Since fossil fuels are created by the ancient remains of animals and plants deposited in rock formations, it is first helpful to do an activity that connects the dots between the fossils and the living animals themselves. Choose a particular area, such as the Burgess Shale in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, and look at all the specific plant and animal fossil forms found there. Pick one species and learn how it fit into its ecosystem millions of years ago. Now compare this length of time with the production time of renewable resources like solar heat, wind and hydropower, which take mere minutes.
Crucial to understanding the formation of a fossil fuel such as coal is the conception of how it is extracted from the earth. First explain how ancient plants were buried under silt and sand and, after millions of years of buildup and pressure, transformed into coal. Using chocolate chip cookies and toothpicks, students can chip away from the cookies and attempt to extract the chips themselves. Students can then compare the ease of obtaining chips on the surface and inside with the difficulties in mining for real coal.
For a project lasting between four and five weeks, students can simulate the fossilization of plant material and the formation of coal. Line the inside of an aquarium with plastic wrap, then pour in about five inches of water and spread sticks, sand and fern leaves on the bottom. Record any changes in color over a period of two weeks, then sift any mud or silt off the plant layer to simulate the heat and pressure that occurs over millions of years. After another two weeks, drain the water and lift out the sand and plant formation to see the fossilization imprints.
Much of the understanding of how fossil fuels are formed comes down to grasping significant new vocabulary. You can use fill-in-the-blank word games to help students decide which fossil fuels began as plankton and which fossil fuel comes from peat. Additionally, you can use terms like "natural gas," "petroleum" and "mine" in a word search or crossword puzzle.