TITLE OF UNIT:
Tracking Earthquakes around the World using the Internet
LENGTH OF LESSON: GRADE LEVEL: 6-8, 9-12 SUBJECT AREA: Earth Science/Geology CREDIT: Much of this lesson plan is based on a plan by Barbara Linsley, Earth science online teacher for Discovery Channel School and technology trainer/teacher for OntarioMontclair School District, Ontario, California. Folded into this lesson is part of a lesson from Cornell's Discover our Earth online interactive mapping lesson. The lessons have been combined, modified, and adapted to utilize interactive presentation and inductive concept methodologies. Constructivist Methods Used: Interactive Presentation, Inductive Concept Method EM Techniques Used: Role Playing, Personalization, Question clusters, Brainstorming, Advance Organizers, Peer Group Learning, Activity sheets Bloom's Taxonomy: Module 1: Mainly knowledge (some analysis and synthesis) Module 2: Comprehension and Application (apply concepts of Wegener's theory to reconstruct Pangea) Module 3: Analysis and synthesis Module 4: Analysis, Synthesis, and evaluation OBJECTIVES: � Work in collaborative groups and use the Internet to examine current plate tectonic theory and research Discuss the connections between plate tectonic boundaries, the locations of past and current earthquakes, and volcanoes Use the USGS (United States Geological Survey) Web site to identify and map locations of the 10 largest quakes since 1900 Use Cornell's website to plot earthquake locations of various magnitudes and depths and relate these locations to the plate boundaries and fault lines 3+ class periods (50 minutes each) � � � 1 � Track current quakes for one week using the USGS Web site's Near Real Time Earthquake List to map locations on a world map Present in a report or multimedia presentation (poster) the evidence from the week long study and describing how earthquakes occur and why earthquakes frequently occur along fault lines � MATERIALS: Computers with Internet access Two large sponges One large rubber band Materials for a written report or presentation software, such as PowerPoint or HyperStudio Copies for every student of Map #1: Plates of the Earth, available at http://wwwneic.cr.usgs.gov/neis/plate_tectonics/plates.html. Copies for every student of Map #2: World Map for Plotting Earthquakes, available at http://wwwneic.cr.usgs.gov/neis/education/maps.html . PROCEDURE: Hook: (5 min) Show a short video of footage from actual earthquakes along with laboratory video of shake table tests and computer simulations. Discuss how modern technology is used to study earthquakes. Aim: What are the connections between plate tectonic boundaries, the locations of past and current earthquakes, and volcanoes? Development: Module 1: Interactive Presentation Minitalk #1: Advance Organizer: Ask the students to brainstorm about the link between plate tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanoes. They should write down several ideas during the minitalk. Following the minitalk, a discussion session will form hypothesis. Discuss the major causes of earthquakes and famous "fault lines," such as the San Andreas Fault in California. During your lecture, review the following terms: - earthquake 2 - epicenter fault continental drift magnitude Richter scale plate tectonics plate boundary seismicity seismic seismograph Definitions can be found at the USGS's Glossary of Seismology Terms. Illustrate the concept of Earth's fault lines in the following ways: Squeeze a large sponge from either side and cause uplift in the middle. Slide two sponges past each other and note how they do not slide easily, but rather stick together in places. Use a large rubber band, draw a mark on it, and pull the ends to demonstrate stretching or thinning. Group Discussion: Using their current knowledge of earthquakes, volcanoes, and plate tectonics, form a hypothesis about the link between the three. Use the locations of earthquakes, location of volcanoes, present knowledge of plate boundaries, mountain ranges, etc., as probe topics (see discussion questions at the end of this document). Module 2: Computer based reconstruction of the continents into Pangaea Have students use an interactive Web-based applet (http://atlas.geo.cornell.edu/education/student/tectonics/continental_drift.html) to assemble the continents into a model of Pangaea, the supercontinent some scientists believe broke up beginning about 200 million years ago and drifted apart into what are now separate continents. During their activity, briefly describe the theory of plate tectonics and continental drift. (Continental drift theory, originally advanced by Alfred Wegener, postulates that Earth's continents were originally one landmass. Pieces of the landmass split off and migrated to form the continents.) Compare the Pangaea model with the current plate boundaries. Discuss with the students whether this activity has changed their hypothesis formed during minitalk #1. Module 3: Delineation of plate boundaries through earthquake mapping This module uses the inductive concept method. Students use discrete data points to formulate hypothesis and conclusions about plate tectonics and continental drift. 