Introduction
I am concerned about harmful chemicals being released to the world, whether it happens through carelessness or maliciousness, or whether it is unpredictable or unavoidable. My students are only ten or eleven years old and I am concerned that anger and blame will cloud reason and action. Through this unit, I am going to teach my fifth graders to examine situations of ominous consequence, rationally and sensitively so they can be citizens of positive action, not passive observers.
We will consider a collection of case studies including the Exxon Valdez disaster, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the W.R. Grace and Beatrice Foods case from Woburn, Massachusetts, and the plutonium contamination in the South Fork of Acid Canyon in Los Alamos, New Mexico. In addition to these occurrences, the students will critically consider the current situation in the Galisteo Basin. This is where community activists are hindering Tecton Energy in its efforts to start drilling for oil in Santa Fe County. While studying these cases, the students will learn about the physical states of matter in the context of energy production (fossil fuels and plutonium). They will also scrutinize some shorter cases in small groups as they learn to develop rational points of view and cogent arguments in support of their positions.
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