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Science Discussion based sentence frames

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Science Discussion based sentence frames

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Science Talks Sentence Starters to help students when communicating their ideas during discussions.

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I thought this was a good resource because it provides the sentence starters in both English and Spanish which can help students to find the right phrases to participate effectively in discussions.

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Narrative:
I think one of the major ways to include science talks and discussion in the lesson is to frame the topic in terms of a question. In this case, my topic centers around earthquakes, more specifically about earthquakes in the area we live in. Also, with so many earthquakes occurring in California there is always a danger of disastrous event occurring in our area.

To start off the class, I want students to be able to make a personal connection with the topic of earthquakes and bring in any background knowledge they have. Giving them an earthquake event scenario, the students can first write or draw about it and then share their ideas about what happens in an earthquake with the class. This can lead to questions about where earthquakes happen, why they happen, what are the effects and dangers of earthquakes, etc. This conversation can provide a hook for students to get more interested in the topic as they make connections to it. To begin exploring the relationship between humans and earthquakes, I would introduce a couple of short video clips about 2 major earthquakes that caused a lot of damage in California, 1989 Loma Prieta & 1994 Northridge earthquakes. Watching the video, I can have students discuss what effects/hazards resulted from the earthquakes and how those affected the people that experienced the earthquake. I would compile a list of hazards so students can keep track of the effects of an earthquake.  I would also have students fill out the first two sections of a KWL chart: What do you know about earthquakes? What do you want to know about earthquakes? I think this will help students group their ideas and questions into a couple of main categories: Where/Why/how do earthquakes happen? How can we be prepared for an earthquake? This will help me focus the students on the questions of Where (California, plate boundary) & Why (plate tectonics, faulting) earthquakes happen.

To help facilitate discussion about why California is a hotspot for earthquakes and not other places in the US, I will have students look at two maps (US Seismic Hazard Map & US fault map). They can work in groups or pairs to answer the question: What is the relationship between seismic hazard zones and fault zones. I can ask students to what they notice about high-risk hazard zone and fault zones? Do you notice a pattern between different areas that have fault zones? What do you think about other areas with fault zones? Will they also have high risk of earthquakes occurring? I can ask the students for their reasoning, probing them to point out the details that can support their ideas and give examples.

After making a connection between earthquake hazard zones being tied to fault zones, I would bring in one more map (tectonic plates world map) for students to examine. Once again, the question to bring up is, why is California an earthquake hazard zone? We know it has so many faults. Why is that? Students can look at where the plates are located and discuss what the arrows mean in terms of movement. Questions that the teacher can ask would be how are faults and fault zones related to plate boundaries? Groups or partners can discuss their line of causes and effects or reasoning, giving students a chance to connect a much larger concept all the way to a local event. From global plate movements to an earthquake that shakes your house. In this activity the teacher can press for deeper reasoning asking for evidence and more detailed explanations.

In the final part of the lesson, students can reflect on the connections they made between plate tectonics and earthquakes that happen in California. But I think it is important for them to make connections to why this information would be important to them. How does this affect their lives and what might be the next step in putting this information into use?

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Jamboard activity to promote discussion centered around relating personal experiences to the larger concept of Plate Tectonics and how it fits together.

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The big & small picture - Google Jamboard

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The version of the browser you are using is no longer supported. Please upgrade to a supported browser. Dismiss

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I think this resource could be used to start a conversation about how movements of the earth (jello) have an effect on the structures that are built on it.

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Quick Look

Grade Level: 3 (3-5)

Time Required: 45 minutes

Expendable Cost/Group: US $1.00

Group Size: 1

Activity Dependency: None

Subject Areas: Earth and Space

NGSS Performance Expectations:

Students make sense of the design challenges engineers face that arise from earthquake phenomena. Students work as engineering teams to explore concepts of how engineers design and construct buildings to withstand earthquake damage by applying elements of the engineering design process by building their own model structures using toothpicks and marshmallows. The groups design, build, and test their model buildings and then determine how earthquake-proof their designs are by testing them on an earthquake simulator pan of Jell-O®.
This engineering curriculum aligns to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Learning Objectives

After this activity, students should be able to:

Identify some of the factors that make buildings earthquake-proof, including cross bracing, large "footprints," and tapered geometry.

Model an earthquake-proof structure using simple materials.

Compare a model structure with what it represents.

Understand why engineers need to learn about earthquakes.

Learn what causes earthquakes and how engineers use this knowledge to design more 'earthquake-proof' structures.

Educational Standards
Suggest an alignment not listed above

Materials List

Each student needs:

For the entire class to share:

8 square baking dishes, 21.5 cm x 21.5 cm (8 ½ inch x 8 ½ inch) or 1 oblong baking dish, 21.5 cm x 28 cm (8 ½ in x 11 inch)

8 boxes Jell-O, prepared according to package directions

Worksheets and Attachments
Visit [www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_natdis_lesson03_activity1] to print or download.

Introduction/Motivation

Show students parts of the following video of the ground moving during an earthquake (see minute 5:45): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMXuFm1opJM.

