Norwood Science Center.
Geology
Grade 3
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The surface layer of the Earth is the crust. It is not thick when
compared to the internal layers of the Earth. Forces inside the Earth
generate a great deal of energy, which allows heated materials to rise
within the Earth. As these materials cool they sink back down to continue
the cycle.
The rising and falling of these heated and cooled materials bring
great stress to the Earth’s crust. The crust has broken in several large,
and many smaller, pieces that “float” upon the underlying mantle. These
pieces are called Tectonic Plates. The heating and cooling of these
plates generates movement (convection). This movement generates
incredible forces that are responsible for earthquakes and volcanic
eruptions.
Most activity takes place where two plates meet. It is at these plate
boundaries where most volcanoes and earthquakes occur. The majority
of plate tectonic activity takes place in the Ring of Fire, an area that
surrounds the Pacific Ocean. 90% of all earthquakes and 75% of all
volcanoes are found on the Ring of Fire. This lesson examines a small,
yet very active, portion of the Ring of Fire where plates meet near Japan.
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TITLE:
JAPANESE EARTHQUAKES
PURPOSE:
WHERE DO MOST EARTHQUAKES OCCUR?
MATERIALS:
(per classroom)
 Japanese Earthquake video
http://sites.norwood.k12.ma.us/sci/flipped/Mapping%20Japanese%20Quakes.htm
(per student)
 Japanese Earthquake map (p.7)
 Japanese Earthquake location table (p. 8)
 Volcanoes and Earthquake Prediction worksheet
Volcanoes and Earthquake Prediction worksheet
PROCEDURE:
01.
Distribute the Volcanoes and Earthquakes prediction worksheet.
02.
Students fill out the top half of page 1. This is an assessment of
their preconceived knowledge of the subject.
03.
Students are to fill out the bottom half of page 1 after watching the
video.
04.
Students complete page 2 of the Volcanoes and Earthquakes
worksheet. This could be assigned as homework or a long term
class project. References should be made to the mapping video or
the Animated Map of Japanese Earthquakes.
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Mapping Japanese Earthquakes
NOTE:
There are several ways to approach this lesson. The most teacherfriendly is to play the video in short segments. This allows the students to
move along with the task presented on the video.
PROCEDURE:
01.
Distribute a Japanese Earthquake map to each student.
02.
Distribute a Japanese Earthquake location table to each student.
03.
Start the video. The first three minutes are a short review of Plate
Tectonics and the Ring of Fire. This is a very important part of the
lesson. However, if you are going over the plotting of coordinates
(locations) on a map for a second or third time, you can move
directly to the 3 minute mark to bypass the introduction/review. This
will bring you directly to the mapping component.
04.
Students locate Earthquake #1 on the table. They should follow
along with the video explanation in order to clarify the values and
vocabulary.
05.
Pause the video at the 4:05 mark. Make sure the students have
located the 40 oN line (parallel) of latitude. They should not trace
this line with a pencil. This will clutter the map. However, if they
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trace the line with an eraser they can sweep away the eraser
bunnies afterwards. This will leave the map intact.
06.
Pause the video at the 4:20 mark. This shows the highlighted
40 oN line (parallel) of latitude and the 144 oE line (meridian) of
longitude. It also shows a mark where the two lines meet. This is
the location of the first earthquake.
07.
Repeat the procedure for the second earthquake.
08.
At the 5:22 mark the students are instructed to plot the locations of
Earthquakes 3-5. It might be helpful to have a map under a
document camera in order to support students/demonstrate correct
plotting.
09.
Move to the 5:56 position. This introduces “The Big Picture.” The
video walks the students through an explanation and a conclusion.
PURPOSE:
WHERE DO MOST EARTHQUAKES OCCUR?
ANSWER:
Most earthquakes are located near tectonic plate boundaries. We
mapped Japanese earthquakes. All of the earthquakes were located near
the boundaries of two tectonic plates. (Students add more evidence from
their work to complete the answer. Any reference to the Ring of Fire
would be considered awesome.)
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Japanese Tectonic Plates
http://www.sellyprk.bham.sch.uk/resources/geography/world/unit1/images/kobe_map.gif
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Earthquake distribution around Japan (1960-2011)
http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/en/Activities/earthquake.html
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130 °E
134 °E
138 °E
142 °E
144 °E
Map of
Japan
44 °N
42 °N
40 °N
38 °N
36 °N
34 °N
N
32°N
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Japanese Earthquakes
Location Table
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
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Size Latitude N/S Longitude E/W
9.0
40°
N
144°
E
8.6
34°
N
138°
E
8.5
32°
N
134°
E
8.4
34°
N
134°
E
8.3
42°
N
144°
E
8.1
38°
N
144°
E
7.9
36°
N
134°
E
7.9
34°
N
138°
E
7.5
36°
N
138°
E
6.4
32°
N
130°
E
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