About the Minerals and Petroleum Literacy Program

Teachers participate in hands-on experiments during the Minerals and Petroleum Literacy Program training.

In 2011, Utah legislators approved funding for a minerals and petroleum literacy program sponsored and managed by the Division of Oil, Gas and Mining. The goal was to provide Utah educators with a high quality, teacher-friendly, interactive geology program exceeding the state standards for 4th grade earth science curriculum.

The program includes a four-hour teacher workshop, where a qualified science instructor walks teachers through the program, demonstrating key teaching and science lab opportunities. Teachers receive a guidebook with information for each unit, lab activities, online and offline resources, handouts and lesson outlines for each science unit. Student lab books include factual data, writing activities, graphing and lab activities. Each teacher receives a classroom kit containing mineral specimens and materials necessary to conduct lab activities.

Since the beginning of the program, approximately one-fourth of all Utah 4th grade teachers have been trained and over 16,500 students are reached annually.