren. AfterpublicationofanexposofScholastic'spropagandistic"TheUnitedStatesofEnergy"in RethinkingSchoolsmagazine,acampaigntopressureScholastictobreakitstieswiththecoal industryledtoaNewYorkTimeseditorial,"Scholastic'sBigCoalMistake,"andthenquicklyto Scholasticpullingthecurriculumoffitswebsiteandpromisingnottoshillforthecoalindustry anylonger. Nothankstothegiantcurriculumcorporations,teachersaroundthecountryarebeginningto piecetogetherschooleventsandlessonsthatdealhonestlywiththeclimatecrisis,andtherole ofcoalinfillingtheatmospherewithunprecedentedamountsofcarbondioxide.AsIwrite, teachersatthepublicSunnysideEnvironmentalSchool,inPortland,Ore.,servingstudentsfrom kindergartento8thgrade,areholdingaweeklongenergyteachinandbringinginexpertsand educatorsfromaroundtheregiontohelpstudentsthinkthroughtheconsequencesofthe world'senergychoices.Everystudentintheuppergradesisparticipatinginaroleplayonthe IndigenousPeoples'GlobalSummitonClimateChange,watchingthepoignantmountaintop removalfilmTheLastMountain,andengagingina"mixer"activityinwhichtheytakeonthe
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personasofindividualsfromNorthernCheyenneactivistsinMontanatolongshoreworkersin ColumbiaRiverportstoriverkeepersinChinatoranchersinparchedsoutheastAustralia affectedbythecurrentproposalstoexportcoalfromthePowderRiverBasintoAsia.Thisisnot awoeismecurriculumofdespair.Theteachinconcludeswithgroupsofstudentsworkingon makingadifferenceactionplans;studentsareinvitedtocelebratehopeandtoimagine themselvesaschangemakers. Slowlybutsurelyitseemsthatteachersarefindingtheconfidencetheywillneedtodefya corporatedominatedcurriculumthatisbulkedupwithfactsanddatesandaccomplishmentsof famouspeoplebutissilentaboutalmosteverythingthatmatters. Thosecorporatetextbookshavemadecoalseemsooldfashioned,solastcentury.Coalisan antique,arelic,andbesides,it'sdirty,it'sugly,it'sfaraway.Butasmoreandmoreteachers begintochallengethecorporatecurriculum,theywillalsocometorecognizecoal'sstarring roleastheworstplanetarypoison.Thesoonerthebetter. "ThePoisonWeNeverTalkAboutinSchool"ispartoftheZinnEducationProject"IfWeKnew OurHistory"series.ItwasoriginallypublishedonGOOD.Herearelessonsandresourcesfor teachingoutsidethetextbookaboutcoal. PhotobyPaulAndersoncourtesyofPowerPastCoal. FollowBillBigelowonTwitter:www.twitter.com/ZinnEdProject

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Illinois DCEO Coal Curriculum Report

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AN EVALUATION OF THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY (DCEO) COAL EDUCATION PROGRAM 20122013 EVALUATION REPORT

Overall Findings........................................................................................................................ 2 Overall Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 2

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

Findings................................................................................................................................... 29 Recommendations ................................................................................................................... 29

Findings................................................................................................................................... 39 Recommendations ................................................................................................................... 39

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

Findings................................................................................................................................... 69 Recommendations ................................................................................................................... 70

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

OVERVIEW OF THE EVALUATION

I. COAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

VI. VII. VIII.

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

II. COAL ART & ESSAY CONTEST

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

II. III. IV.

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

III. K12 COAL CURRICULUM

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

Table 10. K12 Coal Curriculum Lessons and Tie-ins

58 Lessons & Tie-ins Lesson: Density

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

Table 11. Rubric for Science Content Expert Curriculum Review

The representation and balance of perspectives is poor throughout the curriculum.

Pedagogy is poor throughout the curriculum.

Pedagogy is poor in some lessons and adequate or of high quality in others.

High quality pedagogy is presented throughout the majority of lessons.

High quality pedagogy is presented throughout the curriculum.

No energy principles are addressed in the curriculum.

Several energy principles are addressed in the curriculum.

Many energy principles are addressed in the curriculum.

Most energy principles are addressed throughout the curriculum.

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

DCEO Coal Education Program Evaluation

1% (1/130) 8% (4/52) 0% (0/17) 63% (5/8)

9% (12/130) 4% (2/52) 0% (0/17) 100% (8/8)

4% (5/130) 6% (3/52) 0% (0/17) 100% (8/8)

4% (5/130) 6% (3/52) 0% (0/17) 0% (0/8)

4% (5/130) 0% (0/52) 0% (0/17) 0% (0/8)

4% (5/130) 0% (0/52) 0% (0/17) 0% (0/8)

4% (5/130) 0% (0/52) 0% (0/17) 0% (0/8)

0% (0/130) 2% (1/52) 6% (1/17) 0% (0/8)

0% (0/130) 0% (0/52) 0% (0/17) 0% (0/8)

1% (1/104) 3% (1/40) 0% (0/9) 0% (0/12) 88% (7/8)

7% (8/104) 10% (4/40) 0% (0/9) 8% (1/12) 0% (0/8)

21% (22/104) 0% (0/40) 0% (0/9) 0% (0/12) 0% (0/8)

15% (16/104) 22% (2/9) 0% (0/12) 0% (0/8)

18% (19/104) 0% (0/9) 8% (1/12) 0% (0/8)

Ifyouareateacher,pleaseindicatethefollowing.Ifnot,pleaseskipthissectiontoPartII. Yearsofteachingexperience: Contentarea:________ Grade/syoucurrentlyteach: