Dear Cousin________,
I've just heard some great news. My family and I are coming to visit you this summer in
California. My mom and dad said we're going to visit many exciting places all over
California while staying with you for one month. We're planning on visiting Disneyland,
Yosemite National Park, San Francisco, Sea World in San Diego, and Mt. Lassen. I'm very
excited, except, I’ve read about California being the "Earthquake State." I'm a bit nervous
to visit. What if there's an earthquake there while we're visiting? I've heard that
earthquakes can be very destructive and people can get hurt. Do you live in a part of
California where earthquakes happen? Do earthquakes happen in the places that we plan
to visit? Earthquakes are very scary to me. How do you prepare for an earthquake and
what do you do when one happens?
I would feel much better if you could send me more information about earthquakes and
earthquake safety. I want to know what causes earthquakes, where and when they can
happen and everything you can find out for me. In fact, can you tell me if they can occur in
my state?
I'm looking forward to seeing you this summer, especially after getting the information on
earthquakes.
Your favorite cousin,
__________________
The Task
Your job is to put together a packet of information for your cousin. Choose the
city you live in (Westchester, Inglewood, Gardena, El Segundo, Playa Vista, Los
Angles…). You must convince your cousin that California is a safe place to visit
and enjoy. Even if it is called the,” Earthquake State”. You will need to complete
the following:
1. Find out about where you live and let him know the history of earthquakes in
your area.
2. Find out about the areas he will be visiting. I gave you some suggestions but
you might want to take him to your favorite places. Are they on a fault line? Has
there been recent earthquake activity?
3. Interview people in your town who have lived in California for a while. Make a
graph to show your results.
4. Find out about earthquake safety.
5. Check your house out with your family. Make sure your house is as
earthquake proof as you can make it.
6. Find maps of current and past earthquake activity. Make copies to show
him/her where they happen and how often.
The Process
1. You will work in small groups of two to four students. You can divide up the
work and bring your information together. You will all decide how to organize
and present your work. List everything that needs to be done and divide up the
tasks.
2. Each member should keep a journal for information collected and for writing
any ideas you think of. Try to put the information in your own words. You need
to make sure cousin can understand what you're sending him.
3. Prepare a survey to interview five people. Questions should include
earthquake experiences of Californians. Have they ever been in an earthquake?
Was it a mild one or a big one? Was anyone hurt or was there damage done?
Make a graph to show the results. Write a conclusion about the results. Report
your results in a graph form to your cousin.
4. Plan a trip for your cousin and his family. Look where his vacation spots are
located and compare the locations to that of the SANANDREAS FAULT.
Research the SANANDREAS FAULT and find out where it is in California. You
will want to design your cousin's trip away from that area. Can you find some
places to visit away from active fault areas?
5. Study definitions of words like FAULT, EPICENTER, PLATES,
PLATETECTONICS, RICHTER SCALE, MERCALI SCALE, SEISMIC WAVES
and other words that will help you and your cousin understand EARTHQUAKES
better. Find out how and why EARTHQUAKES happen. Make sketches and
pictures to help.
6. Create a SAFETY pamphlet for your cousin to follow when he gets to your
HOUSE and for this California trip. What should he do if an earthquake
happens outside? Inside? What should he bring with him for safety?
7. Each group member should go through their HOUSE with their families.
Make a plan for safety during an EARTHQUAKE. Check out other safety
factors.
8. Find some fun earthquake ACTIVITIES or experiments for your cousin to try.
You try them first to make sure they work!
9. Find some EARTHQUAKE MAPS of the world and U.S. to show your cousin
other areas that have EARTHQUAKE activity.
Learning Advice
Be respectful to your fellow group members. Everybody's opinions and ideas
deserve to be heard. There are many jobs to do and all members can find a part
of the project they will enjoy doing.
Use books and other resources like the newspaper, electronic encyclopedias, and
the internet to help you find all the information you need.
Keep your work organized and bookmark whatever you find on the web that is
new to the unit.
