November 20, 2002

SUNKEN HAZARD
Investigating Potential Effects of the Prestige Oil Spill

Grades:  6-8, 9-12

Subjects:  Current Events, Geography, Global History, Science

Related New York Times Article
"Storm-Hit Oil Tanker Sinks Off Spain, Threatening Catastrophe, By EMMA DALY,", November 20, 2002

Overview of Lesson Plan:: In this lesson, students will use information about past oil spills to predict potential effects of the Prestige spill on the environment, on marine life, and on the human culture and economy of northwestern coastal Spain. Students will take on the roles of experts giving advice to the emergency management team that is handling the oil spill off the coast of Spain, preparing presentations to outline the potential risks to the environment, marine life, and the human culture and economy in Galicia.

SUGGESTED TIME ALLOWANCE:   1 hour

OBJECTIVES:
Students will:

  1. Brainstorm potential effects of an oil spill on the environment, on plant and animal life, and on the human culture and economy.
  2. Learn about the recent oil spill off the coast of Spain by reading and discussing "Storm-Hit Oil Tanker Sinks Off Spain, Threatening Catastrophe."
  3. Research the effects of past oil spills on the environment, on plant and animal life, and on the human culture and economy.
  4. Take on the roles of experts giving advice to the emergency management team that is handling the oil spill off the coast of Spain and prepare presentations to outline the potential effects of the spill.

RESOURCES / MATERIALS:

ACTIVITIES / PROCEDURES:

  1. WARM-UP/DO-NOW: Instruct students to divide a page in their journal into three columns to represent the following categories: "The Environment," "Plants and Animals," and "People." Students respond to the following prompt in their journals (written on the board prior to class): "A potentially catastrophic oil spill has just occurred off the coast of Spain. Write down the possible effects for each of the following categories: The Environment, Plants and Animals and People. Be as specific as you can in listing the potential effects." Compile students' ideas on the board, organizing them under the appropriate column headings. Ask students what they might do to stop the negative impact of the spill.
  2. As a class, read and discuss the article "Storm-Hit Oil Tanker Sinks Off Spain, Threatening Catastrophe," focusing on the following questions:
    1. What caused this oil spill?
    2. Where did the tanker Prestige sink?
    3. What is the best-case scenario outlined by optimists?
    4. What is the worst-case scenario feared by environmentalists?
    5. When and why did the European Union member states agree to the maritime safety rules referred to in the article?
    6. Which countries are involved in this situation?
    7. How is the fishing industry of Galicia likely to be affected?
    8. Why was the tanker towed out to sea after the spill?
    9. Why has the ship's captain been jailed?
    10. Where was the Prestige headed when the spill occurred?
  3. Divide students into groups of four, and explain that each group will be assigned to research a different oil spill. Explain that the information gathered on topics such as how it affected the people, the environment, and the animal and plant life of the region in which the spill occurred will be used to create multimedia presentations illustrating the effects of oil spills on the environment. Each group will research one of the following oil spills (written on the board for easier student access):Note: This list contains seven spills. Depending on class size, all spills in the list might not be used.
    Using all available materials, students should investigate the answers to the following questions (written on the board for easier student access): Each group member must have their own copy of the notes researched during class.
    Then, each group begins planning a presentation to give to the emergency management team that is handling the oil spill off the coast of Spain. Students should take on the roles of experts giving advice to the management team, and create a multimedia presentation using slides or other visual aids to outline the potential risks to the environment, marine life, and the human culture and economy in Galicia. Students may also include a proposal for techniques that could be used to clean up the spill. This work will be continued as part of the WRAP-UP/HOMEWORK.
  4. WRAP-UP/HOMEWORK: Groups compile images and narratives to continue preparation for their presentations, to be shared in a future class.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

EVALUATION / ASSESSMENT:
Students will be evaluated based on initial journal entries, participation in class and group discussions, thoughtful participation in group research, and group presentations.

VOCABULARY:
foretold, catastrophe, aft, tortuous, fore, optimists, avert, solidify, exacerbating, recriminations, implementation, maritime, tussled, pristine, compensation, exorbitant, salvage, obstructed, subsequently, negligence, chartered

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES:

  1. Make a map of the trade routes that oil tankers follow, noting the chief imports and exports of countries in the relevant regions.
  2. In the article, "Storm-Hit Oil Tanker Sinks off Spain, Threatening Catastrophe," the author refers to maritime safety rules that were agreed to after the 1999 Erika spill. Review these rules and write a letter to the member states of the European Union, advising them on how they can implement these rules effectively.
  3. In the article, "Storm-Hit Oil Tanker Sinks off Spain, Threatening Catastrophe," some scientists make the claim that the fuel will solidify on the bottom of the ocean, averting further pollution. Examine the validity of this claim. How do water depth and temperature work to mitigate the effects of an oil spill? Write a Science Q & A, in which you ask--and answer--this question.

INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS:
Civics-Create a courtroom drama or documentary depicting the civil suit that took place after the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989. Include important details about the suit, such as the jury deliberations, the punitive damages awarded, and the key figures in the events.

Fine Arts-Draw a cross section of an oil tanker. Label the cross section to show where the ship's fuel is stored and where the cargo is stored.

Health-During the Gulf War in 1991, Saddam Hussein leaked oil into the Persian Gulf. The air pollution created by these oil slicks led to acid rain, which posed health risks for the Kuwaiti people. Create a hazard alert poster, informing people about the health risks caused by oil spills.

Technology - Explore the cleaning methods that are available to deal with an oil spill. Then design a new technology or method to clean up oil spills in the future. Present your findings through an illustrated presentation in a future class.

Copyright 2002
The New York Times Company

linie

Unterricht konkret