This tool lets your students become seismologist! The Flash Epicenter Location Tool
(FELT) shows students how seismologists use data collected from scientific instruments
to precisely locate the epicenter of an earthquake.
I use this tool to give my students a chance to feel like a scientist. This tool also
allows my students to interact with the content which gives them a greater chance
of retention. I also incorporate instruction in some necessary 21st century tools. We
work on building investigative, problem solving, collaboration, communication and
critical thinking while engaging in these activities.
FELT consists of three exercises with progressive levels of difficulty. Flash Player 9
and above is required to use these tools.
Exercise #1 (http://projects.cs.csusm.edu/maps/quakesDemoMode.html )
This exercise focuses on helping students recognize the fact that three seismic
stations are needed to pin-point the epicenter of an earthquake. By clicking on the
triangles (seismic stations), students will have a chance to answer questions with
regards to how seismic stations help identify epicenters. For each triangle (station)
a student clicks, FELT will draw a circle using the distance between the epicenter
and the station as its radius. Only after three stations have been clicked will the
software identify the epicenter of the earthquake.
Exercise #2 (http://projects.cs.csusm.edu/maps/quakesDIYMode.html )
This exercise allows students to explore actual seismograms recorded at the
stations. For each station, students are asked to move two vertical bars along the
seismogram to mark the arrival of the Primary (P) and Secondary (S) wave front.
Visual and audio hints are provided for students to correctly place the marks. Since
FELT purposely selects stations that are azimuthally well distributed around the
earthquake epicenter, students will have the opportunity to compare and contrast
seismograms for the same earthquake that are recorded at different stations. Once
students complete the marking of the P- and S-wave arrivals on a seismogram, FELT
will calculate the distance between the epicenter and the station based on the time
associated with the markings and draw a circle on the Google Map interface
accordingly. When three stations have been explored, students will see an epicenter
icon appears on screen. If the icon is moved by students to the actual epicenter of
the earthquake, a customized certificate will be presented.
Exercise #3 (http://projects.cs.csusm.edu/maps/quakesDIYTest.html )
This exercise further challenges students on the subject of epicenter identification.
Similar to the second exercise, students will be asked to move the two vertical bars
on seismograms to mark the P- and S-wave arrivals. Instead of having the computer
calculate and display the distance between the epicenter and the station based on
the time associated with the markings, students will be required to perform the
calculation and determine the distance. In addition, students will need to adjust the
size of the circle on the Google Map interface to match the distance they determine.
All three exercises use the same collection of data regarding seismic stations and
recent seismic activities that have been made available to the public by the
Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology.
General instructions:
Students will first be given a list of recent earthquakes from which they can select an
earthquake of their interest. Once an earthquake is selected, students will be
presented with a collection of seismic stations on a Google Map interface so that
further exploration on seismograms recorded by those stations can be conducted.
The triangles are used to represent seismic stations. Students are to click on the
triangles of their choice to conduct their investigations.
1.
Open the FELT tool link
2. Select an earthquake
3. Just as it says on the screen:
“You will now be shown a map with various stations marked on it. Each stations
is marked with a triangle(Δ).
A click on an empty triangle will reveal a circle whose center is the station
clicked and whose radius is the distance from the station to the epicenter. A click
on a filled triangle will remove the circle whose center is the station clicked.
Your purpose is to find the epicenter of the earthquake.”
Click continue
Let’s look at the screen:
Changes
Background
Moves
map
Zooms in
and out
4. Now, click any triangle (seismic station)
Station Code &
Seismogram
5. Answer the question(s), click continue and click on another triangle
6. Answer the question(s), click continue and click on a third triangle.
7. Congratulations! You have located the epicenter of your chosen earthquake.
If you move your mouse pointer over
epicenter (longitude, latitude)
it
Exercise #2
Starts out the same then you get this screen
Position
Markers
P&S
Hints
Submit
Button
position P & S markers then click submit
will display the location of the
Exercise #3
Starts out with the same steps as Exercise #2. In this exercise you use the time to
determine the distance.
Time
readouts
Next you position the circle based on calculated distance
Click and
drag
Distance
readout
TechQuest Lesson Plan
Part I: Teacher Guide
1. Content standards
Grade 6 Earth Science
6. 1. d. Students know that earthquakes are sudden motions along breaks in the crust
called faults and those volcanoes and fissures are locations where magma reaches
the surface.
