Australia's biggest natural gas producer is slammed for teaching Year Three kids how to drill for oil using Vegemite sandwich and M&Ms
- Woodside Energy under fire over science activity taught in primary schools
- Year 3 pupils make a reservoir using bread, vegemite, sprinkles and chocolate
- A note sent home to parents this week stated task would involve 'drilling for oil'
- The popular activity is part of natural gas producer's STEM In Schools program
- Woodside Energy says matter was blown out proportion after note went viral
Australia's biggest natural gas producer has sparked outrage over a science activity taught to eight and nine-year-olds.
Woodside Energy came under fire after volunteers attended a Perth primary school on Thursday to show year three pupils how to 'make a reservoir' using slices of bread, Vegemite, sprinkles and M&Ms.
The lesson, which coincided National Science Week, became public after a school permission note sent home to parents stated the task would involve 'drilling for oil'.
'The children will get the opportunity to "make a reservoir" using bread slices, Vegemite, and sprinkles,' the note from the unnamed school read.
Woodside Energy has been teaching primary school kids how to make a reservoir using sandwich containing Vegemite, hundreds and thousands and M&Ms (pictured)
'They will then become their own Exploration Company, and try to find the best spots to 'drill' into the sandwich and find the oil (Vegemite).'
It didn't take long for the school note to go viral online after environmentalists got hold of it.
'Woodside Energy staff are currently in a primary school in Perth teaching kids how to drill for oil using vegemite sandwiches and 100s & 1000s,' one tweeted.
Environment group 350 Australia added: 'Nothing sweet about fossil fuels, but Woodside Energy are trying their best to sell propaganda to the very kids whose future they're destroying:
A Woodside Energy spokeswoman told the Daily Mail Australia the situation was blown out of proportion on social media.
A video of its STEM in School Program states the experiment involved 'drilling for oil and gas
The activity is part of the company's STEM in Schools Program to highlight the importance of science, technology, engineering and maths in society to future generations.
More than 10,000 West Australian students have participated in classroom sessions facilitated by Woodside volunteers since 2016.
'Schools contact Woodside to book STEM in School sessions, choosing one of three activities to suit the intended age group,' a spokeswoman said.
'Some may have chosen to book these to coincide with National Science Week.'
The company stressed that the note's mention of 'drilling for oil' was created by the school, not Woodside.
This is despite a YouTube video of the company's STEM in Schools Program stating the experiment involved 'drilling for oil and gas.'
In geoscience terms, a 'reservoir' can mean many things, not just oil reservoir, the company added.
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Woodside Energy (pictured) said the activity has been blown out of proportion by environmentalists
Others found the irony in the school activity.
'Totally cool and normal stuff right here. If only they would take a blowtorch to a broccoli forest to teach the kids about what happens if they continue to look for new oil beyond 2021,' one man tweeted.
Woodside Energy describes itself as Australia’s leading natural gas producer and being committed to providing sustainable energy solutions
It will soon become Australia's largest publicly listed energy company after a merger with BHP was announced earlier this week.
