Some resources from federal government sites are currently unavailable; when possible, we’ve provided alternative non-government links to ensure continued data access.
Students can learn about all of the coal ash sites in Illinois and understand the proximity and urgency to continue pushing for compliance and regulation at coal ash sites through the use of the interactive map.
Opportunities to learn more about coal ash sites in other states are available on this website.
Prerequisites
This article can be downloaded and printed from the website.
Students will need individual devices to explore the interactive map of coal ash disposal sites.
Background knowledge of coal-powered energy and the poor environmental and health-related effects of burning coal is essential.
Differentiation & Implementation
There is so much to be learned from the embedded links in this article. Therefore, it can be helpful to choose the links that align with the teaching standards being covered and make a graphic organizer for students to understand which links they need to visit and provide a summary of the information for each link.
Students can construct a timeline to understand the progress that has been made in legislature to require responsible cleanup and compliance at coal ash sites.
Environmental justice can be connected with general science or chemistry classes by using this link provided in the article to explore the different chemicals found in coal ash to research and learn about the exact hazards to the human body.
