Title: On Shaky Ground: Looking for Patterns of Earthquake Activity
Summary of sequence of activities, concepts & & inquiry skills: In this module we are scaffolding students’ (mental) model-building by
leveraging from the declarative knowledge they have already learned about types of plate boundaries (convergent, divergent, & transform) and
having them explicitly integrate this with the characteristics of different types of Earthquakes, i.e., how these relate to the depth, magnitude, &
distribution of earthquakes. This will aid students in understanding both how features of Earthquakes relate to the type of boundary it is occurring
on as well as aid them in understanding how scientists use data to ascertain information about plate boundaries. Students begin by describing the
movement along each of the plate boundaries (declarative prior knowledge) and brainstorming about whether or not this movement might be a
predictor for the location, depth, & or magnitude of Earthquakes along the boundary (this supports the driving question & supports inquiry
strand1- identify questions & concepts that guide scientific investigations). Students are not expected to be able to predict the next earthquake but
decide whether or not there are patterns of Earthquakes associated with plate boundaries and what these patterns might be (inquiry strands 4formulate scientific explanations using logic & evidence). Students then are introduced to active earthquake datasets (inquiry strand 3- use
technology & data literacy/technology literacy). In the introduction of the datasets students look at recent activity of Earthquakes and begin to
extract data from them (inquiry strand 3- use technology and data literacy/technology literacy). Students then are asked to look at ~40 years of
data along each of the plate boundaries and compare the characteristics of the Earthquakes over the same time period, looking at depth, magnitude,
and distribution (inquiry strand 3- use technology & data literacy/technology literacy integration of declarative knowledge & data skills). Students
graph the different variables (inquiry strand 6- communicate & defend scientific argument & data literacy skills & integration of declarative
knowledge). Finally students synthesize the characteristics of the plate boundaries and the spatial & dynamic “fingerprint” of different types of
Earthquakes, as is evidenced from the datasets they have analyzed (inquiry strand 6- communicate & defend scientific argument & integration of
spatial & causal knowledge).
Driving Question: Do Earthquakes along plate boundaries have similar or different patterns of occurrence (depth, magnitude & location)?
Type(s) of visualization(s): Data tables, maps, graphs
Dataset(s). GIS
Focal variable(s)
Pre-Unit Brainstorming Activities
Unit
tasks
Assess
ment
Tasks
Task
description
Technology tools and
visualization components
(computer based
productivity tools used to
Alignments
NSES
Inquiry
NSES Content
AAAS Content
record responses are not
included here)
none
1
N/A
Draw a
diagram to
describe
Divergent
boundaries
6.2
develop/use
diagrams and
charts
1.2 Plate
boundary systems
1b
N/A
Write a
description
of what you
have drawn
none
6.1 review,
summarize,
and explain
information
and data
1.2 Plate
boundary
systems
1.1 Earthquakes
often occur along
the boundaries
between colliding
plates…
2
N/A
Draw a
diagram to
describe
Convergent
boundaries
none
6.2
develop/use
diagrams and
charts
1.2 Plate
boundary
systems
1.1 Earthquakes
often occur along
the boundaries
between colliding
plates…
2b
N/A
Write a
description
of what you
have drawn
none
1.2 Plate
boundary
systems
3
N/A
Draw a
diagram to
describe
Transform
boundaries
none
6.1 review,
summarize,
and explain
information
and data
6.2
develop/use
diagrams and
charts
1.1 Earthquakes
often occur along
the boundaries
between colliding
plates…
1.1 Earthquakes
often occur along
the boundaries
between colliding
plates…
1.2 Plate
boundary
systems
1.1 Earthquakes
often occur along
the boundaries
between colliding
plates…
3b
N/A
Write a
description
of what you
have drawn
none
4
N/A
The
Student is provided with a
following
map from a USGS website
image
…How does
the location
of the
Earthquakes
relate to the
location of
plate
boundaries?
4b
N/A
How does
this info
help support
or refute the
theory of
plate
tectonics?
Student is provided with a
map from a USGS website
6.1 review,
summarize,
and explain
information
and data
4.1 formulate
explanations
using logic
and evidence
1.2 Plate
boundary
systems
2.1
observations
and data
1.2 Plate
boundary
systems
1.2 Plate
boundary
systems
1.1 Earthquakes
often occur along
the boundaries
between colliding
plates…
1.1 Earthquakes
often occur along
the boundaries
between colliding
plates…
1.5 The theory of
plate tectonics
provides an
explanation for a
diverse array of
seemingly
unrelated
phenomena.
Alignment of Unit & Assessment Tasks to NSES (Inquiry & Content Strands), & AAAS Content Strands
Alignments
Unit
Assess Task
Technology tools and
NSES
NSES Content
AAAS Content
Tasks ment
description visualization components Inquiry
Tasks
A1-3 A1-A2 Develop a
Use of maps and/or globe
1.1
1.1 systems as
1.1 Earthquakes
hypothesis
formulate
composites of
often occur along
testable
related objects or the boundaries
hypothesis
components
between colliding
plates.
B3-5
B1-B2
C1-3
D1-2
Observe
patterns
Seismic Eruption software
6.1 review,
summarize,
and explain
information
and data
C1, C2 Classifying
Patterns
(Brainstorm
ing)
Seismic Eruption software
6.2 Develop
use diagrams
& charts
2.1 observations
and data
1.1 Earthquakes
often occurring
along the
boundaries
between colliding
plates
N/A
Seismic Eruption software
2.5 plan
method
2.1 observations
and data
1.1 Earthquakes
often occurring
along the
boundaries
between colliding
Collecting
Data
1.2 Plate
boundary
systems
1.1 Earthquakes
often occur along
the boundaries
between colliding
plates.
plates
E1-7
C1
Comparing
data
Seismic Eruption software
(using data previously
collected)
6.1 review,
summarize,
and explain
information
and data
1.2 Plate
boundary systems
1.1 Earthquakes
often occurring
along the
boundaries
between colliding
plates
F1-2
N/A
Application
Seismic Eruption software
(using data previously
collected)
1.2 Plate
boundary systems
1.1 Earthquakes
often occurring
along the
boundaries
between colliding
plates
G1-4
N/A
Conclude &
persuade
Powerpoint & Word
4.1 Formulate
and revise
scientific
explanations
and models
using data and
evidence
1.1
formulate
testable
hypothesis
1.2 Plate
boundary systems
1.1 Earthquakes
often occurring
along the
boundaries
between colliding
plates