Investigating Earthquakes: GIS Mapping and Analysis (College Level)
This is a college-level adaptation of a chapter from the Earth Exploration Toolbook. The students download global quake data over a time range and use GIS to interpret the tectonic context. -

The Sleeping Mountain
In this role-playing scenario, students represent townspeople whose lives and livelihoods are endangered by an active volcano which may or may not erupt in the near future. -

NanTroSEIZE in 3-D
We have developed a web-based virtual expedition, NanTroSEIZE in 3-D, based on a seismic survey associated with the NanTroSEIZE program of NSF-MARGINS and IODP to study the properties of the plate boundary fault ...

Is the New Madrid Seismic Zone at risk for a large earthquake?
In this lesson we discuss the controversy regarding the extent of seismic risk in the central United States today. We learn how to estimate earthquake recurrence interval using a variety of methods. This lesson ...

Cascadia Great Earthquake and Tsunami Suite
Michael Mayhew and Michelle Hall, Science Education Solutions Summary The Cascadia Earthquakes and Tsunami Suite contains five case studies organized around understanding the potential for large earthquakes and ...

Northridge: A Case Study of an Urban Earthquake
Michael Mayhew and Michelle Hall, Science Education Solutions Summary The 1994 Northridge Earthquake Case Study explores the mystery of how such a major fault could have been missed within a tectonic basin that is ...

Tsunami Travel Time Approximation
Eric Grosfils, Pomona College Summary Students are asked to calculate approximate tsunami travel times across the Pacific basin. The assignment builds off of a lab introducing students to Spatial Analyst, and ...

Global Earthquakes: Teaching about Earthquakes with Data and 3D Visualizations
In this series of visualizations and accompanying activities, students visualize the distribution and magnitude of earthquakes and explore their distribution at plate boundaries. Earthquakes are visualized on a 3D ...

Determining Earthquake Recurrence Intervals from Trench Logs
Trench logs of the San Andreas Fault at Pallett Creek, CA are the data base for a lab or homework assignment that teaches about relative dating, radiometric dating, fault recurrence intervals and the reasons for uncertainty in predicting geologic phenomena. Students are given a trench log that includes several fault strands and dated stratigraphic horizons. They estimate the times of faulting based on bracketing ages of faulted and unfaulted strata. They compile a table with the faulting events from the trench log and additional events recognized in nearby trenches, then calculate maximum, minimum and average earthquake recurrence intervals for the San Andreas Fault in this area. They conclude by making their own prediction for the timing of the next earthquake.

Case Study: Zhouqu, China Landslide
This is a 'citizen science' research project where students to apply their knowledge of landslide processes in an investigation of the natural and anthropogenic causes of a real-world landslide ...

Mitigating Volcanic Hazards
This activity spans two in-class sessions of 1-1.5 hours each, and includes both a small group activity focused on a set of volcanic case studies and a full-class role-playing activity where the class must decide, ...

Using Google Earth to measure seacliff erosion rates
This lab uses Google Earth to measure the rate of seacliff retreat. It touches upon coastal processes, natural hazards, and coastal management issues. The central focus of the lab is in the Monterey Bay area.

Working with USGS discharge data
In this exercise, we use the USGS real-time data available online, and use it to construct a rating curve for the Walla Walla river near Touchet. We then make a simple model of flood inundation in ArcGIS for the ...

Earthquake Compare and Contrast Paper
Students will write a research paper comparing the Sumatran (2004) and Tohoku (2011) tsunami generating earthquakes.

Tsunami and the Depth of the Ocean
An inquiry approach to using the celerity (=velocity) of a tsunami to measure the depth of the ocean along its path. Tsunami are shallow-water waves, because their wavelengths are so long relative to ocean depth. ...

Roadside and Engineering Geology of Auke Bay, Juneau, Alaska
Roadside and Engineering Geology of Auke Bay, Juneau, Alaska : Cathy Connor, University of Alaska Southeast Intended Audience: Introductory Physical Geology for majors and non-majors. Location: Auke Bay, Juneau, ...

VEPP: Volcanologist Pro Tem: Exploring the Dynamics of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii
This is an exercise that is in development and has not yet been fully tested in the classroom. Please check back regularly for updates and changes. This discovery activity puts students in the place of real ...

VEPP: Volcanic activity and monitoring of Pu`u `O`o, Kilauea volcano, Hawaii
Brief three-line description of the activity or assignment and its strengths: This is a 10-week group project for a Volcanic Hazards elective course, for undergraduate geology students. Students will access and ...

Exploring the Link between Hurricanes and Climate using GCM Results
This activity requires students to examine global climate model output available online and consider the potential impact of global warming on tropical cyclone initiation and evolution. As a follow-up, students ...

Is There a Trend in Hurricane Number or Intensity?
This lab guides students through an examination of the hurricane record to determine if there is a trend in hurricane intensity over the past 40 years and introduces some issues related to statistics and ...