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Oil Spill Solutions

Middle, Secondary

Description

Oil Spill Solutions is a STEM resource in which students learn about the work of engineers and the engineering design process with a focus on oil spills and their impact on the environment.

The primary activity will have the students working in groups of 2-3 as they are charged with designing and building an oil containment and clean up system. A student worksheet is included with reflection questions. Extension activities are provided in the 'Dig Deeper' section.

General Assessment

What skills does this resource explicitly teach?

The focus of this resource is on building STEM competencies and experiences.

Strengths

  • Highly engaging STEM resource
  • Teaches students about "Productive Failure"
  • All materials are provided or readily available
  • Easy to follow lesson plan

Weaknesses

  • Lack of assessment materials
  • Lack of suggestions/accommodations for students who may have difficulties with the materials

Recommendation of how and where to use it

Oil Spill Solutions is an excellent STEM resource for the middle school Science classroom. It addresses curriculum outcomes linked to habitats and human impact on the environment. 

Relevant Curriculum Units

The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.

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  • Alberta
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    • Grade 7
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      • Science
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        • Interactions and Ecosystems
    • Grade 8
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      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Freshwater and Saltwater Systems
    • Grade 9
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      • Environmental Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Environment and Outdoor Education: Environmental Investigations
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Environmental Chemistry
  • Manitoba
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    • Grade 7
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      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Interactions Within Ecosystems
        • Life Systems
    • Grade 8
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      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Water Systems on Earth
  • New Brunswick
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    • Grade 6
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      • Technological Education
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        • Technology: Exploration/Design & Experimentation/Application: Design Thinking Skills
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      • Science
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        • Science 7 Earth Surface Processes: Learning and Living Sustainably
      • Technological Education
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        • Exploration/Design & Experimentation/Application: Design Thinking Skills
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        • Interaction of Ecosystems
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      • Science
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        • Water Systems on Earth's Surface
  • Northwest Territories
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    • Grade 7
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      • Science
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        • Interactions and Ecosystems
        • Science 7: Earth and its climate have changed over geological time
    • Grade 8
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      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Freshwater and Saltwater Systems
  • Nova Scotia
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    • Grade 7
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      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Science 7: Environmental Action
  • Nunavut
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      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Interactions and Ecosystems
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      • Science
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        • Freshwater and Saltwater Systems
        • Interactions in Our Environment
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      • Science
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        • Chemistry and the Environment
  • Ontario
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    • Grade 7
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      • Science & Technology
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Life Systems: Interactions in the Environment
        • STEM Skills and Connections
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      • Science & Technology
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        • Earth and Space Systems: Water Systems
        • STEM Skills and Connections
    • Grade 9
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      • Science
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        • :Biology: Sustainable Ecosystems
        • STEM Skills, Careers, and Connections
  • Prince Edward Island
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    • Grade 7
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      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Interactions Within Ecosystems
    • Grade 8
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      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Water Systems on Earth
    • Grade 9
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      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Science 9: Procedural Knowledge
  • Quebec
  • Saskatchewan
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    • Grade 7
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      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Science 7: Earth and Space Science: Earth’s Crust and Resources
        • Science 7: Life Science: Interactions within Ecosystems
    • Grade 8
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Science 8: Water Systems on Earth

Themes Addressed

Human Health & Environment (1)

  • Environmental Contaminants & Health Hazards

Waste Management (1)

  • Liquid Waste

Water (2)

  • Marine Environments
  • Watershed Protection

Sustainability Education Principles

Principle Rating Explanation
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives Very Good

The resource allows the students to take the lead in creating and testing their ideas. There are no biases present, and the students are encouraged to engage, test and reconsider their ideas if they do not work.

Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
  • Satisfactory: absence of bias towards any one point of view
  • Good: students consider different points of view regarding issues, problems discussed
  • Very good: based on the consideration of different views, students form opinions and  take an informed position
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions Satisfactory

The students are not directed in any particular direction; they are encouraged to see the issue of oil spill cleanup and containment as engineers would see the issue and are taught how engineers would approach the problem and solve it.

Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions:

Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.

  • Satisfactory: resource supports the examination of  these dimensions
  • Good:  resource explicitly examines the interplay of these dimensions
  • Very Good:  a systems-thinking approach is encouraged to examine these three dimensions
Respects Complexity Satisfactory

The issue of oil spills is explained with the sharing of background information.  The simulation in which the students contain and clean up the oil also allows the students to gain a good understanding of the issue and the challenges involved.

