The Case of The Shaky Quake

Educational Product
Educators Grades 3-5

EG-2002-10-13-LARC
A Lesson Guide with Activities in

Mathematics, Science, and Technology
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A Lesson Guide with Activities in
Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Program Overview ...........................................................5

National Science Standards ..........................................6
Segment 4
National Mathematics Standards................................8
Overview ...........................................................................51
National Technology Standards................................10
Objectives .........................................................................52
National Geography Standards ................................12
Vocabulary ........................................................................52
Video Component..........................................................52
Segment 1 Resources ..........................................................................53
Overview ...........................................................................13
Careers................................................................................53
Objectives .........................................................................14
Activities and Worksheets ...........................................54
Vocabulary ........................................................................14
Video Component..........................................................15 For additional information about the NASA SCI Files™,
contact Shannon Ricles at (757) 864-5044 or
Careers................................................................................15 [email protected].
Resources ..........................................................................16
Activities and Worksheets ...........................................17 Production of the NASA SCI Files™ is made possible by
the generous support provided by the Society of
Women Engineers (SWE); Busch Gardens, Williamsburg;
Segment 2 Hampton City Public Schools; and the NASA Langley
Overview ...........................................................................27 Research Center’s Learning Technology Project and
Aerospace Vehicle Systems Technology Program Office.
Objectives .........................................................................28
Vocabulary ........................................................................28 Writer and Teacher Advisors: Shannon Ricles, Dan
Video Component..........................................................28 Green, Mike Young, and Tim Hatok
Careers................................................................................29 Editor: Susan Hurd
Resources ..........................................................................30
Activities and Worksheets ...........................................31 Registered users of the NASA SCI Files™ may
request a Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
classroom mentor. For more information or to request a
Segment 3 mentor, e-mail [email protected]
Overview ...........................................................................39
Objectives .........................................................................40
Captioning provided by NEC Foundation of America
Vocabulary ........................................................................40
Video Component..........................................................40
Careers................................................................................41
Resources ..........................................................................42
Activities and Worksheets ...........................................42
NASA SCI Files™ is a production of NASA’s Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA. All Rights Reserved. Broadcast and off-air rights are unlimited and are
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2002-2003 NASA SCI Files™ Series 5
http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov
Program Overview
One afternoon, the tree house detectives feel their The tree house detectives continue their
tree house shake. They wonder what could have investigation at Tidewater Community College in
caused the vibration. Unsure whether they had just Virginia Beach, Virginia, where Mr. Michael Lyle
experienced an earthquake, the tree house shows them how earthquakes are recorded, and
detectives decide to make the unexplained Dr. D explains how they can make their own
vibration the subject of their next case and set out seismometer. They carry on with their quest at the
to solve The Case of the Shaky Quake. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where Andrea
Donnellan demonstrates how NASA monitors
To solve this mystery, the detectives decide that a crustal movement from space.
seismologist will know the answer, but they quickly
learn that it is not that simple. They realize that The tree house detectives think they are getting
research is a must, and they call Dr. D to help them close to solving the mystery, and R.J. and Jacob
get started. Dr. D provides an explanation of the agree to meet Dr. D at the California Academy of
layers of the Earth and how fossils helped scientists Sciences in San Francisco, California to learn more
discover the movement of the Earth’s crust. He also about earthquake waves and how they travel.
tells them that the answer to a problem is not Dr. Carol Tang joins them and explains how
always obvious. The detectives begin to think of earthquakes are measured and how they destroy
possibilities other than earthquakes that could have buildings. Dr. D, Dr. Tang, R.J., and Jacob all hang on
caused the ground to shake. for a wild ride as they “experience” an earthquake in
the earthquake room at the Academy.
To further investigate the movement of the Earth’s
crust, Jacob visits Dinosaur National Monument in Back in the tree house, the detectives dial up a NASA
Utah and decides that his visit will be a great SCI Files™ Kids Club in Norfolk, Virginia to learn how
opportunity to learn more about the crust’s the epicenter of an earthquake is located. Finally,
movement. There he meets Mr. David Whitman, who the detectives head back to JPL to speak with Ron
tells Jacob about the Continental Drift Theory and Baalke to learn about something totally unexpected
how fossils and rocks are clues that help unlock the and discover the answer to why they are “all shook
mystery of our Earth’s past. The tree house up!”
detectives also contact the United States Geological
Survey (USGS) office for information on faults and
boundaries.
EG-2002-10-13-LARC The Case of the Shaky Quake

6 2002-2003 NASA SCI Files™ Series
National Science Standards (Grades K - 4)

Segment
Standard 1 2 3 4
Unifying Concepts and Processes
Systems, orders, and organization ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Evidence, models, and explanations ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Change, constancy, and measurement ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Form and Function ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Science and Inquiry (Content Standard A)
Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Understanding about scientific inquiry ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Physical Science (Content Standard B)
Properties of objects and materials ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Position and motion of objects ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Life Science (Content Standard C)
Organisms and their environments ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Earth and Space Science (Content Standard D)
Properties of Earth Materials ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Changes in Earth and Sky ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Science and Technology (Content Standard E)
Abilities of technological design ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Understanding about science and technology ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Ability to distinguish between natural objects

and objects made by humans ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Science in Personal and Social Perspective (Content Standard F)
Personal health ✖ ✖
Changes in environment ✖ ✖
Science and technology in local challenges ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
History and Nature of Science (Content Standard G)
Science as a human endeavor ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
The Case of the Shaky Quake EG-2002-10-13-LARC

National Science Standards (Grades 5 - 8)

Segment
Standard 1 2 3 4
Unifying Concepts and Processes
Systems, order, and organization ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Evidence, models, and explanations ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Change, constancy, and measurement ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Form and Function ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Science as Inquiry (Content Standard A)
Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Understanding about scientific inquiry ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Physical Science (Content Standard B)
Properties and changes of properties in matter ✖
Motion and forces ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Transfer of energy ✖ ✖
Earth and Space Science
Structure of the Earth system ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Earth’s history ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Science and Technology (Content Standard E)
Abilities of technological design ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Understanding about science and technology ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Science in Personal and Social Perspectives (Content Standard F)
Personal health ✖ ✖
Risks and benefits ✖ ✖
Science and technology in society ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
History and Nature of Science (Content Standard G)
Science as a human endeavor ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Nature of science ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
History of Science ✖

National Mathematics Standards (Grades 3 - 5)

Segment
Standard 1 2 3 4
Number and Operations
Understand numbers, ways of representing numbers, relationships among

numbers, and number systems. ✖ ✖
Understand meanings of operations and how they relate to one another. ✖
Compute fluently and make reasonable estimates. ✖
Algebra
Understand patterns, relations, and functions. ✖ ✖
Represent and analyze mathematical situations and structures using

algebraic symbols. ✖
Use mathematical models to represent and understand quantitative ✖

relationships.
Analyze change in various contexts. ✖
Geometry
Analyze characteristics and properties of two- and three-dimensional

geometric shapes and develop mathematical arguments about ✖
geometric relationships.
Measurement
Understand measurable attributes of objects and the units, systems,

and processes of measurement. ✖ ✖ ✖
Apply appropriate techniques, tools, and formulas to

determine measurements. ✖
Data Analysis and Probability
Formulate questions that can be addressed with data and

collect, organize, and display relevant data to answer them. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Develop and evaluate inferences and predictions that are based on data. ✖ ✖
Understand and apply basic concepts of probability. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Problem Solving
Solve problems that arise in mathematics and in other contexts. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Communication
Analyze and evaluate the mathematical thinking and strategies of others. ✖ ✖
Use the language of mathematics to express mathematical ideas precisely. ✖ ✖

National Mathematics Standards (Grades 3 - 5) Continued

Segment
Standard 1 2 3 4
Connections
Recognize and use connections among mathematical ideas. ✖
Recognize and apply mathematics in contexts outside of mathematics. ✖ ✖ ✖
Representation
Select, apply, and translate among mathematical representations ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖

to solve problems.
Use representations to model and interpret physical, social, and ✖ ✖

mathematical phenomena.

National Technology Standards (ITEA Standards for Technology Literacy, Grades 3 - 5)

Segment
Standard 1 2 3 4
Nature of Technology
Standard 1: Students will develop an understanding of the

characteristics and scope of technology. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Standard 2: Students will develop an understanding of the core

concepts of technology. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Standard 3: Students will develop an understanding of the

relationships among technologies and the connections between
technology and other fields of study. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Technology and Society
Standard 6: Students will develop an understanding of the role of

society in the development and use of technology. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Standard 7: Students will develop an understanding of the influence

of technology on history. ✖
Abilities for a Technological World
Standard 12: Students will develop abilities to use and maintain

technological products and systems. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Standard 13: Students will develop abilities to assess the impact of

products and systems. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
The Designed World
Standard 17: Students will develop an understanding of and be able to

select and use information and communication technologies. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖

National Technology Standards (ISTE National Educational Technology Standards, Grades 3 - 5)

Segment
Standard 1 2 3 4
Basic Operations and Concepts
Use Keyboards and other common input and output devices
efficiently and effectively. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Discuss common uses of technology in daily life and the advantages
and disadvantages those uses provide. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Social, Ethical, and Human Issues
Discuss common uses of technology in daily life and the advantages
and disadvantages those uses provide. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Technology Productivity Tools
Use general purpose productivity tools and peripherals to
support personal productivity, remediate skill deficits, and
facilitate learning throughout the curriculum. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Use technology tools for individual and collaborative writing,
communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge
products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Technology Communication Tools
Use technology tools for individual and collaborative writing,
communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge
products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Use telecommunication efficiently and effectively to access remote
information, communicate with others in support of direct and
independent learning, and pursue personal interests. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Use telecommunication and online resources to participate in
collaborative problem-solving activities for the purpose of developing
solutions or products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Technology Research Tools
Use telecommunication and online resources to participate in
collaborative problem-solving activities for the purpose of developing
solutions or products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Use technology resources for problem solving, self-directed
learning, and extended learning activities. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Determine when technology is useful and select the appropriate
tools and technology resources to address a variety of tasks and problems. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Technology Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Tools
Use technology resources for problem solving, self-directed
learning, and extended learning activities. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖

The National Geography Standards, Grades 3 - 5)

Segment
Standard 1 2 3 4
The World in Spatial Terms
How to use maps and other graphic representations, tools, and
technologies to acquire process and report information from a
spatial perspective. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Places and Regions
The physical and human characteristics of plates. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
That people create regions to interpret Earth’s complexity. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Physical Systems
The physical process that shape the patterns of Earth’s surface. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
Environment and Society
How physical systems affect human systems. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
The Uses of Geography
How to apply geography to interpret the past. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖
How to apply geography to interpret the present
and plan for the future. ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖

Segment 1
The tree house detectives are concerned about a tremor that
they felt while working in the tree house. Unsure if they had
just experienced an earthquake, they decide to call a
seismologist to find the answer. They soon realize that it isn’t
that simple. As the detectives begin their research, they stop
by to see Dr. D, who provides them with information on the
various layers of the Earth and how fossils help scientists
discover the Earth’s movement. Dr. D also tells them to think
“outside of the box”because the answer is not always obvious.
Jacob is on vacation in Utah and visits David Whitman at
Dinosaur National Monument to gather some important clues
and to learn about the Continental Drift Theory and plate
tectonics.

