Class Marketplace

Process transactions and monitor team budgets.

Teacher Setup

Customize the simulation mechanics and generate printed materials.

Simulation Mechanics

Student Groups

Marketplace Catalog

Item Name
Cost ($)

Classroom Printables

Generate ready-to-print resources formatted automatically for standard 8.5x11" paper based on your current settings.

Teacher Facilitation Guide

Step-by-step instructions for preparing, executing, and debriefing the simulation.

1. Physical Pre-Lab Setup

  • The Bays: Set up one shallow aluminum pan or large glass bowl per group. Fill halfway with tap water.
  • The Wildlife: Float 3 small craft feathers in each bay.
  • The "Crude Oil": In a beaker, mix 1 cup of vegetable oil with 3-4 tablespoons of cocoa powder. Stir vigorously until it turns dark brown and sludgy.
  • The Spill Event: Right before you start the dashboard timer, walk to each group's bay and pour 2-3 tablespoons of your "crude oil" directly into the center of the water.

2. Running the Dashboard

  • The Accountant Rule: To maintain order, only the designated "Accountant" from each team is allowed to approach your desk to purchase materials.
  • Processing Purchases: Click the corresponding item under the group's name on the Live Dashboard. It immediately deducts the cost and logs the transaction.
  • Mistakes / Refunds: If you accidentally click the wrong item, click the small "Undo" arrow next to the transaction in the group's ledger.
  • Wildlife Fines: If a team's feather completely sinks or becomes entirely saturated with oil, announce the fine loudly and click the red Wildlife Fine button on their dashboard.

3. Debrief & Answer Key (Student Handout)

Q1: Which material provided the best return on investment, and why?

Target Concept: Cost-Benefit Analysis. Students usually find that paper towels offer the best surface-area-to-cost ratio. Skimming with spoons is effective but slow. Cotton balls saturate too quickly and leave micro-fibers (secondary pollution).

Q2: How did the dish soap alter the properties of the oil/water?

Target Concept: Chemical Dispersants. The soap acts as a surfactant, breaking the large oil slick into tiny droplets (micelles). It is no longer a slick, but it is now suspended in the water column. Takeaway: Dispersants don't remove oil; they just relocate it and add new chemicals.

Q3: Why might completely restoring an ecosystem be physically/economically impossible?

Target Concept: The Law of Diminishing Returns. Getting the first 80% of the oil is relatively easy and cheap. Extracting the last 20% requires exponentially more time, money, and resources. Furthermore, the mechanical process of deep cleaning (scrubbing, heavy machinery) can sometimes cause more damage to a fragile habitat than the oil itself.