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Warmer Oceans Affect Food Web
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ean08.sci.life.eco.foodfish/

KTOO, WGBH Educational Foundation, Teachers' Domain

In this video, students learn that the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska in 1989 was not the sole cause of the decline of species in the local ecosystem. Rather, an explanation is posited for why some animal populations were already in decline when the spill occurred. Many of these animals share a common food: the sand lance, a fish whose populations have shrunk with the steady rise in ocean temperature that began in the late 1970s.

Video length: 2:30 minutes.

Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»


Notes From Our Reviewers The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness. Read what our review team had to say about this resource below or learn more about how CLEAN reviews teaching materials
Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy | Technical Details

About the Content

  • Scientists and Alaska residents in this short video discuss how the declines in several animals in Prince William Sound may well be the result of ocean temperature rise as well as oil pollution from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill.
  • The video gives an idea about how a scientific hypothesis is developed.
  • Comment from expert scientist: Scientifically sound resource.

About the Pedagogy

  • This video has strong visuals of several animals.
  • A good background essay and discussion questions accompany the video.

Technical Details/Ease of Use

  • The streaming video quality is not suitable for classroom projection; the downloadable version is more suitable.
Entered the Collection: March 2017 Last Reviewed: May 2016

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