Mrs. Andrew's Class Learns About Cleaning Oil Spills!

We read the story Saving the Sound, which discussed the Exxon Valdez oil spill and its effects on the environment.  At the time, the spill was considered the worst spill ever.  People were not prepared for the oil spill and didn't react fast enough.  The sound was destroyed along with all the plant and animal life.  The students did an experiment on how to try to clean up an oil spill. They were each given a container of water, a piece of yarn (containment boom), straws, a little dish soap and spoons. Mrs. Andrew dumped a cap full of oil in their environment and they had to use their equipment to get it out.  The students used strategies they learned from the story, like trying to trap the oil with the string (containment boom) right away.  When they added dish soap, they used the straw to make waves so it would mix in.  The students learned how hard it is to clean up an oil spill.