Fracking Explained: Opportunity or Danger

Videos

Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Chemistry, Earth and Space Sciences, Health

Scientist Reviewed

Provided by Kurzgesagt - In a Nutshell

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What it is

This video explains how hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is used to extract natural gas from rock and highlights the dangers that are associated with the process.
Students will learn about the enormous amounts of energy and water fracking requires and the risk of water contamination associated with pumping the leftover toxic chemicals back into the wells.

Teaching tips

Positives

This video explains the process of fracking in easy-to-understand terms with simple visual aids that will appeal to visual learners and English language learners.
The short format of the video makes it an ideal introduction to a more in-depth lesson on fracking.

Prerequisites

The video begins with an advertisement.
Because the video was produced in 2013, some of the statistics about fracking are not up to date.
The video does not address the potential connection between fracking and earthquakes or fracking and air pollution.

Differentiation & Implementation

Ethics classes can use this video to discuss whether the benefits of procuring natural gas for fuel outweigh the negative impacts that fracking has on the environment and on people's health.
Engineering classes can use this video to compare and contrast fracking with other methods of extracting fossil fuels.
Earth science classes can research the formation of natural gas to better understand why there is a limited supply of it on the Earth.
Other resources related to this topic include Youth Climate Story: Fracking and Earthquakes in Ohio, Youth Climate Story: Fracking in Pennsylvania, and ACE Report: How To Make A Fossil Fuel.

From the scientist review

While some of the information in this video is out of date, as this video was made in 2013, the overall review of the fracking process is accurate. This resource is recommended for teaching.

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At a glance

Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Chemistry, Earth and Space Sciences, Health
Format: YouTube Video
Language: English
Location: Earth, North America, North America > United States
Provider: Kurzgesagt - In a Nutshell
Authors: Kurzgesagt - In a Nutshell
Published: October 21, 2021
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.2 + 7 more

Connecticut Climate Education Hub

Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.2Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under study.

Connecticut Elementary and Secondary Social Studies Standards

6.Eco.1.a.Explain how economic decisions affect the well-being of individuals, businesses, and societies within a region (e.g., Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, South Asia Food and Nutrition Security Initiative, National Human Development Initiative, FIFA World Cup).

Connecticut Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

MS-PS1-3.Gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society.
MS-PS1-B.1.Substances react chemically in characteristic ways. In a chemical process, the atoms that make up the original substances are regrouped into different molecules, and these new substances have different properties from those of the reactants. (MS-PS1-3) (Note: This Disciplinary Core Idea is also addressed by MS-PS1-2.)
MS-ESS3-4.Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth’s systems.
HS-ESS3-1.Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

Healthy and Balanced Living Curriculum Framework: Health Education

INF2.4.8 Analyze how relevant influences of family, peers, culture, school, community, along with media and technology, affect personal health practices and behaviors.

Core

National Health Education Standards

1.8.3Analyze how the environment affects personal health.

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