Oil+Spill+Lab

=Oil Spill Lab=

1. Students began following the story of the oil spill in the gulf of Mexico. 2. Using Google Earth we looked at the size of the oil spill compared to the size of our city as well as comparing it to the size of other cities. 3. The students looked at various websites that contained pictures of the spill. 4. Students looked at pictures of and discussed what effect the spill would have on marine life, and how this in turn would affect the income of people living in the Gulf Coast region. 5. Students were then given shallow pans, sand, and water with which they were to create a beach. 6. Vegetable oil was then poured on the water, and students noted what movements affected the spread of the oil. 7. Students were then given a variety of supplies including string, eye droppers, cotton balls, sponges, degreasing dish soap, coffe filters, etc. 8. They were to use the supplies to create ways to remove the oil from the water. 9. Students recorded what steps they took, how effective their efforts were in removing the oil, and any negative effects their efforts had on the oil spill. 10. The class discussed their results and brain stormed how these results could be applied to a large scale spill in the ocean.