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Lesson Plan Content

Surfing for Earthquakes and Volcanoes

by Patty Coe and Michael Merrick

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• Purpose
• Objectives
• Procedure
• Site list, Data, Illustrations, and Images
• Materials
• Assessment
• Extensions and Homework Assignments
• Ties to Science Framework(s)
• References
• Related Lessons

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Lesson Plan Purpose

The purpose of this lesson plan is to expose students to the breadth and depth of the Internet while they search for data pertaining to the world's volcanic and seismic activity. They then compile the data on a world map and make scientific inferences on the location of plate boundaries. Further investigation involves upper level students in the identification of boundary interaction. The lesson can be extended to include a comparison of stationary volcanic activity on Mars to that of dynamic volcanic activity of the Pacific Plate on Earth.

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Lesson Plan Objectives

• Students will be exposed to the wide variety of scientific data on the Internet and have a hands-on approach to applying these data to a finished product.
• Students will make inferences on the possible location of plate boundaries.
• Students will be able to identify plate boundaries based upon seismic and volcanic data gathered from various sources on the Internet.
• Students will be able to categorize the types of interactions using geological data collected on the Internet and from other sources.

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Lesson Plan Site List, Illustrations, and Images

• Types of Volcanoes Information Sheet
• List of Related WWW Sites
• Worksheet 1a: Surfing for Quakes and Volcanoes
• Worksheet 1b: Surfing for Quakes and Volcanoes (cont.)
• Worksheet 1c: Surfing for Quakes and Volcanoes (cont.)
• Worksheet 2: World Map and Plate Boundaries Research Worksheet
• Blank World Map2: For Mapping Plate Boundaries
• Key for Worksheet 2
• Blank World Map3: For Mapping Plate Boundary Interactions
• Key for Worksheet 3
• Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, seen from space. Image caption and additional space and ground-based images of Kilauea can be found at the site Virtually Hawaii
• Olympus Mons Volcano, Mars. More images of Olympus Mons and information on this enormous volcano can be found at the sites JPL's Welcome to the Planets: Mars and Center for Mars Exploration.

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Lesson Plan Procedure

• Procedure Details
• Procedure Outline (Days 1 through 5):

  Day One:

  Students use Worksheet 1a, Worksheet 1b, and Worksheet 1c to research six seismic and four volcanic occurences throughout the world using a minimum of eight different Internet sources. Students fill in latitude, longitude, magnitude/type, date of occurence, interesting fact, and the URL address for each occurence.
  Day Two:
  Students use Worksheet 2 and the accompanying Blank World Map2 to research and to map a wide variety of seismic and volcanic occurences throughout the world. Inferences can then be made as to location of plate boundaries. An extension can be to name each plate with names that the students create.
  Day Three:
  Students will share data on their maps and compare findings. Students will have a chance to update their maps and share the names they have created for their plates. The teacher will then supply the Key for Worksheet 2, containing plate boundary information, and students will further update and correct their own maps, as well as their understanding.
  Day Four:
  Students will again use the Internet to locate geological data and combine it with their prior findings on their maps to infer the type of major plate interactions. Students will again use Blank World Map3 to identify the type of major plate interactions. Introduce plate boundary interactions, if not already covered in class content. The teacher will then supply the Key for Worksheet 3, containing major plate interactions information, and students will further update and correct their own maps, as well as their understanding.

Day Five:

Review prior days' lessons, emphasizing the main points covered. Collect worksheets for review of understanding. Pose the question to students why Olympus Mons is such a large, singular, massive volcano, and the Hawaiian volcanoes are a chain of individual, smaller volcanoes. If needed, introduce the theory of static plate activity as evidenced by Olympus Mons vs. dynamic plate activity as evidenced by the Hawaiian volcanic chain.

