Geology Unit Part 3 Earthquakes

his unit bundle includes 11 lessons of about 50 minutes, and 16 page work bundle that has students fill-in critical notes, conduct exciting hands-on activities, answer questions, interpret graphs, includes games, built-in quizzes and much more. The work bundle chronologically follows the detailed slideshow for an amazing learning experience. A 20 question quiz game concludes the learning for a great review and assessment. Answer Keys and much more are provided.

This PowerPoint begins with a journal question asking students to describe an experience they have had with an earthquake. This gets kids sharing stories and experiences. Faults and Folds are then described and many animated slides that show various faults and folds in action are presented. An activity with Hershey miniatures (remove Mr. Goodbar b/c of peanuts prior) has students create miniature faults and folds. Instructions are provided as well as questions. A quiz then has students name that type of fault or fold. Answers are provided so students can self assess. The differences between Body and Surface waves are then described with visuals. Students then see a series of animated slides about P (Primary) and S (Secondary) Waves. Students are then given a series of slides and try to determine which animated slide is a P Wave and which is an S Wave. Students then learn about surface waves with animated slides followed by challenge slides. More challenge slides asking students to compare all of the types of waves are provided to reinforce the learning process. An activity is described that has students slowly bend a toothpick building up tension until it breaks. Students are asked to describe the forces associated with the breakage. An earthquake drill slide is then shown that asks the students to hide under their desks / lab tables in a safety drill. A link to great earthquake sound effects is provided. I usually walk around shaking tables). An earthquake is then defined (Red Slide = Important Notes). A seismograph is then defined with picture. A neat class activity then has the class create a mini earthquake. Students patter their hands on their desk and feet on the floor as they follow an animated slide of a pen from a seismograph. When the needle swings they grow louder in sync with the earthquake magnitude. The students will want to do it over and over again. The Richter Scale is then described. The epicenter, as well as the hypocenter / focus are then described. A series of challenge questions has the students use some important vocabulary and see a side profile of the hypocenter, fault line, and epicenter. The black boxes that cover up important text in the diagram will light up yellow. Teacher can call upon a student, they then answer and the next slide reveals if they are correct. S and P waves are explained again and how seismologists use the difference in their speed to help calculate and locate the epicenter is described (not extremely complicated here). An activity has a fast and slow walker from the class begin at the same spot and move across the room. Students at three monitoring stations (desks) record the time difference between when the P wave first arrives to the when the S wave arrives. Visuals and directions are provided in a step by step process. Students then see how three monitoring stations are needed to determine the epicenter of an earthquake in a step by step process. Students relearn this by creating a triangle on their page, create an epicenter and then work the process backwards using rulers and a compass. A link to a neat .pdf page is provided if you want to get more complicated / more advanced mathematics in determining the location of the epicenter. Liquefaction is described. The need for better buildings is described in a series of slides as well as earthquake destruction. Some earthquake proof building designs are described such as using counterweights, and swinging rubber bearings. A series of slides have the students look at buildings that don't usually do well in earthquakes as well as the importance of having a low center of gravity. A link to a great lab activity that has students create buildings to withstand an earthquake is provided and then I provide a much easier way to conduct the activity in a step by step process. Visuals on how to build, and conduct the lab are provided. The earthquake tray that I use is a board with some bungees attached to each end of the board, PVC pipes, and tables to attach to the other end of the bungees. Links for students to research earthquake proof architecture are provided. I then provide students a varieties of materials to use such as textbooks, blocks, cardboard boxes, and whatever else I can find in my classroom. The next day when the buildings shake is always fun. Students get really into this project. Some follow-up questions to the activity are provided. This is a really neat PowerPoint that involves the students throughout.

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