In this activity you will be watching a 3:52 minute documentary clip produced by Clearwater Media. This clip is part of a longer documentary that highlights issues relating to development of the “tar sands” in Alberta, Canada. The tar sands have been the subject of great controversy in Canada, the USA, and internationally. This controversy has arisen in part from the differing information presented by government, industry, scientists, environmental groups, and the media. To form your own conclusions about the benefits and negative impacts of the tar sands, you will be encouraged through this exercise to distinguish between facts, opinion, and emotion.
In each section of the activity you’ll be asked to think about elements of the video’s content and presentation as they relate to information literacy, as you learned about in Chapter 3.
1. Watch the video with these questions in mind: What is the viewpoint expressed in this video clip?
Do you feel that the oil sands should be developed further?
What is the key element of the video that influenced your feelings?
1. Watch the video again.
2. As you watch, note the answers to the following questions.
Where are the oil sands discussed in this video clip located?
What ecosystems are affected by it?
What is the relative scale of the oil sands development?
What contaminants are associated with the oil sands?
What health risks are associated with the oil sands?
Who is developing the oil sands?
What stakeholders are involved?
1. Watch the video again.
2. As you watch jot down brief notes on the types of images you are shown and how you would describe the tone of the video to a classmate.
Which of the words below would you use to describe the video’s tone?
Word | |
---|---|
serious | |
happy | |
unbiased | |
pessimistic | |
sad | |
biased | |
uncaring | |
optimistic | |
scientific | |
angry | |
Other: |
What kinds of images are you shown most frequently in this video clip?
Images | |
---|---|
pristine wilderness | |
industrial activity | |
pollution | |
local residents | |
experts | |
open pit mines | |
Other: |
1. Watch the video again if necessary.
2. This time concentrate on the people in the video: Who are they? What are their jobs? For each person listed below, indicate whether they are for or against oil sands development.
Use the drop-down menus to indicate whether each of these people in the video are for or against oil sands development:
Name | For or Against? |
---|---|
Allan Adam (Dene Chief, Fort Chipewyan) | |
Andrew Nikiforuk (author, Tar Sands: Dirty Oil and the Future of a Continent) | |
Ray Ladouceur (commercial fisherman, Fort Chipewyan) | |
Jack Woodward (Woodward and Company, author, Native Law) |
Tally the number of people shown for each category and record your score here:
Position | |
---|---|
For: | |
Against: |
Name two justifications for oil sands development, and indicate which people said them.
Name two justifications for stopping oil sands development, and indicate which people said them.
To assess the values and risks of oil sands development, are there any types of people you wish you’d seen interviewed? What questions might you want to ask them?
This video clip is primarily meant to:
Briefly explain your answer to the previous question.
Based on your evaluation above, would you want to watch the entire 42 minute video?
A. |
B. |
Why or why not?
Did your opinion on oil sands development change after you thought about how this video was edited and the objectivity of the people interviewed? Why are oil sands often called tar sands, and how do you think this affects public opinion?
Having viewed the video clip and focused on information literacy, now read the following article.
The Carbon Footprint of Oil Sands Oil
How large? Some say really large, for *peat's* sake
Bill Chameides, Scientific American, March 26, 2012
Why are oil sands often called tar sands?
A. |
B. |
C. |
What is a carbon footprint?
A. |
B. |
C. |
Does oil from oil sands have a larger carbon footprint than from other sources?
What scale is being used in the graph shown in this article?
A. |
B. |
C. |
D. |
Do you feel that this is the most useful way to show the information presented? Why or why not?
Answer additional questions about the following article.
"The Carbon Footprint of Oil Sands Oil" Bill Chameides, Scientific American, March 26, 2012
Define well-to-wheels life-cycle analysis.
List the elements of oil sands development that are typically included in this kind of analysis.
Well-to-wheels analyses differ greatly? Why is this?
What is peat?
A. |
B. |
C. |
D. |
What effect does oil sands development have on peat bogs?
A. |
B. |
C. |
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