3 Development: Hand out copies of Map #1: Plates of the Earth, showing the boundaries of Earth's tectonic plates. http://wwwneic.cr.usgs.gov/neis/plate_tectonics/plates.html Explain to the class that it will be accessing and mapping information about global earthquake events over various time scales and theorizing about the location of these earthquakes as they relate to Earth's tectonic plates. Have the students link to the site (http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/eqlists/10maps_world.html) which shows a chart of the top ten largest earthquakes since 1900. The students should examine the chart listing the location and magnitude of each quake and mark with a dot the locations of each earthquake on their Plates of the Earth map. Students should number their dots according to the rank of the quake. (The teacher may want to use an overhead transparency of the Largest Earthquakes in the World map during discussion. Make sure all students understand how to read latitude and longitude degrees.) To show the power to technology and data based linked to mapping tools, have the students plot more earthquake data by visiting http://atlas.geo.cornell.edu/education/quest/. Here they will be able to interactively plot various data sets in order to delineate the plate boundaries. � After QUEST opens, click on the Menu button in the bottom left corner of the QUEST window. Next, click on Map Area and the map area window will appear. Now select World in the Region pull down menu and click OK to close the window. Now, click on Data Sets and the Data Sets window will appear in the middle of your QUEST window. Select EARTHQUAKES from the pull down menu and then choose SELECT EARTHQUAKE CRITERIA. Begin by selecting a time period of one month from the pull down menus without changing the depth or magnitude ranges and click OK in both the blue Earthquakes window and OK in the tan Data Sets window. Lastly, click on the GET MAP button and in a few moments your map will appear in the main map area (the Get Map text will turn red when your map has been submitted). Now, make more maps and increase the length of time one month at a time. (For each map you'll need to go to the Earthquakes button and follow the steps listed above) � � � � � For example, your first request might be: 4 Map 1 01/01/1994 - 01/31/1994, and would be followed by: Map 2 01/01/1994 - 02/28/1994 Map 3 01/01/1994 - 03/31/1994 Map 4 01/01/1994 - 04/30/1994 Map 5 01/01/1994 - 05/31/1994 To the final map, have the students plot the location of all volcanoes (under data sets menu) on top of their earthquake data. If time permits, also have the students generate maps of earthquakes of various magnitudes and depths. Using the above generated maps, have students discuss connections between what they have learned about plate tectonics and the data evidence on their maps. Questions to discuss include: Were they surprised by the location of the 10 largest earthquakes? Did the location and magnitude of the earthquakes follow the edges of the Earth's plates? Can they see any patterns in the locations of the earthquakes? Are there more quakes at convergent or divergent boundaries? What do you notice about the locations of most earthquakes and volcanoes? What do you notice about the location of most earthquakes and the location of major mountain chains? How does this information fit in with your hypothesis from part 1? How do you explain earthquakes that occur away from plate boundaries? Option: Break up the students into three groups and have each group research a different property (frequency, depth, magnitude) and how that property relates to the type of boundary. For instance, have one group vary only the depth of the quake criteria (take one year's worth of data at all magnitudes) and see if the data follows any trends with the type of boundary. Repeat for the magnitude and the frequency of the quakes. Have an activity sheet for each group with instructions and questions to answer. Have a group discussion in which they share their findings at the end of the class. Module 4: Independent study Option 1: Real-time tracking Next, tell students that they will be tracking current earthquakes for one week using the USGS's Near Real Time Earthquake List at http://wwwneic.cr.usgs.gov/neis/bulletin/bulletin.html . 