Tell students to draw a T-Chart in their notebooks. Label the first column "What I Notice" and the second column "What I Wonder". Have students write down what they notice (observations) and wonder (questions) about the ground motion.

Ask students to share their observations and the questions they have.

Now show students the following video of various skyscrapers moving during an earthquake: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGtRko8y4Fo.

Have students use their T-Charts to write down what they notice and wonder about the skyscrapers' motion. Ask students to make sense of the motion and if they can detect a pattern. Ask students, "Is the reason the ground moves (seen in the first video) the same reason that is making the buildings move in this video? What is causing this motion?" Allow students to share their ideas and compile a list of ideas and common themes.

Upside down damaged house among debris following a 9.0 magnitude earthquake in Ofunato, Japan.

Earthquakes are a natural hazard that results in the very sudden and forceful shaking of the Earth's crust. Earthquakes happen frequently at the convergence of tectonic plates. When these plates hit or slide past each other, they release built up stress. The surface where the tectonic plates slip is called a fault. The point where an earthquake occurs is called the focus of the earthquake, which can be close to or far below the Earth's surface.

The location on the Earth's surface that is directly above the focus is called the epicenter of the earthquake. The epicenter is where most damage occurs. The release of force at the earthquake's focus creates vibrations that travel in seismic waves away from the epicenter. Earthquakes can crack walls and move foundations and may cause entire buildings to crumble. Large earthquakes can even cause loss of life and millions of dollars' worth of damage. (Note: USGS's "Earthquakes for Kids" offers additional information)

To keep people inside and outside of building safe in areas of high earthquake risk, civil engineers strive to design buildings that are more resilient to the damaging forces of earthquakes.

Ask students, "How do you think engineers design earthquake-proof buildings?"

Ask a few students to share their ideas, and then briefly introduce the engineering design process.

Explain that engineers ask critical questions about what they want to create or what specific problem they are trying to solve. These questions include: What are the project requirements (criteria)? What are the limitations (constraints)? This also requires conducting research on the problem. For example, civil engineers work together with scientists, as well as engineers from different backgrounds, to better understand the problem of how to design earthquake-proof buildings.

The engineering team then imagines possible solutions to the problem. This takes a lot of creative brainstorming! After making a list of solutions and some sketches of their ideas, the team of engineers plan and select their best idea.

Once the team decides on the details of the final design, they create the prototype and test it out! Prototypes are smaller models that are used by engineers to test a design. In the testing phase, the team pays attention to what needs to be changed to the model to make the product work better. The last step of the engineering design process is to improve (iterate) their design.

The basic steps of the engineering design process.

Tell students, "To better how our buildings must be designed to withstand the strong vibrations that occur because of earthquakes, you will become engineers and use the engineering design process to imagine possible solutions/designs, plan, create your prototype, and test it by simulating an earthquake in your classroom/home!"

Procedure

Before the Activity

Prepare the Jell-O the night before the activity so that it is fully set when students begin the activity. Pour the Jell-O into eight 21.5 cm (8½-inch) square pans to be shared by four students, or in one large pan for the entire class to share.

Gather materials.

With the Students

1. Explain to students that they will play the role of civil engineers and take on an engineering design challenge. Their challenge is to design and build models of earthquake-proof buildings, and then test their models to assess how well their structures stand up to ground motion during a simulated earthquake.

2. Explain that engineers creatively work within constraints, such as limited resources, materials, time, or money. For this engineering design challenge, students are limited to using only mini marshmallows and toothpicks to build their model structures. In addition to the material constraints, students must also meet each of the following design constraints:

Buildings must be at least 2 toothpick levels high

Buildings must contain at least 1 triangle

Buildings must contain at least 1 square

1. Before starting to build their models, have students brainstorm and draw sketches of their building designs in their notebooks. For background knowledge, explain that cubes and triangles are like building blocks that may be stacked in different ways to make towers, and that buildings can have small or large "footprints" (bases). Have students draw and label the shapes in their designs (cube, triangle, etc.).

2. Once students have drawn and labelled their sketches, distribute 30 toothpicks and 30 marshmallows to each student or team, and have them build their first model prototype.

3. Before testing their models, show students the pan of Jell-O (without a structure on top) and tell them this represents the ground. Shake the pan back and forth in a shearing motion to simulate an earthquake. For fair testing, place two marks on the table indicating the distance the pans can be shaken with an even force and speed over a set a time for the duration of the "earthquake".

4. Next, have students test their structures one at a time on the Jell-O pan earthquake simulator. Shake the pan for the set time, force and distance.

5. After the earthquake is over, have students make a quick sketch of their model building before removing it from the pan of Jell-O.

6. As a class, have students compare and contrast their before-and-after sketches. Ask students to share and reflect on what worked and what did not work for their first model prototypes. Explain that engineers learn from "failure" and that this is essential information that helps them to design even better products and solutions. Ask students:

Did their model structure stay the same, break, or fall?

What ideas do students have to make their structure stronger?

Which variable(s) would students change in their building design?

