Name: Shirley Farrell

Title:  Education Specialist for Gifted Education

          Alabama State Department of Education 

Grade: K-12 

Subject: N/A

Location: Montgomery, AL

PBL Experience:  Explorer

Ways to make the oil spill relevant to students- no matter where you live:

1. Children love animals. There is so much information about the birds, turtles, dolphins, and whales that would "hook" and engage students. Also, did you know there are manatees that migrate through the Gulf from Florida to Alabama? There are some great posters and curricula from the Mineral Management Service (now called the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE). This link lists all the education materials available. http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/lagniapp/Ocean-Science-into-Classroom.pdf

2. Back to birds. Everyone can set out bird feeders. Children can observe local birds but then propose the questions about migration. Many birds east of the Rockies will migrate through the Gulf coast region. What will happen to them? What obstacles will these birds face as they migrate south- and then what may happen when they migrate North again?

3. Did you know 73% of the shrimp sold in the US comes from the Gulf of Mexico? Discussions on favorite foods/ favorite seafood, etc. could lead to where will be obtain our shrimp now.

 4. Many Alabama children have been upset because summers are spent on the beach. Vacation plans have been altered or families went to their usual vacation spots hoping for the best. Discussions about favorite places and what if something happened to them could lead students to think about the beaches along the coast. Spring Break in the east brings images of going to the gulf coast area, too.

Concept-based with project based unit on Gulf Oil Spill

Conceptual Lens: Systems

Essential understandings:

1. Systems can influence and change other systems.