Download Predicting Tectonic Activity using Earthquakes

Predicting Tectonic Activity using
Earthquakes
Resource ID#: 75600
Primary Type: Lesson Plan
This document was generated on CPALMS - www.cpalms.org
Students will predict plate movement by analyzing earthquake patterns from earthquake
coordinate locations they have plotted on a map and comparing those patterns to animated
earthquakes distribution in years 2011 and 2014.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): 8, 9
Intended Audience: Educators
Suggested Technology: Computer for Presenter, Computers for Students
Instructional Time: 2 Hour(s)
Resource supports reading in content area: Yes
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: Earthquakes, plate tectonics
Instructional Component Type(s): Lesson Plan
Resource Collection: FCR-STEMLearn Earth Systems
ATTACHMENTS
Earthquakes in June and July 2014.docx
predicting plate activity handout.docx
LESSON CONTENT

Lesson Plan Template:
General Lesson Plan

Learning Objectives: What should students know and be able to do as a result of this
lesson?
1.
2.

Analyze earthquake patterns and compare how they relate to plate movement and tectonically
active locations
Graphing earthquakes on a world map using the latitudes and longitudes.
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
1. SC.7.E.6.1: Describe the layers of the solid Earth, including the lithosphere, the hot convecting mantle,
and the dense metallic liquid and solid cores.
2. SC.7.E.6.5: Explore the scientific theory of plate tectonics by describing how the movement of Earth's
crustal plate causes both slow and rapid changes in Earth's surface, including volcanic eruptions,
earthquakes, and mountain building.
3. MAFS.6.NS.3.8: Solve real-world and mathematical problems by graphing points in all four quadrants of
the coordinate plane. Include use of coordinate and absolute values to find distance between points with the
same first coordinate or the same second coordinate.
4. SC.912.E.6.1: Describe and differentiate the layers of Earth and the interactions among them.

Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
1. What causes earthquakes? (A sudden and violent shaking of the ground, sometimes causing great
destruction, as a result of movements within the earth's crust)
2. How do earthquakes occur? (Earthquakes occur when the movement of plates on Earth causes forces
that build up energy in rocks. The release of this energy can produce vibrations in Earth in the form of
seismic waves).
3. For graphing:
o
o
What is latitude? (distance north and south of the equator, the lines runs parallel to the equator or
East to west) longitude? (distances east and west of the prime meridian, the lines runs north to
south)
Which axis on the graph represents latitude? (x axis) Longitude? (y axis)
4. What similarities and difference did you see between your map and the maps of your group members.
Can you see any patterns? (should be able to see patterns. No matter the magnitude, earthquakes will
usually occur in the same regions around the world)

Teaching Phase: How will the teacher present the concept or skill to students?
0.
1.
2.
3.
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Video Clip: Teacher will show the first 30 seconds of the YouTube video "Deadliest Earthquakes
on Mother Earth." Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPbLpE5tQ_A
Discussion: Teacher will probe for understanding: how, where, and how often earthquakes occur
and their relationship to plate boundary? As students tell what they know about earthquakes, the
teacher can make a class word splash or list on the board or chart paper.
Teacher will explain that the movement of plates on Earth causes forces that build up energy in
rocks. The release of this energy can produce vibrations in Earth that they may know as
earthquakes. Earthquakes occur every day. Many of them are too small to be felt by humans, but
each event tells scientists something more about the planet.
Teacher will explain that the purpose of this activity is to see how earthquake data tells us about
Earth's tectonic activity.
Guided Practice: What activities or exercises will the students complete with teacher
guidance?
0.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Teacher will pass out Activity handout. (See Predicting Tectonic Activity Attachment Pages 1-2)
Teacher will explain that the activity is broken into three parts. In part 1, the students will be
trying to predict tectonically active areas by plotting/graphing earthquake epicenters on a world
map graph.
Teacher will pass out 'Earthquakes in June and July' handout. (See Earthquakes in June and July
Attachment). Each person in the group will get a different set of earthquake data. One will have
earthquakes with magnitudes 4-4.9, one with magnitudes 5-5.9, and one with magnitudes >6.
Teacher will also pass out World Map: (See Predicting Tectonic Activity Attachment Page 3).
Teacher will have students get into groups of 3.
Teacher will review how to graph point with students. Teacher will use guiding questions for
graph to help them with how they are going to plot the data.
Teacher will have students follow directions for Part 1.
For part 2:
5.
o
o