Now that students have gone through their first design, build, and test cycle, show students the following photographs of different earthquake-proof buildings: https://www.frontiersin.org/files/Articles/272020/fbuil-03-00049-HTML/image_m/fbuil-03-00049-g005.jpg

Ask students:

What do you notice about the design of the structures?

What similarities do you see in building designs?

What features do you think help make the buildings earthquake-proof?

Have students share their observations. Help students notice that the structures have a large base (smaller at the top) and a cross-bracing design.

Follow-up with asking students:

What do you think the term "cross-bracing" means?

How do you think a cross-bracing design helps buildings withstand earthquake damage?

After students share their responses, tell students, "Earthquake-proof buildings typically have cross-bracing which are made by two diagonals supports placed in an X manner that forms triangles, which are the strongest geometric shape. This design geometry is often seen in bracing on bridges, and it helps keep the building steady by providing lateral stability. Cross-bracing supports and balances tension and compression forces to help prevent the structure from collapsing during an earthquake."

1. Now, based on the results of their first prototype and applying the above structural design tips, have students iterate (improve) on their original structure by redesigning and rebuilding a second prototype that is even more earthquake-proof. If needed, resupply students with replacement materials. For students that had a successful initial design, challenge them to add a third level to their model.

2. Once students have designed and built their second building prototype, repeat steps 6 and 7.

3. Have a class discussion on the results of their second prototypes. Which design elements were most effective at withstanding the earthquake forces and which parts failed. Reinforce that failing and learning from failure are keys to success in engineering, and that failure is not "bad" or "wrong" but valuable information. Ask students if they had more time and materials how would they improve their next model.

4. Have students reflect about the science phenomena they explored and the science and engineering skills they used today by completing the Making Sense Assessment.

Figure 1. A student's marshmallow-toothpick structure resting on a bed of Jell-O®.

Assessment

Pre-Activity Assessment

Discussion: Discuss with students how natural processes create earthquake hazards. Teachers can also use the Earthquakes Rock! lesson to demonstrate how earthquakes cause waves of movement in the ground.

T-Charts: Have students make T-charts as described in the Introduction/Motivation section.
Activity Embedded Assessment
Measurement: Have students measure the length, width, and height of their structures and calculate the volume using the equation V = L x W x H.

Before/After: Have students list types of changes they expect to see in their structures before they test them, then illustrate changes in their structures, after they complete the simulations. Ask students to identify one variable and discuss what happened when they changed the variable. They could reflect on these changes and their causes in a post-activity science journal entry.

As another option, show students before and after pictures of earthquake damage, comparing buildings which remained standing with the least damage to those which did not survive. Students could discuss possible reasons for the damage, observing structure (height, etc.) of the buildings.
Post-Activity Assessment
Drawing the Geometry: Have students make drawings and label the shapes in their designs (cube, pyramid, triangle, etc.).

Making Sense: Have students reflect about the science phenomena they explored and/or the science and engineering skills they used by completing the Making Sense Assessment.

Safety Issues

Inform students that in an experimental testing lab or during science experiments, nothing should ever be put into their mouths. The marshmallows and Jell-O ® are not for consumption. Instead, set some aside for a treat after the activity.

Troubleshooting Tips

The activity works best with fresh (soft) marshmallows. As the marshmallows sit out and dry out, they and the structures become stable and rigid.

Do not leave the Jell-O ® uncovered too long, as it dries out and becomes less fluid, which affects the activity results.

Activity Extensions

Have students make observations about buildings in the community or a nearby city. Ask students to observe the design of the buildings and whether they appear to be earthquake-proof.

Research how to obtain fault maps of the area. The U.S. Geological Survey ( https://www.usgs.gov) or the Federal Emergency Management Agency ( https://www.fema.gov) are good places to search. Is the area in a zone at risk for earthquakes? Do local building codes and architecture plan for this?

Activity Scaling

For higher grades, give students more requirements and constraints for their model buildings.

References

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/4kids/

Copyright © 2004 by Regents of the University of Colorado

Contributors Jessica Todd; Melissa Straten; Malinda Schaefer Zarske; Janet Yowell

Supporting Program Integrated Teaching and Learning Program, College of Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder

Acknowledgements

The contents of this digital library curriculum were developed under grants from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education, and National Science Foundation (GK-12 grant no 0338326). However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Education or National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Last modified: September 24, 2021

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Testing Model Structures: Jell-O Earthquake in the Classroom - Activity

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Students make sense of the design challenges engineers face that arise from earthquake phenomena. Students work as engineering teams to explore concepts of how engineers design and construct buildings to withstand earthquake damage by applying elements of the engineering design process by building their own model structures using toothpicks and marshmallows.

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Students can explore the record of earthquakes to look for patterns or trends.

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USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, responsible for monitoring, reporting, and researching earthquakes and earthquake hazards

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This interactive map allows you to pinpoint your community area and see the specific hazards that might impact you. This includes mostly liquifaction in the LA basin area. This could lead to the discussion about why shaking is worse in some area and not others.

