IMSS Instructional Case Lesson
Template
Group members: Nissa Stoltenberg, Tammy Teng, Alfredo Acosta,
Lesson Grade level:__6___
Lesson Topic __Earthquakes in California_______
Length of lesson in days: _4__
Section 1 – Desired Results
a. Science Content Standard(s): 1d Students know that earthquakes are
sudden motions along breaks in the crust called faults.
b. Science Content Standard(s): 1e, Students know major geologic events,
such as earthquakes, result from plate motions.
c. Science Content Standard(s): 1f Students know how to explain major
features of California geology in terms of plate tectonics.
Generative Question(s):
Compared to other states, why does California have so many earthquakes?
Section 2 – Learning Objectives
Students will understand (content knowledge):
1. Major geologic events such as earthquakes in California result from plate motions
2. Earthquakes are sudden motions along breaks in the crust called faults
Students will be able to (process skills):
1. Read geologic maps of where earthquakes occur and where tectonic plates are located.
2. Construct tables and graphs
3. Explain how the board model shows how earthquakes work, including vocabulary.
4. Scientific labeling on a diagram – labeling the energy movement in the diagram.
Section 3: Assessments
(address misconceptions, prior knowledge, & learning objectives)
Misconceptions
“California will fall into the ocean”
You can predict earthquakes by the weather, animals, etc
You can tell how large the earthquake is by how it feels
to you.
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Topics taught prior to this lesson:
○ History of plate tectonics
○ Plate boundaries—type, movement, landforms
at boundaries
○ 3 different types of plate boundaries
○ Pre-assessment – done prior to these lessons
Corresponding objectives
(indicate the # from section 2)
Pre-Assessment(s):
STIP Scientific Terminology Inventory Probe – p. 180 format TBD
Type of Formative assessment(s):
Exit Cards
TPS-Think/Pair/Share
TPR-Total Physical Response
Concept Cartoon (“Why does California have so many
earthquakes? A. Because we are on the edge of the
continent. B. There’s no reason; it just happens. C.
California is on a plate boundary.
Concept Cartoon -
Type of Summative assessment(s):
Section 4 – Lesson Planning and Sequence
D Detail Lesson Plan(s) – including hands-on/minds-on inquiry activities and/or labs
and include the essential elements of inquiry:
Overview of the Lesson in context of a unit:
A. Topics taught prior to this lesson:
○ History of plate tectonics
○ Plate boundaries—type, movement, landforms at boundaries
○ Pre-assessment – done prior to these lessons
B. Vocab words prior knowledge
Transform
Convergent
Divergent
compression
tension
shearing
Unit words – highlighted are lesson words
Elastic rebound
Focus/epicenter
Deformation
Fault – normal/reverse/strikeslip
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Earthquake
Seismic wave – s/p waves
Stress
Part 1: Earthquakes in California (60 minutes)
Science concept:
● There are a lot more earthquakes on the Western part of the US due to the
transform boundary.
Materials Needed:
 Map of the United States
 List of Earthquakes with a magnitude over 5.0 recorded in the 100 years
 Student worksheet
 Formative assessment
Procedure
1. Warm-up: In a quickwrite form, ask students where in the United States most
earthquakes happen and why. Have them pair/share then call on students to ask
them what their partner said.
2. Hand out student worksheet and say “Today we are going to analyze which
states are the most likely to have earthquakes.”
Day 2: Slip/Slide Activity (120 minutes or two 60 minute class periods)
Science Concept:
● When there is a lot of buildup of energy (when rubber band gets very stretched
out), eventually the energy will suddenly be released (the block moves a lot at
one time).
● Models are limited in what they can show. Students should be able to identify
the purpose of this model (why we are using it/what it shows) and the limits of
the model (what it doesn’t show/how it is different from an elastic rebound
happening in the earth)
Materials Needed:
Popsicle Stick (one for everyone)
Slip/slide board
rubber band
weight for the cart to cause the buildup of energy
box to pull across the board with sandpaper attached to bottom
colored pencils
student worksheets
goggles
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Part 1:
Warm Up activity:
Popsicle stick demonstrating that rock bends and eventually breaks when enough
energy builds up (use the goggles as wood splinters may pop up)
Warm Up Question:
Predict in Quickwrite form: How far do you think you could bend a popsicle stick before
it breaks? Why does the popsicle stick break? How did you measure how far the stick
bent before it broke? (These questions are on the student worksheet day 1. Make sure
to address the warm up question at the end of the lesson)
Students answer the question. Students perform the task.
Follow up Question: Why doesn’t the popsicle stick break instantly?
Answer for the Teacher to know but doesn’t tell the class yet: Build up of energy
(stress) in the popsicle stick based on the composition of the material (in this case
wood).
Teacher reviews types of stress to warm up as a reminder. (Tension, compression,
shearing)
“Today we are going to look at a larger model that demonstrates the movement of two
plates and how stress affects the two plates. When there is too much stress between
the two plates, what might happen?”
Inquiry Activity:
1. On the worksheet have students scientifically draw and label the board. Students
draw and label the block, rubber band and the sandpapered areas.
2. In groups, students explore the model and how it may or may not work. Just to
get a general idea of how it works. Tell students to pull the rubber band slowly to
practice and see what happens.
3. Have student write down 3-5 observations on their paper of what they saw
happening.
4. Ask students, “Based on your observations, what kind of questions can you
investigate using this experiment/activity?” Have students write down 1-2 questions to
share with the class. Write down the questions on a butcher paper and then ask,
“What are testable vs. non testable questions?”
Slip/Slide Activity Part 2
(Inquiry continued from yesterday)
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1. Specific instructions students should follow
-Rubber band needs to be parallel to board, pull the rubber band, pacing of the pull
needs to be constant and modeled for the students (not too fast)
-Rotate the following observational jobs: Puller, Elastic observer, Block observer,
Quality Control
Done 4 different times and students rotate roles so every person gets a chance to do
each role.
Teacher models the schematics with the student beforehand and also show the setup
of the experiment.
2. Groups observe and record what they see on sentence strips and in their notebook.
● On the scientific drawing, individuals record sudden movement of block as a red
colored arrow. Arrows will be drawn relative to the size of the board.
● Students also indicate when the rubberband is at a stretched out point as a blue
colored arrow.
● Students also record their observations in words.
On the board:
Stress, Elastic Rebound, Deformation, Earthquake
In a group, choose 2-4 words to describe the observation of the rubberband and the
block.
Prompts:
How much does the block move?
How much does the rubber band stretch in comparison?
Does the block ever move more than the stretch of the rubber band?
What direction does the block move?
For EL learners, possible sentence stems: “I observed the _______ moving
_________”, “When I pulled the ____________ the __________ moved ________”
3. Then the vocabulary words are introduced to the students. Sentence strips with
actual definition, not the words. Definition is later matched to the words. Formative
assessment can be the vocabulary words matched with the definition.
Day 3
Science Concept:
● Models are limited in what they can show. Students should be able to identify
the purpose of this model (why we are using it/what it shows) and the limits of
the model (what it doesn’t show/how it is different from an elastic rebound
happening in the earth)
Materials Needed:
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observations from unit
Pose the following questions to students for discussion: (See teacher sheet for possible
student responses)
1) Difference between model and a real earthquake ?
2) What is this model supposed to show?
3) What are the benefits to this model?
4) What are the limitations to this model? What are the possible misconceptions
that could occur?
5) What does the sandpaper show?
6) What does the rubber band represent?
Section 5 – Instructional Strategies
Prompt for explaining model of elastic rebound – scaffolded based on ability. Sentence frames
for EL and Special Ed.
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