To gain an understanding of what happens in an oil spill and to develop a greater awareness of taking responsibility for the environment.
Cars use oil to run and after so many miles, that oil needs to be changed.
People who change their own oil may not be careful and allow some of it to spill or don't fix their cars when it leaks. Even if they change the oil correctly, they may not dispose of it properly. It should be taken to a gas station where it is picked up by a waste management company to be recycled or burned. If it isn't and instead emptied into landfills, storm drains, or backyards, it will carry toxic contaminants into ground water, streams, and lakes. Nylon String Paper towels Liquid detergent Feathers Lab Notes Give each pair of students the materials and a work sheet on which to record their observations.