5 Provide each student a copy of Map #2: World Map for Plotting Earthquakes. Explain that they will be charting earthquakes that occur for the next week, plotting the earthquakes on the map and color-coding their dots. (Use the same color-coding system used in step 7.) Each day for one week, have students visit the Near Real Time Earthquake List site and record the following information for each new earthquake. Groups may be assigned different parts of the world to map and record--such as near Japan or mainland United States, and so on. (Note: You may want to narrow the records to earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.0 or greater.) After students have collected this information each day, have them plot the earthquakes on their World Map for Plotting Earthquakes. After a week of entries, have students compare their World Map to Map #1: Plates of the Earth. Do they see any patterns? In what areas did most of the earthquakes occur? Next, have each group visit Web sites about earthquakes to find out how earthquakes occur and the possibilities for earthquake predictions along fault lines. Their data should support the theory that most earthquakes follow fault lines or Earth tectonic plate boundaries. Here are some Web sites with good earthquake information: USGS Earthquakes Earthquake Shake Restless Planet: Earthquakes Understanding Earthquakes USGS: Plate Tectonics Cornell's Discover our Earth Have students present an oral report or a multimedia presentation on their one-week earthquake-tracking findings, along with information about how earthquakes occur and why they may occur along fault lines. If presentation programs, such as PowerPoint or HyperStudio, are used, the data maps may be scanned into the slides. The frequency or magnitude, or both, of a particular area's earthquakes may be charted using a spreadsheet program and inserted into a presentation slide. The data can be used to support or refute current plate tectonic theory and earthquake predictions. Option 2: New Madrid Fault Explaination: This option uses several EM techniques to spur the students learning process. First, it uses "Personalizing" by bringing the earthquake issue close to home (Midwest) with local issues and experiences. Second, it uses "Role Playing" as it asks the students to prepare reports from the perspective of an Seismologist hired by the town of Carbondale, IL. Hook: (5 min) Show a short video of "Good Morning America" footage from the Mid 6 America Earthquake Center (MAE) and their shake table tests. Next, tell students that they will be researching the New Madrid Fault in the central United States. The fault lies along the Mississippi valley just south of the southern tip of Illinois (see http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/new_madrid/new_madrid.html ). Have the students take a week to prepare a short 1 page report (not including figures) on the New Madrid Fault. The students should pretend they are seismologists and have been contracted by the Carbondale, IL Chamber of Commerce to prepare the document for new home owners in the area. Carbondale is located in southern Illinois and is approximately 100 miles from the town of New Madrid, Missouri. The document should briefly introduce the New Madrid fault and its geologic significance (fault type, activity, etc.). In addition, the report should give the author's expert opinion whether the homeowners should buy earthquake insurance. Whatever the opinion, it must be supported by valid resources and information. The students are encouraged to include figures and they must list their references. Relevant sites include: http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/new_madrid/new_madrid.html (lots of information and links) http://www.eas.slu.edu/Earthquake_Center/EQInfo/Flyers/CUS/NMstructure.html http://www.dnr.state.mo.us/geology/geosrv/gdam/techbulletin1.htm Just Google "New Madrid Fault" and explore! ADAPTATIONS: Focus on students' current knowledge and experiences with earthquakes through the use of a "KWL" chart (What I Know; What I Want to Know; What I Have Learned). Encourage students to work in pairs as they enact the concept of a "fault" and assemble the plates of the Earth and continents into a model of Pangaea. As students access information about the Largest Earthquakes in the World, emphasize the concepts of latitude, longitude, and the Richter magnitude scale. A papier-m�ch� model of the Earth can be created in addition to a paper map. Discuss student predictions and compare earthquake patterns. A final project can focus on safety preparedness and procedures during an earthquake. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. Based on your research, do you think that the theory of plate tectonics can help predict where earthquakes are going to occur? What is the value of being able to make such 7 predictions? 2. According to the theory of continental drift, about 200 million years ago, all the continents used to be part of one supercontinent. Over time, the supercontinent broke up and drifted apart--the separate pieces becoming the continents we know today. According to this theory, what might the Earth look like in about one million years? One hundred million years? 3. Do you think there is any relationship between where earthquakes occur and where volcanoes erupt? Using your earthquake data, can you predict where volcanoes will occur? 