“The Keystone Pipeline is a 3,461 km TransCanada pipeline between Canada and the United States. From the Athabasca oil sands region, in the northeast of the Canadian province of Alberta, it serves several destinations in the United States, including refineries in southern Illinois (Wood River and Patoka) and Cushing, Oklahoma. "
Source: Wikipedia
“The six years of heated debate over the construction of the Canadian Keystone XL pipeline could mark an important milestone in the coming days. Two votes will be held in the United States, one in the Senate, the other in the House of Representatives. Supporters of the project took advantage of the Republican victory in the midterm elections to demand that a vote be held as soon as possible in Congress. ”
Source: Radio-Canada
The following activities will give you a better understanding of the Keystone XL project.
Goals
At the end of the activities, the student will be able to:
- Identify keywords and concepts from an article to enable it to search the web afterwards;
- Know the different segments of the Keystone XL project;
- Explain why the subject of the Keystone XL project is back in the news;
- Understand the American political issues related to the Keystone XL project;
- Identify the impacts of a pipeline project for different regions in Canada and the United States.
Suggested Activities
ACTIVITY 1: The Keystone XL pipeline
First, ask students if they can explain what an oil pipeline is. What types of product can be transported by pipelines?
Now, as a whole class check out this Wikipedia article which explains what the Keystone XL pipeline is.
As a whole class, highlight key words in the text that will help you find more information on the topic elsewhere on the web. Answer the following questions to help you: Who? What? Or? When?
If you have an interactive whiteboard in the classroom, use the feature to annotate a web page.
Click on the image to enlarge.
In addition, carefully observe the following map in order to fully understand the Keystone XL project and the development of its various segments.
Click on the image to enlarge.
Source: Meclee (Wikipedia)
Finally, invite students to search the web for additional information using the terms targeted in the Wikipedia article. Ask students to find out why the subject of the Keystone Pipeline is being brought up in the media these days.
ACTIVITY 2: The future of Keystone XL in American hands
For several years, the construction of the Keystone pipeline has given rise to much debate.
Invite students to read the following article in order to understand the actions that will take place over the next few days.
A vote expected soon on the Keystone XL pipeline
Radio-Canada, November 13, 2014
Ask students the following questions to check their understanding of the article:
- Why was it expected that the project would return to the table as soon as the elected Republicans were sworn in in January?
- Who called for a quick vote on the issue?
- Who is Mary Landrieu?
- What is the name of the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs?
- What sentence explains that the Democratic senator agrees with the construction of the pipeline?
- What can the American president use to stop the construction of the pipeline?
ACTIVITY 3: The impacts of the construction of an oil pipeline
Invite students to think about the impacts of building an oil pipeline. In the following diagram, ask them to indicate for each location, two advantages and two disadvantages of building an oil pipeline.
Click on the image to enlarge.
Download the source file in Inspiration (.isf) format
Download the file in PDF format (.pdf)
Finally, are there any similarities between the two pipeline construction projects, Keystone XL and Energy East?
More about the magazine
Keystone XL: White House hints at veto
Radio-Canada, November 13, 2014
The future of the Keystone XL pipeline
Radio-Canada, November 13, 2014
Energy East pipeline
TransCanada website