The Big Spill: The best resources on BP’s Gulf oil disaster
RSSDeepwater Horizon Response
bit.ly/dpAySt
A good first stop for exploring the topic, this “official” news clearinghouse offers current information on the Gulf oil spill. Here, teens and adults can view live video, sign up for text message alerts, and more. Created by: The Deepwater Horizon Unified Command. Don’t miss: The frequently updated maps and graphs found in the “News/Info” section, and the water quality information within “Health and Safety.” Detour: The National Museum of Natural History’s “Ocean Portal–Gulf Oil Spill”
(bit.ly/bp2zfy).
Educational Resources—Gulf of Mexico
bit.ly/dq269c
Here you’ll find middle and high school resources on how offshore oil platforms function and their impact on the environment. Of special interest, the teacher guides “Islands of Life,” “Gulf of Mexico Offshore Oases,” and “Chemosynthetic Communities in the Gulf of Mexico.” Created by: U.S. Minerals Management Service. Detour: For the answers to some great questions by kids, visit “Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico” (bit.ly/bVTWTX).
Energy Kids—Oil (Petroleum)
bit.ly/dgBXK3
Elementary students who’ve been hearing news about the spill are naturally curious about what oil is, how it forms, and why and how we drill for it. Parents and teachers will find age-appropriate answers to their questions here. Created by: U.S. Dept. of Energy. Don’t Miss: The section “Offshore Drilling” provides an excellent explanation of our coastal 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone.
EPA Response to BP Spill in the
Gulf of Mexico
www.epa.gov/bpspill
Get the latest results on air and water testing on this site of the Environmental Protection Agency. Don’t miss: For the latest information, follow EPA on Twitter (twitter.com/usepagov). Detour: For simple answers to questions posed by young kids, visit “Ranger Rick—The Big Oil Spill” at bit.ly/aB4T0H. For a visualization of the oil spill as compared to the size of your town, visit paulrademacher.com/oilspill.
Office of Response & Restoration
bit.ly/c09ppV
This superb resource covers the emergency response to an oil spill, with plenty of information specific to the Deepwater Horizon disaster, including photos and video (the “Visuals” section). Created by: The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Projects of note for middle and high school students include “Dispersants—A Guided Tour,” “Cleaning Oiled Feathers,” and “Coral Reefs and Oil Spills.”
Gail Junion-Metz (gail@iage.com) is the author of seven books for librarians.
