Evidence for
Plate Tectonics (6-8)
 
Earthquakes as evidence: Lesson sequence
Getting started Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 3 Lesson 4
Description Activity 1 Activity 2 Homework Assessments/Rubrics

Monitoring earthquakes as they occur

Rationale Students will discover the clustering of earthquakes and identify patterns of distribution.
Instructions Using a projector, demonstrate the Seismic Monitor website with the class in order to introduce students to the interactive map and its connection to the database. Point out the following attributes:
- Circles represent occurrence of earthquakes
- Different colors are used to indicate when the earthquake occurred. Be sure to indicate the pink dots representing all of the earthquakes that have occurred over the past five years.
- Size of circle indicates magnitude/intensity of earthquake.
- The latitude and longitude values in the lower right hand boxes change as the cursor is moved over the map.

At this point, students should have the opportunity to explore the website (http://www.teachingboxes.org/catalog.jsp?id=DLESE-000-000-000-445) and respond to the following questions.

NOTE: These questions can also be used as an assessment activity. Students will explore the connection between recent and past earthquake locations.

Student Questionnaire:

Latitudes and Longitudes

1. Move the cursor over the map until the values showing in the lower right hand boxes read: 52W and 17S. What continent are you pointing to?

2. Move the cursor so that it rests at the southernmost tip of Africa. What are the longitude and latitude values?

Earthquakes

3. Have any earthquakes occurred either today or yesterday? If yes, in which countries?

4. Find the earthquake of the greatest magnitude. Click on the circle and you will zoom in on the area. Click in the middle of the circle and you will link to the specific data associated with this earthquake. Provide the following information on the earthquake:

  • Date
  • Location
  • Magnitude
  • Depth

5. Name two areas of the world where there are a lot of high magnitude earthquakes (Hint: move the cursor to the area and find the general locality in the box below the map.)

6. Name a continent where there are relatively few earthquakes.

7. Notice the distribution patterns of the earthquakes over the past five years. What do you notice?

8. Explore the other information on this page. Summarize one of the Earthquake Headlines.

Answer key:
1. South America
2. ~25E and 33S
3. Answers will vary as this is real-time data
4. Answers will vary as this is real-time data
5. Alaska, South Pacific, West coast of South America
6. Africa or Australia
7. They mostly occur at the plate boundaries

Resources Seismic Monitor
http://www.teachingboxes.org/catalog.jsp?id=DLESE-000-000-000-445
This site plots real-time data about earthquakes worldwide and archives earthquakes from the past in order to show distribution.
Materials Copies of the Student Questionnaire
Teacher preparation Review the on-line resource to be used in this activity.
Prepare the student questionnaire.
Ideas on closing the lesson (synthesis) Review the answers to the questions above as a way to stimulate class discussion that highlights the concept of clustering of earthquakes in specific locations on the Earth’s surface.