Download Year 5/6 GRASPS Task: Due Wednesday, 18th March (Week 7

Year 5/6 GRASPS Task: Due Wednesday, 18th March (Week 7)
Goal: The goal is to represent what you know about earthquakes in a scientific case study.
The task is to investigate an historical earthquake and demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of earthquakes in a
scientific explanation.
Role: You are a scientific reporter who is presenting a case study on an historical earthquake.
Audience: The St Thomas School Community.
Situation: An earthquake has occurred. You (as an expert scientific reporter with a special interest in earthquakes) have been
sent on location to gather information on your chosen earthquake.
Product/Performance and Purpose:
You need to create an explanation in the format (e.g. written, multi-modal, or oral) that you have chosen:
Explain that the Earth’s surface is composed of tectonic plates that move.
Identify how tectonic plates push into each other, pull apart from each other and slide past each other.
Describe the scales that are used to measure earthquake magnitude and intensity.
Explain that when tectonic plates push into each other, pull apart from each other and slide past each other energy builds up
as stress in the plates.
 Explain how the sudden release of energy causes movement of the ground which results in damage to buildings and
structures.
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Standards & Criteria for Success: Your case study should:
Contain accurate information about the chosen
earthquake.
What happened?
Where did it happen?
A
B
C
D
Contains ALL the
required information
accurately and
comprehensively.
Contains ALL the
required information
accurately and includes
additional details.
Contains ALL the
required information
accurately.
DOES NOT contain ALL
the required information
or includes incorrect
information.
Demonstrates an
accurate and
comprehensive
understanding.
Demonstrates an
accurate and thorough
understanding.
Demonstrates an
accurate and sound
understanding.
Demonstrates a basic or
incorrect understanding.
Explanation of tectonic
plate movement is
accurate and
comprehensive.
Explanation of tectonic
plate movement is
accurate and thorough.
Explanation of tectonic
plate movement is
accurate.
Explanation of tectonic
plate movement is NOT
accurate.
Description of the scales
that are used to measure
earthquake magnitude
and intensity is accurate
and comprehensive.
Description of the scales
that are used to measure
earthquake magnitude
and intensity is accurate
and thorough.
Description of the scales
that are used to measure
earthquake magnitude
and intensity is accurate.
Description of the scales
that are used to measure
earthquake magnitude
and intensity is not
accurate.
When did it happen?
What was the Richter scale reading?
What was the Modified Mercalli scale
reading?
Who was affected?
Describe the damage caused
What could have caused the earthquake?
Demonstrate an understanding of:
How earthquakes occur,
Where earthquakes occur,
Who they affect
Explain that:
The Earth’s surface is composed of tectonic
plates that move,
That when tectonic plates move energy
builds up as stress in the plates.
That the sudden release of energy causes
movement of the ground which results in
damage to buildings and structures.
Describe the scales that are used to measure
earthquake magnitude and intensity.