Lecture

Lecture #1: Students will make an earthquake model Students will make inferences to answer the following questions- What does pulling the strips represent? What do the sand and the paper cups represent? How do you think earthquakes affect Earth’s surface?

Students will read textbook Lesson 1, pages 198-205.

Guiding Questions:

• How can an earthquake affect Earth’s surface?
• Where in the United States would it be most important to build earthquake-safe buildings?
• Predict- What kind of damage do you think a strong earthquake would cause to cities?
• Critical Thinking- What types of soil and ground material would be better at withstanding an earthquake?

Navigate around http://science.howstuffworks.com/search.php?terms=earthquake focusing on “How Earthquakes Work.” Then take the quiz at http://science.howstuffworks.com/earthquake-quiz.htm to test your knowledge.

Read “How to Survive an Earthquake” at http://science.howstuffworks.com/survive-earthquake3.htm. Then develop an earthquake/emergency plan with your family. Discuss your with your classmates.

Lecture #2: Students will make a model of an erupting volcano. Students will hypothesize- How do you think a real lava flow would affect the land near a real volcano?

Students will read textbook Lesson 2, pages 208-215.

Guiding Questions:

• Predict- how will the landscape around a volcano change if lava flows over it?
• What causes magma to push its way through faults and flow onto Earth's surface?
• Critical thinking (synthesis): Earthquakes and volcanoes often occur in the same areas. Why might this be?

Watch the video “How Volcanoes Work” at http://videos.howstuffworks.com/howstuffworks/231-how-volcanoes-work-video.htm. Also read the article at this site. Then take the “Ultimate Volcano Quiz” at http://science.howstuffworks.com/volcano-quiz.htm to test your knowledge.

Lecture #3: Students will make a model of a landslide. Infer- what effect does the steepness of a hill have on a landslide?

Students will read textbook Lesson 3, pages 216-221.

Guiding Questions:

• How can people avoid damage from landslides?
• Critical Thinking- Many volcanoes are high mountains covered with snow. How might a volcanic eruption on a snowy mountain cause a landslide?
• Evaluate- students make an argument about why it might be a bad idea to build homes and buildings on steep slopes or near the edges of cliffs.

Read “How Landslides Work” at http://science.howstuffworks.com/landslide.htm and watch both the video and animation on this page. Watch the video of a landslide at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1dxdeap_lI. Watch the video of a powerful landslide at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mknStAMia0Q.