Teacher sheet · Ages 6–7 · about 45–50 minutes
When the ground shakes
Lesson page: echoesof.science/school/earthquakes/ages-6-7/ · Pupil worksheet: echoesof.science/school/earthquakes/ages-6-7/print/
Learning aims
- Know that the Earth's outer layer is made of slowly moving plates.
- Know that an earthquake is shaking caused by rocks suddenly slipping.
- Know that most earthquakes are small and that seismometers record them.
- Know and practise Drop, Cover, Hold on.
Lesson plan
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 5 min | Starter: make a 'ripple' in a bowl of water. Shaking can spread like that. |
| 10 min | Read the text; show the plates as a puzzle on a globe or map. |
| 15 min | Shaky towers. |
| 5 min | Play Safe or not safe?; then practise Drop, Cover, Hold on. |
| 5 min | Quiz together. |
Materials for the experiment
- A tray or a big book
- Building blocks (or sugar cubes)
- A table
Safety: Shake gently and keep the tray on the table. Keep fingers away when blocks fall. Do not throw blocks.
Common misconceptions
| Pupils may think… | Actually… |
|---|---|
| Earthquakes happen everywhere all the time and are always dangerous. | Most earthquakes are tiny and nobody feels them. |
| You should run outside straight away. | Indoors: drop, cover and hold on until the shaking stops. |
| The ground is completely still. | The plates move all the time, just very slowly. |
Worksheet answers
- Puzzle-like plates on a globe or circle, with a star on a line where two plates meet.
- Usually the tall, thin tower.
- Drop, Cover, Hold on.
Quiz answers
- What are the huge pieces of the outside of the Earth called? Plates. The Earth's outer shell is made of plates.[1]
- What happens in an earthquake? Rocks suddenly slip and the ground shakes. Stuck rocks suddenly slip and make the ground shake.[1]
- What machine records the shaking? A seismometer. A seismometer records ground shaking.[6]
- Are most earthquakes big or small? Small. Most earthquakes are too small to feel.[4]
- What do you do inside when the ground shakes? Drop, cover and hold on. Drop, cover your head under a strong table, hold on.[8]
Going further
Practise an earthquake drill following your school's own safety plan. Make a poster with the three safety words and a drawing for each.
Sources used in this lesson
- [1] The Science of Earthquakes (USGS Earthquake Hazards Program): reliability High
- [4] Are earthquakes becoming more frequent? (Earthquake FAQ) (British Geological Survey (BGS)): reliability High
- [6] How we measure earthquakes (Earthquake guide) (British Geological Survey (BGS)): reliability High
- [8] Preparing for Earthquakes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)): reliability High
Full list with links and a note on each source's reliability: echoesof.science/school/earthquakes/sources/
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