Oil Spill Curricula

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Grades K-4

Alaska Oil Spill Curriculum
Written in 1990 after the Exxon Valdez oil spill and updated in 2007, this curriculum provides materials for grades K-3, 4-6 and 7-12, as well as a list of several articles, books and other educational resources. The materials were developed by the Prince William Sound Science Center, the Prince William Sound Regional Citizen's Advisory Council and the Prince William Sound Community College. Lesson plans can be adapted to meet standards in math, science, social studies, language arts, economics, technology, engineering, consumer science, art, music and geography.

Bird Baths: Cleaning Up Wildlife After Oil Spills
In this lesson plan from National Geographic, students explore the causes and effects of oil spills, determine and investigate an environmental problem that affects their community and develop an "action plan" to minimize the risk to one form of wildlife. The lesson plan is appropriate for grades 3-5 and correlates to National Geography Standards.

Exploring Effects of Oil Spills on Birds
In this lesson plan from the Minnesota Science Teachers Education Project, students observe bird feathers and water and observe the effects of oil on these materials. The lesson plan incorporates the book "Oil Spill" by Melvin Berger, and emphasizes vocabulary. The activity is appropriate for grades K-2, and ties to Minnesota science standards.

Oil Spill Solutions
This lesson plan from the American Society for Engineering Education focuses on how engineers use various techniques to provide speedy solutions to oil spills. Students work in teams to analyze an oil spill, then design, build and test a system made from everyday materials to contain and remove the oil from the water. The lesson is appropriate for grades 3-12 and adheres to National Science Education Standards as well as Standards for Technological Literacy.  

Grades 5-8

Alaska Oil Spill Curriculum
Written in 1990 after the Exxon Valdez oil spill and updated in 2007, this curriculum provides materials for grades K-3, 4-6 and 7-12, as well as a list of several articles, books and other educational resources. The materials were developed by the Prince William Sound Science Center, the Prince William Sound Regional Citizen's Advisory Council and the Prince William Sound Community College. Lesson plans can be adapted to meet standards in math, science, social studies, language arts, economics, technology, engineering, consumer science, art, music and geography.

Bird Baths: Cleaning Up Wildlife After Oil Spills
In this lesson plan from National Geographic, students explore the causes and effects of oil spills, determine and investigate an environmental problem that affects their community and develop an "action plan" to minimize the risk to one form of wildlife. The lesson plan is appropriate for grades 3-5 and correlates to National Geography Standards.

The Drill on the Spill: Learning About the Gulf Oil Leak in the Lab
In this lesson plan from the New York Times Learning Network, students create experiments to learn more about the effects of oil spills and apply their findings to coastal communities in the gulf region. They also explore the economic impacts of the oil spill as well as the technological progress involved in stopping the leak. The lesson is appropriate for students in grades 6-12 and meets McREL standards in Engineering Education, Geography, Health, Science, Technology and World History. 

Emergency Management: Middle School Experiment
This experiment from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is designed to help middle school students understand the challenges involved in oil spill clean-ups. Using common, household items, students simulate an oil spill then try to clean it using a variety of materials. Students explore how oil-coated feathers might affect the behavior of birds. The experiment can be adapted to meet educational standards in science, particularly biology and chemistry.

Experiment to Clean Up an Oil Spill
This experiment, created by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, is designed to give students an idea of what it might be like to clean up an oil spill and why the task is so difficult. Using environmentally-friendly household materials, the experiment guides students through the steps of creating an oil spill and then trying to clean it. A series of observational questions are posed. The experiment is appropriate for middle and high school students and can be adapted to meet educational standards in science, particularly chemistry.

Goo-Be-Gone: Cleaning Up Oil Spills
Goo-Be-Gone is a science fair project idea from Science Buddies that tests the absorptivity of different materials to determine which are the best for cleaning up oil spills. The project is most appropriate for middle and high school students and can be adapted to meet educational standards in science and math.

Gulf of Maine Aquarium Oil Spill Activities
This set of activities from the Gulf of Maine Aquarium helps students conceptualize the effects of an oil spill on local wildlife, the enormity of the amount of oil used every day and the size of an oil tanker. The activities are most appropriate for middle school students and can be adapted to meet educational standards in science, math and social studies.

How Would an Oil Spill Affect a Marine Sanctuary?
This lesson plan is an investigation in which students consider the criteria used to assess damage to natural resources and mitigation measures when a large scale environmental threat, such as an oil spill, occurs. The lesson plan is appropriate grades 7-12 and aligns with National Geography and Science Education Standards.  

Liquid Density and Oil Spills
In this activity from National Geographic, students demonstrate and observe the densities of water, corn syrup, glycerin and vegetable oil. Students then use their knowledge of density to examine various clean-up methods used during oil spills. The lesson plan is appropriate for grades 6-8 and is tied to National Geography Standards.

