BP Oil Spill Crisis: There Is Good Reason to Cry Over Spilled Oil

BP Oil Spill Crisis: There is Good Reason to Cry Over Spilled Oil BP OIL SPILL CRISIS: THERE IS GOOD REASON TO CRY OVER SPILLED OIL

GRADE LEVEL: GRADE 10

SUBJECT AREA: MATHEMATICS

MAIN CURRICULAR OBJECTIVES:

10.I.R.6. Determine the characteristics of the graphs of linear relations, including the

 Intercepts  Slope  Domain  Range

SOCIAL JUSTICE OBJECTIVE

Students will investigate the extent of damage from the BP oil spill and reflect on the impacts to humans. Students will also discuss corporations’ responsibility to “support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges.” (Global Compact Principle 7, http://www.unglobalcompact.org/AboutTheGC/TheTenPrinciples/principle7.html)

MATERIALS:  Worksheet – “The Gulf of Mexico”  Youtube Video: BP Oil Spill: BP Oil Spill Fishermans’s Wife Breaks the Silence. Found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnzIg-pBKpg  Youtube Video: Sorry Aint Enough: Found at http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=ZCTn9tqU-mE  News article entitled: “Massive Oil Spill Hits US Coast.” Found at : http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/04/29/louisiana-oil-rig-spill.html

ASSESSMENT

 Worksheet – The Gulf of Mexico

ACTIVIATING 1. Have Students watch the YouTube videos entitled: BP Oil Spill: Fisherman’s Wife Breaks the Silence . This video is located at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnzIg-pBKpg 2. Briefly discuss video with class 3. Watch other Youtube video rap song entitled: Sorry Ain’t Enough No More. This video is located at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCTn9tqU-mE 4. Have students get together in small groups. Each group will receive 1 copy of the CBC

Grade 10 MATHEMATICS 1 BP Oil Spill Crisis: There is Good Reason to Cry Over Spilled Oil

News article entitled Massive Oil Spill Hits US Coast. This article can be found at http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/04/29/louisiana-oil-rig-spill.html

Explain that the rate used in the article was later discovered to be much less than the actual rate of oil spilling into the gulf. Later studies estimated that 63,000 barrels/day were being released at the time of the explosion. This number decreased to 53,000 barrels/day just before it was capped on July 15th. This information is found at: http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/US- Scientific-Teams-Refine-Estimates-of-Oil-Flow-from-BP-Well-Prior-to-Capping.cfm

5. Discuss what was read in the article. Use guiding questions: a. When did the oil spill begin? b. What is the rate of oil spillage per day? c. How far below the water's surface was the oil well located? d. How has this oil spill affected the animals and people?

ACQUIRING

1. Introduce and read through “The Gulf Of Mexico” worksheet.

APPLYING 1. In pairs, students will work together on “The Gulf of Mexico” worksheet. Each student must fill out his or her own worksheet for hand-in; however, students can work together to find the answers. 2. Students will answer reflection questions.

ACTION:  Donate to the Seabird Sanctuary: http://www.seabirdsanctuary.com/  Donate your own human and/or pet hair: http://www.matteroftrust.org/programs/hairmatsinfo.html  Donate to the National Audubon Society: http://www.audubon.org/  MoreForKids.info (2010). Empowering Your Kids: Ways to Help with the BP Oil Spill. Retrieved on June 20, 2010, from, http://www.more4kids.info/2478/empowing-kids- helping- with-the-bp-oil-spill/

NAME:______DATE:______

THE GULF OF MEXICO

1.) ax = b

Rate = 62,000 barrels/day

a.) From the date of the deep sea explosion that caused the oil spill on April 20th 2010, find the total amount of barrels that escaped into the Gulf after one month until May 20th.

b.) Until June 20th

2.) ax + b = c

By July 15th the Oil Spill was capped. The rate in the last month also was decreased down to 53,000 barrels/day. Find the total amount of oil spilling into the gulf from April 20 to July 15th

3.) Graph your findings using one point from each month for a total of 3 points on the graph. List the domain and range for the information presented in the graph.

4.) Determine the slope of the line.

BP OIL SPILL REFLECTION QUESTIONS

 What are three things you have learned about oil spills from this lesson?  What was the most shocking thing you learned about the BP oil spill?  What problems could occur from using chemicals to break up the oil spilled into the Gulf?  If you could write a letter to oil companies about oil drilling, what would your letter talk about?  What are some alternative fuel sources that could be used instead of oil?

Grade 10 MATHEMATICS 5