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(CNN Student News) -- Set your VCR to record the CNN Presents Classroom Edition: We Were Warned: Tomorrow's Oil Crisis when it airs commercial-free on Monday, January 1, 2007, from approximately 4:10 - 5:00 a.m. ET on CNN. (A short feature begins at 4:00 a.m. and precedes the program.) Program OverviewIt is September 2009. A Category 5 hurricane roars through Houston, destroying oil refineries, drilling platforms and pipelines--the complex system that provides a quarter of our nation's daily fuel supply. Three days later, terrorists attack two key oil installations in Saudi Arabia, the world's largest supplier. In the days and weeks that follow, gasoline prices hit record highs, food prices soar as trucks cannot afford to make deliveries, and Americans begin to realize that their very way of life is in peril. In We Were Warned: Tomorrow's Oil Crisis, CNN's Frank Sesno explores the potential ripple effects of this frightening scenario. The events depicted are hypothetical, but oil experts believe the scenario is entirely plausible. His interviews with energy experts reveal that we are nearing the point at which the world, led by the U.S. and China, will begin to consume more oil than can be pumped from the ground and the oceans. Tracking the global race to find new pools of oil, Sesno also considers the viability of alternative fuels, such as ethanol, which is used as fuel for 40% of cars in Brazil. Throughout his investigation, Sesno tries to find out whether any of these ventures can solve our looming energy crisis or whether we are already too late. Grade Level: 7 -12, College Subject Areas: U.S. History, Current Events, Earth Science, Physical Science and Technology ObjectivesThe CNN Presents Classroom Edition: We Were Warned: Tomorrow's Oil Crisis and its corresponding discussion questions and activities challenge students to: Curriculum ConnectionsMcREL: Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education (Copyright 2000 McREL) is published online by Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) (http://www.mcrel.org/standards-benchmarks ), 2550 S. Parker Road, Suite 500, Aurora, CO 80014. Geography Physical Systems Standard 7: Knows the physical processes that shape patterns on Earth's surface Level III Grade : 6-8 Benchmark 2: Knows the processes that produce renewable and nonrenewable resources (e.g., fossil fuels, hydroelectric power, soil fertility) Environment and Society Standard 14: Understands how human actions modify the physical environment Level III Grade : 6-8 Benchmark 4: Understands the environmental consequences of both the unintended and intended outcomes of major technological changes in human history (e.g., the effects of automobiles using fossil fuels) The Economics America National Standards (http://www.ncee.net/ea/standards/ ) are published by the National Council on Economic Education (http://www.ncee.net/ ). Discussion Questions
Suggested ActivitiesAlternative Sources of Energy Point out to students that, during his 2006 State of the Union address, President George W. Bush proposed weaning the U.S. from its dependence on imported oil. He asked Congress to support a new plan called the Advanced Energy Initiative. With a national goal of replacing more than 75% of our oil imports from the Middle East by 2025, the initiative calls for investments in new fuels and technologies that will change how we power our homes, businesses and automobiles. Based on the information in We Were Warned: Tomorrow's Oil Crisis and from the Advanced Energy Initiative proposals, have students list the options for breaking America's dependence on foreign oil. These options might include drilling for new sources of oil in U.S. territories, mining in the oil sands of Northern Canada, developing technologies that harness wind, solar and hydrogen power, creating biofuels such as ethanol, turning agricultural residue into fuel or creating hybrid or petroleum-free automobiles. Organize students into small groups and assign one of these ventures to each group. Challenge students to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of their assigned programs, and have them consider the potential economic, social, political, or environmental challenges that these ventures would need to overcome to be successful. After groups have presented their findings, pose the following questions for class discussion: Exploring Gas Prices In the hypothetical scenario presented in We Were Warned: Tomorrow's Oil Crisis, U.S. oil refinery damage from a Category 5 hurricane and terrorist attacks on Saudi oil processing facilities force the price of gasoline to jump to $7.00 per gallon. Ask: Why might disruptions to the supply of oil impact the price we pay at the pump? Inform students that there are many factors that can affect gas prices. Refer students to the CNN Student News Extra!: Gas Prices and to other related resources to learn more about these factors. CNN's Frank Sesno suggests that the reason the U.S. doesn't have a big alternative energy market is because oil is still cheap. Have students discuss the implications of this assertion. Ask: To what extent do you think that oil prices affect U.S. demand for alternative energies? What other factors could impact U.S. demand for alternative energy sources? Do you think that an extreme rise in oil prices could lead to an extreme demand for alternative energies in the U.S.? Explain. How much would you be willing to pay to fill up your car? Challenge students to determine how much they would spend in gasoline per year to drive their favorite cars. Have students locate the fuel economy for city and highway driving of some of their favorite cars. Then, direct each student to a fuel cost calculator, and have him/her plug in the appropriate numbers (including the local average price of gas per gallon). Once they have retrieved the calculated costs of fuel for one year, have them increase the average price per gallon in $10 or $20 increments. After students have presented their findings, ask: Were you surprised at what you would pay for a year's worth of gasoline at the current price? At what price would you be unwilling or unable to fill up your car? What, if anything, would you be willing to do to avoid paying high prices at the pump? Do you agree or disagree with Sesno's assertion that the reason the U.S. doesn't have a big alternative energy market is because oil is still cheap? Explain. Keywordsoil, gasoline, refinery, al Qaeda, crude, hybrid, alternative fuels, ethanol, petroleum, energy, "Deepwater Millennium," natural gas, hydrogen power, solar power, wind power, Hurricane Katrina, "flex fuel cars," conservation SPECIAL REPORT Map: World fuel prices
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