Respects Complexity:

The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected.

Acting on Learning Good

The focus of this resource is on how to solve problems and to try a variety of ideas and create observable change in one's community.

Acting on Learning:

Learning moves from understanding  issues  to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community,  or for the planet

  • Satisfactory: action opportunities are included as extensions 
  • Good: action opportunities are core components of the resource
  • Very Good: action opportunities for students are well supported and intended to result in observable, positive change
Values Education Very Good

As the resource has a focus of developing STEM skills, the students are given the time and space to explore their own ideas, test them and modify if needed.

Values Education:

Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values.

Empathy & Respect for Humans Poor/Not considered

This is not the focus of this resource.

Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.).
Personal Affinity with Earth Good

Certainly the subject matter and the idea of an oil spill threatening an ecosystem and the lives of its inhabitants will create concern for the natural world.

Personal Affinity with Earth:

Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.  

  • Satisfactory: connection is made to the natural world
  • Good: fosters appreciation/concern for the natural world
  • Very Good: fosters stewardship though practical and respectful experiences out-of-doors 
Locally-Focused Learning Good

Care and consideration for the local environment is developed through the sharing of the impacts of an oil spill on the environment at the beginning of the lesson.

Locally-Focused Learning:

Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community. 

  • Satisfactory: learning is made relevant to the lives of the learners
  • Good: learning is made relevant and has a local focus
  • Very Good: learning is made relevant, local and takes place ‘outside’ , in the community 
Past, Present & Future Good

The resource develops a sense of making a difference for the present and future.  The past is not addressed.

Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future.

Pedagogical Approaches

Principle Rating Explanation
Open-Ended Instruction Very Good

This resource is structured so that the students are encouraged to try different ideas and approaches to solving the problem of oil spill containment and cleanup.

Open-Ended Instruction :

Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer.

Integrated Learning Satisfactory

This resource would primarily be used in the Science classroom.  

Integrated Learning:

Learning brings together content and skills  from more than one  subject area

  • Satisfactory: content from a number of different  subject areas is readily identifiable
  • Good:  resource is appropriate for use in more than one subject area
  • Very Good:  the lines between subjects are blurred 
Inquiry Learning Good

Students are provided with the materials, but they are allowed to trade for others optional materials to solve the oil containment and cleanup problem with their own ideas.

Inquiry Learning:

Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.   

  • Satisfactory: Students are provided with questions/problems to solve and some direction on how to arrive at solutions.
  • Good: students, assisted by the teacher clarify the question(s) to ask and the process to follow to arrive at solutions.  Sometimes referred to as Guided Inquiry
  • Very Good:  students generate the questions and assume much of the responsibility for how to solve them.  . Sometimes referred to as self-directed learning.

 

Differentiated Instruction Good

The activity in the lesson addresses a wide variety of learning styles and allows students the time and space to explore their own ideas. There are however no strategies provided for learners who may experience difficulties with the material.

Differentiated Instruction:

Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.

  • Satisfactory:  includes a variety of instructional approaches
  • Good: addresses  the needs of visual, auditory &  kinesthetic learners
  • Very Good: also includes strategies for learners with difficulties
Experiential Learning Good

This resource  presents a real-world, authentic problem that the students need to solve.

Experiential Learning:

Authentic learning experiences are provided

  • Satisfactory: learning takes place through ‘hands-on’ experience or simulation
  • Good: learning involves direct experience in a ‘real world context’
  • Very good: learning involves ‘real world experiences’ taking place’ beyond the school walls.
Cooperative Learning Satisfactory
Cooperative Learning:

Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.

  • Satisfactory:  students work in groups
  • Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught and practiced
  • Very Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed
Assessment & Evaluation Poor/Not considered

Unfortunately, there are no assessment tools provided.  The teacher could choose to create their own or collect the provided worksheet to use in assessing student learning.

Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc.
Peer Teaching Satisfactory
Peer Teaching:

Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.

  • Satisfactory: incidental teaching that arises from cooperative learning, presentations, etc.
  • Good or Very Good: an opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students/community members. The audience is somehow reliant on the students' teaching (students are not simply ‘presenting')
Case Studies Good

In the Dig Deeper and Background Information sections there is information regarding examples of clean up methods. These are not actual case studies for students but do provide real world examples of what does work.

Case Studies:

Relevant case studies are included.  Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore  concepts in an authentic context.

Locus of Control Very Good

The students make all of the decisions in the activities in this resource from what materials to use to how to build, create and bring their ideas to life.

Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue.

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