The Effects of Peabody Energy Corporation on Black Mesa — Teacher Page
Designed by
Sara Hayes
Introduction | Content Areas | Standards | Implementation | Resources | Entry Skills | Evaluation | Variations | Conclusion
This all began with a participation in a federally funded Challenge Grant through our local public broadcasting station, KCET, in Los Angeles, and the Digital Grant at my school, Jefferson High School, with the creation of the Ancient Forests Webquest in 1999. A few years after this, in 2001, I decided to create another webquest for my students, dealing with a real issue that would also aid them in honing their skills using the computer, completing research, and writing a brief argumentative/persuasive report. More is involved as is detailed below under "variations."
This particular project involves the investigation of the effects of Peabody Energy Company's strip mining at Black Mesa — the history, the effect on the land, the effect on the people who live there, Diné (Navajo) and traditional Hopi, and the effect on the water sources — and the low-sulfur coal then slurried through a pipeline to the Mohave Generating Station, primarily owned by Southern California Edison, the electric company that supplies electricity to these same students. To accomplish this, students work in small groups, usually three to four in each. This collaborative study involves both on line and off line sources (the latter only if they are completing the extended form of this project). Students evaluate these sources and come to a consensus as a group regarding their group's point of view toward this topic. Then, according to which form of the project they are completing, they still need to be able to adequately form an opinion, support this opinion, and write a brief research report. Again, more can be seen about what else is included under "variations."
Students often question why they never knew about any of this before. Many have also wanted to go to Black Mesa. They also learn a bit about Indigenous populations in this country, something often ignored in school curriculum.
While this project was initially planned and constructed for use in the Humanitas Program, an interdisciplinary program at Jefferson High School as a precursor to the larger webquest to be completed later in the year, it is still being used even though the Humanitas Program no longer exists. It does address a variety of different content areas, such as English, Chemistry, Environmental Science, U.S. History, Economics and Government. It is a research project used in the 12th grade that involves research and writing across the curriculum.
Students learn a variety of things as a result of their participation in this webquest. It entails activities which call for inference making, critical thinking, creative production, creative problem solving, teamwork, and compromise.
Please see California State Content Standards to view the standards addressed with both projects.
This project is introduced by a showing of Broken Rainbow (1985), a documentary about Black Mesa, which won an Academy Award for best documentary. While viewing students are expected to take notes about what they learn at this time. It also gives them a very good introduction to Black Mesa and the Diné and Hopi people who live there. After this they begin their work in groups, usually self-selective (they turn in a brief list of the people they would like to be part of their group) though the final determination is made by the teacher. From this point forward they work with their peers with the teacher overseeing all the work occurring, making sure that students stay on task, which is rarely a problem with this project, and aiding students when they need the help. Depending on which form of the project they are completing (variations of the project are identified below), they may spend anywhere from a week to two weeks gathering their information through research. Their progress is checked along with way. Around the end of the research process another documentary is shown that is more current though only a small part of it addresses Black Mesa, In the Light of Reverence (2001). After this, students begin sharing their knowledge collected from the research to write the report required.
While it is ideal to have a computer lab where the entire class can work together, it can also be done in the classroom with the more able students going to other locations nearby for the computer research end of this project.
It depends on which form of the project is being completed for most of the resources. For both projects, the following are good to have since the first gives a good introduction to Black Mesa and Diné and Hopi who live there.
- Broken Rainbow can usually be found in the public library. It is no longer available for sale.
- In the Light of Reverence can be purchased from the Sacred Land Film Project. There are also many resources available for use at this web site, including lessons for different disciplines, and a reader that can be downloaded in pdf format.
The books which can be useful for the extended project are available at local libraries. I usually supply these materials since I have them at home. Those with the asterisk (*) are the books I would choose should I have to make a choice.
- *Cry Sacred Ground by Anita Parlow (1988— out of print)
- Diné: A History of the Navajos by Peter Iverson (2002)
- *Fire on the Plateau: Conflict and Endurance in the American Southwest by Charles Wilkenson (1999)
- The Navajo-Hopi Land Dispute: An American Tragedy by David M. Brugge (1999)
- *The Wind Won't Know Me: A History of the Navajo-Hopi Land Dispute by Emily Benedek (1993)
Perhaps your school library can purchase a few should you assign this project on a regular basis. For access to the Los Angeles Times Magazine article, I believe it is only accessible now for a small fee at the Los Angeles Times web site. However, there are several web sites that have posted this article. The only difference is the pictures are not included, more than likely due to copyright. The USGS booklet is available from the United States Geological Service for free. Be sure to ask for it by title and file number. The one used for this project is Ground-Water, Surface-Water, and Water-Chemistry Data, Black Mesa Area, Northeastern Arizona —2002-03, Open-File Report 30-503.