Objectives
The students will • learn that the surface of the Earth slowly changes
• learn that the interior of the Earth is divided into through time.
layers. • learn the theory of plate tectonics.
• understand continental drift.
• learn that fossils provide evidence about the
nature of the environment in which they lived.
Vocabulary
continental drift—a hypothesis that continents seismologist—a scientist who studies earthquakes
have moved around the globe thousands of and waves
kilometers over millions of years to reach their
current location vibration—a trembling motion
crust—the outermost layer of the Earth
density—how tightly packed a substance’s

molecules are
earthquake—the movement of the ground caused

by waves from energy released as rocks move along
faults
fossils—the remains or traces of a once-living

organism; usually preserved in rock
inner core—the solid center of the Earth
mantel—the thickest layer inside the Earth; it lies

between the outer core and the crust
outer core—a liquid layer of Earth’s core that

surrounds the solid inner core
Pangaea—the name Alfred Wegener gave to the

landmass that he believed existed before it split
apart to form the present continents
plate tectonics—the theory that Earth’s crust and

upper mantle exist in sections called plates and that
these plates slowly move around on the mantle
seismogram—the record of an earth tremor as

made by a seismograph
seismograph—an instrument that records

earthquake waves

Video Component
Implementation Strategy learned will affect the case. These questions can
be printed from the web site ahead of time for
The NASA SCI Files™ is designed to enhance and students to copy into their science journals.
enrich the existing curriculum. Two to three days of
class time are suggested for each segment to fully View Segment 1 of the Video
use video, resources, activities, and web site.
For optimal educational benefit, view The Case of the
Shaky Quake in 15-minute segments and not in its
Before Viewing entirety. If you are viewing a taped copy of the
1. Prior to viewing Segment 1 of The Case of the program, you may want to stop the video when the
Shaky Quake, read the program overview (p. 5) to Focus Question icon appears to allow students time
the students. List and discuss questions and to answer the question.
preconceptions that students may have about
earthquakes, the layers of the Earth, and fossils. After Viewing
2. Record a list of issues and questions that the 1. Have students reflect on the "What's Up?"
students want answered in the program. questions asked at the end of the segment.
Determine why it is important to define the
2. Discuss the Focus Questions.
problem before beginning. From this list, guide
students to create a class or team list of three 3. Students should work in groups or as a class to
issues and four questions that will help them to discuss and list what they know about
better understand the problem. The following earthquakes, the layers of the Earth, fossils, and
tools are available in the educator area under plate movement. Have the students brainstorm
the resources section of ideas on what could have caused the tremor
the web site to assist in that the tree house detectives felt. As a class,
Careers the process. reach a consensus on what additional
information is needed. Have the students
seismologist Problem Board -
conduct independent research or provide
park ranger Printable form to create
students with the information needed.
geologist student or class K-W-L
chart 4. Have the students complete Action Plans, which
oceanographer
can be printed from the web site, and then
paleontologist Problem Based
conduct independent or group research by
Learning (PBL)
using books and internet sites noted in the
Questions - Questions
Research Rack section of the NASA SCI Files™
for students to use while conducting research
web site. Educators can also search for resources
Problem Log - Printable log for students with by topic, episode, and media type under the
the stages of the problem-solving process Educator's main menu option Resources.
The Scientific Method - Chart that describes 5. Choose activities from the educator guide and
the scientific method process web site to reinforce concepts discussed in the
3. Focus Questions - Questions at the beginning of segment. The variety of activities is designed to
each segment that help students focus on a enrich and enhance your curriculum. Activities
reason for viewing and can be printed ahead of may also be used to help students "solve" the
time from the educator’s area of the web site so problem along with the tree house detectives.
students can copy them into their science 6. Have the students work individually, in pairs or in
journals. Encourage students to take notes small groups, on the Problem-Based Learning
during the program to answer the questions. An (PBL) activity on the NASA SCI Files™ web site.
icon will appear when the answer is near.
• To begin the PBL activity, read the scenario to
4. What's Up? Questions - Questions at the end of the students.
the segment help students predict what actions
the tree house detectives should take next in the
investigation process and how the information

• Read and discuss the various roles involved in the 8. Have students complete a Reflection Journal,
investigation. which can found in the Problem-Solving Tool section
• Print the criteria for the investigation and distribute. of the online PBL investigation or in the Instructional
• Have students use the Research Rack located on the Tools section of the Educator's area.
web site and the online tools that are available. 9. The NASA SCI Files™ web site provides educators
7. Having students reflect in their journals what they with general and specific evaluation tools for
have learned from this segment and from their own cooperative learning, scientific investigation, and the
experimentation and research is one way to assess problem-solving process.
the students. In the beginning, students may have
difficulty reflecting. To help students, give them
specific questions to reflect upon that are related to
the concepts.
Resources (additional resources located on web site)
Books PBS Online—Earth Science Links: Earthquakes,

Volcanoes, & Plate Tectonics
Cottonwood, Joe: Quake! Scholastic, 1995, ISBN The in-depth activities on this site range from virtual
0590222333. games, to interactive maps of earthquakes and
volcanoes, and to quizzes you can take on the
Gallant, Roy A: Dance of the Continents. Benchmark
information presented.
Books, 2000, ISBN 0761409629.
http://sciencespot.net/Pages/kdzethsci2.html
Silverstein, Alvin: Plate Tectonics. Twenty-First
BBC Online—Walking with Dinosaurs
Century Books, 1998, ISBN 076133225.
A fantastic web site that includes games, quizzes,
Simon, Seymour: Earthquakes. Morrow Junior Books, fact files, and much more. When it comes to
1991, ISBN 0688096336. dinosaurs, this web site is one of the best and most
complete sites.
available.http://www.bbc.co.uk/dinosaurs/
USGS—The Dynamic Earth: The Story of Plate

Web Sites Tectonics
Exploratorium—Life Along the Fault Line A very in-depth discussion of the theory of plate
This site contains real video clips of experts in the tectonics. Includes information from the historical
field of geology, along with activities, links, and a perspective up to the effect on people.
place to share your story. http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/
http://www.exploratorium.edu/faultline/index.html dynamic.html
Pangaea To the Present: A History of the Earth’s

Plates The Earth’s Layers
This web site guides the user through the theory of This site contains a general overview of the layers of
the formation and breakup of Pangaea. The site the Earth. It continues to go “deeper” for more
includes various maps depicting the transformation specific information about each layer.
of Pangaea through time and a model of the Earth’s http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/vwlessons/less
crust. ons/Earths_layers/Earths_layers1.html
http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/vwlessons/less
ons/Pangaea/Pangaea1.html

Activities and Worksheets

In the Guide Layering of the Earth
Make flash cards to learn the layers of the Earth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Density Determines the Layers

Learn how different densities create layers in the Earth.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Did You Catch my Drift?

Create a map of Pangaea and learn about the Continental Drift Theory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Inventasaurus
Learn the etymology of words and invent a new word of your own as you design a
dinosaur. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Plates On the Move

Create a model of seafloor spreading and learn the theory of plate tectonics. . . . . . . . . 24
Answer Key
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
On the Web You’ve Got the Whole World In Your Hands

Create your own model of the Earth’s layers with a foam ball.
Dino Connections
Become a paleontologist and learn the difficulty of assembling fossils.
Just How DO These Plates Move?

Discover convection currents and how they explain the movement of Earth’s plates.

Layering of the Earth

Purpose To identify the layers of the Earth
Materials
Procedure 1. On the Earth diagram card sheet, cut along the solid lines, Earth diagram cards (p. 19)
creating four separate cards. scissors
2. Use a metric ruler and measure 1.5 cm from the bottom of metric ruler
each card and mark. markers
3. Draw a line horizontally across the bottom of the card at
the mark.
4. At the bottom of one of the cards, write the word “crust.”
5. On the same card, use a red marker to outline the crust of the Earth.
6. Repeat with each of the other cards, using “inner core,”“outer core,” and “mantle,” coloring in
the appropriate layer of the Earth to match.
7. Using markers, make different colored dots for each card in the top left and bottom right
corners.
8. Use the scissors to cut the card along the line that was drawn at the bottom of each card
to create a label card.
9. Practice matching each picture to the correct label card. To check to see if you matched them
correctly, turn the cards over and check to see if the dots match.
10. Practice with a partner until you are able to identify the layers of the Earth without the labels.
Conclusion:
1. Which layer of the Earth do we live on?
2. What is the inner most layer of the Earth?
Extension:
1. Research the layers of the Earth and write a brief description of each layer. Be sure to include
what it is made of, how thick it is, whether it is solid or liquid, and so on. Present your findings
in a report to the class.
2. Use a hard-boiled egg or a Ding-Dong® cupcake cut in half (with a small piece of candy for
the middle) to discuss the layers of the Earth.

Earth Diagram Cards

Density Determines the Layers

Purpose To determine how the density of a substance can create layers
Materials
3 small cups (of any
Procedure 1. Pour small, equal amounts of water, corn syrup, and cooking oil kind)
into the three cups. 1 large transparent
2. Using a different color, add one drop of food coloring to each of
cup
the three cups and mix.
food coloring
3. In your science journal, record what color was used for each
substance. water
4. One at a time, slowly pour the contents of each cup into the corn syrup
transparent cup. cooking oil
5. Observe and record what happens to the three different liquids
when they are poured into the same cup together.
Conclusion 1. Which substance was on the bottom? In the middle? On the top?
2. Why did the layering of the substance occur?
3. Using what you have learned about density, explain how the Earth’s layers were formed.
Extension Carefully pour the following ingredients into a tall glass so that each substance is poured down
the inside of the glass: honey, syrup, dish detergent, colored water, cooking oil, and rubbing
alcohol. Explain what happened and why some of the substances mixed together.What would
happen if you put the substances in the glass in a different order? In your science journal, draw
what you observed.

Did You Catch My Drift?

Purpose To learn about the Continental Drift Theory and to create a
map of Pangaea Materials
continent pieces (p. 22 )
Procedure 1. Color the legend using a different color for each fossil and construction paper
rock clue. scissors
2. Using the legend you created, color the fossil and rock clues
glue
on the continent pieces to match.
colored pencils
3. Lightly color each continent, being careful to not color over
the clues.
4. Cut out the continent pieces.
5. Use the fossil and rock clues to arrange the continents into one large landmass.
6. Once you have determined the best fit, glue the pieces onto a piece of construction paper.
7. Cut out the legend and glue in the lower left corner.
8. Title your map “Pangaea.”
Conclusion 1. Which two continents have the best fit?