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What Natural Hazards Impact Your Neighborhood?

Use this website to discover the hazards that exist in your area and learn how to reduce YOUR risk! Remember, the best way to recover from disasters is by reducing the risks before a disaster strikes.

Please note: This web site is for general purpose use only. Real estate disclosure information can be obtained from your local city or county government. See our disclaimer below for more information regarding the limitations of this web service..

The Purpose of MyHazards web site

We all understand that disasters will continue to occur throughout California. Hazard mitigation saves lives, preserves property, and protects the environment during times of disaster. MyHazards facilitates the identification of hazards by individuals, businesses, and local government.

Earthquake Risk

Earthquakes can occur everywhere in California which means all Californians live with an earthquake risk. In addition to the shaking caused by earthquakes, other things can occur such as landslides, surface fault ruptures and liquefaction--all of which may cause injury or property damage. Take note of where you live, read the information provided here, and contact your local city our county government for further details on how to be prepared where you live.

Earthquake Preparedness

More information and ideas on how to secure the contents of your home can be found at

Recommended actions for Earthquake Fault zones

If the property is not developed, a fault study may be required before the parcel can be subdivided or structures permitted. If a property is developed, you will not need a geologic study unless you plan to extensively add onto or remodel an existing structure.

Recommended actions for Liquefaction Seismic Hazard zones

Recommended actions for Earthquake-Induced Landslide zones

*About the Seismic Hazard Zonation Maps:

These maps prepared by the California Geological Survey are State-mandated regulatory maps that show "Zones of Required Investigation" for surface fault rupture, liquefaction and landslide hazard. They do not depict different degrees of hazard, rather they identify zones within which site specific studies will be required for new construction. These maps also are used in real estate transactions - when a property falls within a "Zone of Required Investigation," sellers of that property must disclose that fact to prospective buyers.

NOTE: Some areas of the State scheduled for Seismic Hazard Zonation for liquefaction and earthquake-induced landslides are yet to be evaluated. If you are informed that you are not in a Seismic Hazard Zone, please check whether the Official Seismic Hazard Zone Map covering your area has been released.

Also, map scale limitations on this website do not always allow accurate determination of whether a property falls inside or outside a Zone of Required Investigation. This degree of uncertainty is addressed herein by use of the term "in or near" a zone. To determine property location relative to a zone boundary, please visit your local planning agency to view appropriate Official Seismic Hazard, Earthquake Fault Zone maps, and parcel maps.

Fire Risk

California wildfires typically burn hundreds of thousands of acres each year. California law requires CAL FIRE (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection), to identify areas based on the severity of fire hazard that is expected to prevail there. These areas, or "zones," are based on factors such as fuel (material that can burn), slope and the expected chance of burning. There are three zones, based on increasing fire hazard... Moderate (M), High (H) and Very High (VH)

For more information, click the links below.

Wildfire Hazard Preparedness

For those living with wildfire hazards start protecting your property by creating 100 feet of "defensible space" around your structures. This includes removing all flammable vegetation and debris within 30 feet immediately surrounding your home, and, creating a "reduced fuel zone" that extends 70 feet beyond that.

Next, you can use "ignition resistant" materials in your construction, and make sure you have well marked access to your property and an emergency water supply.

For many more tips on keeping your property fire safe see the Fire Safety web page from Cal Fire by clicking the link below.

Flood Risk

Floods are one of the most common hazards in the United States. Flood effects can be local, impacting a neighborhood or community, or very large, affecting entire river basins and multiple states.

However, all floods are not alike. Some floods develop slowly, sometimes over a period of days. But flash floods can develop quickly, sometimes in just a few minutes and without any visible signs of rain. Flash floods often have a dangerous wall of roaring water that carries rocks, mud, and other debris and can sweep away most things in its path. Overland flooding occurs outside a defined river or stream, such as when a levee is breached, but still can be destructive. Flooding can also occur when a dam breaks, producing effects similar to flash floods.

Be aware of flood hazards no matter where you live, but especially if you live in a low-lying area, near water or downstream from a dam. Even very small streams, gullies, creeks, culverts, dry streambeds, or low-lying ground that appear harmless in dry weather can flood. Every state is at risk from this hazard.

NOTE: FEMA is currently updating the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) inventory through its Map Modernization Program. The updated maps will be added to this site as they are available, however, the digital information for many California counties has not been completed.

Please be sure to check on-line at the FEMA Map Service Center website to view the most current FIRMs and use the search function for a "Public Flood Map."

Flood Preparedness

Before a flood there are several steps you will want to take, including:

Get an emergency supply kit

Make a plan if your family is separated during a flood

Be informed on flood watches and warnings by listening to the radio or watching television

For more information on the above topics:

Before a flood there are several steps you will want to take, including:

Get flood insurance--you can benifit from it even if you do not live in a high flood risk area.

Avoid building in a floodprone area unless you elevate and reinforce your home.

Elevate the furnace, water heater, and electric panel if susceptible to flooding.

