Learning Resource Type

Classroom Resource

Birds, Feathers, and Oil

Subject Area

Science

Grade(s)

3

Overview

In this lesson, students are introduced to the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Through a hands-on simulation, students explore how birds are affected by oil and how wildlife rescuers help oiled birds.

    Science (2015) Grade(s): 3

    SC15.3.12

    Evaluate engineered solutions to a problem created by environmental changes and any resulting impacts on the types and density of plant and animal populations living in the environment (e.g., replanting of sea oats in coastal areas due to destruction by hurricanes, creating property development restrictions in vacation areas to reduce displacement and loss of native animal populations).*

    Unpacked Content

    UP:SC15.3.12

    Vocabulary

    • Problems/solutions
    • Effects
    • Claim
    • Merit
    • Engineered solutions
    • Environmental changes
    • Density of plant and animal populations
    • Environmental impacts
    • Habitats
    • Organisms
    • Transform
    • Create
    • Ask
    • Imagine
    • Improve
    • Plan
    • Engineering design process

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • Engineers design solutions to solve problems created by environmental changes.
    • Changes in the environment may affect the physical characteristic, temperature, or availability of resources in a place.
    • Changes in the environment affect some organisms' ability to survive and reproduce, cause others to move to new locations, yet others to move into the transformed environment, and cause some to die.
    • Populations live in a variety of habitats, and change in those habitats affect the plants and animals living there.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • Identify problem created by environmental changes.
    • Make a claim about an engineered solution to a problem created by environmental changes.
    • Identify the effects of solutions to a problem created by environmental changes that impact the plants and animals living in the environment.
    • Communicate evidence to support the claim about an engineered solution to a problem created by environmental changes.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • That plants and animals within an environment make up a system, and changes to one part of the system impacts other parts.
    • Engineers design solutions to problems created by environmental changes that sometimes impact the plant and animal populations found there.

    Scientific and Engineering Practices

    Engaging in Argument from Evidence

    Crosscutting Concepts

    Cause and Effect; Systems and System Models
    Link to Resource

    CR Resource Type

    Lesson/Unit Plan

    Resource Provider

    National Geographic
    Accessibility

    Accessibility

    Text Resources: Content is organized under headings and subheadings
    License

    License Type

    Custom
    ALSDE LOGO