2. Why isn’t the fit “perfect” if the continents were once part of Pangaea?
Extension 1. Suppose someone asked if the continents were really together at one time. What kind of
information and evidence would you need to support the theory? Write a report explaining
how the evidence supports the Continental Drift Theory.
2. After gluing the continents together, draw arrows indicating the direction that the continents
have moved over time. Explain what might happen if the continents continue to drift in
these directions.
Greenland
Euroasia
North
America
Africa
Legend
Fossil Fern
South Australia
Messosaurus
Fossil America
Interlocking
Shapes
Similar Rocks
Identical
Mountain
Formation

http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov Continent Pieces

Inventasaurus
Purpose: To learn the etymolgy of words
Materials
list of prefixes and
Background Etymology is the study of the origin and historical development
suffixes
of a word or parts of words by determining its basic elements,
discovering its earliest known use, recoding its changes in form paper
and meaning, tracing its transmission from one language to pencil
another, and identifying its roots or origins in other languages. colored pencils
For example, dinosaur: dino means terrible and saur means construction paper
lizard. A dinosaur is a terrible lizard.
Procedure
1. Look over the prefixes and suffixes and choose one or one of each to create a new name for
a dinosaur. Be creative, think of your favorite movie star or singer and immortalize him or her
as a new dinosaur. For example, Jacksonasaur.
2. Write a story about your new dinosaur, being sure to include when it lived, its size, what it ate,
how it became extinct, who its natural enemies were, and any other important information.
3. Draw a picture of your dinosaur on the construction paper and present your newly
discovered dino to the class.
Prefixes
archaeo, ancient gorgo, terrible pseudo, fake
allo, other herb, plant quadro, four
bi, two hetero, different salto, leaping
coele, hollow hexa, six stego, plated
compso, elegant megalo, great tri, three
cory, helmet mono, single trach, duck
crypto, hidden novo, new tyrannos, terrible
dino, terrible osteo, bony
diplo, double phyto, plant
glyco, sweet proto, first
Suffixes
bracchis, arms ornis, bird
canis, dog ossa, bones
captor, hunter ped, foot
cera, horned pteryx, wing
docus, beam raptor, stealer
dont, toothed rhynchus, nose
gnathus, jaw saur, lizard
ichthy, fish suchus, crocodile
nychus, claw thorium, beast
oculis, eye

Plates On the Move

Problem To understand sea-floor spreading and the theory of plate tectonics
Background Until the early 1950s, little was known about the ocean floor.
The technology needed to explore the deep oceans had not Materials
yet been invented. Scientists began using echo-sounding
2 sheets of white paper
devices to map the ocean floor, and they discovered a
scissors
complex system of mountains and valleys, just like the colored pencils
continents above the water. They also found a system of metric ruler
ridges and valleys extending through the center of the
Atlantic and other oceans around the world. These mid-
ocean ridges form an underwater mountain range that extends through the center of much
of the Earth’s oceans. In the early 1960s, a scientist named Harry Hess suggested an
explanation for these mid-ocean ridges. His now accepted theory is known as seafloor
spreading. Hess suggested that molten material in the mantle rises to the surface at a
mid-ocean ridge, and it then turns and flows sideways, carrying the seafloor away from the
ridge in both directions. With the discovery of seafloor spreading, scientists began to
understand what was happening to Earth’s crust and upper mantle. The idea of sea-floor
spreading showed that the continents were not just moving as Wegener suggested, but that
there are sections of the seafloor and continents that move around in relation to one another.
In 1968 scientists had developed a new theory that combined the main ideas of continental
drift and seafloor spreading. The theory became known as the theory of plate tectonics, and
it stated that the Earth’s crust and upper mantle are broken into sections called plates. These
plates move around on the mantle, and the continents can be thought of as “rafts” that float
on the mantle.
Procedure 1. Use the ruler to measure and draw three 10-cm lines on one of the sheets of paper. See
diagram 1.
2. Draw mountain peaks between the edges of the paper and the outer lines.
3. Use scissors to make a slit along each of the lines drawn.
4. On the second sheet of paper, draw lines approximately 1 cm apart across the width of the
paper.
5. Fold the paper in half lengthwise. Cut along the fold.
paper
10 cm
10 cm
10 cm
Diagram 1
cut

Plates On the Move (continued)

strips of paper
cut
mountain
Diagram 2
paper
tape backside
strips of paper
Diagram 3 paper
6. Put the two strips face to face, matching the stripes in the middle.
7. Put them through the middle slit from the back to the front.
8. On the back, tape the strips to secure them in place. See diagram 2.
9. Pull both strips about 6 cm out of the center slit and insert each strip into the outer slit closest
to it. See diagram 3.
10. Continue to pull the strips through the slit and observe. Record your observations.
Conclusion 1. What does the middle slit or opening of the model represent?
2. How is actual seafloor spreading similar to your model?
3. Where are the youngest rocks found on the ocean floor? The oldest rocks?
4. How does seafloor spreading support the theory of plate tectonics?
Extension Research and perform experiments on convection to understand the mechanism that drives
seafloor spreading. A convection activity can be found on the NASA SCI Files™ web site
<http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov> in The Case of the Phenomenal Weather guide on page 22.

Answer Key
Layering of the Earth 3. The youngest rocks are located at the mid-ocean ridge,
1. We live on the layer of the Earth called the crust. and they become increasingly older the farther they are
2. The inner-most layer of the Earth is the inner core. from the ridge on both sides. Remember pulling the
strips out of the slit? The ones that came out first (oldest)
are now on the outer edge. Scientists also found that no
Density Determines the Layers rocks are older than 200 million years, even though
1. The corn syrup was on the bottom, the oil was in the continental rocks are more than three billion years old.
middle, and the water was on the top. 4. By examining the clues of rocks and fossils and proving
2. The layering occurred because the substances were that the seafloor spreads, scientists were able to support
different densities. The corn syrup was the most dense the theory of plate tectonics.
with water being the least dense. If a substance is denser
than something else, the substance will tend to sink to On the Web
the bottom.This tendency is seen in this experiment.
Since the volume of each of the three liquids was equal, You’ve Got the Whole World in Your Hands
and density is equal to the mass divided by the volume, 1. The layers of the Earth are the inner core, outer core,
the densest substance is also the heaviest substance. mantle, and crust.
And, of course, heavier objects do sink to the bottom. 2. We live on the Earth’s crust.
3. The layers of the Earth were formed as the denser
materials sank to the inner portion of the Earth with the Dino Connections
less dense materials, such as our crust, remaining on top. 1. Answers will vary but might include that it was difficult
4. Extension: Some of the liquids such as detergent and to put the pieces together because some of the pieces
water, will mix together because the chemicals will are crushed or that there were three “fossils” mixed
dissolve each other. Some of the liquids, such as water together.
and oil, will stay separate because they do not mix. 2. When paleontologists work in the field to piece together
fossilized bones, they are not always sure if all of the
bones are present. Some may have been destroyed by
Did You Catch My Drift? other dinosaurs at the time of the animal’s death or
1. South America and Africa have the best fit. simply not fossilized. Earth’s processes such as floods,
2. When looking at the continents from a map perspective, earthquakes, and such may have also disturbed the
much of the continent is not seen. We only map the part bones.
of the land that is above the surface of the water. 3. Apatosaurus was named a Brontosaurus until scientists
However, much of each continent is below the surface of discovered that bones in his head were not correctly put
the water as they extend below sea level as continental together.
shelves. Because of this, the continents do not fit
perfectly. How DO Those Plates Move?
1. The paper circles move around on the surface of the
Plates On the Move water. As the ice cools the surrounding water, it sinks to
1. The middle slit represents a mid-ocean ridge where the the bottom of the dish. As the cooler, denser water sinks,
molten materials from the mantle rise to the surface of it forces the warmer less dense water to rise and replace
the Earth. This ridge is also known as a divergent plate the cooler water. As the warmer water moves and cools,
boundary. it sinks and the cycle is started once again. This motion
2. The model resembles actual seafloor spreading in that it of sinking and rising causes the paper circles to move.
shows how the molten material rises to the surface and 2. Some of the red food color will rise to the top and float
then spreads out in both directions. The striped lines can towards the other end of the dish.
represent the rocks being formed at the same time on 3. Some of the blue food color will sink and move along
either side of a ridge or they can represent the magnetic the bottom of the dish towards the other end of the dish.
field of the crust and how it has reversed over time. 4. Answers will vary but should include that the mantle
Scientists have found that rocks on the ocean floor show material close to the Earth’s core is very hot. Mantle
many magnetic reversals and that the reversals align on material farther from the core is cooler and denser. The
both sides of a ridge. cooler material sinks towards the Earth’s core and the hot
material is pushed up to replace the cooler material. As
the cooler material starts to sink near the core, it gets
heated and starts to rise once again. Thus, the cycle
continues over and over. This circular motion carries the
plates along with it, which in turn causes the continents
to move.

Segment 2
After investigating various leads, the tree house detectives
think that an explosion caused the tremor felt in the tree
house. However, they don’t want to jump to conclusions too
quickly and feel that more research is needed. After
researching plate tectonics, the detectives decide that they
need to learn more about faults, and they ask Jacob and R.J. to
contact the United States Geological Survey (USGS) office for
information on faults and plate boundaries. Meanwhile, back
at home, the rest of the detectives set off for Tidewater
Community College in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where Mr.
Michael Lyle shows them how earthquakes are recorded. They
also meet Dr. D who demonstrates how to make their very
own seismometer.
Objectives
The students will • build a model of a seismometer.
• explain how earthquakes occur.
• identify three types of faults.
• identify three types of plate boundaries.
• understand folklore and legends of earthquakes.
Vocabulary
convergent boundary—in plate tectonics, the normal fault—a pull-apart (tension) fracture in
boundary between two plates that are converging rocks, where rocks that are above the fault surface
or moving toward each other drop downward in relation to rocks that are below
the fault surface
divergent boundary—in plate tectonics, the
boundary between two plates that are diverging or reverse fault—a compression fracture in rocks,
spreading apart where rocks that are above the fault surface are
forced up over rocks that are below the fault surface
fault—a large break in rocks, from several meters to
many kilometers long, where rocks not only crack strike-slip fault—a break in rocks where rocks on
but also move along either side of the break either side of the fault move past each other
(instead of above or below each other)
inertia-- tendency of objects to remain in motion or
stay at rest unless acted upon by an unbalanced transform boundary—in plate tectonics, a
force boundary between two plates that are sliding past
one another
intraplate earthquake—earthquake located in the
interior of a plate
Video Component
Implementation Strategy located on the Web, as was previously
mentioned in Segment 1.
The NASA SCI Files™ is designed to enhance and
4. Focus Questions_Print the questions from the
enrich the existing curriculum. Two to three days of
web site ahead of time for students to copy into
class time are suggested for each segment to fully
their science journals. Encourage students to
use video, resources, activities, and web site.
take notes during the program to answer the
questions. An icon will appear when the answer
Before Viewing is near.
1. Prior to viewing Segment 2 of The Case of the 5. What's Up? Questions_Questions at the end of
Shaky Quake, discuss the previous segment to the segment help students predict what actions
review the problem and what the tree house the tree house detectives should take next in the
detectives have learned thus far. Download a investigation process and how the information
copy of the Problem Board from the NASA SCI learned will affect the case. These questions can
Files™ web site and have students use it to sort be printed from the web site ahead of time for
the information learned so far. students to copy into their science journals.
2. Review the list of questions and issues that the
students created prior to viewing Segment 1 and View Segment 2 of the Video
determine which, if any, were answered in the For optimal educational benefit, view The Case of the
video or in the students' own research. Shaky Quake in 15-minute segments and not in its
3. Revise and correct any misconceptions that may entirety. If you are viewing a taped copy of the
have been dispelled during Segment 1. Use tools program, you may want to stop the video when the