Install "check valves" in sewer traps to prevent floodwater from backing up into the drains of your home.

Contact community officials to find out if they are planning to construct barriers (levees, beams, floodwalls) to stop floodwater from entering the homes in your area.

Seal the walls in your basement with waterproofing compounds to avoid seepage.

For more information on these items, see the Ready America and FEMA websites. In addition, the California Dept. of Water Resources has a web page with extensive links about flood management in California.

Tsunami Risk

A tsunami is a sea wave generated by an earthquake, landslide, volcanic eruption, or even by a large meteor hitting the ocean. (The Japanese word tsu means harbor; nami means wave.)

Things You Should Know:

Although tsunamis in California are a rare, the entire California coastline is vulnerable to these events.

A tsunami is a series of waves or surges most commonly caused by an earthquake beneath the sea floor.

An unusual lowering of ocean water, exposing the sea floor, is a warning of a tsunami or other large wave. This "draw back" means the water will surge back strongly.

Beaches, lagoons, bays, estuaries, tidal flats, and river mouths are the most dangerous places to be. It is rare for a tsunami to penetrate more than a mile inland.

Tsunami waves are unlike normal coastal waves. Tsunamis are more like a river in flood or a sloping mountain of water and filled with debris.

Tsunamis cannot be surfed. They have no face for a surfboard to dig into and are usually filled with debris.

Large tsunamis may reach heights of twenty to fifty feet along the coast and even higher in a few locales.

The first tsunami surge is not the highest and the largest surge may occur hours after the first wave.

It is not possible to predict how many surges or how much time will elapse between waves for a particular tsunami.

Additional Information

Here are links to other sources of information about Tsunamis:

All Risks

Please enter a California address and press search

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Use this website to discover the hazards that exist in your area and learn how to reduce YOUR risk! Remember, the best way to recover from disasters is by reducing the risks before a disaster strikes. Please note: This web site is for general purpose use only.

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This resource gives some great maps that students can explore to ask and answer questions like, what directions are the plates moving? How is that related to earthquakes? Where do the earthquakes happen?

This gives a big picture relationship of how the crust of the earth is moving and that affects us at a local level when sections of the edge of that crust move it causes faults to rupture and earthquakes to occur in our area.

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Novice Spanish

Many people associate earthquakes with destruction caused by falling buildings or by the creation of a tsunami. While earthquakes may be associated with destruction in the time frame of human activity, in the evolution of the Earth they signal the geological forces that build our mountains and create our oceans. In many ways, earthquakes are one of nature's reminders that we are living on the thin outer crust of a planet whose interior is still cooling. Earth's rigid outer surface is broken into what geologists call plates. In general, earthquakes occur when plates move under, over, or slide past each other. The plates are moving in millimeters per year--about as fast as your fingernails grow.

Earth's rigid outer surface is broken into what geologists call plates

The locations of earthquakes provide evidence for the boundaries of these plates

In general, earthquakes occur when plates move under, over, or slide past each other

Requesting Fact Sheets:
To request hardcopies of E&O materials, please send an email to EandOproduct@iris.edu with the following information:

1. Names of item(s) you are requesting along with respective quantities. Please list posters and one-pagers on separate lines.

2. Full mailing address, including phone number, where the materials should be sent.

3. Indicate what purpose the materials will be serving.

4. Date materials are needed by (if applicable).

PLEASE NOTE: Time-sensitive requests must be sent at least three weeks beforethe date they are needed. When e-mailing a time-sensitive request, please write "Time-Sensitive Request" in the subject line.

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Why do Earthquakes Happen?- Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology

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Many people associate earthquakes with destruction caused by falling buildings or by the creation of a tsunami. While earthquakes may be associated with destruction in the time frame of human activity, in the evolution of the Earth they signal the geological forces that build our mountains and create our oceans.

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This resource includes many lessons, videos, animations and graphics about geology, plate boundaries, faults and seismic waves and anything related to the science of earthquakes. This also includes text and video information in English and Spanish

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Faults, Plate Boundaries, & Stress-How are they related?

8min 43s Novice Spanish

Learn how 3 basic types of stress affect both faults and plate boundaries.

[updated 2021]

Earth-science educators, do you ever get asked, "What is stress? Why do faults form in Earth's crust? or How are faults related to tectonic plate boundaries?"

This animation describes stress in Earth's outer layer and how it leads to faults and plate boundaries.

Earth's thin, brittle outer shell of rock is under a constant state of stress. Stress impacts the formation of small local faults, and broader tectonic plate boundaries.

How the rock responds, depends on the type of stress and the conditions the rock is being subjected to when it encounters stress. It is this change in Earth's crust that generates different types of faults and plate boundaries.

Keypoints:

Stress acts on rock and can change its shape or volume

Rock responds to stress depending on pressure, temperature, or minerals

Rock deforms by three forms of deformation: elastic, ductile, brittle.

