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Unit Plan |
Earthquakes and Volcanoes
Jessica Epstein Baron
Chenery Middle School
Belmont, MA |
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AGI, TERC, and their employees do not warrant the completeness, accuracy, appropriateness,
and/or safety of the procedures, materials, and content contained herein.
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Stage 1: Identify Desired Results |
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Unit Description |
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Students will investigate earthquakes and volcanoes in order to better understand the effects that earth's internal processes have on its surface and living systems. Students will examine how patterns in nature help scientists make predictions about the future and draw conclusions about the natural world. This will be accomplished by examining current research on earthquake and volcanic eruption prediction. Students will be able to recognize that even though improvements in technology advance scientific understanding, there is still much about the world around us that is not yet understood.
This unit will follow an extensive unit on plate tectonic theory that includes study of the different types of plate boundaries and the internal earth processes that drive plate motion.
Overarching ideas addressed in this unit:
- How do we know what we know?
- How do we use what we know?
- Patterns in nature help scientists draw conclusions and make predictions.
- Geologic events impact living systems.
- The movement of the earth's lithospheric plates causes both slow changes to the earth's surface (e.g. formation of mountains and ocean basins) and rapid ones (e.g. volcanic eruptions and earthquakes). |
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Relationship to the Big Ideas in Earth Science: |
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5. The movement of the earth's crustal plates causes both slow changes in the earth's surface(e.g. formation of mountains and ocean basins) and rapid ones (e.g. volcanic eruptions and earthquakes).
21. Earth scientists use representations and models, such as contour maps and satellite images to help them understand the earth.
22. Scientists use quantitative, qualitative, experimental and non-experimental methods of scientific inquiry to understand the Earth.
23. Earth scientists make an assumption of uniformitarianism, that the processes that shaped the Earth in the past are the same processes we observe today.
25. As in all scientific disciplines, knowledge in Earth science is subject to revision. |
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Unit Enduring Understandings: |
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- Studying historical earthquakes and volcanic eruptions improves our understanding of earth's processes.
- Although it is known where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are likely to happen, there is currently no reliable way to predict precisely when an event will occur.
- Volcanoes and earthquakes indicate the high temperatures and pressures that exist in earth's interior.
- Volcanism and seismic activity vary across the globe.
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Unit Essential Questions: |
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- Can we predict earthquakes? Can we predict when volcanoes will erupt?
- What do earthquakes and volcanoes tell us about what is happening inside the earth and on the surface?
- Do you have to worry about a volcanic eruption or earthquake where you live? Why or why not?
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What students will need to know and be able to do (knowledge and skills): |
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- EU1 and 2: D1) Interpret a seismogram to determine the location of an earthquake's epicenter and its magnitude. (seismic waves)
D2) Determine the current technology and tools a community would use to track seismic and volcanic activity in its region.
D3) Interpret online information about current seismic and volcanic activity to make predictions about when earthquakes may occur or volcanoes may erupt. - EU3: D4) Describe the different ways that volcanoes can form.
D5) Describe the different forms of stress that can occcur in the crust.
D6) Explain the different causes of earthquakes.
D7) Use earthquake data to determine the type of plate boundary, stress and faults in an area.
D8) Explain how earthquakes and volcanoes though rapidly occurring geologic phenomena are the results of the long term buildup of stress. - EU4: D9) Identify major earthquake and volcano zones around the world.
D10) Describe hazards associated with earthquakes.
D11) Describe different types of volcanoes and volcanic hazards associated with those eruptions.
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What do students typically misunderstand? |
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Earthquakes occur when whole plates slide past each other.
Earthquakes create a gap or hole in the earth's surface.
Earthquakes occur at one depth.
Lava that erupts out of a volcano originates from earth's core.
Earthquakes cause volcanic eruptions.
Plate boundaries are the same as faults.
Lava comes out of all volcanic eruptions.
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Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence |
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G |
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What is the Goal of the performance? |
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To design a geo-adventure resort in a seismically and volcanically active region. |
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R |
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What Role does the student assume in the performance? |
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Developer of a geo-adventure resort.
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A |
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What Audience does the student address? |
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Building and development approval board for the local community. |
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S |
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What is the Situation for the performance? |
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As the developer of the resort, you will need to prepare several pieces of information for a proposal that you will submit to the local building and development approval board. You need to instill confidence in the approval board that you understand the local geology, can make reliable predictions about seismic and volcanic activity in the area and can create a safe vacation destination for your guests. |
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P |
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What Product should be produced? |
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The development proposal will be a PowerPoint with descriptions, explanations and illustrations of the following:
• Local geology
• Level of seismic and volcanic activity in the area.
• Earthquake and volcanic hazards associated with the area based on the types of faults and volcanoes.
• Possible resort attractions and activities based on the area's geologic features.
The PowerPoint should include a variety of images (photos, maps, diagrams and drawings) throughout the text as pieces of evidence to illustrate conclusions.
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S |
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What are the Standards for the product? |
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1. Explanation of the plate tectonics in your resort's region. Images used in this section should support your conclusions about the plate boundary in your region. How has your knowledge about earthquakes and volcanoes supported your conclusions about plate motion in your area?
2. Description of the types of faults or volcanoes that would be found in your area. Explain the evidence you used to come to your conclusions (stress in the area, earthquake depth, type of plate boundary, etc.)
3. Determination of the level of earthquake and volcanic activity at your resort. Predict when the next earthquake and/or volcanic eruption are likely to occur in your area. Explain how your prediction was made. How confident are you in your prediction? Why?
4. Illustrate the potential geologic hazards in the event of an earthquake or volcanic eruption at the resort.
5. Sell your resort (possible attractions and activities to visit).
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Preconception Survey: |
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1. Are there earthquakes in Massachusetts?