Focus Question icon appears to allow students time 7. Have students write in their journals what they
to answer the question. have learned from this segment and from their
own experimentation and research. If needed,
After Viewing give students specific questions to reflect upon
as suggested on the PBL Facilitator Prompting
1. Have students reflect on the "What's Up?" Questions instructional tool found in the
questions asked at the end of the segment. educator's area of the web site.
2. Discuss the Focus Questions. 8. Continue to assess the students’ learning, as
3. Have students work in small groups or as a class appropriate, by using their journal writings,
to discuss and list what new information they problem logs, scientific investigation logs, and
have learned about the layers of the Earth, other tools that can be found on the web site.
fossils, and plate movement. Organize the Visit the Research Rack in the tree house, the
information and determine if any of the online PBL investigation main menu section
students' questions from Segment 1 were “Problem-Solving Tools,” and the “Tools” section
answered. of the educator’s area for more assessment ideas
4. Decide what additional information is needed and tools.
for the tree house detectives to determine what
caused the tremor. Have students conduct
independent research or provide students with Careers
information as needed. Visit the NASA SCI Files™ metallurgical engineer
web site for an additional list of resources for gemologist
both students and educators. soil engineer
5. Choose activities from the educator guide and
web site to reinforce concepts discussed in the
segment. Pinpoint areas in your curriculum that
may need to be reinforced and use activities to
aid student understanding in those areas.
6. If time did not permit you to begin the web
activity at the conclusion of Segment 1, refer to
number 6 under "After Viewing" on page 15 and
begin the Problem-Based Learning activity on
the NASA SCI Files™ web site. If the web activity
was begun, monitor students as they research
within their selected roles, review criteria as
needed, and encourage the use of the following
portions of the online, Problem-Based Learning
activity:
Research Rack - books, internet sites, and
research tools
Problem-Solving Tools - tools and strategies to
help guide the problem-solving process
Dr. D's Lab - interactive activities and
simulations
Media Zone - interviews with experts from this
segment
- listing of Ask-An-Expert sites and biographies
of experts featured in the broadcast

Resources
Books
Kerhet, Peg: Earthquake Terror. Sea Star Books, 1998, Life Along the Fault Line
ISBN 0613068114. This cool site contains real video clips of experts in
the field of geology. It contains activities, links, and a
Lassieur, Allison: Earthquakes. Capstone Books, 2001, place to share your story. It also has past webcasts
ISBN 0763805869. that can be viewed.
http://www.exploratorium.edu/faultline/index.html
Sattler, Helen Rodney: Our Patchwork Planet.
Lothrop, Lee, and Shepary Books, 1995, ISBN Plate Tectonics: The Cause of Earthquakes
0688093124. A good discussion about how plate tectonics and
earthquakes go hand in hand. Information is also
available about the three types of plate boundaries.
Video http://www.seismo.unr.edu/ftp/pub/louie/class/100/
plate-tectonics.html
Earth Revealed. The Annenberg/CPB Collection, 1992, How Stuff Works: How Earthquakes Work
ISBN 155464437. Learn more about the dynamics of earthquakes and
find many links to other sites.
http://www.howstuffworks.com/earthquake.html
Web Sites
USGS: Earthquake Hazards Program
Earthquakes The USGS site has so many resources to use that it

This site is packed with information on earthquakes. would be impossible to list them. You can view
Learn what to do during a quake, read a map to current earthquake activity, news, and even request
discover earthquake prone areas, discover ancient earthquake notification via e-mail.
legends that were used to explain quakes, and much http://neic.usgs.gov/
more. Presented in a kid friendly environment.
http://www.fema.gov/kids/quake.htm
Earthquake Legends
This site is full of legends and folklore about how
earthquakes are explained by various cultures.
http://www.fema.gov/kids/eqlegnd.htm


In the Guide Breaking Loose
Learn how earthquakes are created along fault lines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
It’s Not My Fault!

Create cardboard models of three types of faults. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Shaky Quake Cake

Make edible models of three types of plate boundaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Folklore and Legends

Read and research legends and how various cultures explain the trembling Earth. . . . .35
Got Quakes?
Build your own seismometer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Answer Key
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
On the Web Plates On a Globe

Create a model of the lithospheric plates by using a tennis ball.
Modeled to a Fault
Create 3-dimensional paper models of three types of faults.

Breaking Loose
Problem To explain how earthquakes occur
Materials
Procedure 1. Securely tape one piece of sandpaper in place on a flat surface. small wooden block
2. Wrap the other piece of sandpaper around the small block of rubber band
wood and secure it with tape. 2 pieces of sandpaper
3. On the top of the small block of wood, attach a rubber band
tack
with a tack. See Diagram 1.
science journal
4. Lay the block of wood, sandpaper side down, on top of the
sandpaper attached to the table. See diagram 2.
5. Very slowly begin to pull on the block with the rubber band.
Notice that the force of your pulling builds up in the rubber band.
6. Continue to pull until the block moves. Record your observations in your science journal.
tack
sandpaper
sandpaper
wrapped
tape around
block
block of tape
wood
rubber band
Diagram 1 Diagram 2
Conclusion 1. What happened when you continued to pull on the rubber band? Why?
2. Explain how this simulation relates to earthquakes.
3. Use the Internet, books, and other resources to research the elastic rebound theory and
create a report for the class.

It’s Not My Fault!

Problem To identify three types of faults
Materials
Procedure 1. On the cardboard, use a metric ruler to draw two rectangles that
each measure 16 cm X 9 cm. Inclined Plane
2. Cut out the two rectangles. wooden plank or sturdy
3. Use the ruler to divide each rectangle into three equal lengthwise piece of cardboard
parts. See diagram 1. stack of books
4. Label one rectangle, “Rectangle A” and label the parts 1, 2, and
3. Color each part a different color.
protractor
5. Repeat with the second rectangle, labeling it “Rectangle B.” 2 paperback books tied
6. On Rectangle A, measure 2 cm from the upper left corner and mark. together with string
7. Measure 2 cm from the bottom right corner and mark. spring scale
8. Draw a diagonal line between the two marks. See diagram 2.
9. Using scissors, cut along the diagonal line and set
aside. 16 cm
10. On Rectangle B, measure to find the lengthwise
middle of the rectangle on the top and bottom. 9 cm
11. Draw a line between the two marks and cut along the
line. See diagram 3.
12. Position Rectangle A in front of you and push against Diagram 1
each side so that the right side drops down below the
left side to demonstrate a normal fault.
13. Reposition Rectangle A in front of you and push against each side so that the right side pushes above
the left side. This demonstrates a reverse fault.
14. Position Rectangle B in front of you and slide the left side past the right side to demonstrate a
strike-slip fault.
15. In your science journal, write a description of each fault. In your group or as a class, reach a consensus
for a definition of each fault.
16. Research the term “hanging wall” and determine which wall would be the hanging wall in a normal and
reverse fault.
2 cm
16 cm 16 cm
A1 B1
A2 9 cm B2 9 cm
A3 B3
Diagram 2 2 cm
Diagram 3
Conclusions 1. How might each of these faults be created?

2. Are there faults in your local area? How do you know?
Extensions 1. Research what landforms are created by each of these faults.

Shaky Quake Cake

Problem To identify three types of plate boundaries
Teacher Note: To demonstrate three types of plate boundaries, you will need
Materials
three cakes.This activity can be done as a class demonstration, 6 foil pans (30 cm X 40 cm)
or each group can have a cake to demonstrate one of the cake batter for 3 cakes
plate boundaries. (prepared)
scissors
Procedure 1. Starting just underneath the reinforced rim 10 cm from
3 pieces of aluminum foil
corners, cut one foil pan diagonally from side to side. Leave
10 cm X 40 cm
the rim intact to help hold the pan in position during baking.
See diagram 1. cooking oil spray
2. To reinforce the cut pan, cover the outside with the aluminum paper plates
foil. forks
3. Place the foil-reinforced pan inside the uncut pan. napkins
4. Spray liberally with cooking oil.
5. Pour prepared cake batter into the pan. NOTE: To create a
layering effect to represent the layering of rocks and soil, use reinforced rim
10 cm
different colored cake batter for each layer. Add nuts, to
represent rocks in the soil, coconut to represent plant roots,
and so on.
cut
6. To make the second cake, repeat steps 1-5 but cut the pan
across the center of the pan. See diagram 2. foil pan
7. To make the third cake, repeat step 6. Once you have cut the
pan across the center, slightly overlap the edges in the middle
so that they will slide together. Diagram 1 10 cm
8. Bake according to the package or recipe directions.
9. Allow the cakes to completely cool.
10. If desired, after the cakes have cooled, use different colors of a stiff icing to add roads, streams, hills, and
other details to the landscapes of the cakes. The cakes can also be topped with models of animals, cars,
trees, trucks, buildings, and so on.
11. Carefully remove the cakes from the outer uncut pans. Loosen the aluminum foil from the edges but
do not remove from the bottom of the pan. foil pan
12. Finish cutting the rims so that the pans are no longer
connected. Be careful not to fracture the cakes in the process.
13. Use the cake that has the pan cut diagonally to demonstrate
a transform boundary. You and a partner should firmly grasp
the pan at each end. One will slowly move half the pan to the
left while the other moves the other side of the pan slowly to
the right. Make sure you keep the cake and pan as level as
possible. Diagram 2 reinforced rim
14. Discuss what happened to the “Earth”as you applied pressure
to each side.
15. To demonstrate a divergent plate boundary, use one of the other cakes and firmly grasp each end.
Gently and slowly pull outward on the pan and cake without twisting until the cake begins to fracture.
16. Discuss what happened to the “Earth” as it was pulled apart.
17. To demonstrate a convergent plate boundary, firmly grasp one end of the pan and have your partner
grasp the other end. Gently and slowly push toward each other with steady pressure. The cake should
buckle in the middle.
18. Discuss what happened to the “Earth” as it was pushed together.
19. Answer the conclusion questions and then enjoy the shaky quake cake.
Conclusion 1. Define the three types of plate boundaries and describe how each is created.
2. How were the three types of boundaries similar?
3. What happened to the cake after the pushing or pulling stopped?

Folklore and Legends

Background Different cultures around the world have attempted to explain earthquakes in various ways. Below are
a few legends about what makes the ground shake.
India The Earth is held up by four elephants that stand on the back of a turtle. The turtle is balanced on top
of a cobra. When any of these animals move, the Earth trembles and shakes.
Mexico El Diablo, the devil, makes giant rips in the Earth from the inside. He and his devilish friends use the
cracks when they want to come and stir up trouble on Earth.
Native American Once a Chickasaw chief was in love with a Choctaw princess. He was young and handsome, but he had
a twisted foot, so his people called him Reelfoot. When the princess’s father refused to give Reelfoot his
daughter’s hand, the chief and his friends kidnapped her and began to celebrate their marriage. The
Great Spirit was angry and stomped his foot. The shock caused the Mississippi River to overflow its
banks and drown the entire wedding party. (Reelfoot Lake, on the Tennessee side of the Mississippi
River, was formed as a result of the New Madrid earthquake of 1812.)
Procedure After reading the above legends, conduct research using the Internet, books, or other resources to learn
about other legends from around the world. Create a skit, poster, written or oral report, or some other
way to introduce the legend to the class.
Extension Create a legend of your own, and illustrate it.
El Diablo Shaking the Earth

