Teachers

Teachers

We know you share our commitment to educating kids about the science of natural gas, where it comes from, how we use it and how we can stay safe around it. This site has great activities, lesson plans, experiments and videos that can help you teach your students about how to stay safe and smart.



Natural Gas Vocabulary

Below are some key vocabulary words you can use with your students as well as some great fun facts about natural gas.

Clothes Dryer

An appliance that uses natural gas to dry wet clothing

Conserve

To use wisely; the opposite of waste

Energy

The ability to do work and the force that makes things change

Fuel

Something used to maintain fire; coal, wood, oil or natural gas, in order to create heat or power

Furnace

The appliance that heats our homes

Mercaptan

The rotten egg smell that is added to natural gas to tell if there is a leak

Natural Gas

A resource used for cooking and heating

Pipeline

A long tube, often underground, used to transport oil, natural gas or water over great distances

Safety

Avoiding risk of injury, danger or loss

Waste

To use unwisely; the opposite of conserve

Water Heater

A large tank that heats water for future use

Classroom Activities

Make a Safety Poster

Students will brainstorm, plan, organize and create a safety poster illustrating ways to be safe at home around natural gas.

How is Natural Gas Found

Use this activity to show how natural gas is trapped below the earth and the tremendous pressure on the gas deposits.

Let’s Build a Pipeline

Understand how pipelines work to bring natural gas to our homes, businesses and schools by building a pipeline out of straws.

Family Q&A

Help students understand how natural gas is used at home, at school and in the community.

Energy Use Video

Students will write, direct and produce a video using persuasive communication skills to illustrate natural resource conservation.

Organic Matter and Natural Gas

With this experiment, students will recognize that natural gas is a product of decomposing organic material.

 Classroom Experiment - CenterPoint


Classroom Games





Educational Resources



Fun Facts about Natural Gas

Printable Fact Sheet

That's one cool fuel

Although natural gas is generally considered a heating fuel, it also has some cooler applications — like chilling the glycol used to produce ice for hockey and skating rinks.

That’s what the NFL means by “warm-up”

The Denver Broncos warm their playing field using water-filled tubes heated with natural gas.

The art of energy efficiency

Many museums use natural gas-fueled equipment not only to keep the lights on, but also to help maintain the proper humidity for conservation of art, fabrics and historic papers.

Fly me to the moon and back...and back...and back...

Did you know that if all the natural gas pipelines in the United States were placed end to end they would stretch to and from the moon almost four times?

Keeping our nation warm

Some of our nation’s most critical buildings, like the Pentagon, the White House and the Capitol building, rely on natural gas as a heating source.

Here’s one for the birds

The Philadelphia Zoo uses natural gas to warm a greenhouse that simulates Guam’s tropical forest environment and creates a breeding facility for one of the most endangered species in the world — the Micronesian kingfisher. Two-thirds of Chicago’s Brookfield Zoo’s electricity is generated by natural gas and ensures the welfare of its many inhabitants.

There’s more to natural gas than just its chemical composition

Natural gas is one of the cleanest energy sources. It is colorless and odorless. Utility companies add mercaptan (the smell of rotten eggs) to help make gas leaks easier to notice. When natural gas is cooled to minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit, it changes from a gas into a liquid.

A shallow effort with lots of Hart

William Hart dug the first natural gas well in America along a creek outside Fredonia, NY, in 1821. It was only about 27 feet deep — in sharp contrast to today’s wells, which can run more than 30,000 feet deep — but still earned him recognition as the “father of natural gas” in America.

The paintings weren’t so hot, but the lighting was spectacular

The first natural gas utility was founded in Baltimore in 1816 by Rembrandt Peale, a painter. Peale became captivated by the energy source when he used it to light an exhibit at his museum and gallery. By most accounts, the public was more enthused about Peale’s gaslight than it was about his artwork.

A majestic mirage

Every 15 seconds, from dusk to midnight, a volcano erupts in front of the MGM Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, sending flames 100 feet into the air. It’s fueled by piña colada-scented natural gas.

Safe, sound and underground

Safety is the highest priority in the natural gas industry. Billions are spent each year to ensure that natural gas is delivered safely and reliably.

Sustainability

Everything we do depends on natural resources and our environment. Sustainability means living our lives in a way that protects those resources. Conserving water, recycling and reducing our energy use are behaviors we all should practice to ensure a sustainable future and a greener planet. CenterPoint Energy has many sustainability goals that will reduce carbon emissions, fight climate change and protect our natural resources. You can read about many of their initiatives by clicking this link: https://sustainability.centerpointenergy.com

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