Direction of stress determines fault types: tension stretches, compression shortens, shearing pushes horizontally

fault types also relate to the three plate boundary types

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Faults, Plate Boundaries, & Stress-How are they related?- Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology

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8min 43s Novice Spanish Learn how 3 basic types of stress affect both faults and plate boundaries. [updated 2021] Earth-science educators, do you ever get asked, "What is stress? Why do faults form in Earth's crust? or How are faults related to tectonic plate boundaries?"

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Example KWL chart for students to share background knowledge and also indicate what they are curious about at the start of the lesson.

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This resource is an activity that helps students visualize how the earth is moving in areas around a fault.

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Quick Look

Grade Level: 5 (3-5)

Time Required: 45 minutes

Expendable Cost/Group: US $1.00

Group Size: 2

Activity Dependency: None

Subject Areas: Earth and Space

NGSS Performance Expectations:

Summary Students are introduced to faults in the context of plate tectonics. They learn about different kinds of faults and their relationship to earthquakes. Student pairs create cardboard models of the three different types of faults-transcurrent, normal and reverse-as they learn about how earthquakes are formed and impact the structure of the Earth's crust.
This engineering curriculum aligns to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Engineering Connection

Engineers study faults and the location of fault lines when they design structures so that they remain secure during earthquakes and fault activity. Engineers must understand fault types and how fast the plates are moving in order to predict the resulting type of land formation, such as a hill or valley. Engineers also consider the forces of the Earth and fault lines when designing roads, airports, dams, sewage systems and methods to obtain and filter drinking water so as to reduce the likelihood of damage occurring to these structures. Engineers also design seismometers, the sensitive equipment that measures ground motion generated by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Learning Objectives

After this activity, students should be able to:

Explain the concepts of plate tectonics and continental drift.

Describe the three main types of faults: transcurrent, normal and reverse.

Explain that earthquakes and volcanoes occur along the boundaries of crustal plates.

Explain why engineers need to learn about the Earth's structure.

Write as a means of applying, analyzing and synthesizing new information.

Educational Standards

Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards.

All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN), a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org).

In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g., by state; within source by type; e.g., science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc.

NGSS Performance Expectation

Click to view other curriculum aligned to this Performance Expectation

This activity focuses on the following Three Dimensional Learning aspects of NGSS:

Science & Engineering Practices

Disciplinary Core Ideas

Crosscutting Concepts

The planet's systems interact over scales that range from microscopic to global in size, and they operate over fractions of a second to billions of years. These interactions have shaped Earth's history and will determine its future. Water's movements-both on the land and underground-cause weathering and erosion, which change the land's surface features and create underground formations.

NGSS Performance Expectation

Click to view other curriculum aligned to this Performance Expectation

This activity focuses on the following Three Dimensional Learning aspects of NGSS:

Science & Engineering Practices

Disciplinary Core Ideas

Crosscutting Concepts

Graphs, charts, and images can be used to identify patterns in data. The uses of technologies and any limitations on their use are driven by individual or societal needs, desires, and values; by the findings of scientific research; and by differences in such factors as climate, natural resources, and economic conditions. Thus technology use varies from region to region and over time.

Suggest an alignment not listed above

Materials List

Each group needs:

3 pieces of corrugated cardboard, cereal box cardboard or tag board, each approximately 5 x 16 inches

crayons or colored pencils

scissors

12-inch ruler

protractor

3-4 strips of different colored construction paper, each approximately 1-½ x 6 inches

Earthquakes KWL Chart, one per student

To share with the entire class:

Worksheets and Attachments
Visit [www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_natdis_lesson02_activity3] to print or download.

Introduction/Motivation

Over time, rock is deposited on the surface of the Earth in layers. By looking at the layers, and subsequently the displacement of layers, engineers can infer which Earth processes have been at work. Since the Earth's crust is divided into plates that float on the liquid mantle of the Earth, the processes of mountain formation and valley creation are constantly at work. Earthquakes are the signs that the surface features of the Earth are continually changing.

Faults are cracks that occur between the tectonic plates. Movement is apparent at these fault lines. The three main types of faults are transcurrent faults, in which the crustal plates slide past each other; normal faults, in which a block of crust, known as the hanging wall, falls, creating a valley; and reverse faults, in which a block of crust, again known as the hanging wall, is pushed upward, creating hills. The San Andreas Fault in California is a transcurrent fault (see Figure 1).

Engineers need to know about faults and where they are located in order to design structures that remain stranding and protect their inhabitants during earthquakes or other activity. Engineers also need to know what type of fault is occurring and how fast and in which direction the associated plates are moving so that they can predict what type of formation a fault may be producing, such as a hill or a valley.

Procedure

Before the Activity

With the Students

1. Review with the class the idea of earthquakes. Ask if anyone has ever experienced an earthquake and listen to any first-hand stories. Show students photographs and videos of earthquake damage.

2. Pass out a KWL chart to each student.

3. Ask students if they know what the crust of the Earth is? (Answer: The crust is the Earth's outermost layer.) Ask them if know what the crust is made of? (Answer: The Earth's crust is made up of interlocking pieces, called plates.)