Got Quakes?
Problem To build a model of a seismometer to record the
movements in the Earth Materials
two strings 10 cm long each
Procedure 1. Using scissors cut out the two largest faces of the cereal one string 30 cm long
box, leaving a 3-cm border on the top and the two sides. paper cup with plastic lid
Along the bottom, cut all the way to the edge. weights (marbles or washers)
See diagram 1. metric ruler
2. Cut a small hole in the top face.
2 pencils
3. Use a hole-punch to make two holes on opposite sides of
the cup. science journal
4. Thread a 10-cm piece of string through each hole and stopwatch
secure each string to the cup by tying a knot in the string. 3 strips of paper, 10 cm x 28 cm
5. Bring the two strings together and tie them in a knot. See cereal box
diagram 2. scissors
6. Tie the 30-cm string to where the 10-cm strings are joined
glue
together.
7. Make a small hole in the center bottom of the cup and
insert a pencil so that it protrudes
approximately 1 to 2 cm. 3-cm border
8. Place some weights in the bottom of the cup cereal box
(3-5 marbles or washers).
9. Place the lid on the cup so that the eraser
end of the pencil is sticking out of the hole
where a straw would normally be placed.
See diagram 3. 3-cm border 3-cm border
10. Thread the 30-cm string through the hole in
the top of the cereal box.
11. Tie the string around a pencil and lay the
pencil flat against the top of the box. The cup
should now be suspended from the cereal
box. Adjust the string by wrapping it around
the pencil until the pencil lead is barely
touching the bottom of the box.
bottom of box (no border)
12. Glue the 3 strips of paper together end to
end. Diagram 1
13. Place one end of the paper directly under the
point of the pencil. The rest of the strip should be flat on the surface on the other side of the box. See
diagram 4.
14. Assign each member of your group a job.
• One student will be in charge of shaking the surface that
the box is on. string
• One student will pull the paper through the box.
• One student will lightly hold the box in place so that it
doesn’t tip over. knot in knot in
• One student will record the time with a stopwatch. string string
15. After everyone is in place, begin the earthquake and time
it for 10 seconds. cup
16. Look at your seismograph and discuss what you have
recorded. Diagram 2

Got Quakes? (continued)

top eraser part of
pencil
lid of cup
hole w/ string
tied in knot to
secure
cup
marble
Diagram 3
hole w/ pencil
sticking through
string is
tied around
cereal box pencil hole cut in top of box
string
hole hole
3-cm border
cup filled
with weights
marbles
pencil
hole for
pencil
Diagram 4
paper roll for recording
Conclusion 1. Why do scientists use seismometers?

2. How can they help people that live close to boundaries that move?
3. In what other ways could you use a seismometer?

Answer Key
Breaking Loose collision formed the islands of Japan. The third type occurs
1. As you continued to pull on the rubber band, the force when two continental plates collide, crumpling up and
finally overcame friction, and the block leapt forward, forming mountain ranges such as the Himalayan
skipping over the rough sandpaper surface. The rubber Mountains. There is not a subduction zone because both
band stored energy until it had enough to overcome the plates are less dense than the material in the
friction of the sandpaper. asthenosphere.
2. In most places, plate motion is steady and slow as the 2. Answers will vary but should include that the Earth’s forces
plates slide past each other, moving only a few centimeters create all three boundaries and that it is the build up of
each year. This kind of motion is referred to as seismic stress and pressure that causes the boundaries to move.
creep. But in some locations where the friction between The stresses and strains in the Earth's upper layers are
plates is great, whole sections become stuck against each induced by many causes: thermal expansion and
other. The pressure on the sections increases and contraction, gravitational forces, solid-earth tidal forces,
eventually this pressure is released. Though rock may seem specific volume changes because of mineral phase
brittle, it’s actually an elastic material, capable of stretching transitions, and so on. Faulting is one of the various
and storing energy like a spring or rubber band and then manners of mechanical adjustment or release of such
returning that energy in a sudden rebound. A little bit stress and strain.
more plate motion is the final trigger, and the friction 3. When the pushing and pulling stopped, the cake did not
between the plates is overcome. A section of the fault snap back to its original form. Fissures, (cracks) in the Earth
suddenly breaks loose, releasing all the stored elastic caused by earthquakes, usually do not close back up but in
energy in one sudden jerk. time they fill in with debris from erosion.
3. Reports will vary. Got Quakes?
It’s Not My Fault! 1. Seismometers are primarily used to record the movements
1. Rocks are subjected to tension from the constant of the Earth’s crust. Scientists use the information obtained
movement of the plates. Tension can pull rocks apart to by a seismometer to help locate the epicenter (origin) of an
create a normal fault. Think of pulling a piece of clay apart. earthquake. Scientists can also use the information to help
It takes a lot of effort, but eventually, the clay will snap into predict future earthquakes and even to map the interior of
pieces. If it were to break into three pieces, the middle our Earth. Scientists have begun to estimate the locations
piece would fall downward. Compression forces are and likelihood of future damaging earthquakes. Sites of
generated at convergent plate boundaries. Compression greatest hazard are being identified, and structures are
pushes on rocks from opposite directions and causes them being designed that will withstand the effects of
to bend and fold and sometimes break. At a strike-slip earthquakes.
fault, the rocks on either side of the fault surface are 2. Seismometers can help people that live close to plate
moving past each other without much upward or boundaries by helping scientists predict future
downward motion. earthquakes and to warn of earthquakes that have
2. Answers will vary. Visit the USGS web site triggered tsunamis.
< http://www.usgs.gov/> for information on faults in your 3. Answers will vary but might include that seismometers can
area. be used to record traffic vibrations, construction blasts,
The Shaky Quake Cake sonic booms, and anything else that would make the
ground vibrate.
1. A transform fault (boundary) occurs when two plates slide
past each other. Transform faults occur when two plates
are moving in opposite directions or in the same direction On the Web
at different rates. The San Andreas Fault is a transform Plates On a Globe
boundary. A divergent plate boundary is the boundary 1. There are approximately 10 major plates shown on the
between two plates that are moving apart from one globe.
another. Divergent boundaries can occur when convection 2. The plates are mostly named for the continent on which
currents in the mantle cause two plates to move apart. they are located.
Seafloor spreading and the Great Rift Valley in eastern
3. Reports will vary.
Africa are examples of divergent boundaries. Convergent
boundaries occur where two plates are colliding. New Modeled to a Fault
crust is being added at divergent boundaries, which causes 1. Answers will vary.
the plates to move away from the fault area. This 2. Reports will vary.
movement causes the plates to collide in other areas.
There are three types of convergent boundaries. One is
when the ocean floor plate collides with a less dense
continental plate, creating a subduction zone and
volcanoes such as those in the Andes Mountains of South
America. The second type occurs when two ocean plates
collide, forming deep-sea trenches and islands. This type of

Segment 3
As the tree house detectives continue their investigation for
the answer to the mysterious tremor, they decide to contact
Ms. Andrea Donnellan at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
(JPL) where she explains how the Global Positioning System
(GPS) uses satellites to accurately measure any movement in
the Earth’s crust. Not convinced that it was an earthquake, the
detectives brainstorm for other possible solutions but
continue their research on earthquakes as Jacob and R.J. meet
Dr. D at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco,
California. There Dr. D explains how earthquakes produce
various types of waves and how these waves travel through
the Earth’s crust. Dr. Carol Tang joins them and explains how
earthquakes are measured and how they destroy buildings.
Dr. D, Dr.Tang, R.J., and Jacob all hang on for a wild ride as they
“experience” an earthquake in the earthquake room at the
Academy.
Objectives
The students will • understand how soil can liquefy during
• observe that waves are created when energy is earthquakes to cause destruction.
released. • learn the various scales used to measure
• demonstrate how primary and secondary waves earthquakes.
travel. • use real time data to locate and analyze
earthquakes
Vocabulary
blind fault—a break in the crust that does not Earth by compressing particles in rocks in the same
break through to the surface direction the wave is traveling
epicenter—the point on Earth’s surface directly Richter scale—describes how much energy is
above an earthquake’s focus released by an earthquake
focus—in an earthquake, the point in Earth’s interior secondary (S) waves—waves of energy, released
where movement releases energy to cause an during an earthquake, that travel through the Earth
earthquake by moving particles in rocks at right angles to the
direction the wave is traveling
Global Positioning System (GPS)—satellite
navigation system consisting of 24 satellites slip rate—the rate at which two sides of a fault are
moving past each other; typically measured in
moment magnitude scale—a scale used by millimeters per year
scientists to measure the energy released by an
earthquake surface wave—waves of energy, released during an
earthquake, that reach Earth’s surface and travel
primary (P) waves—waves of energy, released outward from the epicenter in all directions
during an earthquake that travel the fastest through
Video Component
Implementation Strategy 3. Revise and correct any misconceptions that may
have been dispelled during Segment 2. Use tools
The NASA SCI Files™ is designed to enhance and enrich located on the Web, as was previously mentioned in
the existing curriculum. Two to three days of class time Segment 1.
are suggested for each segment to fully use video,
4. Focus Questions - Print the questions from the web
resources, activities, and web site.
site ahead of time for students to copy into their
science journals. Encourage students to take notes
Before Viewing during the program to answer the questions. An
1. Prior to viewing Segment 3 of The Case of the Shaky icon will appear when the answer is near.
Quake, discuss the previous segment to review the 5. What's Up? Questions - Questions at the end of the
problem and what the tree house detectives have segment help students predict what actions the
learned thus far. Download a copy of the Problem tree house detectives should take next in the
Board from the NASA SCI Files™ web site and have investigation process and how the information
students use it to sort the information learned so learned will affect the case. These questions can be
far. printed from the web site ahead of time for
2. Review the list of questions and issues that the students to copy into their science journals.
students created prior to viewing Segment 2 and
determine which, if any, were answered in the video
or in the students' own research.

View Segment 3 of the Video Media Zone - interviews with experts from this
segment
For optimal educational benefit, view The Case of the
Expert's Corner - listing of Ask-An-Expert sites and
Shaky Quake in 15-minute segments and not in its
biographies of experts featured in the broadcast
entirety. If you are viewing a taped copy of the program,
you may want to stop the video when the Focus Question 7. Have students write in their journals what they have
icon appears to allow students time to answer the learned from this segment and from their own
question. experimentation and research. If needed, give
students specific questions to reflect upon, as
suggested on the PBL Facilitator Prompting Questions
After Viewing
instructional tool found in the educator's area of the
1. Have students reflect on the "What's Up?" questions web site.
asked at the end of the segment.
8. Continue to assess the students' learning, as
2. Discuss the Focus Questions. appropriate, by using their journal writings, problem
3. Have students work in small groups or as a class to logs, scientific investigation logs, and other tools that
discuss and list what new information they have can be found on the web site. Visit the Research Rack
learned about the layers of the Earth, fossils, and plate in the tree house, the online PBL investigation main
movement. Organize the information, place it on the menu section "Problem-Solving Tools," and the "Tools"
Problem Board, and determine if any of the students' section of the educator's area for more assessment
questions from Segment 2 were answered. ideas and tools.
4. Decide what additional information is needed for the
tree house detectives to determine what caused the
tremor. Have students conduct independent research
or provide students
with information as
Careers needed. Visit the NASA
geophysical technician SCI Files™ web site for
museum worker an additional list of
structural engineer resources for both
students and educators.
5. Choose activities from the educator guide and web

site to reinforce concepts discussed in the segment.
Pinpoint areas in your curriculum that may need to be
reinforced and use activities to aid student
understanding in those areas.
6. If time did not permit you to begin the web activity at
the conclusion of Segments 1 or 2, refer to number 6
under "After Viewing" on page 15 and begin the
Problem-Based Learning activity on the NASA SCI
Files™ web site. If the web activity was begun,
monitor students as they research within their
selected roles, review criteria as needed, and
encourage the use of the following portions of the
online, Problem-Based Learning activity:
Research Rack - books, internet sites, and research
tools
Problem-Solving Tools - tools and strategies to help
guide the problem-solving process.
Dr. D's Lab - interactive activities and simulations

