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Students will have the opportunity to work in groups and investigate the effects of an “oil spill” in a water body. In a simulated “ocean” (a pan of water), students will drop a small amount of oil into the water and see the effects and interaction. In an introduction to the workshop, students discuss sources of pollution and oil contamination in water bodies – from point sources (tanker spills) and non-point sources (vehicle run-off). A brief discussion on preventing and cleaning up oil contamination will lead into the activity, in which the students will use a variety of materials to see what method works best for recovering the most oil from the water. Students will develop a proposal explaining which materials and procedures work best for cleaning up an oil spill. Students will also create a presentation to share their proposal.

title "Oil Spill Simulation" 2024 by STEMToolkit Administrator
under license"Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike"

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Jaime Hitz

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Scaffolded Activity Guide

Building Background Knowledge Videos

Oil Spill Simulation

Created May 23, 2024 by STEMToolkit Administrator

Remixed from "Oil Spill Simulation" by Jamie Hitz

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Subject:: Environmental Science, Life Science, Biology, Numbers and Operations
Level:: Upper Primary, Middle School
Material Type:: Activity/Lab

Standards

PA.Math.CC.2.1.4.B.2

Pennsylvania Core Standards for Mathematics

Grade 4

Learning Domain: Numbers and Operations

Standard: Use place-value understanding and properties of operations to perform multi-digit arithmetic.

Degree of Alignment: Not Rated (0 users)

PA.SCI.3.3.12.A8

Pennsylvania Standards for Science and Technology and Engineering Education

Grade 12

Science Domain: Earth and Space Sciences

Topic: Earth Structure, Processes and Cycles

Standard: Examine the status of existing theories.Evaluate experimental information for relevance and adherence to science processes.Judge that conclusions are consistent and logical with experimental conditions.Interpret results of experimental research to predict new information, propose additional investigable questions, or advance a solution.Communicate and defend a scientific argument.

Degree of Alignment: Not Rated (0 users)

PA.SCI.3.3.B.A8

Pennsylvania Standards for Science and Technology and Engineering Education

Grades 9-12

Science Domain: Earth and Space Sciences

Topic: Earth Structure, Processes and Cycles

Standard: Compare and contrast scientific theories.Know that both direct and indirect observations are used by scientists to study the natural world and universe.Identify questions and concepts that guide scientific investigations.Formulate and revise explanations and models using logic and evidence.Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and models.Explain the importance of accuracy and precision in making valid measurements.Examine the status of existing theories.Evaluate experimental information for relevance and adherence to science processes.Judge that conclusions are consistent and logical with experimental conditions.Interpret results of experimental research to predict new information, propose additional investigable questions, or advance a solution.Communicate and defend a scientific argument.

Degree of Alignment: Not Rated (0 users)

PA.SCI.3.3.PK.A7

Pennsylvania Standards for Science and Technology and Engineering Education

Grade PK

Science Domain: Earth and Space Sciences

Topic: Earth Structure, Processes and Cycles

Standard: Ask questions about objects, organisms, and events;Participate in simple investigations to answer a question or to test a prediction;Use the five senses and simple equipment to gather data.

Degree of Alignment: Not Rated (0 users)

NGSS.3.5.ETS1.1

Next Generation Science Standards

Grades 3-5

Science Domain: Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science

Topic: Engineering Design

Standard: Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.

Degree of Alignment: Not Rated (0 users)

CCSS.Math.Content.4.NBT.B.4

Common Core State Standards Math

Grade 4

Cluster: Use place value understanding and properties of operations to perform multi-digit arithmetic

Standard: Fluently add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm. (Grade 4 expectations in this domain are limited to whole numbers less than or equal to 1,000,000. A range of algorithms may be used.)

Degree of Alignment: Not Rated (0 users)