Science Lesson: A Whole Lotta Shakin’

Abstract
During this lesson, students will read first hand accounts of earthquake survivors in order to begin to describe the different type of earthquake waves and the order in which they arrive.
This lesson will engage the students in using earthquake waves as a means to indirectly study the Earth’s interior.

Objectives
Students will be able to:
1. Identify the effects and differences between different forms of earthquake waves in a discussion analysis of first hand personal accounts of earthquakes.

National Science Education Standard:

CONTENT STANDARD D: Earth and Space Science
THE ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF THE EARTH SYSTEM
• Interactions among the solid earth, the oceans, the atmosphere, and organisms have resulted in the ongoing evolution of the earth system. We can observe some changes such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions on a human time scale, but many processes such as mountain building and plate movements take place over hundreds of millions of years.

Teacher Background
There are two main types of earthquake waves that travel through the ground. They are called P (primary) and S (secondary) waves. P waves are also called compression waves as they compress and dilate the crust. They can pass through any material, although passing from one medium to another causes them to be deflected. S waves are also called transverse waves. They can move up and down, side-to-side, or in a combination of the two.

Earth Science Archives
http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/mar2001/985815079.Es.r.html

Related and Resource Websites

The Earthquake Museum (several first hand accounts are available here)
http://www.olympus.net/personal/gofamily/quake/story/index.html

Famous Earthquake Accounts from Understanding Earthquakes
http://www.crustal.ucsb.edu/ics/understanding/

The Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco
http://www.sfmuseum.org/1906/ew.html

Eyewitness Accounts of Earthquakes
http://www.geography-site.co.uk/pages/physical/earth/witness/eye.html

Image cortesy of The Lehigh Earth Observatory -"Quake Basics"

Activity

Prior to the Lesson
1. Print articles about earthquakes from above or collect some from your local newspaper.
2. Copy articles for student use.

The Lesson
1. Ask if any students have been in an earthquake. If so, allow them to share their experience. Draw descriptions of earth motions from that student if possible.

2. Pass articles out for students to read. Ask them to pay attention to descriptions of earth motions during the earthquakes. They should underline descriptions to earth movements. Once they have read several narratives about earthquakes have them review them and draw a timeline which describes types and timing of movements for several narratives.

3. Once students have read the narratives and drawn the timelines ask them to share what they have learned. Are there commonalities among their timelines? What happens to the ground first? Second? What does each type of wave do to the earth? What happens to homes? Ask if students have any other information they want to share about earthquakes from TV or other media sources.

4. From what they have read and heard, what happens during an earthquake? [Waves come in several stages. The first stage of waves push back and forth and are less destructive than the second stage which pushes up and down or side-to-side.]

5. Share with students that understanding earthquakes helps us understand the structure of our earth. Ask them how they think an earthquake might tell us a little about what the earth is made up of.

6. Show students the sealed film canisters already filled with different materials (a variety of materials in different states, solids in some, liquids in others). Without touching them, ask students how they can figure out what is inside. [Student will, inevitably, suggest you shake the canisters].

7. Allow a few students to shake each canister to determine what is inside. Then ask how is what they have just done like natural earth events. [The shaking is like an earthquake.] Leave students with the question, how can we use earthquakes to tell us about the earth?

Embedded Assessment

Do students identify different types of waves, perhaps primary waves and secondary waves, within their timeline? Can students describe the effects of earthquakes?

Homework
Write a 2-3 sentence conclusion in your science notebook. Conclusions should tell what you learned and be thought provoking.

Embedded Assessment