USGS & Google Earth
A Multimedia Introduction to Plate Tectonics & Earth Movement
Introduce students to plate tectonics with the multimedia elements in the Google Earth tours created by the United States Geological Survey. Students explore, analyze and create scenarios as they learn about seismic activity both past and present in the San Francisco Bay Area and around the world.
Start with USGS Earthquake Hazards Program in Google Earth
Set up a series of questions to start the initial exploration of the USGS Google Earth tours.
Sample Sites and Questions:
USGS Real Time Data
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/catalogs/eqs7day-age.kmz
1. In the last seven days locate the largest and smallest earthquake in California.
3. How many EQs within the last hour?
4. How many EQS within the last week?
5. Did you feel them?
Earth Tectonic Plates http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/virtualtour/kml/Earths_Tectonic_Plates.kmz
4. How many EQS within the last week?
5. Did you feel them?
Earth Tectonic Plates http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/virtualtour/kml/Earths_Tectonic_Plates.kmz
1. Why are some plate boundaries undefined?
2. What is plate subduction?
1906 Distribution of Slip and 1906 Northern Rupture Tour
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/virtualtour/kml/1906RuptureTour.kmz
2. What is plate subduction?
1906 Distribution of Slip and 1906 Northern Rupture Tour
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/virtualtour/kml/1906RuptureTour.kmz
1. Does the amount of time it took for the earthquake to reach a point at the surface relate to the amount the earth moved at that location?
2. Why do you think that the earth moved so much in some locations?
Bay Area EQ Probability
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/virtualtour/kml/BayAreaEQProbability.kmz
1. What faults have the highest probability of releasing within the next 30 years.
2. Do you think scientists are accurate at predicting earthquakes? Explain.
San Andreas & Bay Area Faults
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/virtualtour/kml/SanAndreasBayAreaFaults.kmz
2. Why do you think that the earth moved so much in some locations?
Bay Area EQ Probability
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/virtualtour/kml/BayAreaEQProbability.kmz
1. What faults have the highest probability of releasing within the next 30 years.
2. Do you think scientists are accurate at predicting earthquakes? Explain.
San Andreas & Bay Area Faults
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/virtualtour/kml/SanAndreasBayAreaFaults.kmz
1. How many faults are in the Bay Area?
2. Locate other faults in California.
Collaborate & Create - Google Docs
http://docs.google.com/
Set up a collaborative Google Docs Spreadsheet where students can record their findings on faults, or volcanic activity. Have students create their own Google Earth tour that explains plate boundaries and the impact of the Ring of Fire.
Other Resources:
A Virtual Tour of the 1906 Earthquake in Google Earth
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/virtualtour/
Cheryl Davis - Acalanes Union High School District
Lesson idea - Rachel Davis, Hamlin School, 5th & 6th grade science
Collaborate & Create - Google Docs
http://docs.google.com/
Set up a collaborative Google Docs Spreadsheet where students can record their findings on faults, or volcanic activity. Have students create their own Google Earth tour that explains plate boundaries and the impact of the Ring of Fire.
Other Resources:
A Virtual Tour of the 1906 Earthquake in Google Earth
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/virtualtour/
Cheryl Davis - Acalanes Union High School District
Lesson idea - Rachel Davis, Hamlin School, 5th & 6th grade science