4. Ask students to write down all they know about the crust of the Earth under the "Know" column of the KWL Chart.

5. Remind them to keep up their chart with what they have learned during the activity by recording items under the "Learned" column.

6. Ask the class if anyone has ever seen a rock or mountainside with layers in it. Rocks with layers are called sedimentary rocks. Take the strips of colored construction paper and place them on top of each other. Explain to students that they represent layers of sedimentary rock in the Earth's crust. Hold one strip at each end and push toward the middle. Explain that when forces are pushing at the edge of faults, the land often buckles and folds, sometimes forming hills or even mountains.

7. Show students the tectonic plates map (overhead transparency). Explain that the Earth's crust is also broken into large interlocking plates floating on the molten mantle. At plate boundaries (where two different plates meet), the plates crack and break, causing earthquakes. These cracks are called faults. Tell students that they will make models of how land moves when blocks of rock slide sideways, apart or towards each other.

8. Distribute three pieces of cardboard to each group.

9. Instruct one student in each group to color a road with several houses along it on one piece of the cardboard. This piece of cardboard represents a bird's-eye view of the Earth (from above). On the other two cardboard pieces, have a different team member color layers of rock. Suggest they use colors that they believe are found in the Earth's layers. These two cardboard pieces each represent a cross-section of the Earth, as though we cut through the layers of a cake in order to see and be able to count how many layers are stacked on top of each other.

10. On the piece of cardboard that represents the bird's-eye view, have students make a line at a 45° angle from a point at the center, which splits the cardboard piece in two (the line should angle across the colored road). Cut along this line (see Figure 2). This is a model of a transcurrent fault.

Figure 2. Student cardboard representation of a transcurrent fault.

On one of the pieces of cardboard that represents a cross-sectional view of the layers of the Earth, have students make a line at a 30° angle from a point at the top, which divides the cardboard piece in two (similar to what they did in step 10). Cut along this line. This is a model of a normal fault (see Figure 3). The piece on the right represents the hanging wall, which moves downward relative to the foot wall.

Figure 3. Student cardboard representation of a normal fault.

1. In the second model, have students slide the left piece up and the right piece down. Doing this displaces the rock layers drawn on the cardboard. Tell students that this type of fault is called a normal fault. Normal faults create valleys in the Earth's surface.

2. To model the third type of fault, have students take the second cardboard piece that represents a cross-sectional view of the layers of the Earth and make a line at a 60° angle from a point at the top, dividing the cardboard piece into two (see Figure 4). Have them cut along the line and then slide the left piece (the foot wall) downward and the right piece (the hanging wall) upwards. This model illustrates a reverse fault. Reverse faults create hills in the Earth's landscape.

Figure 4. Student cardboard representation of a reverse fault.

1. Go over the "Learned" column on the KWL chart. Solicit answers for what they learned and write them on the classroom board. Next, ask students if they can think of any additional questions or information they would like to know about faults. Ask students to write these down under the "Want to Know" column of their charts. Solicit questions and facilitate a class discussion.

2. As a class, create a Venn diagram with three overlapping circles. Compare and contrast the three different types of faults, noting their similarities and differences.

Vocabulary/Definitions

model: (noun) A representation of something to show its construction or appearance, or for imitation, comparison or analysis; often at a smaller scale. (verb) To make something to help learn about something else that cannot be directly observed or experimented upon.

normal fault: A type of fault in which a block of crust falls, creating a valley.

reverse fault: A type of fault in which a block of crust is pushed upward, creating hills.

transcurrent fault: A type of fault in which the crustal plates slide past each other.

Assessment

Pre-Activity Assessment

Quick Questions: Gauge students' base knowledge of the activity subject matter by asking them the following questions: What is the crust of the Earth? (Answer: The crust is the Earth's outermost layer.) What is the crust made of? (Answer: The Earth's crust is composed of interlocking pieces, called plates.)

KWL Chart: Ask students to write down all they know about the crust of the Earth under the "Know" column of the KWL Chart. KWL is an acronym for "Know," "Want to Know, and "Learned." Students fill out the rest of the chart at different points during the activity.

Activity Embedded Assessment

KWL Chart: Throughout the activity, ask students to keep up with what they have learned during the activity by recording items under the "Learned" column of their KWL Chart s.

Post-Activity Assessment

KWL Chart: Go over the "Learned" column with students. Solicit answers and write them on the classroom board. Next, ask students if they have any additional things they would like to know about faults. Ask students to write these down under the "Want to Know" column of the KWL Chart. Solicit questions and facilitate a class discussion.

Venn Diagram: Individually, or as a class, create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the three different types of faults.

Life Along the Fault Line: Have students think about what life is like living along a fault line. What information would someone living along a fault line want to know? Create a drawing or informational flyer for a family who is moving into a neighborhood along the fault line.

Troubleshooting Tips

For the models to be effective, make the cardboard cuts smooth and straight. If necessary, use a box cutter or X-Acto ® knife to trim or re-cut students' cardboard models.