4. Imagine that you are a geologist called in to work on an international earthquake preparedness plan. What factors would you have to consider? What areas of the world would be targeted? What are the benefits of developing such a plan? 5. Given the tremendous growth in technology, do you think there is a tool other than a seismograph that could be developed to measure the strength of an earthquake? Try your hand at designing such a device. How would it work? What would it measure? Is it more effective than a seismograph? 6. Are you surprised at the number of earthquakes that occur on a regular basis? What do you think that the number of earthquakes tells us about the planet Earth? EVALUATION: Use this evaluation rubric, based on a three-point scale, to assess the group's work in three areas: content, presentation format (written report or multimedia project), and oral presentation. In addition to completing a rubric as the teacher, you could ask the collaborative group and the audience (class) to complete one for the group as well. Total all three scores for a composite score. THREE POINTS A. Content: - Evidence of data and research information. - Depth in coverage of topic. - Explanations and reasons given for conclusions. B. Presentation format (written report or multimedia project): 8 - Written report shows evidence of correct grammar and spelling; a variety of sentence structures; paragraphs with main ideas and supporting details. Opening paragraph captures reader's interest; supporting paragraph(s) offer research and data information; closing paragraph summarizes conclusions. Original data is listed in chart or graph form, or both. Research data and references are documented. - Multimedia presentation (PowerPoint, HyperStudio) shows evidence of clear organization; visual appeal through the use of large fonts (32 point or higher), graphics/pictures, and limited information on each slide; consistent use of noun or verb phrases for bulleted information; transitions between slides and text-body animation. Data is illustrated through graphs or charts, or both. Research data and references are documented. C. Oral presentation: - Evidence of collaboration between group members. - Presentation well planned and coherent. Research information integrated with relevant personal experiences or real-world examples, or both. - Communication aids clear and useful. TWO POINTS Content includes data and research information, but not in depth. Data charts or graphs, or both, are included. Explanations and reasons for conclusions are limited or confusing. Presentation format demonstrates some organization but without compelling support for main ideas. Some research data and references are documented. Oral presentation shows evidence of group collaboration. ONE POINT Content includes very limited data and research information. Conclusions may not be relevant or present. Presentation format demonstrates a lack of organization and coherent support of ideas. Data is not presented in chart or graph form. Oral presentation shows little evidence of group members' collaboration and contributions. EXTENSION: Students can learn more about California's earth-shaking past and future by viewing the Assignment Discovery program Fault Line: San Francisco. Using the USGS site index, have students research "Earthquake History: California." They can also learn more about the scientists who have made unique contributions to seismology. A good starting point is "Men and Women of Seismology" on the USGS site. 9 Have students compare a variety of magnitude scales, including the Richter scale, used to measure the force of an earthquake. Ask them to create a three-dimensional model illustrating plate tectonics theory, continental drift, or fault lines, or a combination thereof. ACADEMIC STANDARDS: Grade Level: 9-12 Subject Area: Earth and Space Science Standard: Understands basic Earth processes. Benchmarks: Understands the concept of plate tectonics (e.g., the outward transfer of the Earth's internal heat and the action of gravitational forces on regions of different density drive convection circulation in the mantle; these convection currents propel the Earth's crustal plates, which move very slowly, pressing against one another in some places and pulling apart in other places). Grade Level: 9-12 Subject Area: Earth and Space Science Standard: Understands basic Earth processes. Benchmarks: Knows effects of the movement of crustal plates (e.g., earthquakes occur along boundaries between colliding plates, sea floor spreading occurs where plates are moving apart; mountain building occurs where plates are moving together; volcanic eruptions release pressure created by molten rock beneath the Earth's surface). Grade Level: 6-8 Subject Area: Earth and Space Science Standard: Understands basic Earth processes. 10 Benchmarks: Knows that the Earth's crust is divided into plates that move at extremely slow rates in response to movements in the mantle. 11