Consult with adults and cross age tutors to make sure you understand
information and directions.
P.S. There is an exciting technology challenge in "Show Your Stuff".
Earthquake Web Site Descriptions
Earthquake science and weblinks
Plate tectonics, Glossary of earthquake terms, a model of the earth, earthquake information
Earthquake Quiz
Areas of California, Maps, safety, facts, and "Ask a Geologist"
On Shaky Ground, Earthquake preparedness and safety tips.
Earthquake activities and maps locating current and past earthquake activity for U.S. and world.
Earthquake Response Center
San Francisco Quake Country, safety, preparing home, maps
Recent World earthquakes, maps and listing of dates, times, locations, magnitudes of world's
most recent earthquakes.
California's San Andreas Fault Map
Show Your Stuff!!!
1. Prepare a presentation for your class. Inform them of the
task you were to complete. Let them help evaluate your
information. Do they think your cousin will get a good
understanding of California and earthquakes? Do they think
he will still want to come?
2. Use as many pictures, diagrams and maps as you need to
get your information across to your audience.
3. Prepare a packet for your cousin. Some ideas: Video tape,
book on tape, power point, paper and pencil or a
combination.
4. Share your safety pamphlet and other information with
other classes in your school.
5. Exciting Technology Challenge: Create a webpage for
kids about earthquakes. Include the scientific stuff as well as
safety information. Make a page for links to earthquake sites
you found helpful.
Notes to the Teacher
Eerie Earthquakes is an open-ended cooperative learning activity. It is largely based on second
earth science. It is primarily a tool to reinforce part of a conceptual unit about the Changing
Earth. The unit is based on the California State Framework and supports the new state standards.
The following science concepts are reinforced in this unit:
Plate Tectonics and Earth's Structure
Standard
Plate tectonics explains important features of the Earth's surface and major geologic events. as
the basis for understanding this concept students should know:
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The fit of the continents, location of earthquakes, volcanoes and midocean ridges, and the
distribution of fossils, rock types and ancient climatic zones provide evidence for plate
tectonics.
Determine the epicenter of an earthquake and that the effects of an earthquake vary with
its size, distance from the epicenter, local geology and the type of construction involved.
Earthquakes are sudden motions along breaks in the crust called faults, and
volcanoes/fissures are locations where magma reaches the surface.
Major geologic events, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions mountain building result
from plate motions.
Explain major features of California geology in terms of plate tectonics (including
mountains, faults, and volcanoes).
Scientific Processes and Investigation
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The scientific processes of: Communicating, Comparing, Categorizing, Relating and
Inferring, are practiced within this activity.
Students read a topographic map and a geologic map for evidence provided on the maps
and construct and interpret a simple scale map.
Language Arts Standards
According to the California Language Arts Framework:
"An instructional priority for grade six is the increased focus on advanced forms of
evaluation in expository critique...and advanced presentations on problems and
solutions."
Reading Comprehension
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Students in sixth grade should engage in extensive independent reading as the primary
means for increasing vocabulary knowledge.
Students in sixth grade should be required to identify the structural features of popular
media (e.g., newspapers, magazines, on-line information) and use the features to obtain
information.
Research and Technology
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Students must learn to use organizational features of electronic text (e.g., internet
searches, databases, keyword searches, e-mail addresses) to locate relevant information.
They must learn to compose documents with appropriate formatting, using wordprocessing skills.
Writing Applications
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A new requirement in the grade six standards is writing expository compositions.
Students must (1) state the thesis or purpose, (2) explain the situation, (3) follow an
organizational pattern appropriate to the type of composition, and (4) offer persuasive
evidence to validate arguments and conclusions as needed.
Write research reports that: pose relevant questions and are sufficiently narrow scopes;
offer support from several authoritative sources; and include a bibliography.
Listening and Speaking

Sixth graders are also expected to deliver focused, coherent presentations employing
traditional rhetorical strategies. Specifically, they are required to deliver narrative,
informative and persuasive presentations.