Teacher will explain to students that they will be doing a comparative analysis of earthquake
activity from 2 different years to that of their earthquake graphs. This should show them that even
though you take earthquake data from different periods of time, they should see the same patterns
and relate it to active areas.
Teacher will present the YouTube video "Animated map of 2011 worldwide earthquake activity."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSSqaVJz4gc&feature=kp.
Teacher will also present the YouTube Video"Animated map of 2014" Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3jHUGHOlhA
Independent Practice: What activities or exercises will students complete to reinforce
the concepts and skills developed in the lesson?
0.
1.
Students will make a hypothesis about whether the location of earthquake epicenter can be used to
predict tectonically active areas and they will indicate what specific locations they think is the
most tectonically active.
After making their hypothesis, students will get into groups of 3 according to teacher
specification.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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Students will be given a copy of the predicting tectonic activity handout, a world map with grid
lines, and earthquake data for 2014 with certain magnitudes. Students will then pick 15
earthquakes from their data and record the information on the activity handout. Students should
include location/region, latitude, longitude, and magnitude of each earthquake chosen.
Students will then plot earthquake data on world map using latitude and longitude coordinates.
Students will need to remember that the negative longitude numbers corresponds to the western
hemisphere, and negative latitude numbers corresponds to the southern hemisphere.
Based on the data that was graphed, students will circle areas on their map they think are
tectonically active locations. They will then compare their graphs to the graphs of their group
members and discuss the similarities and difference between the graphs.
In part 2, Students will write down things they notice when viewing each video. Once both videos
have been shown, students will discuss what they noticed and how it relates to tectonically active
areas.
In part 3, Students will answer the summary questions, which includes looking at a tectonic plate
boundary map and relating that to earthquake activity. If students have not already, they should
recognize the relationship between earthquake occurrence and plate boundary/tectonically active
locations.
Closure: How will the teacher assist students in organizing the knowledge gained in the
lesson?
Teacher will present student with the ticket out the door question.
What is the relationship between earthquakes and tectonically active locations/boundaries? Use what was
learned from the activity, the 2 videos, and what you know about plate tectonics to answer this question.
(Answer: When plates converge, diverge, or transform energy is released in a form of an earthquake. The
answer should include how they noticed that their data points are located along plate boundaries which
are where the tectonic activity occurs.)

Summative Assessment
Ticket out the Door:
Students will answer the Lesson Essential Question. What is the relationship between plate boundary and
earthquake? Explain using what was learned from activity and videos shown as well as prior knowledge on
continental drift, seafloor spreading, and plate interactions.
Answer: When plates converge, diverge, or transform energy is released in a form of an earthquake. The
answer should include how they noticed that their data points are located along plate boundaries which are
where the tectonic activity occurs.

Formative Assessment
1. Before Activity: Students will be asked to make a hypothesis about whether the location of earthquakes
epicenter can be used to predict tectonically active area and to indicate which locations they believe will
have the most tectonic activity. Basically where do earthquakes occur (specific locations). Teacher may
decide to make a list of students predicted location on board or chart paper.
2. During Activity: Teacher will do a thumbs up and down to make sure the get the graphing part. Teacher
will walk around as students are graphing to make sure it is being done correctly.
3. After Activity: Teacher will observe how student participate in discussion on video.

Feedback to Students
During Teacher Phase: the teacher will circulate the classroom asking students the guided questions (see
guided questions for answers) about their work and through questioning be able to assess student
understanding.
During Independent Practice:
Part 2: The teacher and peers will give feedback to each other while discussing the two videos.
Part 3: The teacher and peers will give feedback while answering summary questions to bridge earthquake
activity and boundary locations.
The teacher can then help the students clarify their understanding and redirect as necessary.
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
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Accommodations:
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Teacher will walk around to assist students when help is needed.
Students can be paired with others to assist.
Students can be grouped heterogeneously for support.
The teacher can limit the amount of data points for those that struggle to graph them all.
Extensions:
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Students can do a research project on the major earthquakes that happened over the last 50 years.
Teacher can give students a list to pick from and have them research when, where, and how it
happened, it's magnitude and what the means. The effects on the communities such as damages,
cost), casualties, rebuilding processes, interesting facts, etc.
2. Students can learn about volcanoes (how they're formed, types, etc) and do a comparative analysis
between earthquakes, volcanoes, the ring of fire (meaning, significance), and plate movement.
Suggested Technology: Computer for Presenter, Computers for Students
Special Materials Needed:
o
o
o
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Access to computers for teacher and/or students
handouts (1 per student)
Colored pencils or pens for graphing activity
Further Recommendations:
This activity was done as a wrap up to the basics of plate tectonics and introductions to specifically taking
about Earthquakes in more details. However, teachers can use this as a activating activity to plate tectonics.
If you prefer to use technology, Part 1 of this activity can be done with students looking up coordinates for
earthquakes online. They can look up the most recent earthquake data.
Websites:
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Seismic Monitor- Link:http://www.iris.edu/seismon/. From there click on last 30 Days
Earthquakes. You can then have students sort by earthquake magnitude or date.
USGS Earthquake Hazards Program-Link: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/. From there scroll down to
the very bottom of the website and look under Earthquakes, click on search EQ Archives. From
the you can give them specification. Date and time ranges, magnitude ranges, and order by will be
the 3 options you will have your students use the most.
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: Tamika West
Name of Author/Source: Tamika West
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Polk
Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
Name
SC.912.E.6.3:
Description
Analyze the scientific theory of plate tectonics and identify
related major processes and features as a result of moving
plates.
Remarks/Examples:
Discuss the development of plate tectonic theory, which is
derived from the combination of two theories: continental
drift and seafloor spreading. Compare and contrast the three
primary types of plate boundaries (convergent, divergent,
and transform). Explain the origin of geologic features and
processes that result from plate tectonics (e.g. earthquakes,
volcanoes, trenches, mid-ocean ridges, island arcs and
chains, hot spots, earthquake distribution, tsunamis,
mountain ranges).