The annual Coal Calendar Art & Essay Contest gives fifth- through eighth-grade students the opportunity to learn about our most abundant energy source.  The contest is designed to highlight the heritage and importance of Illinois coal and the coal mining industry. 

This unique curriculum provides numerous opportunities for teachers to introduce coal, Illinois' most abundant natural resource, or coal-related topics into the curriculum.  In the lower grades, coal can be integrated into topics such as: goods and services, costs and benefits of choices made, decision-making, rocks and minerals, the environment, technology, Illinois history, social studies and reading and writing.  At the middle school level, coal can be integrated into topics such as: density, supply and demand, persuasive writing, economics, careers, botany, graphing, determining area, environmental issues and geology/Earth history.  At the high school level, coal can be integrated into topics such as: cost-benefit analysis, the role of the Illinois coal industry in Illinois economics, environmental policy and economics, ratios, proportions and percent, workplace law, the company store, biographies, environmental issues and chemistry.