No Water Off a Duck's Back
In this Project Wild activity from the Council for Environmental Education, students identify ways that oil spills can adversely affect birds and explore the negative impacts pollutants can have on wildlife, people and the environment. The lesson is appropriate for grades 5-8 and aligns with national science and mathematics standards.

Oil Spill Solutions
This lesson plan from the American Society for Engineering Education focuses on how engineers use various techniques to provide speedy solutions to oil spills. Students work in teams to analyze an oil spill, then design, build and test a system made from everyday materials to contain and remove the oil from the water. The lesson is appropriate for grades 3-12 and adheres to National Science Education Standards as well as Standards for Technological Literacy. 

Oily Problems!
In this student-led activity from Flying WILD, participants learn why birds' feathers must stay clean and well-conditioned and discover how oil in the water can harm birds. The activity is appropriate for middle school students and aligns with national science standards.  

Pollution Solution
This lesson plan from the Smithsonian Institution introduces students to the effects of oil on the oceans, whether introduced by a disastrous spill, oil-bearing rock layers on the ocean floor, industrial waste or run-off. Students then simulate an oil spill and calculate the costs of various clean-up methods. A student fact sheet is also provided. The lesson plan is most appropriate for middle and high school students and can be adapted to meet state or national standards in biology, chemistry and social studies.

Prince William's Oily Mess: A Tale of Recovery
Prince William's Oily Mess: A Tale of Recovery, developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, provides middle and high school lesson plans and ideas for classroom activities, printable materials and other online materials on the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska's Prince William Sound. The materials are most appropriate for middle and high school students and are aligned with National Science Education Standards. 

Jump To: Grades K-4 | Grades 5-8

Grades 9-12

Featured Lesson Plan: To Drill or Not to Drill? An Examination of the Reliance and Risk

Developed by Earth Day Network for for EE Week 2011, this lesson seeks to impart scientific and historical knowledge surrounding the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in addition to other past spills. Students will examine how much oil was spilled into the Gulf and perform an assessment activity involving specific details about the reliance and risk of oil extraction from the ocean. Students will have an opportunity to further explore the multifaceted debate surrounding oil drilling and will be evaluated on their ability to develop and demonstrate informed opinions on the various economic and environmental challenges related to oceanic oil drilling. The lesson plan is designed for use in high school science and social studies classrooms.

Alaska Oil Spill Curriculum
Written in 1990 after the Exxon Valdez oil spill and updated in 2007, this curriculum provides materials for grades K-3, 4-6 and 7-12, as well as a list of several articles, books and other educational resources. The materials were developed by the Prince William Sound Science Center, the Prince William Sound Regional Citizen's Advisory Council and the Prince William Sound Community College. Lesson plans can be adapted to meet standards in math, science, social studies, language arts, economics, technology, engineering, consumer science, art, music and geography.

Experiment to Clean Up an Oil Spill
This experiment, created by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, is designed to give students an idea of what it might be like to clean up an oil spill and why the task is so difficult. Using environmentally-friendly household materials, the experiment guides students through the steps of creating an oil spill and then trying to clean it. A series of observational questions are posed. The experiment is appropriate for middle and high school students and can be adapted to meet educational standards in science, particularly chemistry.

Goo-Be-Gone: Cleaning Up Oil Spills
Goo-Be-Gone is a science fair project idea from Science Buddies that tests the absorptivity of different materials to determine which are the best for cleaning up oil spills. The project is most appropriate for middle and high school students and can be adapted to meet educational standards in science and math.

How Would an Oil Spill Affect a Marine Sanctuary?
This lesson plan is an investigation in which students consider the criteria used to assess damage to natural resources and mitigation measures when a large scale environmental threat, such as an oil spill, occurs. The lesson plan is appropriate grades 7-12 and aligns with National Geography and Science Education Standards.

Oil Spill Solutions
This lesson plan from the American Society for Engineering Education focuses on how engineers use various techniques to provide speedy solutions to oil spills. Students work in teams to analyze an oil spill, then design, build and test a system made from everyday materials to contain and remove the oil from the water. The lesson is appropriate for grades 3-12 and adheres to National Science Education Standards as well as Standards for Technological Literacy. 

Pollution Solution
This lesson plan from the Smithsonian Institution introduces students to the effects of oil on the oceans, whether introduced by a disastrous spill, oil-bearing rock layers on the ocean floor, industrial waste or run-off. Students then simulate an oil spill and calculate the costs of various clean-up methods. A student fact sheet is also provided. The lesson plan is most appropriate for middle and high school students and can be adapted to meet state or national standards in biology, chemistry and social studies.

Prince William's Oily Mess: A Tale of Recovery
Prince William's Oily Mess: A Tale of Recovery, developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, provides middle and high school lesson plans and ideas for classroom activities, printable materials and other online materials on the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska's Prince William Sound. The materials are most appropriate for middle and high school students and are aligned with National Science Education Standards.