Another resource to consider may be Black Mesa Project EIS or Black Mesa Project Description, which can be found linked to the previous page, regarding Peabody Energy's current request for an extension of their lease. There is also the Scoping Summary Report — Environmental Impact Statement for the Black Mesa Project, a summary report of the scoping meetings that took place in January and February 2005, which is quite lengthy, and might lend itself more to courses taught in college. This would be particularly helpful for environmental science courses.
First of all, students need to be familiar with the school / district acceptable use policy (aup). A basic knowledge is needed in different areas, which include using the computer, especially the internet, accessing off line information in the library / media center, setting up a story board and creating a Power Point presentation (though there is a link that walks them through its creation on the project page), and working with one another — all necessary to complete this project successfully. They should be able to evaluate web sites and information content, to take good, organized notes, and to properly footnote electronic sources as well as other off line sources. They should also have a thorough understanding about writing argumentative/persuasive research reports and documentation procedures using APA format.
Although this activity is pretty well mapped out, it is not suggested that a novice teacher attempt it, the reason being some knowledge of working with students to aid them with internet access is required. Also, the teacher should be experienced enough so that a student contract is strictly adhered to so that no problems arise with internet use. Also, this project will take class time away from other traditional pursuits. The teacher's experience should include the ability to incorporate this project within classroom management capabilities.
Should Peabody Energy Corporation continue to strip mine the low sulfur coal at Black Mesa? The success of this project will be determined by student completion of the necessary components, and how clear and well-supported their position is. For the mini-webquest, the research report will be graded by a rubric available to the students throughout the project. For the extended webquest, all components, the argumentative/persuasive research report, the Power Point presentation, and the oral presentation of the groups findings, will be graded by a rubric also available.
There are two variations to this particular project, the shorter one (mini-webquest) that only involves online sources provided on the project page, and a written report; and the expanded version, which involves off line resources as well as a Power Point presentation to accompany the oral presentation to be made at the end, which works well as a final exam. Time constraints and interest in full development determine which form of the project is completed. The first one takes about three weeks to complete while the second one entails at least a month to be done well.
It has also been suggested by a teacher in Kayenta, Arizona, that additional topics for note taking can be added to address science issues, such as the possible effects of aquifer depressurization (in addition to water depletion on springs, wells, and stream flows), and the importance of the 12-24 inch biozone to the viability of restored land. The latter is important because these restored lands are still barren after many years. There are no trees, no diversity, just a few weak, sometimes invasive weeds. Still another can focus on the rate of recharge for these springs and wells.
Another possible variation could be contact with students in the Black Mesa area, either in Tuba City or Kayenta, Arizona, where students have family members directly affected by the strip mining, to gain their insight on what is happening there. Perhaps the final presentations for the extended version could be done by teleconferencing where questions may be addressed either from those in the classroom or students in a high school in either of those two cities.
Completing this project that involves the struggle of Indigenous people today in the United States should provide many benefits for the students. First and foremost, they will learn about others rarely mentioned in school curriculum or otherwise. Secondly, this project may foster a sense of concern about what is happening to Indigenous people in the United States, perhaps staying current with what is going on at Black Mesa, and extending this to include others facing different struggles in this country. Third, they will learn to work as a group to reach a common consensus on a particular topic, which may or may not truly represent their own, something else that may provide the groundwork for dealing with similar situations in the future. Fourth, this project should further enhance their understanding of the government and how it works when dealing with Indigenous people of the United States, in particular Diné and traditional Hopi. Through their reflection on solutions to what is happening at Black Mesa, and what they can do to augment those solutions, besides developing a sense of compassion for others, they may recognize their role and grow as responsible citizens of the world. Will they create a new paradigm for decision-making? Will they revolutionize the practice of a true democracy in this country? Finally, will they carry over what they have learned through working on this project to those that are important to them in their community at large and planet earth?
copyright ©2005 by S. Hayes
updated 30 October 2005
Based on a template from The Webquest Page