AP Topics - mrslebryksapes.weebly.commrslebryksapes.weebly.com/.../oa_t4_l2_0_impacts_of_oil… · Web viewLesson Steps in Brief. Pacing . 1: Framing In 5. 2: View to Learn: Oil

Task 4, Lesson 2: Impacts of Oil Drilling

AP Topics Formative Assessment OpportunitiesFossil Fuel Resources & Use: Extraction methods, world reserves and global demand, environmental advantages/disadvantages of sources

Discussion of Exxon video Notebook tool Material tool

The Atmosphere: Atmosphere-ocean interactions, EÑSOEarth Science Concepts: Solar intensity and latitudeGlobal Water Resources and Use: Ocean circulation

Learning Objectives Formative Assessment OpportunitiesStudents will learn about the short and long-term ecological consequences of oil spills


Students will learn about economic and social consequences of oil spills


Students will learn about the limited options for oil spill clean up and containment


Lesson Steps in Brief Pacing

1: Framing In5

2: View to Learn: Oil Spills (Video)25

3: Read to Learn: Ecological Consequences of Oil Spills – Part 1

45

4: Differences between Exxon Valdez and Deepwater

10

5: Read to Learn: Ecological Consequences of Oil Spills – Part 2

5+ homework

6: Preparing for Town Council Meeting30

7: Framing Out5

Total time: 110

Materials: Exxon Valdez: In the Wake of Disaster

Oceans, Task 4, Lesson 2: Impacts of Oil Drilling 1

http://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000002590924/exxon-valdez-in-the-wake-of-disaster-.html

OA_T4_L2_Exxon_Valdez_25YearsAfter.pdf OA_T4_L2_GulfWildlifeReport_2011.pdf OA_T4_Material_tool OA_T1_L2_Notebook Tool

Teacher Background and Planning Notes:

Now that students have learned about how offshore drilling works and why it is needed, they will learn about the effects of oil drilling on the environment. Specifically students will learn about the two largest oil spills in U.S. waters that occurred over 20 years apart (Exxon Valdez and Deepwater Horizon), and how cleanup techniques and technology have changed little. It will also discuss the short- and long-term impact on the ecological communities after the spill.

Students will use this information to try and understand the potential short- and long-term ecological risks of the oil proposal.

Oil Spill Response Activity (Optional): Some teachers have had their students do the NOAA activity (OCEAN_4_BP Oil Spill Response Activity), which students find engaging. This takes quite a bit of time, but if you have the time and the necessary materials this could be an interesting option. To help inform the activity there is a zipped file of short readings to go with it (OCEAN_4_NOAA Oil Spill Fact Sheets). Make sure you cover the dangers of oil spills and the most common methods of clean up. Both files can be found in the Oil Impact Optional Readings and Activities folder.

Lesson Steps in Detail

Step 1: Framing In

There are certainly many appealing benefits to the proposed oil drilling operation. However, to understand and seriously consider the potential impacts that a possible oil spill could have on our island, we will consider two prior oil spills.

Step 2: View to Learn: Oil Spills (Video, 12:09)

Before Viewing: Ask your students if they remember the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

What do they remember about it? Have they heard about the Exxon Valdez spill? Allow students to share their prior knowledge, but there is no need to explain further – students will learn about both spills in this lesson.

Exxon Valdez: In the Wake of Disaster (12:09)http://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000002590924/exxon-





valdez-in-the-wake-of-disaster-.html

PURPOSE for Viewing: Watch this video to learn…1. What are some similarities between these spills, nearly 25 years apart?2. What were some of the economic or social consequences of the spills?3. What did we learn about the ecological consequences?

During Viewing: Have student write down responses to the purpose questions in their

Notebook Tool (OA_T1_L2_Notebook Tool.docx)

After Viewing: After watching, have students discuss the purpose questions. Be sure

students add/revise information from the discussion in their Notebook Tool; this information will be useful in their personal position paper on the oil rig proposal.

NOTE: The take home lesson of this film is the similarities in response to the two spills even though they were decades apart, along with their impacts. In discussion, it is not important for students to list all examples below, but to understand similarities.

Possible example responses to the purpose questions:

1. What are some similarities between these spills, nearly 25 years apart?Example responses:o no improvement of containment or cleanup techniqueso slow response/not ready for the spillo increased risk without increased cleanup and containment technologyo dispersants used without knowing potential harmo safety regulations fought by industry before accidents

2. What were some of the economic or social consequences of the spills?Example responses:o change of rules to make it safero people left, jobs losto Exxon had to pay damages and cleanup

3. What did we learn about the ecological consequences? Example responses:

o animals died and beaches soiledo area still not recovered

Notebook Tool: Since the video highlights primarily negative consequences, students should annotate their notes with – signs. Ask students if there are any consequences that deserve + signs… (they might suggest new rules/policies).

Explain to students that this video did not cover in depth the ecological consequences of either disaster. The following readings will help us understand more about short and long-term ecological consequences.



Step 3: Read to Learn: Ecological Consequences for Oil Spills – Part 1

Now we want to use these spills as case studies to understand the potential long- and short-term consequences of an oil spill off the coast of our island. The probability of a massive spill like these is low (smaller leaks are more frequent), however the ecological consequence can be extreme.

Have your students read an excerpt from the Exxon Valdez article about the ecological toll to Prince Williams’s Sound 25 years after the Exxon Valdez spill in order to understand potential long-term consequences of a spill near their island.

PART 1:OA_T4_L2_Exxon_Valdez_25YearsAfter.pdfRead “The Toll” on pp.7-10; stop at NOAA’s Role in Spill Response.

