Earthquake Slip Classroom Exercise

A middle school lesson plan and hands-on classroom exercise where students have the opportunity to experience, observe and measure the type and conversion of energy that causes earthquakes.  The lesson plan can be modified to suit a inquiry-based classroom environment and offers a number of enrichment options. While studying a seismic event's causes, the exercise also demonstrates the Law of Conservation of Energy and energy transformations, as the potential energy stored from stress between plates is converted to kinetic energy in the form of an earthquake.  During the exercise, students also have the opportunity to record and analyze positional data.

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Understanding

Helpful Hints

Each group will need the following materials:

  • A piece of 2x4 wood, cut approximately 13 cm long.
  • 10 thin rubber bands (looped together for a total length of about 16 cm)
  • A meter stick or tape measure

References

Contributors: