The Power of Coal

Natural resources fall into two categories: renewable resources and nonrenewable resources. These natural resources are used by people to create electricity.  While some have positive impacts on our environment, many have negative impacts. Coal is still a major source of electricity in 18 states. Burning coal for electricity began in the 1880’s but more recently has been questioned for its negative impacts on the environment. In this lesson, students discover, through literature, how coal, a nonrenewable resource, has made significant impacts on our environment while providing us with electricity for over 100 years.