Before Reading: Ask students to consider what they know about the island’s location and

marine/terrestrial ecosystems (from Tasks 1-2). What do they think the short and long-term consequences of an oil spill might be for the island?

Notebook Tool: Encourage students to develop an annotation system to use as they read to mark short-term and long-term consequences of the spill.

Students might also develop an annotation to mark consequences they think are directly relevant to their island.

PURPOSE: Read to learn…1. What were some short-term ecological consequences of the spill?2. What were some long-term ecological consequences of the spill?3. How could these ecological changes impact island residents?

During reading: Students read in pairs, recording the consequences in their Notebook Tool

as they read, using the annotation system they developed before reading. Students should also note any parts of the text that are confusing or raise

questions (? annotation)

After reading: Ask pairs to share out the short- and long-term consequences of the spill;

add/revise Notebook Tools as the discussion proceeds. Have the class share and discuss the potential impacts on island residents. Notebook Tool: After reading the entire article and recording information,

engage students in a discussion about the far right column . . .o What did you learn that is especially relevant to the island?o What implications does this information have?o Any initial thoughts about how the offshore drilling proposal should

be modified in order to protect the island’s resources?


Step 4: Differences between Exxon Valdez and Deepwater

Explain to students that the Exxon Valdez gives us an understanding of long-term changes due to a tanker spill. Since the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil spill involved an offshore oil rig like the one that may one day be located off our island, we need to understand the immediate and continuing ecological consequences of continuous underwater spill that lasts for months.

NOTE: The consequences of the Deepwater Horizon are still not fully understood partly because of the complexity of understanding the effects of an underwater spill.

Discuss with your students some important differences that existed between the two spills.

Notable Differences between Exxon And Deepwater Horizon (from NRDA 2012Status Update)

The Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred instantaneously on the surface of a relatively small water basin during very cold weather. Nineteen days after the oil spill, most of the 11 million gallons (262,000 barrels) of oil had made landfall. Within two months (56 days), the entire known volume of oil had reached the rocky shores of Prince William Sound.

By contrast, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill occurred over approximately three months from the depths of a large basin of water with very warm surface and atmospheric conditions. It is estimated that 210 million gallons (5 million barrels) of oil were released from the Macondo wellhead. Of that, approximately 172 million gallons (4.1 million barrels) of oil were released directly into the Gulf of Mexico. During the incident, the end of the spill was never certain.

Due to the location of the Deepwater Horizon spill, oil did not immediately wash ashore. It took more than 100 days from the start of the spill, to map coastal shoreline oiling, though re-oiling continued to occur along the coast (in 2012). The spatial extent of the oil at the sea floor is still unknown.

Revisit Notebook Tool:o What about Deepwater Horizon is especially relevant to the island?o What additional environmental, economic, and social/cultural

information should we add to our Notebook Tool?o What implications does this information have for the island in

general?o What implications does it have for a salmon farm?o Any additional thoughts about how the offshore drilling proposal

should be modified in order to protect the island’s resources?


Step 5: Assign Homework: Read to Learn: Ecological Consequences for Oil Spills – Part 2

OA_T4_L2_GulfWildlifeReport_2011.pdf (pp. 2-5*)

* This document doesn’t have page numbers, but please note students only read the first 4 pages, even though the entire document is 11 pages long.

Students will read about the consequences to plants and animals in the Gulf of Mexico after the DeepWater Horizon spill.

PURPOSE: Read to learn which animal communities or habitats were most impacted by the spill. How might these impacts affect food webs in the long-term?

USE: This article, in addition to the “The Toll,” will provide more information about potential oil spill consequences. You will use this to decide whether you fully support or oppose the offshore oil drilling proposal – and you will have an opportunity to change groups if your position changes.

PROCEDURE: As you identify the potential impacts of offshore drilling in this article, record them in your Notebook Tool using the annotation system you have developed. Also write down any confusions or questions (?) this article raises for you (as an islander).

Step 6: Homework Application (in ally groups)

Ask students to meet in their ally groups to discuss their homework reading, as reflected in their Notebook Tool responses:

Is there an ecological impact that the group feels makes a strong argument for or against offshore drilling? Discuss.

Who wrote this report and what was their motivation for writing it? How should that influence your view of this information?

Reflect on how your group of islanders view the offshore proposal given what you learned about the ecological consequences of both spills. Does anyone think he/she needs to change groups? If so, develop your reasons why.

Step 6: Preparing for Town Council Meeting

After providing an opportunity for students to change groups, ask students to


continue meeting with their ally groups. Now they should use their material tool to help them continue preparation for the town council meeting. Students should use the 3 lenses to contribute reasons their role/ally group would be for or against the offshore rig, given the new information about offshore drilling.

As you circulate, use what they write as formative assessment data (to see what they are understanding about ecological consequences of oil spills) and use it as a common object to discuss their thinking about the tensions around this issue. Remind them they will revise their reasons on this tool as they learn more and they can change ally groups if their opinion changes over time.

You may want to also have students continue work on their position paper focusing on a response to the offshore drilling proposal using this new information on the ecological consequences of oil spills. They can use their Notebook Tools along with the information the ally group just added to the material tool.

Step 7: Framing Out:An important factor in understanding the consequences of an oil spill to your island is knowing about the ocean currents. We will next learn about how currents work in the ocean surrounding our island.

Teacher Notes on this lesson:


Documents

AP Topics - mrslebryksapes.weebly.commrslebryksapes.weebly.com/.../oa_t4_l2_0_impacts_of_oil… · Web viewLesson Steps in Brief. Pacing . 1: Framing In 5. 2: View to Learn: Oil