5e Lesson Plan

Teacher: Tiska Rodgers, Kimberley Powell, Layna Kirchner, Nicole LaRue

Unit: What’s in your water? Lesson Title: How do we clean up an oil spill?

Time: one day

State Framework(s) or Standard(s) or Benchmark(s):

Strand 5: Processes and Interactions of the Earth Systems (Geosphere, Atmosphere, and Hydrosphere)

3.  Human activity is dependent upon and affects Earth’s resources and systems

A.  Earth’s materials are limited natural resources affected by human activity

Strand 7: Scientific Inquiry

1.  Science understanding is developed through the use of science process skills, scientific knowledge, scientific investigation, reasoning, and critical thinking

A. Scientific inquiry includes the ability of students to formulate a testable question and explanation, and to select appropriate investigative methods in order to obtain evidence relevant to the explanation

B. Scientific inquiry relies upon gathering evidence from qualitative and quantitative observations

C. Scientific inquiry includes evaluation of explanations (laws/principles, theories/models) in light of evidence (data) and scientific principles (understanding)

D.  The nature of science relies upon communication of results and justification of explanations

Objective: What will your students be able to do by the end of class?
Students will be able to identify the physical characteristics of oil before and after contact with freshwater and ocean water.
Students will be able to identify the “best” way to remove oil based upon provided materials.
Students will be able to infer which if any of the sorbent materials would be practical to use to remove a large scale water spill.
Assessment: How will you know concretely that all of your students have mastered the objective? / Key Points: What three to five main ideas or steps will you emphasize in your lesson? May also include key questions to ask during instruction
Students will complete lab activity with 75% accuracy. / Physical characteristics of oil? Freshwater? Ocean?
Clean up methods?
Practicality for large water oil spills.
Engage: Get the students’ minds focused on the topic (discrepant event, picture, question, etc). You may also assess prior knowledge / Materials
KWL
Give them prepared test tubes of both ocean water and freshwater. Then give them test tubes with ocean water/oil and freshwater/oil mixture. Have the students swirl the mixtures and observe. / Set of sealed freshwater and ocean water prepared test tubes. Set of sealed freshwater and ocean water oil contaminated test tubes.
Explore: Provide students with a common experience / Materials
Lab experiment / Lab equipment and materials listed in lab worksheet
Explain: Teach the concept. Include interaction between teacher and students / Materials
Discussion between students and teacher about the current methods of oil cleanup methods. Apply to current and past oil spills. Discuss whether the current methods are effective or ineffective. Discuss effectiveness on size, location, and type of oil spill. / n/a
Elaborate: Students apply information learned in “Explain”. / Materials
Extend with different environmental conditions. / n/a
Evaluate: How will you know the students have learned the concept? / Materials
Complete their lab activity with 75 % mastery. / Lab worksheet

Citations:

Adapted from:

http://www.amsa.gov.au/Marine_Environment_Protection/Educational_resources_and_information/Teachers/Classroom_Projects/