Understanding Natural Hazards

Explore the full collection »These activities and resources help learners think more about the effects of earthquakes, tsunami, and volcanoes and/or how scientists study Earth processes to better understand or forecast the hazards.

Showing 10 activities and resources.

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Tsunami Basics Presentation

Robert Butler (ANGLE Project)

This lecture and associated animations give a good introduction to tsunami produced by earthquakes and landslides. It includes information on how they are generated and why there can be great variability between tsunami characteristics--even for earthquakes of similar size. The lecture describes tsunami generated by the 1964 Alaska Mag 9.2 earthquake in particular depth. This resource is intended for introductory-level geoscience learners from secondary up to adult in a classroom or public lecture. Although specific examples are from Alaska, much of the content is widely applicable.

Resource Type: Lecture, Audio/Visual:Animations/Video
Grade Level: General Public, Intermediate (3-5), Middle (6-8), High School (9-12), College Lower (13-14)
Subject: Seismology, Tectonics, Natural Hazards:Mitigation and Preparedness, Tsunami, Geoscience, Natural Hazards, Earthquakes, Mass Wasting
Special Interest: Hazards


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Earthquake Hazard Maps & Liquefaction: Alaska emphasis

TOTLE (Teachers on the Leading Edge), CEETEP (Cascadia EarthScope Earthquake and Tsunami Education Program), and ANGLE projects

Ground shaking is the primary cause of earthquake damage to man-made structures. This exercise combines three related activities on the topic of shaking-induced ground instability: a ground shaking amplification demonstration, a seismic landslides demonstration, and a liquefaction experiment. The amplitude of ground shaking is affected by the type of near-surface rocks and soil. Earthquake ground shaking can cause even gently sloping areas to slide when those same areas would be stable under normal conditions. Liquefaction is a phenomenon where water-saturated sand and silt take on the characteristics of a dense liquid during the intense ground shaking of an earthquake and deform. Includes Alaska and San Francisco examples.

Resource Type: Activities:Lab Activity, Outreach Activity, Classroom Activity
Grade Level: General Public, Informal, Intermediate (3-5), Middle (6-8), High School (9-12),
Subject: Engineering, Geoscience, Natural Hazards:Mass Wasting, Seismology, Natural Hazards, Earthquakes
Special Interest: Hazards, Data, models, or simulations


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Exploring Tectonic Motions with GPS

Shelley Olds (UNAVCO), Jennifer Witter (ASD, APU)

Students analyze data from GPS data represented as vectors on a map of Alaska or western United States to study tectonic motions at plate boundaries and within the North American and Pacific tectonic plates. Students discover whether motion is compressing, extending, or sliding the land within each region of the plate. By observing the vector lengths and directions, students interpret the motion within Alaska or several regions of Western USA (Pacific Northwest, Basin & Range, and California). To synthesize their findings, students identify two locations most likely to have earthquakes. Students need to be able to defend their choices by providing evidence based on the tectonic motions from the map/poster and seismic hazards.

Resource Type: Activities:Classroom Activity, Lab Activity
Grade Level: Middle (6-8), High School (9-12), College Lower (13-14)
Subject: Tectonics, Geodesy, Natural Hazards:Earthquakes, Natural Hazards
EarthScope: Data: Data:GPS
Special Interest: Hazards, Quantitative, Data, models, or simulations, Process of Science
Quantitative Skills: Vectors and Matrices


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Investigating Factors That Affect Tsunami Inundation

Bonnie Magura (Portland Public Schools), Roger Groom (Mt Tabor Middle School), and CEETEP (Cascadia EarthScope Earthquake and Tsunami Education Program)

Learners modify elements of a tsunami wave tank to investigate the affect that near-coast bathymetry (submarine topography) and coastal landforms have on how far a tsunami can travel inland. Damaging tsunami are most commonly produced by subduction zone earthquakes, such as those that occur in Alaska.

Resource Type: Activities:Outreach Activity, Lab Activity, Classroom Activity
Grade Level: Middle (6-8), High School (9-12), College Lower (13-14)
Subject: Natural Hazards:Tsunami, Geoscience, Natural Hazards:Earthquakes
Special Interest: Process of Science, Data, models, or simulations, Quantitative, Hazards
Quantitative Skills: Gathering Data


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Earthquake Intensity

Jennifer Witter (Alaska Pacific University and Anchorage School District)

In this introductory lesson, learners compare ShakeMaps between earthquakes in the same location but different magnitudes, and earthquakes of the same magnitude but different depths, to acquaint learners to the fundamental controls on intensity of shaking felt during an event: magnitude and distance from the earthquake source.