Resources
Books while reading descriptive accounts of the day.
http://www.exploratorium.edu/faultline/1906/index.
Levy, Matthys and Salvidori, Mario: Earthquake html
Games: Earthquakes and Volcanoes Explained By 32
Games and Experiments. M.K. McElderry Books, 1997, Kid Zone: A Quiz, Puzzle, and Answers To Your
ISBN 0689813678. Common Earthquake Questions
Take a quiz, try a crossword puzzle or word search,
Vandeave, Janice Pratt: Janice VanCleave’s make your own, or simply find answers to your
Earthquakes: Mind Boggling Experiments You can Turn questions about earthquakes.
Into Science Fair Projects. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., http://www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/eqmaps/kids.html
1993, ISBN 0471571075.
Liquefaction
Walker, Bryce S: Earthquake. Time-Life Books, 1982, Learn how soil can act like a liquid. This site features
ISBN 0809443007. photos and movie clips of liquefaction as it
happened.
http://www.cen.bris.ac.uk/civil/students/eqteach97/
geo2.htm
Web Sites
Exploratorium: The Great Shake—San Francisco,
1906
Take a virtual walk through the aftermath of the
great quake that took place in San Francisco in 1906

In the Guide Waves in Action
Learn how a release of energy can create waves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Have Wave Will Travel

Use a Slinky® to learn the different types of waves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Sweet Waves
Prepare your favorite gelatin and learn how waves move. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
The Foolish Man Built His House Upon the Sand

Create an earthquake and learn how sand can liquify and cause major destruction. . ..46
California On The Move

Create a flip book to see where California will change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 8
Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
On the Web Earthquake, Earthquake, Read All About It!

Learn about the various scales that scientists use to measure earthquakes.
Earthquake Analysis
Use real time data to locate and analyze earthquakes.

Waves in Action
Purpose To observe waves created by a release of energy
Materials (per group)

Procedure 1. Hold the stir stick firmly in one hand and use the other hand paint stir stick
to apply pressure on the stirrer until it begins to bend. Be plastic tub
careful not to break the stick. water
2. Observe the stirrer as you release the pressure.
science journal
3. Record your observations in your science journal.
4. Fill the plastic tub with water.
5. Place the stirrer completely under the water and hold it with
one hand on each end. Be careful not to move and allow time for the water to become
smooth.
6. Bend the stirrer slowly until it breaks.
7. Observe and record.
Conclusion
1. What happened to the stirrer when you released the pressure in step 2? Explain.
2. What happened to the water when the stirrer was broken? Why?
3. Research the elastic rebound theory and give a report to the class.
tub
water
stir stick held underwater

Have Wave Will Travel

Purpose To demonstrate how P and S waves travel
Procedure 1. With your partner, stretch the Slinky® 2 meters.

2. To demonstrate a primary (P) wave, slowly pull the Slinky® toward Materials
you and then quickly push it away. See diagram 1.
3. Observe how the energy you released travels from you to your Slinky®
partner. Record your observations. science journal
4. To demonstrate a secondary (S) wave, shake one end of the Slinky® meter stick
up and down. See diagram 2.
5. Observe how the wave is traveling and record.
6. To demonstrate a horizontal secondary (S) wave, move the Slinky® from side to side. See diagram 3.
7. Observe and record.
8. To demonstrate a surface wave, push and pull the Slinky® at the same time that you move it up and
down. Your hand should move in a circle. See diagram 4.
Conclusion 1. Describe how the P and S waves differ.

2. According to Dr. D, which wave arrives first, second, last? Which wave does the most damage?
3. Conduct research to find out how waves are created and what happens to them as they travel away
from the focus of an earthquake
Extension 1. Use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the various waves.
2. Use a Newton’s Cradle or make your own with marbles attached to string to demonstrate the push-pull
of P waves.
Diagram 1
pull it toward you and push away
Diagram 2 shake in up
and down
motions
Diagram 3 move Slinky

from side
to side
move your
Diagram 4 hand in a
circle motion

Sweet Waves
Purpose To investigate the movement of waves
Materials
Procedure 1. Take the pan of prepared gelatin and place it on a flat metal tray of prepared gelatin
surface.
dessert
2. The gelatin represents the crust of the Earth. Predict what
dominoes
would happen to the crust if an “earthquake” were to occur
sugar cubes
and record in your science journal.
3. Using a rubber mallet, create an earthquake by lightly plastic wrap
tapping the side of the pan. rubber mallet
4. Observe and record the results in your science journal. science journal
5. Tap the side of the pan harder and observe and record.
6. Place the plastic wrap on top of the gelatin.
7. Use the dominoes and sugar cubes to create buildings and other structures.
8. Predict what will happen when you strike the pan.
9. Now hit the side of the pan again and record the results.
10. Experiment with the placement and arrangement of the buildings and the amount of force you use to
hit the side of the pan in order to change the results.
11. Once you have completed the activity, remove the plastic wrap and enjoy the edible crust.
Conclusion 1. What happened when you tapped the pan harder?

2. What happened to the buildings on the surface? Why?
3. How could you make your buildings sturdier, so that they won’t fall over?
Extension 1. Place popcorn kernels on top of a cereal box and gently tap the side of the box for five seconds. Stop
and count the number of kernels that fell off. Repeat, tapping the box for ten seconds. Discuss the
results.
plastic wrap lying

on top of the jello
pan of jello

The Foolish Man Built His House Upon the Sand

Background Liquefaction is a physical process that can take place during
earthquakes and often leads to ground failure. Liquefaction is Materials
the term used to describe when a solid (in this case a soil) begins heavy plastic tub
to act as a fluid. When dry sand is subjected to a force such as sand
earthquake waves, the soil will become packed more tightly water
together, reducing its volume. The strength of the soil depends
brick
upon the friction between the sand particles. When sand
rubber mallet
contains water in the spaces between the sand particles, the
strength of the soil is reduced. What has essentially happened is science journal
that the increased pressure of the water filling the spaces has
reduced the friction between the soil particles. Since sand's
shear strength is entirely dependent upon the internal friction (between the particles), the
soil's strength is reduced or, in some cases, completely lost. When all the stress has been
transferred to the water and maintained for a period of time, the soil behaves as a liquid. Since
the soil is acting as a liquid, structures resting on it will sink or tilt.The amount they move will
depend on how viscous the liquefied soil is and how long it remains liquefied (as well as
other factors). If you have stepped on a piece of ground only to sink down past your foot, you
have experienced liquefaction!
Purpose To understand liquefaction and how it can cause the ground to become
unstable during an earthquake
Procedure 1. Fill the tub 5 cm from the top with sand and spread it to form a flat, even surface.
2. Set the brick vertically on the sand surface and push it down to slightly anchor it.
3. Using the mallet, very gently tap the sides of the tub several times to create an “earthquake.”
4. Observe what happens to the sand and the brick. Record in your science journal.
5. Slowly add water to the tub until the water just appears at the surface. Let the water be
absorbed for a few minutes.
6. Using the mallet, repeat tapping the sides of the tub and observe what happens to the sand
and the brick. Record your observations.
brick brick
mallet
mallet
tub filled with dry sand tub filled with sand and water
Diagram 1 Diagram 2

The Foolish Man...(continued)

Conclusion 1. Explain what happened to the sand and the brick when the tub was tapped before adding
the water?
2. Explain what happened to the sand and the brick after the water was added and the tub was
tapped?
3. During an earthquake, what could happen to buildings on top of soil that was liquefied?
Extension 1. To help students understand that there is space between molecules, fill a jar full of marbles
and ask the students if the jar is full. Add salt or sugar to the jar until “full” and repeat the
question. Add water to the jar and repeat the question. Explain to students that even when
things look tightly packed together, there is still space between molecules.
2. Read the following scenario and have each student take the role of a seismic engineer.
Scenario: In the city of Kwiksands, the city council has decided to build a business park on
several acres of land. As a seismic engineer hired to check out the land for safety measures,
you have discovered that the ground in that area is highly permeated with water. You are
responsible for writing a letter to the city council advising them of your findings and
informing them of the risks involved in building on that land.
3. Research the threat of liquefaction to the San Francisco Bay area of California and other areas
and create a report to share with the class.

California On the Move

Color the water light blue and the land brown in each of these pictures; then cut along the lines
and assemble them into a flip book, with number 1 on top. Flip the pages to see a time-lapse
movie of 50 million years of California’s future.

California On the Move (continued)

Answer Key
Waves in Action Sweet Waves
1. When the pressure on the stirrer was released in 1. The harder you tap the pan, the larger the waves.
step 2, the stirrer returned to its approximate 2. The buildings and structures were knocked over
original shape. When the stirrer was bent, energy and destroyed as you tapped the side of the pan.
was transferred from your hands to the stirrer. The larger the wave created, the more damage
Once the pressure was released, the stirrer was done. The waves made the structures move up
able to return to its original position because the and down and side-to-side making them unstable
wood was flexible. and imbalanced until they fell.
2. When the stirrer was bent, energy was transferred 3. Answers will vary but might include that the
from your hands to the stirrer. The stirrer kept structures need to be reinforced to withstand the
storing this energy until it broke. Once broken the motion created by the waves.
energy was transferred to the water. Waves
radiated from the breaking point of the stirrer,
causing the water to become unsettled. The Foolish Man Built His House Upon the Sand
3. Reports will vary. This buildup and release of 1. The brick may have moved slightly in the
energy in the plates of the Earth is the foundation earthquake, but the sand was strong enough to
of the Elastic Rebound Theory. support the brick.
2. During this earthquake, the brick slowly sank into
Have Wave Will Travel the moistened sand and probably tilted or toppled
over.
1. The P wave traveled back and forth along the same
direction it was traveling. These are known as 3. The brick behaved like that of a tall building on
longitudinal or compression waves. With the S mushy soil. When the soil liquefies, it cannot
wave, the slinky moved up and down support the mass of the building and it simply falls
perpendicular to the direction that the wave was down or collapses.
traveling. The horizontal S wave moved California On the Move
horizontally but also at right angles to the 1. Answers will vary.
direction of the progressing wave.
2. Answers will vary.
2. The fastest moving wave is the P wave, then the S
3. California experiences a lot of earthquakes
wave, and last the surface wave. Surface waves do
because it is located on two plates sliding past one
the most damage.
another. The sliding creates a lot of friction and
3. An earthquake begins when stress on large blocks stress over time. Eventually, the stress is released
or rock becomes greater than the strength of the and earthquakes occur.
rock. The rock fractures, releasing vast amounts of
4. Reports will vary.
energy. This energy is carried outward in all
directions by various seismic waves, some of which
can reach the opposite side of the Earth in about On the Web
twenty minutes. The further the waves travel from
the focus of the earthquake, the weaker they
become. Earthquake Analysis
1-3. Answers will vary as the information on the web
site changes daily. Encourage students to look for
patterns and correlations as they analyze the data.