2. Why do you think there are or are not earthquakes in Massachusetts?
3. What causes earthquakes?
4. Are there volcanoes in Massachusetts?
5. Why do you think there are or are not volcanoes in Massachusetts?
6. What causes volcanoes?
7. Can we predict when an earthquake will happen?
8. Can we predict when a volcano will erupt?
9. Where do earthquakes happen in the earth?
10. Where does lava come from?
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Quizzes, Tests, and Academic Prompts: |
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Preconception assessment
Fault and stress relationships to types of plate boundaries quiz
3 conclusion statements for Earthquake depth and magnitude lab.
Unit test.
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Other Evidence: |
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Earthquake and Volcano Concept map
Reflection on preconception assessment |
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Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences, Instruction, and Resources |
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Use WHERETO as a guide to describe the learning experiences, instructional strategies, and resources you will use to help students
address the essential questions of the unit and achieve deep understanding of the big ideas. |
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W - Post and Introduce Essential Questions
Introduce Performance Assessment with accompanying rubric
Pre-conception quiz:
1. Are there earthquakes in Massachusetts?
2. Why do you think there are or are not earthquakes in Massachusetts?
3. What causes earthquakes?
4. Are there volcanoes in Massachusetts?
5. Why do you think there are or are not volcanoes in Massachusetts?
6. What causes volcanoes?
7. Can we predict when an earthquake will happen?
8. Can we predict when a volcano will erupt?
9. Where do earthquakes happen in the earth?
10. Where does lava come from?
Day 1:
H - How do we know what we know?
Introduce Essential Questions.
(D1) Show Powerpoint with Earthquake images, introductory vocabulary and images. Demo seismographs with pencil, student and shaking desk. Demo different examples of seismic waves and how these appear on a seismogram. Discuss seismic waves and review how this data was used to model the internal structure of the earth as discussed in the Plate Tectonics unit.
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/visualizations/es0805/es0805page01.cfm?chapter_no=visualization
http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/qed/
http://www.exploratorium.edu/faultline/engineering/engineering7.html
http://www.exploratorium.edu/faultline/earthquakescience/eqscience3.html
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/visualizations/es1009/es1009page01.cfm?chapter_no=visualization
Homework: Textbook reading to support content: Dynamic Earth
Earthquakes - Rd. p. 31-39, section review questions 1-6.
Day 2:
(D1) Investigate the speed of earthquake waves by making a graph of P and S wave arrival times in order to better understand the P and S wave travel time graph for the Virtual Earthquake activity.
Homework:
Complete lab.
Day 3:
(D1) Virtual Earthquake - uses seismograms to locate epicenter and determine Richter Magnitude.
http://vcourseware3.calstatela.edu/VirtualEarthquake/VQuakeExecute.html
OR
http://www.sciencecourseware.com/eec/Earthquake/
Homework: Complete lab.
Day 4:
(D8) Examine different types of stress in the crust of the earth.
(D5) Model of 3 faults activity. Look at relationship between stress and different types of faults. Application questions predicting what types of faults you might find at different types of plate boundaries.
http://interactive2.usgs.gov/learningweb/teachers/faults.htm
http://www.iris.edu/gifs/animations/faults.htm
Homework: Textbook reading to support content: Dynamic Earth
Faults - Rd. p. 11-18, section review questions 1-2, 5.
Day 5:
Complete Fault Model Activity
(D10) Video on the different types of seismic hazards.
Homework: Textbook reading to support content: Dynamic Earth
Isostasy - Rd. p. 22-24, section review questions 1-4.
Day 6:
(D10) Seismic hazards Powerpoint
(D6) Investigate 2 theories on the different causes of New England earthquakes.
Why does the Earth Quake in New England? Earthquakes in the interior of plates
http:/www2.bc.edu/~kafka/
Homework:
Complete Reflection Activity: on So what do you think? from beginning of Plate Tectonics Unit.
Day 7:
(D2, D11, D3)National Geographic Volcano! Video
Reflection question: What was the biggest change in your ideas about the earth?
Homework: Study for fault/stress/plate boundary quiz
Day 8-9:
Fault/Stress/Plate Boundary quiz
(D7) Use earthquake data to determine the type of plate boundary and types of faults present.
Activities examining earthquake depth, magnitude and distribution at different plate boundaries
http://atlas.geo.cornell.edu/education/index.html
Homework: Textbook reading to support content: Dynamic Earth
Volcanoes - Rd. p. 40-46. Take notes
Day 10:
(D11) Article about climatic impact of the Mt. Pinatubo eruption.
2nd reading on earthquake monitoring techniques.
(D2)Question sheet with readings.
Day 11-12:
3 Conclusion statements from Earthquake Analysis lab.
Earthquake depth vs. magnitude graph
(D4) Review the different ways that volcanoes can form
(D10) Powerpoint of different volcanic hazards and types of volcanoes.
Day 13:
(D11) Volcano Analysis lab examining differences between different types of volcanoes and their eruptions.
Concentration game to review earthquake and volcano terms.
Vacation
Day 14:
Earthquake and Volcano Vocabulary Concept Map Review
(D9) Homework: Textbook reading to support content: Dynamic Earth
Zones - Rd. p. 47-48, section review questions 1-4.
Day 15-18:
(D3) Performance Assessment
Day 19:
Performance Assessment Presentations
Day 20: Reflection on pre-conception questions
Day 21: Earthquake/Volcano Jeopardy
Day 22: Earthquake/Volcano Test
R -
Reflection question: What was the biggest change in your ideas about the earth?
3 conclusion statements to reflect on Earthquake Analysis lab.
Earthquake and Volcano Vocabulary Concept Map Review
Reflection on pre-conception questions
E -
Fault/stress/plate boundary quiz
Performance Assessment
Earthquake/Volcano test. |
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