Resource Type: Activities:Classroom Activity
Grade Level: Intermediate (3-5), Middle (6-8), High School (9-12), College Lower (13-14)
Subject: Geoscience:Tectonics, Natural Hazards:Earthquakes, Seismology
Special Interest: Hazards, Data, models, or simulations


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Did You Feel It?

Jennifer Witter (Alaska Pacific University and Anchorage School District)

Did You Feel It (DYFI) is a collaborative on-line program hosted by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) that collects information from people who felt an earthquake. Reported experiences of shaking and damage are compiled on maps, helping to visualize the unique effects of earthquake ground motion across a broad area within a short period of time. In this activity, learners can report an earthquake event, and/or browse data reported by others to better understand earthquake intensity.

Resource Type: Activities:Classroom Activity
Grade Level: Intermediate (3-5), Middle (6-8), High School (9-12), College Lower (13-14)
Subject: Tectonics, Geodesy, Natural Hazards:Earthquakes, Natural Hazards
EarthScope: Data: Data:GPS
Special Interest: Hazards, Process of Science


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Cupcake Geology: Interpreting Core Samples

Bonnie Magura (Portland Public Schools)

This activity helps students understand how geoscientists study the Earth below our feet through drilling. Using a large straw as a "drill", students collect samples through different parts of the specially layered cupcake and keep a "log" of the drill core. By defining different colored cake and filling, they can reconstruct what the interior of the cupcake may look like. Students gain an appreciation for the challenges of determining a plausible geologic interpretation with limited data.

Resource Type: Activities:Classroom Activity, Lab Activity
Grade Level: Intermediate (3-5), Middle (6-8), High School (9-12)
Subject: Geoscience
Special Interest: Process of Science


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"We Need All the Assistance You Have..."

USGS (US geological Survey)

This exercise provides a basic introduction to volcanic hazards. Students learn about different types of volcanic hazards through researching examples from Alaskan eruptions. They also group the hazards as proximal and distal to consider how emergency response plans might differ. A recording of the KLM flight 867 flight that lost power to all four engines when it flew into an ash cloud from a 1989 Mt Redoubt eruption provides a compelling example of risk from volcanoes. (Note: the plane was ultimately able to regain enough power to land safely in Anchorage.) Students learn about the Volcano Hazards Alert-Notification System for both ground-based and aviation applications.

Resource Type: Activities:Classroom Activity, Outreach Activity, Lab Activity
Grade Level: Intermediate (3-5), Middle (6-8), High School (9-12)
Subject: Natural Hazards:Volcanism, Geoscience, Natural Hazards
Special Interest: Hazards


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Measure a Changing Volcano

UNAVCO

This hands-on demonstration illustrates how GPS can be used to measure the inflation and deflation of a volcano. Volcanoes may inflate when magma rises closer to the surface and deflate when the pressure dissipates or after an eruption.

Resource Type: Audio/Visual:Animations/Video
Grade Level: General Public, Informal, Intermediate (3-5), Middle (6-8), High School (9-12)
Subject: Geodesy, Natural Hazards:Volcanism, Mitigation and Preparedness, Geoscience
Special Interest: Hazards, Quantitative, Data, models, or simulations
Quantitative Skills: Gathering Data


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Volcano Monitoring with GPS: Westdahl Volcano Alaska

Maite Agopian (EarthScope National Office) and Beth Pratt-Sitaula (UNAVCO)

Learners use graphs of GPS position data to determine how the shape of Westdahl Volcano, Alaska is changing. If the flanks of a volcano swell or recede, it is a potential indication of magma movement and changing pressures below ground. GPS can measure changes as little as a couple millimeters per year. Learners are asked to decide if the measured motions are enough to issue a warning of immediate danger.

Resource Type: Activities:Classroom Activity, Lab Activity, Outreach Activity
Grade Level: Middle (6-8), High School (9-12), College Lower (13-14)
Subject: Engineering, Geoscience, Natural Hazards:Volcanism, Geodesy
EarthScope: Data: Data:GPS
Special Interest: Spatial Thinking, Hazards, Process of Science, Quantitative, Data, models, or simulations
Quantitative Skills: Vectors and Matrices, Graphs