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Lesson plan: Spill threatens wildlife

June 30, 2000
Web posted at 8:57 p.m. EDT (0057 GMT)

RELATED SITES

Objectives

Students will:

Compare the South African and Exxon Valdez oil spills.
Explain how African penguins are threatened by the recent oil spill.
Explain the effects of the oil spill on the ecological balance.

Standards

National Science Education Standards

High school students will understand that natural and human-induced hazards present the need for humans to assess potential danger and risk. Many changes in the environment designed by humans bring benefits to society as well as cause risks. Students should understand the costs and trade-offs of various hazards -- ranging from those with minor risk to a few, to major catastrophes with major risk to many.

Materials

CNNfyi article, "Protecting penguins from pollution"
Internet access
Photos from magazines or other graphic representations

Suggested time

1-2 class periods

Procedure

Ask students if they have ever heard or read about the Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989, when an oil tanker went aground on a reef in Alaska's Prince William Sound. Discuss the disaster's effects on the thousands of birds, sea mammals and fisheries in the area.

1. After students have read the CNNfyi article "Protecting penguins from pollution," ask the following questions:

What oil carrier is involved in this disaster? How much oil is estimated to have been released? How many African penguins are in possible danger? What effect does this oil spill have on the South African coast?

What examples can you find to support the opinion that the penguins will need assistance? What have environmentalists learned from past disasters that could help them save the wildlife on South Africa's coast? Who is responsible for the spill? Do you think that this entity should pay the cost of the cleanup effort? Why or why not? What does the cleanup effort entail?

2. Allow students to choose groups of four to five classmates and to research the Internet for the effects of oil spills on the ecological balance. Direct them to the Internet sites below and ask them to apply these effects to populations of penguins and other wildlife endangered by spills.

Extension

Have students conduct further research to understand and explain the business of oil spill prevention and/or cleanup.

Evaluation

Based on their findings about the effects of oil spills on the ecological balance, have students explain natural processes encountered within healthy ecological systems and the disruptions they experience when confronted with a manmade disaster. Direct them to use visual aids or graphic programs to present their findings to the class.

RELATED SITES

Tanker spill database
Exxon Valdez spill survivors
Oil spill prevention
Marine oil spills
Story of oil spills
Oil pollution plan
EPA response management

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