EARTHQUAKE!!
WebQuest

Created By:
Mrs. K. Santillo, Library Media Specialist
Butler Area School District
Butler, PA

| Introduction | Task | Process | Resources | Evaluation | Conclusion |

Introduction:

Each year, earthquakes cause millions of dollars in damages in the United States and around the world, and injure or kill thousands of people. Knowing what causes earthquakes, where they occur, and how to protect yourself can make a difference in your safety if you happen to live where earthquakes occur.

Task:

You and your family live in another country but are planning to move to the United States. The country where you live does not have earthquakes, but you have seen news reports that show earthquakes in the United States and the damage they cause. You each decide you want to investigate where and how earthquakes happen before picking the state you would like to live in.

Process:

Here are the questions you want to answer.

1. Where do earthquakes happen?
2. What causes earthquakes?
3. How is the strength of an earthquake measured and what kind of damage can it do?
4. Is it possible to predict earthquakes? What information about earthquakes is not true?
5. How can you stay safe if an earthquake occurs?

Divide the questions between the members of your group, and then go to the selected Web sites to find the answers.
 
 

Record your findings in your state selection journal to use in your final project.

GROUP MEMBER #1 - Where do earthquakes happen?

Some of the states you are considering moving to are:

Montana   Tennessee   Alaska
 

  Wisconsin
 

To view the United States map

Click on the link above and use the United States map to see if earthquakes occur in these states. Record your findings for each state in your journal, and share your information with your group members.

Before you look at the site below, which state do you think has had the largest earthquakes in the United States? Write your guess in your journal then check the site below to see if your guess is correct.
 

Click to see if any of the Fifteen Largest Earthquakes in U.S. History have occurred in these four states.

Is there a state you would not move to if you did not want to live in a state where earthquakes occur? Which one and why? Record your answer in your state selection journal.

GROUP MEMBER #2 - What causes earthquakes?

Take a look at the Web sites below for information about the reasons why earthquakes occur.

Record at least 3 characteristics of what happens during an earthquake and why it happens in your journal.

Remember, you will be sharing this information with your group and recording it on your warning poster, so be specific.

USGS Earthquakes for Kids
Check out the link called "Check out earthquakes, faults, plate tectonics, earth structure" plus other question links on the page that may lead you to your answers.

FEMA for Kids

Southern California Integrated GPS Network
Look at the different types of earthquakes and answer the following question in your journal:

Why would scientists who study earthquakes want to visit a volcano?
 
 

GROUP MEMBER #3 - How is the strength of an earthquake measured 
and what kind of damage can it do?

Look at the Web sites listed below and answer the following questions in your journal:

    1. Is there a measurement scale for earthquake strength and what is it called?
    2. How is the strength of an earthquake measured?
    3. What causes most of the damage during an earthquake?
    4. What type of damage can occur?

USGS Earthquakes for Kids

Southern California Integrated GPS Network
 

To see how a seismograph works, click here 
 

Photos of earthquake damage:

Mexico City 1985   Loma Prieta, CA 1989
 

GROUP MEMBER #4 - Is it possible to predict earthquakes? 
What information about earthquakes is not true?

Look at the Web sites below and answer the following questions in your journal:

Can scientists predict earthquakes?
What are some of the myths about earthquakes?
If a really bad storm occurs, can it trigger an earthquake?

USGS Earthquakes for Kids

FEMA for Kids

GROUP MEMBER #5 - How can you stay safe if an earthquake occurs?

Look at the Web sites below and answer the following question in your journal.

If you live in an area where earthquakes occur, what can you do before, during, and after an earthquake to keep yourself safe?

USGS Earthquakes for Kids

Center for Earthquake Research and Information

CLICK HERE TO SEE IF ANY EARTHQUAKES HAVE OCCURRED RECENTLY IN THE UNITED STATES.

LIST OF RESOURCES:

Below is a list of the Internet resources used in this WebQuest:

USGS Earthquakes for Kids

Center for Earthquake Research and Information

FEMA for Kids

Southern California Integrated GPS Network

FINAL PROJECT:

Each group member should share his or her findings with the other group members. Using your findings, work together to create a warning poster to inform others in your country about earthquakes. Make sure that you include information that answers the five questions at the beginning of this WebQuest.

You will be presenting your findings in front of the class during your scheduled library class time.

EVALUATION:

Your research activities, journal entries, and final project will be evaluated using the chart below.
 
 

CONCLUSION:

I hope by completing this WebQuest that you have gained knowledge about earthquakes and how to protect yourself during one. You should also be more aware of the Internet resources available to you and how to use these wonderful tools. I hope you better understand the research process and how gathering information, organizing your thoughts, and putting them together in a final project presents a wonderful opportunity for you to learn, as well as to teach others about your topic. Lastly, I hope you see all aspects of the library as a great source of information, and not just a place to check out books!

Mrs. Santillo