Earthquakes- Unit Plan

Earth Science

Grade 8

Tony Ragusa

December 7, 2012

EDML 814, 400

Dr. Cassie Fay Quigley

Introduction

The content topic for my place-based unit plan is Earthquakes. I chose this content for my students

for several reasons. Due to the geographic location of our school, our students have an awareness of

geological processes every time they look outside and see the escarpment of the Appalachian Mountains.

They have a natural curiosity about earths formations. What person doesnt look at a mountain and

wonder? It becomes even more relatable to the students when they learn that our very own school is

located on the Pax Mountain fault line in Greenville County! How cool is that?!? In fact, last years

earthquake in Virginia was felt fairly well all around our schools community. For this reason, it will be

experience related particularly for classes of the next 4-5 years.

In addition, this content topic was chosen for its popularity and the excitement caused by natural

disasters. Look no further than the television lineup and you will find that earthquakes, tsunamis, tornados,

avalanches; mudslides are all very popular topics. Mega Disasters on the History channel, Aftermath on the

National Geographic channel and The Weather Channel itself are all indicators of the extreme interest. Ive

always had that interest myself.

I believe this topic to be highly adaptable to cross content lesson plans. Many great works of

literature to choose from in the ELA program. Lots of calculation based data to draw from for Math related

lessons. And a rich history in our country and globally that tie directly into Social Studies standards for the

State of South Carolina. Charlestons earthquake of 1886 is an earthquake of local historic significance.

But foremost, this unit gives a great opportunity to connect the students, in an emotional way, to

the content. I believe that much of our frustrations in the classroom stem from lack of connection to the

content. My intention is to develop a unit on earthquakes that gives the students a shared experience with

the content.

State Standards Covered in this Unit:

The unit objectives and related State Standards in this unit include:

8-3: The student will demonstrate an understanding of materials that determine the structure of Earth

and the processes that have altered this structure.

8-3.2: Explain how scientists use seismic wavesprimary, secondary, and surface wavesand Earths

magnetic fields to determine the internal structure of Earth.

8-3.3: Infer an earthquakes epicenter from seismographic data.

8-3.6: Explain how the theory of plate tectonics accounts for the motion of the lithospheric plates, the

geologic activities at the plate boundaries, and the changes in landform areas over geologic time.

8-3.8: Explain how earthquakes result from forces inside Earth.

Instructional Strategies:

I intend to use a multidisciplinary approach for this unit. I believe that the most important aspect of the unit

topic, earthquakes, is how we relate to the topic as individuals and as a culture and society.

I will present content throughout the unit in the form of an open forum discussion using the included

PowerPoint presentations and associated worksheets. . Though there are two note taking days, they are carefully

designed into the pacing of the unit such that the overall character of the unit will not be compromised.

Review techniques will be in the form of games and puzzles. A Jeopardy game will serve as review for a

major test and a crossword puzzle will serve as a refresher before a minor graded assignment.

Assessments will be informal visual inspection of worksheets, minor grades for a lab and the Epicenter

worksheet and a major grade for the end of unit summative assessment.

The overarching pedagogical setting, however, will be a focus on doing something with the content

knowledge. At the mid-point of the unit, we begin to discuss how we might respond to people in need as a result of

an earthquake. By the end of the unit, we act upon these discussions as a class. My intention here is to have

students recognize the real world form that this content takes on. I believe with this recognition will come buy in

of the content and therefore increased interest, understanding and retention.

Pacing Guide:

8th

Grade Earth Science Earthquake Unit

Daily Lesson Plan Week #1

Lessons Monday (1) Tuesday (1) Wednesda

y (1)

Thursday

(1) Friday (1)

ESSENTIAL

QUESTION

What are earthquakes? How do the

occurrences of

earthquakes and

volcanoes relate to

plate boundaries?

What types

of faults

does stress

within the

Earth

create?

How

Should We

Respond to

the Crisis in

Haiti?

How are

the

different

types of

seismic

waves

alike and

different?

STANDARDS

8-3.1; 8-3.2;

8-3.3; 8-3.9

8-3.1; 8-3.2;

8-3.3; 8-3.9

8-3.1; 8-

3.2;

8-3.3; 8-3.9

8-3.1; 8-3.2;

8-3.3; 8-3.9

8-3.1; 8-

3.2;

8-3.3; 8-

3.9

ACTIVATING

STRATEGY

Anticipation Guide Whiteboard

Question: What is

one thing you

learned

Types of

Stress

Guest visit

from Red

Cross

representativ

e will speak

on the Haiti

relief effort.

Faults?

TEACHING

STRATEGIES:

Newspaper Article: Haiti earthquake (2010)

Video Footage: CNN Virginia Earthquake

(2012) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVMvR

xbHKX0

PowerPoint:

Earths Crust in

Motion

Lab: A

Model of 3

Faults Day

Interactive

discussion

with a

professional

involved in

disaster relief

efforts

Measuring

EQs

Interactive

PowerPoin

t

EXTENDING/

REFINING

ACTIVITY

Complete Anticipation Guide.

Start KWL

Crust in Motion

Notes (complete

during

PowerPoint)

Lab

Discussion

Class

discussion to

develop what

our response

to the Haiti

disaster will

be.

Epicenter

worksheet

SUMMARIZIN

G

STRATEGY

Open Forum: Share experiences with these

recent earthquakes

End of class

discussion

Complete

the fault

model

worksheet

Earthquake

Crossword

Puzzle of

Key Terms

Complete

KWL

None

ASSESSMENT

Informal based on discussion participation Informal visual

inspection of

completed notes /

worksheet

Formal

minor

grade on

Lab

Visual

inspection of

completed

puzzle.

Informal

participation

assessment

on KWL (no

grade)

Formal

minor

grade on

Epicenter

Worksheet

.

8th

Grade Earth Science Earthquake Unit

Daily Lesson Plan

Week #2

Lessons Monday (2) Tuesday (2) Wednesday (2) Thursday (2) Friday (2)

ESSENTIAL

QUESTION

What are the

most historically

significant

earthquakes?

What are the

most

historically

significant

earthquakes?

Review Test What did we

learn?

STANDARDS 8-3.1; 8-3.2;

8-3.3; 8-3.9

8-3.1; 8-3.2;

8-3.3; 8-3.9

8-3.1; 8-3.2;

8-3.3; 8-3.9

8-3.1; 8-3.2;

8-3.3; 8-3.9

8-3.1; 8-3.2;

8-3.3; 8-3.9

ACTIVATING

STRATEGY

Formal guidance

from Media

Center Specialist

Whiteboard

daily question

Complete final

draft of letters

after teacher

comments.

Brief review of

key points before

distributing test

Reading and

video taping of

letters

TEACHING

STRATEGIES:

Earthquakes in

History Research

Student

Presentations

Jeopardy review

game in

preparation of

the summative

unit test

Summative

assessment Allowed 35

minutes.

Organize the

class to

distribute,

package and

label relief

packages

EXTENDING/

REFINING

ACTIVITY

Design outline

for presentation

Begin writing

letters to Haiti

peers

None After test, begin

collection of

relief collection

None

SUMMARIZING

STRATEGY

Instruct class on

preparation for

tomorrows

presentations

Letters to be

reviewed by

teacher

None None Teacher will

thank the

students for

participation

and remind

them of the

role they can

play in

earthquakes

around the

world.

ASSESSMENT

Informal Informal Informal,

participation

Formal, major

grade

Pacing Summary

DAY ACTIVITIES

Monday (1) Intro to Earthquakes, do anticipation guide, reading

newspaper article of earthquake in Haiti (2010) and

watch CNN video clip of the Virginia earthquake

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