Activity Extensions

Find a map of earthquake and volcanic activity. Make posters of earthquakes around the world and indicate on the map where these earthquakes have occurred. One good resource is the Earthquakes Living Lab, which shows USGS data in map form for earthquakes happening every day around the world.

References

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/4kids/

http://infotrek.er.usgs.gov/pubs/

Copyright © 2004 by Regents of the University of Colorado

Contributors Jessica Todd; Melissa Straten; Malinda Schaefer Zarske; Janet Yowell

Supporting Program Integrated Teaching and Learning Program, College of Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder

Acknowledgements

The contents of this digital library curriculum were developed under grants from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education, and National Science Foundation (GK-12 grant no. 0338326). However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Education or National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Last modified: April 26, 2022

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Students are introduced to faults in the context of plate tectonics. They learn about different kinds of faults and their relationship to earthquakes. Student pairs create cardboard models of the three different types of faults-transcurrent, normal and reverse-as they learn about how earthquakes are formed and impact the structure of the Earth's crust.

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This infograph helps understand the difference between hazard and risk. This can help bridge the idea that there is higher risk of experiencing earthquakes while living in California (hazard = plate boundary and has lots of faults) compared to places without many earthquakes, like Minnesota.

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Earthquake Scenario:  The teacher paints a verbal picture of an earthquake happening and asks the students to visualize this happening to them. What would they see, hear, smell, feel? What do they think is happening? What would they do?
Student can either write or draw their responses.

This exercise in imagination will allow students to bring in and use what they know about earthquakes and natural hazards events as well as what they have seen from tv or movies. This will allow the teacher to observe the students' background knowledge and what ideas the students might have about earthquakes and what they are informed or misinformed about phenomena related to earthquakes.

Scenario example: You are sitting in class and the teacher is talking about adding fractions, but there's a sudden jolt and the table jump. Everyone freezes for a second and the whole class goes silent. Suddenly there's a slight creak above, you look up and a light starts swaying, then everything in the whole room starts swaying back and forth violently. What is happening? What do you do?

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCHTleKcdG8

https://youtu.be/ObWyBiNrN7c

These video resources can be used at the beginning of the unit/lesson to have students reflect of why earthquakes are so dangerous to people. It is a good discussion starter for why it's so important to know about earthquakes, how and why they happen in our area. The videos are from the 1989 Loma Prieta and 1994 Northridge Earthquakes. They can also start a conversation about how large earthquakes do not happen all the time, but they are a danger to people living along the plate boundaries in California.
In addition the students can identify some of the different hazards that are caused by an earthquake.

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This map resource shows the currently known faults overlayed on a map of California. It displays the streets and city names and can zoom in really closely to identify local community areas. This allows students to explore their neighborhoods and cities to identify where faults are located near them.

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This resource can help students visualize the areas of the US that are at higher risk of earthquake hazards. This will allow students to make connections between the their community area as being in more danger of having more or larger earthquakes as compared to other parts of the US. In addition students will be able to make connections between areas that have more earthquakes and areas that have more faults or plate boundaries.

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Detailed Description

Earthquake hazard map showing peak ground accelerations having a 2 percent probability of being exceeded in 50 years, for a firm rock site. The map is based on the most recent USGS models for the conterminous U.S. (2018), Hawaii (1998), and Alaska (2007). The models are based on seismicity and fault-slip rates, and take into account the frequency of earthquakes of various magnitudes. Locally, the hazard may be greater than shown, because site geology may amplify ground motions.

Details

Image Dimensions: 2250 x 1500

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2018 Long-term National Seismic Hazard Map

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Earthquake hazard map showing peak ground accelerations having a 2 percent probability of being exceeded in 50 years, for a firm rock site. The map is based on the most recent USGS models for the conterminous U.S. (2018), Hawaii (1998), and Alaska (2007).

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This resource helped me narrow down the idea of what big question I could focus with the students for the unit of study or singular lesson. Starting with the question of "Why are earthquakes a danger to us?" there are many other related questions that come out of this. Such as: Why do they happen here? How do earthquakes happen? What are the dangers they cause to people?

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Earthquake Formation: Crust, Plates, Currents, Drift and Faults - Lesson

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Students learn about the structure of the earth and how an earthquake happens. In one activity, students make a model of the earth including all of its layers. In a teacher-led demonstration, students learn about continental drift. In another activity, students create models demonstrating the di…

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Grade 4
Content Area Focus: Faults & Earthquakes
Big Question: Why are earthquakes a danger to us?
NGSS: 4-ESS2-2. Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth’s features.
Disciplinary Core Idea: ESS2.B: Plate Tectonics and Large-Scale System Interactions - The locations of mountain ranges, deep ocean trenches, ocean floor
structures, earthquakes, and volcanoes occur in patterns. Most earthquakes and volcanoes occur in bands that are often along the boundaries between continents and oceans.
Science & Engineering Practices: Analyzing and Interpreting Data - Analyze and interpret data to make sense of
phenomena using logical reasoning.
Crosscutting Concepts: Patterns - Patterns can be used as evidence to support an explanation.
Cause and Effect - Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified, tested, and used to explain change.