Earthquakes by Seymour Simon – Answer Guide
Grade 4: Unit 3 Module A
Sentences and Fragments
1. _F_ a large earthquake japan
2. _S_ it killed ten thousand people and injured another twenty thousand
3. _S_ most earthquakes take place in earth’s crust
4. _S_ the shocks may last for less than a second for a small earthquake
to several minutes for a major one
5. _F_ is a type of upward movement
1. In 1995, a large earthquake in Kobe, Japan toppled freeways and
cracked roadways.
2. A thrust fault is a type of upward movement.
But, Because, So
Earthquakes are dangerous because people can get injured and buildings can
be destroyed.
Earthquakes are dangerous, but people survive them.
… some are not destructive.
Earthquakes are dangerous, so people fear them.
… people need to build stronger buildings.
Sentence Types
Topic: Earthquakes
. Statement
Most earthquakes in the U.S. occur in California.
? Question
What do seismologists use to measure earthquakes?
! Exclamation
Earthquakes are dangerous!
. or ! Command
Get under a heavy table, desk, or bed when an earthquake strikes.
Subordinating Conjunctions

During the 1989 San Francisco earthquake, sand boils erupted.

After the first three days of the earthquake in Anchorage, Alaska,
300 aftershocks shook the buildings that were still standing.

Even though an earthquake can be devastating, the chances of being
hurt in an earthquake are very small.

If an earthquake hit NYC, people would not be prepared.
Transition Words

Scientists have learned much about earthquakes and their effects.
For example, they know how to use tools to record tiny tremors that
are thousands of miles away.

People should build their houses in a special way to be earthquake
resistant. For instance, they should build them on solid rock and not
on sand.

It helps to know what to do when an earthquake strikes. Specifically,
find a heavy table and go under it, and stay away from windows and
mirrors.
Sentence Expansion:
They use observations.
Who? . . . . . .scientists/seismologists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
When? . . . . after an earthquake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Why? . . . . . to measure the effects of an earthquake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
After an earthquake, seismologists use observations to measure the effects
of an earthquake.
They occur.
What? . . . . earthquakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Where?. . . California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Why? . . . . . .they run along the San Andreas Fault. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Earthquakes occur in California because they run along the San Andreas
Fault.
Sentence Combining:
1. Scientists use the Richter Scale to measure the effects of an earthquake.
Scientists use observations to measure the effects of an earthquake.
Scientists use the Richter Scale and observations to measure the effects of
an earthquake.
2. Seismographs are tools that record data to a computer.
Seismographs detect tiny earth tremors from thousands of miles away.
Seismographs, tools that record data to computers, detect tiny earth
tremors from thousands of miles away.
Unelaborated Paragraph:
Earthquakes are dangerous. They happen. Scientists study
earthquakes. They are called seismologists. People can prepare for
earthquakes. Some people have houses that are earthquake-resistant.
Elaborated Paragraph:
Earthquakes can be extremely dangerous. They happen along faults
and usually take place in the Earth’s crust. Seismologists, scientists who
study earthquakes, use observations and the Richter Scale to gather
information. People can prepare for earthquakes by making their houses
earthquake-resistant.
Identifying the topic sentence (TS)
o They also use data to find out where and how large it will be.
o Seismographs record data.
o Seismographs are tools used to measure the size of earthquakes.
o Scientists use data on size to figure out when an earthquake might
happen.
Identifying the topic sentence (TS)
o It was felt in an area over 375,000 square miles.
o The 1996 San Francisco earthquake was one of the most violent
earthquakes ever recorded!
o The fires destroyed 28,000 buildings in the city.
o More than 3,000 people lost their lives.
Identifying Parts of a Paragraph:
(T.S.)The San Andreas Fault is a fascinating, but dangerous geological
feature. 1.The San Andreas Fault is the boundary line between the
North American and the Pacific plates. 2. It winds seven hundred miles
through Southern California to just north of San Francisco, where it
heads west across the floor of the Pacific Ocean. 3.Along the way, it
slashes under houses and dams, across deserts and farms, and through
towns and cities where more than 20 million people live. 4.Dozens of
small to medium sized earthquakes occur along this fault each year.
(C.S) Scientists think that a huge, deadly earthquake will strike along the
San Andreas Fault in the near future.
Creating a Topic Sentence
Topic: Earthquakes
Earthquakes can be very destructive.
Topic: Seismologists
Seismologists, people who study earthquakes, help us learn a lot about
earthquakes.
Topic: Faults
Faults, cracks in rocks, run through the crust of the Earth.
Topic: San Francisco Earthquake
The San Francisco Earthquake was one of the most violent earthquakes
every recorded!
Topic: Richter Scale
What does a Richter Scale measure?