Incorporate one or more of these 10 hands-on earthquake activities into your lessons for fun that will make an impression on your learner and make the lesson stick. Also, look at my post Free Earth Science Lapbook & Unit Study Ideas.
Scientists study earthquakes so that we can understand them better and make predictions on where and when they will hit, and how strong they are and how to save lives.
One tool that they use to gather data is a seismograph.
It is used to record earthquakes and measure their strength.
A seismometer is the internal portion of the seismograph and often the words are used interchangeably.
The first such earthquake-detection machine, a seismoscope, was invented in 132 CE by inventor, historian, and astronomer Zhang Heng in China.
Just six years after the device was invented it detected a large quake estimated at a magnitude seven in what is now Gansu Province. The first seismograph was not developed until 1890.
In today’s activity we’re building our own seismograph using basic household items to demonstrate how a real seismograph records the length and strength of the vibrations of the earth.
These devices are used throughout the world to record and measure the underground movement.
But before we get into reading the vibrations of earthquakes let’s find out what causes earthquakes.
An earthquake is caused by a sudden slip on a fault.
The tectonic plates are steadily slowly moving, sometimes their edges get stuck at their edges due to friction.
If stress on the edge overcomes the friction then there is an earthquake that travels in waves through the earth’s crust and causes the shaking that we can feel.
Earth Science Books for Kids
Also, add some of these books to your science library at home.
I lean toward living books, then add reference books as we come across them.
9 Books for Kids Who Love to Read About Earth Science Topics
Add these books to your learning day to learn about various earth science topics.
The wonders of plant and animal life told with rare literary charm by Uncle Paul in conversations with three children. Besides such stories as the ants' subterranean city, the spider's suspension bridge, and the caterpillars' processing, he unlocks the mystery behind thunder and lightning, clouds and rain, the year and its seasons, and volcanoes and earthquakes. Suitable for ages 9 to 12.
Some earthquakes are so small that you don’t even feel them, while others can make even big buildings shake. Learn why earthquakes happen, where they are most likely to occur, and what to do if one happens near you.
Now with updated text and art, this classic picture book describes the causes and effects of earthquakes (including a tsunami). This book features rich vocabulary and fascinating cross-sections of mountains, volcanoes, and faults in the earth’s moving crust.
This is a clear and appealing science book for early elementary age kids, both at home and in the classroom. The text and art were vetted by Dr. Roland Burgmann, Professor of the Department of Earth and Planetary Science at the University of California, Berkeley.
A republication of the 1958 book by Irene Sevrey with illustrations by Mildred Waltrip, The First Book of the Earth is an elementary level natural history book that was written during a time when children's books held a student's interest and imagination because they were "living" rather than simply based on factoids and vivid pictures. It is a wonderful introduction to the subject of geology and covers the earth as a planet in the solar system and the physics of how it circles the sun, thereby defining our days and years. It then moves on to describing the earth's origin as scientists understand it and takes up the topics of the earth's composition, its structure, molecular makeup, rock families, minerals, volcanoes and earthquakes, mountains and their formation, and how glaciers and rivers affect the shaping of the earth's surface. The book ends by briefly discussing dinosaurs and the possible aging techniques used to date the earth's age in terms of epochs or periods.
This handy identification guide to the most common kinds of rocks and minerals offers concise and fascinating information on:- Physical and chemical properties- Origins and geologic significance- Gems and semiprecious stones- How to find and collect specimens
Beginning with Mt. Vesuvius, whose eruption in Roman times helped spark the science of geology, and ending in a lab in the West of England where mathematical models and lab experiments replace direct observation, Richard Fortey tells us what the present says about ancient geologic processes. He shows how plate tectonics came to rule the geophysical landscape and how the evidence is written in the hills and in the stones. And in the process, he takes us on a wonderful journey around the globe to visit some of the most fascinating and intriguing spots on the planet.
A book about caves with drawings for young readers with a vocabulary list and definition at the end.