Segment 4
The tree house detectives continue their investigation into the
cause of the tremor they felt in the tree house. Ruling out
thunderstorms, they watch a Dr. Textbook segment on “Earth-
shattering facts” and become even more determined to find
the answer. Back in the tree house, the detectives dial up a
NASA SCI Files™ Kids Club in Norfolk, Virginia to learn how the
epicenter of an earthquake is located. Finally, the detectives
head back to JPL to speak with Ron Baalke to learn about
something totally unexpected and discover the answer to why
they are “all shook up!”
Objectives
The students will • investigate meteor impacts on the Earth’s surface.
• locate the epicenter of an earthquake • compare and contrast articles for fact and fiction.
• use triangulation to track a meteor’s path to
predict the location of meteorites.
Vocabulary
meteor—a meteoroid that enters Earth’s sonic boom—a sound, like that of an explosion,
atmosphere and burns up as it falls produced when a shock wave forms at the nose of
an object traveling at supersonic speed reaches the
meteorite—a meteor that reaches the Earth’s ground
surface
triangulation— the method in surveying of making
meteoroid—small pieces of rock that orbit the Sun, measurements and using trigonometry to find
resulting from the breakup of comets where places are located on the Earth's surface
using points whose exact location is known
Video Component
Implementation Stratey View Segment 4 of the Video
The NASA SCI Files™ is designed to enhance and For optimal educational benefit, view The Case of the
enrich the existing curriculum. Two to three days of Shaky Quake in 15-minute segments and not in its
class time are suggested for each segment to fully entirety. If you are viewing a taped copy of the
use video, resources, activities, and web site. program, you may want to stop the video when the
Focus Question icon appears to allow students time
Before Viewing to answer the question.
1. Prior to viewing Segment 4 of The Case of the

Shaky Quake, discuss the previous segment to
After Viewing
review the problem and what the tree house 1. At the end of Segment 4, lead students in a
detectives have learned thus far. Download a discussion of the focus questions for Segment 4.
copy of the Problem Board from the NASA SCI 2. Have students discuss and reflect upon the
Files™ web site and have students use it to sort process that the tree house detectives used to
the information learned so far. used to solve the mystery of the tremor felt in
2. Review the list of questions and issues that the the tree house. The following instructional tools
students created prior to viewing Segment 3 and located in the educator's area of the web site
determine which, if any, were answered in the may aid in the discussion: Experimental Inquiry
video or in the students' own research. Process Flowchart and/or Scientific Method
3. Revise and correct any misconceptions that may Flowchart.
have been dispelled during Segment 3. Use tools 3. Choose activities from the educator guide and
located on the Web, as was previously web site to reinforce concepts discussed in the
mentioned in Segment 3. segment. Pinpoint areas in your curriculum that
4. Focus Questions-Print the questions from the may need to be reinforced and use activities to
web site ahead of time for students to copy into aid student understanding in those areas.
their science journals. Encourage students to Educators can also search for resources by topic,
take notes during the program to answer the episode, and media type under the Educator's
questions. An icon will appear when the answer main menu option Resources.
is near.

2001 - 2002 NASA Sci Files™ Programs

4. Wrap up the featured online Problem-Based 5. Have students write in their journals what they
Learning investigation. Evaluate the students' or have learned about weather, hurricanes, and/or
team’s final product generated to represent the the problem-solving process and share their
online PBL investigation. Sample evaluation tools entry with a partner or the class.
can be found in the educator's area of the web
site under the main menu topic "Tools."
Resources
Books scientists in the field of meteors. You can even
explore future missions such as Deep Impact where
Boekhoff, P. M., Stuart A. Kallen, and Kris G. NASA plans on hitting a comet with a spacecraft
Hirschmann: Meteors (Eyes on the Sky). Kidhaven, and recording the contents of the comet.
2002, ISBN: 0737712899. http://impact.arc.nasa.gov/
Morris, Neil: Earthquakes. Crabtree Publishing American Red Cross

Company, 1998, ISBN 0865058326. Do you know how to prepare for an earthquake?
What to do when it happens and when its over?
Petty, Kate: I Didn’t Know Tidal Check this site to learn how much you really know.
Waves Wash Away Cities. http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/keepsafe/
Careers Copper Beech Books, 1999, readyearth.html
ISBN 0761309225.
meteorologist Tsunami!
astronomer This site focuses on the destructive power of these
Prinja, Raman: Comets, Meteors,
physicist earthquake-spawned waves. It also includes the
and Asteroids (The Universe.)
Heinemann Library, 2002, ISBN: physics behind tsunamis and how humans are
1403406103. dealing with this major threat.
http://www.geophys.washington.edu/tsunami/intro.
Simon, Seymour: Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids. html
Mulberry Books, 1998, ISBN: 0688158439.
NASA’s Observatorium
Walker, Sally M: Earthquakes. Carolrhoda Books, 1996, This site has information on plate tectonics and
ISBN 0876148887. tsunamis. There are numerous other features such
as games and other links.
http://observe.arc.nasa.gov/nasa/core.shtml.html
Web Sites
NASA Spacelink: Exploring Meteorite Mysteries
Earthquakes in Illinois? Go to this web site to download a PDF copy of
Visit this site to learn about the history of Exploring Meteorite Mysteries. This educator guide
earthquakes in the New Madrid Fault System. Begin for grades 5-12 provides information and activities
a web quest as a geologist and gather information related to meteorites and their origins, whether it be
on earthquakes. Mars, asteroids, or the Moon.
http://home.sullivan.k12.il.us/teachers/brunner/ http://spacelink.nasa.gov/products/Exploring.
Earthquake.html Meteorite.Mysteries/
Asteroid and Comet Impact Hazard

This NASA site is loaded with information about
meteors. You can learn what they are, how they
travel, and about the work being done by NASA


In the Guide Locating an Epicenter
Use data from three seismic stations to find the epicenter of an earthquake. . . . . . . . . . .55
Follow that Meteor!

Learn to track the path of a meteor and predict where meteorites might be found. . . . .59
Where Have All the Meteorites Gone?

Create your own meteors and go on a meteorite hunt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Shaky Word Find

Locate earthquake related words in this word find. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
On the Web Great Balls of Fire!

Create your own craters to lean how meteors impact the Earth’s surface.
The Daily Shooting Star

Read tabloid articles and use deductive reasoning to determine if they are fact or fiction.

Locating an Epicenter
Purpose To locate the epicenter of an earthquake
Materials
Background: An earthquake is any shaking or trembling of the Earth’s crust. It drawing compass
is estimated that there are over 150,000 earthquakes around the paper
world each year. However, only a few of them cause serious
damage. The major cause of earthquakes is faulting, the sudden
slipping or breaking of rocks beneath the Earth’s surface. As the
rocks break apart, the forces that have been acting upon them are relieved, causing a
tremendous amount of energy to be released in the form of shock waves or vibrations. Some
of the shock waves travel on the surface of the Earth and are called surface waves. The waves
that travel through the body of the Earth are called Primary waves (P waves) and secondary
waves (S waves). P waves can travel through solids, liquids, and gases, but S waves can travel
only through solids. P waves are known to travel faster than S waves, but the speed of both
P and S waves depends on the density of the rocks through which they travel. When the P
and S waves reach the surface of the Earth, they set up new waves that travel along the
surface of the Earth like ripples on a pond. These waves are called long waves (L waves).
These surface waves are slower than the S and P waves, and they cause most of the damage
and destruction to buildings.
Procedure 1. Study the three sections of seismograms shown below in diagram 1.

2. Each seismogram indicates the arrival time of the P waves and S waves of the same
earthquake, as recorded in three different cities. Locate the arrival time of the P waves for
each seismogram to the nearest 15 seconds and record in data chart 1 (p. 56).
3. Locate the arrival time of the S waves for each seismogram and record in data chart 1.
4. Determine the difference, in minutes and seconds, between the arrival time of the P and S
waves on each seismogram and record in data chart 1.
Diagram 1
Denver, CO
10 hrs 16 17 18 19 10 hrs
15 min 20 min
Great Falls, MT
9 hrs 16 17 18 19 9 hrs
15 min 20 min
Terre Haute, IN
12 hrs 26 27 28 29 12 hrs
25 min 30 min

Locating an Epicenter (continued)

DATA CHART 1
Station Arrival Time Arrival Time Difference in Time
P Wave S Wave Of Arrival
Denver, CO
Great Falls, MT
Terre Haute, IN
5. Look at the graph on p. 57 and answer the following:
a. What amount of time does each space on the vertical (y) axis represent?
b. How many kilometers does each space on the horizontal (x) axis represent?
c. How long does it take a P wave to travel 4,000 km from an epicenter?
d. How long does it take an S wave to travel 4,000 km from the same epicenter?
e. How much longer does it take an S wave to travel 4,000 km than a P Wave?
f. How much longer does it take an S wave to travel 5,000 km than a P wave?
g. In general, what happens to the difference in travel times as the distance increases?
h. What does any vertical distance between the P line and the S line on the graph represent?
6. Lay the edge of a small piece of paper along the vertical axis so that one end is even with the
“0” coordinate. Mark off a distance on the edge of the paper that represents 3 minutes and
30 seconds (3:30).
7. Slide the marked paper along the P and S curves of the graph until the upper mark lies on
the S curve, and the lower mark on the P curve. Be sure the edge of the paper lines up with
the vertical lines of the graph.
8. According to the graph, how far from the epicenter does 3:30 represent?
DATA CHART 2
Station Distance of Station From Epicenter
Denver, CO
Great Falls, MT
Terre Haute, IN
9. To find the distance to the epicenter of the earthquake, repeat steps 6-8 for the three stations
by using the “Difference in Time of Arrival” for each. Record in data chart 2.
10. Which city is the farthest from the epicenter?
11. Look at the map scale for the U.S. map (p. 58). Determine the distance that each small division
on the scale represents. ______________
12. Using the map scale, set your compass radius to the distance of the epicenter from Great Falls,
MT. With this radius and Great Falls as the center, draw a circle on the map. The epicenter of
the earthquake lies somewhere on this circle. Why can’t its exact position be determined
from this circle?
13. Repeat step 12, setting your compass for the radius for the distance of the epicenter from
Denver. At how many points do the two circles intersect? ______
14. The epicenter must lie on one of these two points. Why?
15. Repeat step 12 for Terre Haute, IN. At how many points do the three circles intersect?
_____________ What does the point where they intersect represent? Explain.
16. Near what city shown on the map might the earthquake have occurred?

Travel Time in Minutes Locating an Epicenter

North America
Seattle
Great Falls
New York
San Francisco
Denver Terre Haute
Houston
Miami
0 1000 2000 3000

KILOMETERS
1000 km = 2.2 cm

Follow that Meteor!

