Tectonics, Earthquakes, Volcanoes

Camille Holmgren

Buffalo State College

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This activity has benefited from input from faculty educators beyond the author through a review and suggestion process. This review took place as a part of a faculty professional development workshop where groups of faculty reviewed each others' activities and offered feedback and ideas for improvements. To learn more about the process On the Cutting Edge uses for activity review, see http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/review.html.

Initial Publication Date: May 23, 2008

Summary

This is a two-part homework exercise. In the first part, students use on-line courseware from California State University, Los Angeles to investigate seismograph records. In the second part, students complete a crossword puzzle created to master the vocabulary associated with this part of the course.

Tectonics, Earthquakes | College Introductory

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Context

Audience

This is used in my introductory physical geography course for non-majors (World Natural Environments).

Skills and concepts that students must have mastered

This exercise is designed to help them master the concepts of plate tectonics and associated geologic hazards

How the activity is situated in the course

This is a stand-alone exercise

Goals

Content/concepts goals for this activity

Concepts include plate tectonics and associated geologic hazards.

Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity

Students learn to analyze seismographs and use these to determine earthquake epicenters and magnitudes.

Other skills goals for this activity

Description of the activity/assignment

Students do background reading on plate tectonics and associated geologic hazards. In the first part of this exercise, students use on-line courseware from California State University, Los Angeles (Virtual Earthquake) to investigate seismograph records and use these records to determine earthquake epicenters and magnitudes. In the second part, they complete a crossword puzzle designed to help them master new vocabulary related to plate tectonics.