The Oil Spill Cleanup Challenge lesson plan and activity are designed to get students thinking about oil in the ocean, especially the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster and the challenge of oil spill response. The activity is appropriate for a wide range of ages and uses a water-filled tray to represent the Gulf of Mexico and a set of easy-to-find materials that students can use to “respond” to the spill.
Note: Several versions of this activity are available online. The activity presented by the Ecosystem Impacts of Oil and Gas Inputs to the Gulf (ECOGIG) consortium is adapted from a version developed by Cynthia Cudaback and was implemented by ECOGIG outreach staff during 2016-2018 summer camps and classroom visits.
Click here to download a free PDF of the Oil Spill Cleanup Challenge Activity Guide!