ESEU was first set up in 2002 with funding from the UK Offshore Operators Association (UKOOA),[1] initially providing workshops in England and Scotland for secondary teachers.
[2] A second lot of funding from Oil and Gas UK, the umbrella organization for the Oil and Gas industry in the UK, through OPITO, the Oil and Gas Academy, was secured in 2007[3] enabling ESEU to develop primary workshops in England and Wales at Key Stage 2 in 2009 and to launch new workshops in Scotland, written especially for the Curriculum for Excellence in 2010.
A team of 46 facilitators are spread across the UK and travel to schools to give workshops, taking rock samples and other equipment with them.
Practical, hands-on activities were used in the workshops, which use simple, easily available and cheap materials, such as party poppers, Potty Putty and Slinky springs.
[9][10] ESEU also provided online resources on earth science education, including a virtual rock kit, Scottish virtual activities, a rock reference sheet and videos of salol crystallising at different rates.