Teaching Activities

Earth education activities from across all of the sites within the Teach the Earth portal.



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Base Isolation for Earthquake Resistance part of EarthScope ANGLE:Educational Materials:Activities
Larry Braile (Purdue University) and TOTLE (Teachers on the Leading Edge) Project
This document includes two activities related to earthquake base isolation. Learners explore earthquake hazards and damage to buildings by constructing model buildings and subjecting the buildings to ground vibration (shaking similar to earthquake vibrations) on a small shake table. Base isolation a powerful tool for earthquake engineering. It is meant to enable a building to survive a potentially devastating seismic impact through a proper initial design or subsequent modifications. The buildings are constructed by two- or three-person learner teams.

Grade Level: Middle (6-8), High School (9-12), College Lower (13-14)
Online Readiness: Designed for In-Person
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Project, Lab Activity, Classroom Activity
Subject: Geoscience, Engineering, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards:Earthquakes, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards, Natural Hazards:Mass Wasting
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary
On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Collection This activity is part of the On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Teaching Activities collection.
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Building Shaking —Variations of the BOSS Model part of EarthScope ANGLE:Educational Materials:Activities
IRIS (Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology), FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Administration), ShakeAlert, Chris Hedeen (Oregon City High School), and ANGLE Project
Building Oscillation Seismic Simulation, or BOSS, is an opportunity for learners to explore the phenomenon of resonance for different building heights while performing a scientific experiment that employs mathematical skills. They experience how structures behave dynamically during an earthquake.

Grade Level: Middle (6-8), College Lower (13-14), High School (9-12)
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Outreach Activity, Lab Activity, Classroom Activity
Subject: Geoscience, Engineering, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards:Earthquakes, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards, Natural Hazards:Mass Wasting
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary
On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Collection This activity is part of the On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Teaching Activities collection.
Learn more about this review process.

Earthquake Hazard Maps & Liquefaction: Alaska emphasis part of EarthScope ANGLE:Educational Materials:Activities
TOTLE (Teachers on the Leading Edge), CEETEP (Cascadia EarthScope Earthquake and Tsunami Education Program), EarthScope ANGLE, and ShakeAlert 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.

Grade Level: Informal, Middle (6-8), Intermediate (3-5), General Public, High School (9-12)
Online Readiness: Designed for In-Person
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Lab Activity, Outreach Activity, Classroom Activity
Subject: Geoscience:Geology:Geophysics:Seismology, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards:Mass Wasting, Earthquakes, Geoscience, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards, Engineering
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary
On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Collection This activity is part of the On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Teaching Activities collection.
Learn more about this review process.

Be Smart, Be Prepared! Planning an Emergency Backpack part of EarthScope ANGLE:Educational Materials:Activities
Bonnie Magura (Portland Public Schools), CEETEP (Cascadia EarthScope Earthquake and Tsunami Education Program), and ANGLE Project
Participants learn what to do before, during, and after a potentially damaging earthquake. They brainstorm valuable components for an emergency supplies backpack and then present on their ideas. The primary resource is the booklet Are you prepared for the next big EARTHQUAKE in Alaska?

Grade Level: Informal, Middle (6-8), Intermediate (3-5), General Public, High School (9-12), College Lower (13-14)
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Classroom Activity, Lab Activity, Outreach Activity
Subject: Geoscience:Oceanography:Marine Hazards, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards:Coastal Hazards:Tsunami, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards, Natural Hazards:Volcanism, Earthquakes, Mass Wasting
Activity Review: Passed Peer Review

Alaska Earthquake Hazard Inventory & Mitigation Planning part of EarthScope ANGLE:Educational Materials:Activities
Bonnie Magura (Portland Public Schools), CEETEP (Cascadia EarthScope Earthquake and Tsunami Education Program), and ANGLE Project
In this two-part activity, students/participants first: - Complete a Hazard Inventory for their city or area of interest in the event of a magnitude 7 or larger earthquake and tsunami. - Identify what critical structures and infrastructure will be affected. Then: - Write a summary statement assessing strengths and vulnerabilities of essential services or infrastructure. - Propose actions for mitigating vulnerabilities. - Create an Action Plan to address identified needs.

Grade Level: General Public, Middle (6-8), College Lower (13-14), High School (9-12)
Online Readiness: Designed for In-Person
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Classroom Activity, Lab Activity, Project
Subject: Geoscience:Oceanography:Marine Hazards, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards:Coastal Hazards:Tsunami, Geoscience, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards, Natural Hazards:Earthquakes, Mass Wasting, Subsidence
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary
On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Collection This activity is part of the On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Teaching Activities collection.
Learn more about this review process.

