This week's Newsela article looks at the Exxon Valdez (oil tanker) which ran aground in Prince William Sound, Alaska 25 years ago. The ecosystem still has not recovered.
http://www.history.com/topics/us-states/alaska/videos/history-exxon-valdez-oil-spill Add TODAL(s) to your map. Study for the test. |
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Read more! To complete your third paragraph, you will need to inquire, investigate and discover more about the Exxon Valdez oil spill. See some suggestions below.
- 32,000 plaintiffs, (residents and fishermen) brought a suit against Exxon in 1994. Exxon was found guilty of gross negligence. Has the case been settled? How much was the award?
- Other than the killer whales and herring mentioned in the article, what other marine animals were effected by the oil spill? How many of each species were killed? How successful have restoration efforts been? What problems remain unsolved?
- When global oil prices soared a few years ago, there was a new push to drill for oil in the far northern arctic region known as the North Slope. Nearby is ANWR (the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge) which is a protected site, yet oil companies are pushing our government to allow drilling. Oil spills in this region would create some special challenges and problems. What are they?
- What are the estimates for oil reserves in Alaska? (How much oil is left in Alaska?) How long would this oil supply last?
- Until recently, the Exxon Valdez oil spill was the worst man-made disaster in American history. Research other man made disasters to make a comparison. A visual chart would be an interesting addition to your writing.
- Why is drilling both safer and riskier since Exxon Valdez? (read or listen to an NPR article)
- Find out more facts about Alaska or Mt. McKinley (What is the history of Alaska? How and when was it acquired by the United States?, Who was Mt. McKinley named after? What is the meaning of the word Denali?