Purpose To use triangulation to track a meteor’s path and to predict where
meteorites might be found Materials
metric ruler
Procedure One clear starry night, two observers, Aric and Amber, were outside
looking at the night sky. Even though they lived in different towns, protractor
they each saw a meteor streak across the sky. They both noticed a pencil
sudden “spark,” and two seconds later there was an explosion. Eager colored pencils
to add meteorites to their rock collections, they decided that they
needed to determine the path of the meteor at the time of the spark
and where the meteor exploded. Aric lived in Drygulch Flats and Amber lived in Bubbling Bayou. Aric
quickly e-mailed Amber and told her that he was looking 110º East of North when he saw the meteor
spark and 80º East of North when it exploded. Amber said that she saw it spark at 60º East of North and
it exploded at 40º East of North. Follow the directions below to help Aric and Amber find the location
to begin looking for meteorites.
1. On the map, locate the dashed line. Using the Compass Rose, determine which direction the line runs
and record in your science journal.
2. Place your protractor along the dashed line so that the straight edge lines up evenly with the dashed
line and the hole is centered over Drygulch Flats. Measure and mark an 80º angle.
3. With a colored pencil, draw a long line from Drygulch Flats through the mark you made.
4. Repeat steps 2-3 for Bubbling Bayou and mark a 40º angle with the same color pencil.
5. To calculate in km where the two lines intersect, use the map scale and a metric ruler.
6. Record in your science journal where the meteor exploded.
7. Using a different colored pencil, repeat steps 2-6 to determine where the meteor sparked.
Conclusion 1. Using the position of the spark and the explosion, which direction was the meteor traveling?
2. How far was it from where the meteor sparked to where it exploded?
3. Where would you first look for meteorites that might have fallen from the explosion? Is it guaranteed
that Aric and Amber will find meteorites?
4. Using the formula V= d/t estimate how fast the meteor was going in km/sec.
Bonus: determine
the speed of the
meteor in km/sec.
Hint: Remember
there are 60 minutes
in an hour and 60
seconds in a minute.
Extension 1. Outside set up a

meteorite hunt and
give the students
compass directions
so that they learn to
use a magnetic
compass.
2. Place a ball bearing in Eastern Ocean
a field to represent a
meteorite. Provide a
map of the field and
triangulation
observation angles.
Have students
attempt to find the “meteorite.” 1 cm = 10 km

Where Have All the Meteorites Gone?

Purpose To demonstrate the difficulty of locating meteorites
Materials
Teacher Note: Locate several good areas around the school grounds such as
balloon
concrete pavement, sandy area, or grassy field where this activity can
be performed. 0.1 liter of flour
10 to 20 small pebbles
Procedure 1. Place a funnel in the neck of the balloon water
and fill balloon with approximately 0.1 funnel
funnel
liters (1/2 cup) of flour. Flour tends to
metric measuring cup
pack, so it should be poured into the
funnel slowly. Being careful not to skewer
puncture the balloon, use the skewer to graph paper
keep the flour flowing if needed. science journal
Balloon
2. Add pebbles one at a time, noting
number of pebbles and color.To tag your
pebbles, write your initials with a marker
on each one.
pebble
3. Fill the balloon 3/4 full with water. Do
not shake the balloon and be sure to tie flour
it securely. Diagram 1
4. Go outside to the areas designated to
launch your balloon.
5. In your group, determine where and how each person will launch his/her balloon. Have each person
throw his/her balloon differently, such as at an angle, lobbing it, or throwing it straight up so that it can
impact vertically. Predict how many pebbles will be recovered from each launch.
6. After everyone in the group has thrown balloons, go to your impact site and sketch in your science
journal the scatter pattern created by your balloon.
7. Try to locate as many of your original pebbles as possible.
8. Clean up all balloon fragments and leave the impact areas as clean as possible.
9. Make a graph of the percentage of pebbles recovered from each impact surface.
Conclusion 1. How did your data compare with your prediction for pebbles recovered?
2. Based on your data, which surface was the easiest for pebble recovery? Why?
3. Did the result match your prediction?
4. What kind of land surface might be most productive for searching for meteorites? Why?
5. How is the scatter pattern affected by the ground surface? By the angle of impact?
6. How might a scientist use this type of information to help locate meteorites?
Extension 1. Dramatize the impact and scatter pattern of pebbles by using students as pebbles and doing the
dramatization in slow motion.
2. Vary the materials used in the balloons to add difficulty in locating the “meteorites.”

60
Shaky Word Find

Word Bank
continental drift mantle tremor focus USGS
crust outer core plate tectonics GPS meteorite
earthquake inner core convergent P waves meteoroid
fossil Pangaea divergent S waves sonic boom
epicenter seismograph fault Richter meteor
O N C R U S T D S W A V E S P P A R A T U M
U N M O S P S M G P S A B E H A G U Y I N A
T A C E M O R P S W V C A C X N R O L M D N
E B F O T P E R U A K M E I C G I P E E C T
R N S A N E O M B V H T I H B A L C H T O L
C H E D L T O U A E R A U X S E L I S E N E
O K A I W O I R N S I N E T I A I I I O V E
R J I L I E S N O D C J I L P L L E U R E N
E L S T Y I D J E I B L S T R E M O R I R T
Z R E T H C I R E N D A I E S I R V A T G I
R E T N E C I P E I T E E T H S C A R E E A
Q Z Q U I C K I A T H A M T F R T E P U N L
R N L D S H I N D P R I L T I S I I T I T L
Y G E A R S Z A A O V U O D R O N C Y A I I
K I V N R T S R T R A I D N R N E N H J K S
J S E Y K O G N Q F Y I Y I I I W N B O N S
H F R T J O E C R E O P E L L C F I I D A O
P E N E M G Y A E R T C K C I B A T S T R F
U E R S R G S I D K Z U U A E O I S H I C T
Y K I E I I T G A D T B I S B O L L I I I S
T E V E S B E K I S R I H Y O M J A C O N I
S I E M A I M O S C I N O T C E T E T A L P
D G W I N N E R C O R E I K K I N Y I R P V
O F A E A R T H Q U A K E L F U R O E T E M

Answer Key
Locating an Epicenter 4. Approximately 11.5 to 12. 5 km per second
DATA CHART 1 Bonus: approximately 41,400 to 45,000 km per
hour. The distance the meteor traveled in 2
Station Arrival Time Arrival Time Difference in Time
P Wave S Wave of Arrival
seconds was 23-25 km. If you divide the distance
Denver, CO 10hrs. 16min 10:18:30 2:30
by the time of 2 seconds, you get 11.5 and 12.5,
respectively. To calculate how many km per hour
Great Falls, MT 9:17:00 9:19:15 2:15
the meteor was traveling, you must first know that
Terre Haute, IN 12:26:15 12:28:00 1:45
there are 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes
in an hour: 60 multiplied by 60 equals 3,600.
5. a. 30 seconds; b. 200 km; c. about 6 minutes and Multiply 3,600 seconds (hour) by 11.5 and 12.5.
45 seconds (6:45); d. 12 minutes and 30 seconds The answer is 41,400 and 45,000 km per hour.
(12:30); e. 5 minutes and 45 seconds (5:45); f. 4
minutes and 30 seconds (4:30); g. the travel time Where Have All the Meteorites Gone?
increases; h. it represents the difference in travel 1. Answers will vary.
time between the P and S waves 2. Answers will vary but might include surfaces that
DATA CHART 2 have no similar rocks, are very flat, have a
Station Distance of Station From Epicenter contrasting background, and do not have thick
1600 km
vegetation.
Denver, CO
Great Falls, MT 1400 km 3. Answers will vary.
Terre Haute, IN 1000 km 4. Smooth, flat, contrasting surfaces would make
locating meteorites the easiest. For example,
8. 2,400 km meteorites are rarely found in forests or fields
10. Denver, CO because they become lost or buried among the
plants. In rocky areas, meteorites are hard to find
11. 100 km because they tend to be the same color as Earth
12. This result only tells us how many miles it is from rocks. The best areas to find meteorites are at the
the epicenter. It could be this many miles in any polar ice cap in Antarctica and in deserts.
direction. 5. Answers will vary depending upon the surfaces
13. 2 and angles used.
14. The intersections tell you that both of these points 6. After determining the angle of impact and the
are the possible epicenter because they are both surface that the meteor struck, scientists look at
the correct distance from the epicenter. scatter patterns created by similar impacts to help
15. 1; this point represents the epicenter. It is the only them determine where meteorites might be
point that is the correct distance from all three located after an impact.
stations.
Follow that Meteor!
• The meteor exploded 40-43 km east-northeast of
Drygulch Flats (near where the two lines
intersect.)
• The meteor was 50-52 km northeast of Bubbling
Bayou, or near the coastline by the peninsula.
1. north-northwest
2. 23-25 km
3. Aric and Amber should look for meteorites
northeast of Drygulch Flats, near where the lines
crossed on the map. There is no guarantee that
there will be any meteorites because they could
have all burned up before they reached the
ground.

Answer Key (continued)

Shaky Word Find
O N C R U S T D S W A V E S P P A R A T U M
U N M O S P S M G P S A B E H A G U Y I N A
T A C E M O R P S W V C A C X N R O L M D N
E B F O T P E R U A K M E I C G I P E E C T
R N S A N E O M B V H T I H B A L C H T O L
C H E D L T O U A E R A U X S E L I S E N E
O K A I W O I R N S I N E T I A I I I O V E
R J I L I E S N O D C J I L P L L E U R E N
E L S T Y I D J E I B L S T R E M O R I R T
Z R E T H C I R E N D A I E S I R V A T G I
R E T N E C I P E I T E E T H S C A R E E A
Q Z Q U I C K I A T H A M T F R T E P U N L
R N L D S H I N D P R I L T I S I I T I T L
Y G E A R S Z A A O V U O D R O N C Y A I I
K I V N R T S R T R A I D N R N E N H J K S
J S E Y K O G N Q F Y I Y I I I W N B O N S
H F R T J O E C R E O P E L L C F I I D A O
P E N E M G Y A E R T C K C I B A T S T R F
U E R S R G S I D K Z U U A E O I S H I C T
Y K I E I I T G A D T B I S B O L L I I I S
T E V E S B E K I S R I H Y O M J A C O N I
S I E M A I M O S C I N O T C E T E T A L P
D G W I N N E R C O R E I K K I N Y I R P V
O F A E A R T H Q U A K E L F U R O E T E M
On the Web
Great Balls of Fire!

1. The craters were all similar in shape but differed in
size. The heaviest object created the largest crater
(diameter).
2. When the drop height was increased, the crater
diameter also increased. The higher the balls were
dropped, the greater the impact.
3. Answers will vary.
The Daily Shooting Star

1. Amateur Astronomer Discovers Comet—True
2. Annihilation Narrowly Avoided—True
3. Intelligence Enhancing Meteorites—False
4. Extraterrestrials Hurl Rock at Earth—False
5. Longevity Secret Revealed—False
6. Giant Impact Thought to Cause Mass Extinction—
True
7. Huge Diamond Discovered in Meteorite—False
8. History of Solar System Revealed—True
9. Oldest Meteorite Found—True
10. Phenomenal New Energy Resources Discovered—
False
11. Microbes from Mars—True

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Educational Product

Educators Grades 3-5

A Lesson Guide with Activities in

A PDF version of the lesson guide for NASA SCI

www.swe.org www.buschgardens.com www.cnu.edu

www.epals.com www.sbo.hampton.k12.va.us http://quest.arc.nasa.gov

Program Overview ...........................................................5

EG-2002-10-13-LARC The Case of the Shaky Quake

National Science Standards (Grades K - 4)

Systems, orders, and organization ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖

Evidence, models, and explanations ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖

Change, constancy, and measurement ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖

Form and Function ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖

Science and Inquiry (Content Standard A)

Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖

Understanding about scientific inquiry ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖

Physical Science (Content Standard B)

Properties of objects and materials ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖

Position and motion of objects ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖

Life Science (Content Standard C)

Organisms and their environments ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖

Earth and Space Science (Content Standard D)

Properties of Earth Materials ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖

Changes in Earth and Sky ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖

Science and Technology (Content Standard E)

Abilities of technological design ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖

Understanding about science and technology ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖

Ability to distinguish between natural objects

Science in Personal and Social Perspective (Content Standard F)

Science and technology in local challenges ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖

History and Nature of Science (Content Standard G)

Science as a human endeavor ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