A guide to familiar minerals, gems, ores, and rocks enhanced by 400 full color illustrations. Provides much geological knowledge in how to look for surface forms, rocks, minerals etc. Includes information for the searcher and an useful list of clubs and organizations. Excellent bibliography and index.
For Vega and her family, salmon is life. And Vega is learning to be a salmon finder, preparing for the day when she will be her family’s matriarch. But then she and her brother Deneb are separated from their pod when a devastating earthquake and tsunami render the seascape unrecognizable. Vega must use every skill she has to lead her brother back to their family. The young orcas face a shark attack, hunger, the deep ocean, and polluted waters on their journey. Will Vega become the leader she’s destined to be?
A living book on the living earth. Told in a conversational style, the book discusses the topics of geology and provides ideas for investigations and demonstrations of the scientific principles. Illustrated throughout, this book is a favorite as an introduction to geology for young readers. This edition includes updated science information on plate tectonics and the structure of the earth.
10 Hands On Earthquake Activities
Hands-on activities can teach far more than a worksheet on its own ever could.
These ideas all use basic household items to demonstrate different aspects of earthquakes from what causes them to their effects on the environment.
- Make a DIY Seismometer- See Below
- This Earthquake Experiment demonstrates fault lines and what happens along them.
- Use LEGO and blocks to see the effects that Simple Science: Earthquake Experiment
- The simple Earthquake Simulation shows the effect of earthquakes on buildings with different materials beneath their foundations.
- Take a favorite learning manipulative, LEGO, and create a LEGO City Earthquake to help children understand more about city planning, engineering, and structures.
- Exploring the Movement of Tectonic Plates with S’Mores | Science project is as delicious as it is informative, making it a great activity.
- This hands on demonstration What Causes an Earthquake? Gives kids a visual to help them comprehend the cause and effect of earthquakes.
- What happens at the center of an earthquake? Farther away? Find out with the Earthquake Epicenter Experiment-Shake Table idea.
- Check out this Falling Into First: Shakin Quakin Earthquake Showdown experiment to see if your learner can build a structure that will hold up to an “earthquake”.
- Teaching How to Reduce Impacts of Natural Disasters with STEM to encourage critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Earth Science Hands-on Activities
- Fun Facts About Mold Fossils & 4 Types of Fossil Activities For Kids
- Make Fun Edible Fossils and Free Magic School Bus Fossils Worksheet
- Hands-on Geography Wool Earth Craft to Celebrate Earth Day
- Cookie Sheet Activities Make Earth Day Cookies & Fascinating Earth Facts
- 40 Awesome Earth Science Movies for Kindergarten
- Celebrate National Vinegar Day With A Hands-on Study of Volcanoes
- Free Homeschool Volcano Unit Study and Fun Apple Volcano
How To Make A Model Seismometer
You will need:
- Cardboard box
- paper/styrofoam cup
- Marker
- Copy paper
- Clear tape
- string
- Rice, beans, etc
First, start by using a pair of scissors to cut a slit at the very bottom edge on either side of the box, this will act as the feed for the paper “printout”.
Be sure to make it a little larger than the width of your paper and try to center it.
Cut strips of paper about four inches wide.
Tape each paper end to end as long as you would like, you could also use an old roll from an adding machine if you happen to have one on hand.
Feed the paper through one side of the box and out the strip that you cut on the other.
Poke two holes in the top of the box about 3” apart in the center.
Cut a string twice as long as the box and put each end through the holes you poked in the top of the box and even out the strings at the end.
Poke holes on either side of the cup and tie the strings on either side through the holes, letting it hover just a little above the bottom.
Poke the marker through the center of the cup where it just touches the paper.
Add rice, beans, or small pebbles to weigh the cup down a bit and hold the marker up.
To measure the movements, have someone shake the box back and forth gently with different amounts of force as you pull the paper through slowly.
When you are done pull the paper out and observe what you see. Point out how the smaller movements made smaller peaks and valleys while the stronger movements made larger peaks.
