Civics Today: Citizenship, Economics, & You

Chapter 21: Supply

Web Activity Lesson Plans

Introduction
In this chapter students learned that supply is the amount producers are willing and able to sell. There are many factors that can affect the supply of a product. In the United States the supply of oil affects many areas of American life. A rise in the price of oil can lead to inflation and recession. Oil can be found in many different regions of the United States. In some of these areas laws prevent the exploration and production of oil.

Lesson Description
In this lesson students will visit the Web site maintained by the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. There is considerable debate about drilling for oil in the refuge. Should we use this resource to reduce our dependence on foreign oil? Should we protect the environment and plant and animal species that populate it? Students will answer several questions and then prepare to debate this issue.

1. The learner will be able to describe the ecosystem of the Arctic Refuge.
2. The learner will be able to describe the possible benefits to be gained by drilling for oil in the Refuge.
3. The learner will be able to defend a position on whether or not drilling should be allowed in the Arctic Refuge.

1. At $24 per barrel, 1.9 billion barrels is believed to be recoverable. At $16 or less per barrel, no oil is believed to be recoverable. The difference results from the fact that the costs of recovering the oil could not be met at only $16 per barrel.
2. 1 million barrels of oil per day are currently being recovered from areas west of the Arctic Refuge.
3. Americans use about 19 million barrels of oil per day, which amounts to 7 billion barrels per year.
4. Animal species that live in the Arctic Refuge include porcupine caribou, polar bears, and muskox.
5. Debates will vary.