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Materials

Required:

• Pencils or pens
• One worksheet per student for days one through four
• Computer(s) with access to WWW on the Internet. (Prefer 1 per 2 students)
• Computer printer
• Time and patience

Optional:

• World topographic/geological maps and globes
• Ocean floor topographic maps
• Overhead projector

Worksheets:

• Worksheet 1a: Surfing for Quakes and Volcanoes
• Worksheet 1b: Surfing for Quakes and Volcanoes (cont.)
• Worksheet 1c: Surfing for Quakes and Volcanoes (cont.)
• Worksheet 2: World Map and Plate Boundaries Research Worksheet
• Blank World Map2 For Mapping Plate Boundaries
• Key for Worksheet 2
• Blank World Map3: For Mapping Plate Boundary Interactions
• Key for Worksheet 3

Types of Volcanoes Information Page

Vocabulary

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Assessment

Assessment in this unit is based upon an understanding of the use of the Internet and how information obtained can be applied. Following is a breakdown of reccomended assessments for each lesson.

Day One:

• A check for understanding here would include reading the comments made by the student that pertain to the use of the Internet. This lesson is geared towards an introduction to the Internet and overcoming the hardships that the student may encounter. If the information in the charts is complete and accurate, the photo is attached, and the use of the Internet section is complete, then the student is ready for lesson two. It may help to check the accuracy of a couple of the URL addresses for a better picture of the students' understanding and interaction with the Internet.

Day Two:

• A key showing the locations of the plate boundaries has been included in this lesson. You can make an overlay of this key and place it over the student work to check for accuracy. Another way to use the key is to place it under the student work and lay both on an overhead projector. Turn on the projector and you will be able to see through the student work and mark directly on it for corrections. You may want to develop a tolerance of accuracy for the locations of plate boundaries. The correct names of the plates have been included on the key. Encourage scientific names for the plates but also accept creative answers. This is a fun part of the activity.

Day Three:

• Allow students to correct their maps if necessary. Discuss reasons for differences and how this relates to scientific comparisons and differences of data compiled. URL addresses to view sources that contain plate boundary information are:

Day Four:

• A map that depicts different types of plate interactions is included. This is a difficult area to investigate since many boundary interactions are not confirmed in the scientific community. Accept any scientifically based reasoning that seems to fit the model.

Day Five:

• Use the URL for Mars () and for the Hawaiian Volcanoes () to compare the volcanoes. In simplistic terms, the Hawaiian volcanic chain is part of a large plate that is moving over a "hot spot" of magma that is seeping through cracks in the plate and forming the islands. As a large crack or pathway is over the "hot spot", an island is formed as the magma seeps up. At Olympus Mons on Mars, it is hypothesized that there is no plate movement in this area, so the magna from below is free to seep up and form a massive mountain. There are no breaks in the flow similar to these in the Hawaiian Islands.

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Extensions and Homework Assignments

• Day 1: Finish section IV of Worksheet One noting difficulties and shortcuts on the Internet.
• Day 2: Name plates and make a legend.
• Day 3: Improve world map of plate boundaries if needed.
• Day 4: Compile data and infer on type of plate interaction on world map. Research other sources for information.
• Day 5: Write up hypothesis for differences between Mars and Earth using data obtained.

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Ties to Science Frameworks

• Systems and Interactions
• Patterns of Change

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References

Data presented in this lesson was gathered from many sources with different dates of publication. As the understanding of the earth changes over time, so will acceptable data. The information presented here is by no means expert and shall not be considered the scientific standard. It is merely a reflection of the data that we have gathered using readily available sources and interpreting the data with our limited backgrounds. If you feel that areas are incorrect or need updating, please contact us through e-mail. We would love the input.

1. Science Encyclopedia. The Dorling Kindersley: Dorling Kindersley Inc., London, 1994.
2. How the Earth Works. John Farndon: Reader's Digest, NY, 1992.
3. The Everyday Science Sourcebook. Lawrence F. Lowery: Dale Seymour Publications, CA, 1985.
4. Earthquakes. NSTA: Fema, Washington DC, 1988.
5. Super Science Activities. Beattie, Bredt, Graeber, Lyford, Martinez, Oshita, Scotchmoor, Wight: Dale Seymour Publications, USA, 1988.
6. Earth Science, The Challenge of Discovery. Snyder, Mann, Ludwig, Brecht, Stasik: Heath, USA, 1991.

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