Tsunami Vertical Evacuation Structures (TVES) part of EarthScope ANGLE:Educational Materials:Activities
Bonnie Magura (Portland Public Schools), Roger Groom (Mt Tabor Middle School), and CEETEP (Cascadia EarthScope Earthquake and Tsunami Education Program)
Students learn about tsunami vertical evacuation structures (TVES) as a viable solution for communities with high ground too far away for rapid evacuation. Students then apply basic design principles for TVES and make their own scale model that they think would fit will in their target community. Activity has great scope for both technical and creative design as well as practical application of math skills. Examples are from the Pacific Northwest, USA's most tsunami-vulnerable communities away from high ground, but it could be adapted to any region with similar vulnerability.

Grade Level: College Lower (13-14), Middle (6-8), High School (9-12)
Online Readiness: Designed for In-Person
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Classroom Activity, Project, Lab Activity
Subject: Geoscience:Oceanography:Marine Hazards, Geoscience, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards:Earthquakes, Coastal Hazards:Tsunami, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards, Engineering, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards:Mass Wasting
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary
On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Collection This activity is part of the On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Teaching Activities collection.
Learn more about this review process.

Build a Better Wall part of EarthScope ANGLE:Educational Materials:Activities
FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Administration) and CEETEP (Cascadia EarthScope Earthquake and Tsunami Education Program). Improvements by ShakeAlert.
How can we design buildings to withstand an earthquake? This activity uses simple materials and gives learners a chance to experiment with structures that can withstand an earthquake. Two optional activities explore building damage by subjecting models to ground vibration on a small shake table.

Grade Level: General Public, High School (9-12), College Lower (13-14), Informal, Intermediate (3-5), Middle (6-8)
Online Readiness: Designed for In-Person
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Lab Activity, Project, Classroom Activity
Subject: Engineering, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards:Mass Wasting, Geoscience, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards, Natural Hazards:Earthquakes
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary
On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Collection This activity is part of the On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Teaching Activities collection.
Learn more about this review process.

Life and Death of Hawaiian Volcanoes: A Jigsaw Activity on the Hawaiian Ridge part of Hawaiian Volcanoes
Andrew Greene, Hawaii Pacific University; Michael Garcia, University of Hawaii at Hilo
This activity immerses students in the discovery and appreciation of the Hawaiian hotspot, and the growth and evolution of Hawaiian volcanoes. This engaging, interactive group activity uses a beautiful 25 foot long ...

Grade Level: College Upper (15-16), College Lower (13-14), Graduate/Professional
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Classroom Activity, Lab Activity
Subject: Geoscience:Geology:Environmental Geology, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards:Mass Wasting, Geoscience:Geology:Geomorphology:Landforms/Processes:Volcanoes, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards:Subsidence, Volcanism
Activity Review: Passed Peer Review

Old Sticks in the Mud: Hazards of Lahars from Mount Rainier Volcano part of Curriculum for the Bioregion:Activities
Patrick Pringle, Centralia College
Volcanic debris flows (lahars) flow long distances, bury and aggrade river valleys, and cause long-term stream disturbances and dramatic landscape changes. Students will evaluate the nature, scale, and history of ...

Grade Level: College Lower (13-14):College Introductory, College Lower (13-14)
Resource Type: Activities: Activities, Writing Assignment, Project, Lab Activity
Subject: Geoscience:Geology:Geomorphology:Landforms/Processes:Fluvial, Volcanoes, Geoscience:Geology:Geomorphology:Landscape Evolution, GIS/Mapping/Field Techniques, Dating and Rates, Geography:Geospatial, Geoscience:Geology:Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology:Volcanology, Geoscience:Geology:Environmental Geology, Geoscience:Hydrology:Surface Water, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards:Floods/Fluvial Processes, Environmental Science:Policy:Environmental Decision-Making, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards:Volcanism, Environmental Science:Sustainability, Water Quality and Quantity:Surface Water , Environmental Science:Land Use and Planning:Urbanization, Geography:Physical, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards:Mass Wasting
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary
On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Collection This activity is part of the On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Teaching Activities collection.
Learn more about this review process.

Investigating slope failure and landscape evolution with red beans and rice! part of NAGT:Our Resources:Teaching Resources:Teaching Materials Collection
Tom Hickson, University of St. Thomas (MN)
Students investigate the behavior of a slope profile over geological timescales using a very simple experimental apparatus. The lab allows students to understand concepts of equilibrium, controls on slope profile, ...

Grade Level: High School (9-12), College Lower (13-14)
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Lab Activity, Classroom Activity
Subject: Environmental Science:Natural Hazards:Mass Wasting, Geoscience:Geology:Geomorphology
Activity Review: Passed Peer Review