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Activities and Resources

Activity

Discover What Oil Does to Bird Feathers

The position of a bird’s feathers keeps water out and warmth in. Birds regularly preen themselves to keep their feathers in the just the right place. Study this graphic and article showing how an oil spill changes those feathers. Find a bird feather and, using a microscope, study the details of the feather's veins and barbs. Drop a tiny amount of oil on the feather and see how its structure changes.

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Resources

Want to download the Teacher's Guide? Click here (PDF).

• Watch video of rescue teams cleaning an oiled bird with soapy water and a toothbrush. More videos on the rescue, cleaning, rehabilitation and release of oiled animals can be found at the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
• See photos of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and learn more about its impact on Alaska though the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council.
• Read about tarballs, the sticky globs left behind on beaches and rocks after oil’s lighter components evaporate.
• Watch an interactive cartoon on what happens during an oil spill and how the oil is cleaned up.

Prying Eyes

• Most Internet sites have privacy statements indicating how much of your information they collect and share. Read the privacy statements on your favorite Web sites and see if you can tell how private your activities and information really are. Some popular sites' privacy statements: Google, Facebook, MySpace, Yahoo.
• Here are some suggestions for keeping your information as private as possible online.