1) 1. g. Students know that the effects of an earthquake on any region vary depending on
size of the earthquake, the distance of the region from the epicenter, the local
geology, and the type of construction in the region
2. Key concepts addressed by the module
Students will be able to:
a. identify types of seismic waves (P and S)
b. explain how the epicenter of an earthquake is located.
3. Guide to carry out the activities
A. Engage – Start with a review of “P” and “S” waves with a demonstration:
a. Have everyone standup shoulder to shoulder in a U facing the front of the
room
b. Start the “P” wave by leaning into the first student. This simulates a
compression wave
c. Now have everyone link arms. Start the “S” wave by bending over at your
waste.
Discuss which is faster – you can use this simulation
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/visualizations/es1002/es1002
page01.cfm?chapter_no=visualization
B. Explain – Use power point presentation (epicenter FELT.ppt) to explain a
seismogram and that a seismogram can be used to determine the distance of the
epicenter from the seismograph
C. Explore – Students work in pairs to find and record the epicenter of three
earthquakes using the FELT tool and handout
4. Teacher Notes
 This lesson comes after introduction to earthquakes and seismic waves
 Have the students work in pairs even when you have 1 computer per student.
 Have the students alternate between using the computer and recording the
information
 I ask students to record the location of the epicenter once they have found it

Don’t drive too much for your students. When they get lost or confused refrain
from telling them what button to push, ask questions. What are you doing?
Why? Ok so what do you think might be the next step? Did you try…?
5. Assessment plan
Review the worksheet for completeness & accuracy. I use a 10 point scale for each earth
quake so a complete handout is worth 30 points (I give a lot of points out in a quarter
because this reinforces effort and attendance). You should obviously scale it down for
your class as appropriate. Here is my simple rubric:
1 pt for writing the earthquake name (1)
1 point for recording each station code (3)
1 point for the sketch of each seismogram (3)
1 point for drawing the three circles and having them connect at one spot (1)
1 point for drawing the epicenter symbol (1)
1 point for recording the location of the epicenter (1)
I take off ½ points for sloppiness or inaccuracy.
I also look for a hand writing change to indicate switch in roles (no points I just
comment)
You can also have students individually answer the question in their science notebooks,
lab books or on a piece of paper; “How do we find the epicenter of an earth quake?” to
review for understanding. I let them answer using a picture instead of sentences if they
choose to.
6. Technology resources used in the module
a) laptop or desktop computers
b) Internet with most current version of Firefox and Google plug-in
c) FELT Tool
d) PowerPoint (epicenter FELT.ppt)
e) PowerPoint (Richter scale.ppt)
f) The Richter Scale Tool (for extension)
g) SMART board (optional)
7. Extension Activities
a) Exercise #2 of the FELT (handout provided)
b) Exercise #3 of the FELT (handout provided)
c) use power point (Richter scale.ppt) to discuss how we measure earth quakes
then have students work in pairs with The Richter Scale to find the magnitude
of earthquakes
Part II: Learning Object
1. Learning object or tool used in lesson
The Flash Epicenter Location Tool (FELT) shows students how seismologists use
data collected from scientific instruments to precisely locate the epicenter of an
earthquake.
2. Student Activities
Students use the FELT tool select three semic stations, look at a siesmagram for a
selected earthquake and display the distance the epicenter was from the station as
a circle on a map. This is done three times to locate the epicenter. The location
of the epicenter is then recorded
3. Directions for use of learning objects
1. Open the FELT tool link
2. Select an earthquake
3. Click continue
4. Now, click any triangle (seismic station)
5. Answer the question(s), click continue and click on another triangle
6. Answer the question(s), click continue and click on a third triangle.
7. Congratulations! You have located the epicenter of your chosen
earthquake.
Links:
FELT https://iquest.csusm.edu/mod/wiki/view.php?id=269&page=Flashbased+Epicenter+Location+Tools+%28FELT%29
P & S waves animation:
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/visualizations/es1002/es1002
page01.cfm?chapter_no=visualization
The Richter Scale Tool: http://www.siovizcenter.ucsd.edu/library/TLTC/TLTCmag.htm
Sample student work from the first exercise follows this page
10/10
9½/10
+½ for detail
-1 for no location
8½/10
-1 for circles
-½ lack of detail
& sloppy
8/10
-1 for no location
-1 for circles
7/10
And that is
generous!
½for sloppy/
lack of detail
-1 for no location
-1 for circles
-½ for sloppy
incomplete,