Technology
Standards for students in grade six would include: (example of appropriate technology
standards from Butte County Office of Education)
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Use technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, presentation, Web tools, digital
cameras, scanners) for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and
publishing activities to create knowledge, products for audiences inside and outside the
classroom, add music or sound effect CD audio to multimedia project
Use telecommunications efficiently and effectively to access remote information
databases, encyclopedias, and other information resources, communicate with others in
support of direct and independent learning, and pursue personal interests, experience
network access and resources differentiate between various types of on-line services
Use telecommunications and online resources (e.g., e-mail, online discussions, Web
environments) to participate in collaborative problem- solving activities for the purpose
of developing solutions or products for audiences inside and outside the classroom,
upload and download files attached to messages
Use technology resources (e.g., calculators, data collection probes, videos, educational
software) for problem-solving, self-directed learning, and extended learning activities,
experience planning and creating video projects, use zoom and focus controls for video
interview
Determine when technology is useful and select the appropriate tool(s) and technology
resources to address a variety of tasks and problems.
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Evaluate the accuracy, relevance, appropriateness, comprehensiveness, and bias of
electronic information sources.
Curriculum Integration
Students have an opportunity to use geography, history, math, and art as prescribed by
the prescribed frameworks and state standards.
Special Notes
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Teachers please note that students cannot necessarily work on this unit without
assistance. Parent, teacher and assistance would be recommended. There are many areas
of the activity that students can especially on some of the web sites.
Be aware of the Language Arts Frameworks recommendation for research report writing.
For e.g., using support from several authoritative sources, include a bibliography, use
outlining and note cards to organize information, use cooperative groups, however
students should be responsible for some type of independent report, besides the group
presentation.
Be advised that this unit does not stand alone. It must be used after ground work has been
laid for understanding earth science standard one. Plate tectonics, earth's composition and
their relationship to need background information on earthquakes. This should be a
culminating activity for an earthquake study connecting the whole process to plate
tectonics and the changing earth concept, not a beginning.
Please have other resources available for students as suggested in the learning advice page.
You may choose to add field trips to the experience depending on where you live.
When evaluating student performance, by teacher, self and peers, use what is in place in your
classroom. Students better understand their evaluation if consistent with current grading system.
However a rubric for self-evaluation is effective for students when creating standards level work.
Evaluation
1. Have you completed all parts of the project?
2. Will your cousin be convinced that earthquakes do happen in California, but
he can still come and safely visit?
3. Did you work cooperatively with other members of your team? Did all
members of the team contribute equally?
4. Was your presentation effective? How did your peers grade you?
Conclusion
Will your cousin have a thorough understanding of earthquakes? What have you
learned in the process of trying to inform your cousin?
Reflection
1. What went well for your group? What didn't go well?
2. Tell about some new computer skills that you use.
3. Was working in a group better for learning? Would you have rather worked
alone?
4. Would you do any part of the unit differently? Would you change your
presentation?
5. What grade would you give yourself? What grade would you give your group
overall?
Earthquake Quiz
Test Your Knowledge
1. Breaks in the earth's crust where earthquakes can occur are
called___________________.
2. Where an earthquake begins is called the____________________.
3. Learn to stop,____________, and hold.
4. Take classes’ in______________ so you can help injured family, and friends.
5. The ________________scale measures the magnitude of an earthquake.
6. There are________________ of earthquakes happening daily.
7. Get _______________ a desk, a table or door jam, if you feel the ground start
to shake.
8. Put a batter-operated___________________ in your earthquake supply kit.
9. When an earthquake happens the plates are __________________.
10. An earthquake scale that measures the amount of damage is called
the_____________________.
Answers to quiz: 1. faults, 2. epicenter, 3. drop, 4. first aid, 5. Richter, 6. 1000's, 7. under, 8. flashlight, 9. shifting,
10. Mercali
Try this Bay Area Earthquake site to test your earthquake knowledge. There is a quiz and a
crossword puzzle that will challenge you!