oilspill

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Oil Spill

On a separate sheet of paper, answer the questions in red.

TIME REQUIRED: 20 minutes

MATERIALS REQUIRED: Bucket, vegetable oil, water, spoon, sponge, cotton balls, baster feather, bathtub toys.

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Student will learn about how oil spills in the ocean can be cleaned up. For older students, explain ahead of time what an oil spill is.

INTRODUCTION: What's all the fuss about when you hear of an oil spill in the ocean? Can't they just wipe it up and be done with it? This experiment shows just how tricky that can be, and why it's so important to clean up thoroughly when it happens. Do you think you can clean up an oil spill?

Step 1: You'll need a few things to create your ocean and oil spill. A bucket, some vegetable oil, a spoon, a sponge, some cotton balls, a baster, and anything else that you'd like to try using. You may get your own ideas later on. Also, find a feather, and some floating toys. A duck and a boat would be good choices.

Step 2. Now you're ready. Fill the bucket with water, and pour in some vegetable oil. Watch as it forms a big colorful slick across the surface of the water. Notice that it dose not mix with the water. It stays on top.

Step 3: Add your toys to the ocean bucket, to make it seem more real. You can pretend that your toy boat made the oil spill.

Step 4. Dip the feather into the oil slick and pull it out again. What happened to it? What would a bird caught in an oil slick look like? What would it feel like? How do you think the bird feels?

Step 5: Okay, now's your chance to be a hero! Save the birds and sea animals by removing the oil from the water. Try using all of the different tools you've collected. It's not easy is it? It always seems to get away from you! But you're a hero today, so I know you can do it! Which method works best?

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