Earthquakes Teacher’s Manual
Table of Contents
Teacher Background Information
Tennessee Grade Level Expectations………………………………..……….……………….......1
Earthquakes Legends ………………………………………………………. .…………………...2
Defining an Earthquake………………………..…………………………….…………………....2
Plate Tectonic Theory and Earthquake Occurrence………………………….……………………2
Types of Plate Motion……………………………………………………….…………………….2
Mid-Plate Earthquakes……………………………………………………….……………............3
Plate Tectonics, Faulting and Topography…….…………………………….…………………….4
Detecting Earthquakes……………………………………………………….…………………….4
Instrumental Measurement of Earthquakes……………………………….……………………….5
Intensity Measurement of Earthquakes……………………………………………………………6
Location and Earthquake Risk…………………………………………………………………….6
What Should Be Done To Prepare for an Earthquake?...................................................................6
Glossary………………………………….......................................................................................7
Unit I: Defining and Earthquake
Teacher Material…………………………………………………………………………… ..9-12 (Manilla)
Activities for Grades K-2
Level 1: What is an Earthquake? ............................................13-18 (Green)
Activity I: Tremble Here, Tremble There…………………………….…………………………14
Activity II: Tremors and Turtles………………………………………………………………...16
Activity III: Earth Mural………………………………………………………………………...18
Activities for Grades 3-4
Level 2: People Explain Earthquakes ………… ……..…….19-24 (Orange)
Activity I: Earthquake Experiences……………………………………………………………..20
Activity II: Earthquake Legends………………………………………….……………………..21
Activity III: Tasty Quake…………………………………………….………………………….23
Activities for Grades 5-6
Level 3: Energy Waves Cause Earthquakes…………………25-31 (Pink)
Activity I: Wet Wave Experience………………………….........................................................26
Activity II: It’s Your Fault……………………………………………………………………....27
Activity III: Visual Vocabulary………………………………………………………………....29
Activity IV: Local Legends……………………………………………………………………..30
Unit II: Why and Where Earthquakes Occur
Teacher Material………………………………………………………………….…………33-37 (Manilla)
Activities for Grades K-2
Level 1: Inside Planet Earth…………………………………39-42 (Green)
Activity I: Earth From the Inside Out …………………………………………………………..40
Activity II: Energy Transfer……………………………….........................................................41
Activity III: Giant Jigsaw Puzzle………………………….........................................................42
Pink Palace Museum Suitcase Exhibit
Earthquakes
(Table of Contents)
Activities for Grades 3-4
Level 2: Plates Going Places………………………………..43-50 (Orange)
Activity I: What’s Inside………………………………………………………………………..44
Activity II: We’re All Cracked Up ……………………………………………………………..45
Activity III: Plates of the Earth………………………………………………………………....46
Activity IV: Hot Stuff Rises and Cold Stuff Sinks……………………………………………..48
Activities for Grades 5-6
Level 3: Layers, Plates and Quakes…………………………51-58 (Pink)
Activity I: Crust to Core: A Pizza the Earth………………........................................................52
Activity II: Slide, Collide and Separate………………………………………………………...53
Activity III: The History of Geography………………………………………………………...56
Activity IV: Flippin’ through Pangaea……………………........................................................58
Unit III: Physical Results of Earthquakes
Teacher Material…………………………………………………………………………….61-64 (Manilla)
Activities for Grades K-2
Level 1: Earthquakes Shape Our Earth…………………….. 65-68 (Green)
Activity I: Earth Moves…………………………………………………………………………66
Activity II: Model Communities………………………………………………………………..67
Activities for Grades 3-4
Level 2: Landscape on the Loose……………………………69-78 (Orange)
Activity I: Up, Down, and Sideways……………………………………………………………70
Activity II: Liquefaction Lab……………………………………………………………………72
Activity III: A Slippery Slope …………………………………………………………………..74
Activity IV: Tsunami! …………………………………………………………………………..76
Activities for Grades 5-6
Level 3: Building Up and Breaking Down…………………..79-84 (Pink)
Activity I: Mountain, Plain and Plateau…………………………………………………………80
Activity II: The Folding Mountain Mystery…………………………………………………….82
Activity III: Mountain Modeling………………………………………………………………..83
Activity IV: Underwater Avalanche……………………………………………….....................84
Unit IV: Measuring Earthquakes
Teacher Material………………………………………………………………………..…. 87-92 (Manilla)
Activities for Grades K-2
Level 1: Earthquakes Great and Small………………..……..93-98 (Green)
Activity I: Weak and Strong……………………………………………………….....................94
Activity II: Shakes Makes Quakes………………………………………………………………94
Activity III: Shake a Minute…………………………………………………………………….96
Activities for Grades 3-4
Level 2: Different Shakes for Different Quakes……………99-102 (Orange)
Activity I: Measuring with Mercalli……………………………………………..……………..100
Activity II: Movin’ with Magnitude……………………………………..……………………..101
Activity III: Little Shakes and Big Quakes…………………………………..………………...102
Pink Palace Museum Suitcase Exhibit
Earthquakes
(Table of Contents)
Activities for Grades 5-6
Level 3: Sizing Up Earthquake Waves……………..…….103-111 (Pink)
Activity I: Popping P-Waves …………………………………………………………………104
Activity II: The S-Wave Machine……………………………………………………………..105
Activity III: Drum Rumbles…………………………………………………………………...107
Activity IV: Set Up a Seismograph………………………………..…………………………..108
Activity V: The Mercalli Scale……………………………..………………………………….110
Unit V: Earthquake Safety and Survival
Teacher Material………………………………………………………………..………...113-116 (Manilla)
Activities for Grades K-6
Part 1: What Happens During an Earthquake?...................................................................117-124
Activity I: Size Up Your State………………………………………………..……………….118
Activity II: Earthquake Simulation…………….…………………….………………………..120
Activity III: Know What Might Happen……………………………..………………………..122
Part 2: Hunt for Hazards……………………………………………….…………………125-132
Activity I: Classroom Hazard Hunt………………………………..…………………………..126
Activity II: Home Hazard Hunt………………………………..………………………………128
Activity III: Community Hazard Hunt…………………….…………………………………..130
Part 3: Prepare and Share…………………………………………………………………133-138
Activity I: Brainstorming…………………………………….………………………………..134
Activity II: Create a Kit……………………………………..………………………………...135
Activity III: Poster Party……………………………………..………………………………..137
Part 4: Evacuation Drill………………………………………………………………......139-144
Activity I: Get Ready, Get Set………………………………………………………………...140
Activity II: Put It All Together……………………………......................................................142
Appendix A: Earthquake Background
Appendix B: Book of Legends
Appendix C: National Science Education Standard Matrices
Glossary
Supplementary Materials
Songs Exercise
Quake Board Game Exercise
Rock Movement Exercise
Earthquake Simulation and Drill
Tasty Quake Exercise
Measuring Earthquakes Exercise
Earthquake Emergency Kit Exercise
Earthquake Legends Exercise
Seismograph Activity Model Investigation
Pink Palace Museum Suitcase Exhibit
Earthquakes
(Table of Contents)