Earthquake explorers
Level 3 and 4 investigating outcomes
Student
Level 4
Level 3
Task
Stage
Key Learning Area
Science
Date
Students investigate earthquake activity in Australian and Australia’s neighbouring
countries.
Students investigate and model how scientists collect information about earthquakes.
Investigating unit
outcomes
Beginning
Analyse and compare
data of earthquake
magnitude for Australia
and neighbouring
countries to investigate
patterns in data
Students can discuss
and analyse
earthquake
magnitude for
Australia and
neighbouring
countries.
Students can graph
and compare
earthquake
magnitude in
Australia and
neighbouring
countries.
Students can identify
patterns and draw
conclusions about
earthquake activity in
Australia and
neighbouring
countries.
Use a physical model to
represent, investigate
and describe how to
measure the magnitude
of earthquakes
Students can discuss
the scale used by
scientists to measure
earthquake
magnitude.
Students can make a
physical model to
represent how
scientists measure
earthquake
magnitude.
Students can use a
physical model to
investigate and
describe how
scientists measure
and record
earthquake
magnitude.
Investigating unit
outcomes
Beginning
Developing
Use secondary data to
represent, investigate
and describe the
movement of the
Earth’s tectonic plates.
Students can
represent the
movement of tectonic
plates.
Draw evidence-based
conclusions about the
location of large
earthquakes at the
edges of tectonic
plates.
Developing
Students can
Achieving
Achieving
Students analyse
secondary data to
investigate and
describe how tectonic
plates move.
Students can
describe the
relationship between
earthquake activity
and tectonic plate
boundaries, giving
evidence-based
reasons for their
conclusions.
Earthquake explorers
Level 3 and 4 conceptual outcomes
Student
Task
Level 3
Key Learning Area
Science
Date
Students represent what they know about earthquakes and reflect on their learning
during the unit.
Conceptual unit
outcomes
Level 4
Stage
Beginning
Developing
Achieving
Explain that the
Earth’s surface is
composed of tectonic
plates that move.
Students understand
that the surface of the
Earth moves.
Students can explain
that the Earth’s
surface is broken up
into tectonic plates.
Students can
describe how the
tectonic plates affect
the movement of the
Earth’s surface.
Identify how tectonic
plates push into each
other, pull apart from
each other and slide
past each other.
Students can discuss
how tectonic plates
might move.
Students can
describe how tectonic
plates can push into
each other,
describing the effect
at plate boundaries.
Students can
describe how tectonic
plates can pull apart
and slide past each
other, describing the
effect at surrounding
plate boundaries.
Describe the scales
that are used to
measure earthquake
magnitude and
intensity.
Students can
Students
Students can
describe the scales
that scientists use to
measure the
magnitude and
intensity of
earthquakes,
discussing how each
scale is different.
Conceptual unit
outcomes
Beginning
Developing
Achieving
Explain that when
tectonic plates push
into each other, pull
apart from each other
and slide past each
other energy builds up
as stress in the plates.
Students can explain
that the Earth surface
is broken up into
tectonics plates.
Students can
describe that tectonic
plates push into each
other, pull apart from
each other and slide
past each other.
Students can
describe the
movement of tectonic
plates and the effect
that each plate
movement has on
surrounding plates.
Explain how the
sudden release of
energy causes
movement of the
ground which results
in damage to buildings
and structures.
Students can
describe
Explain why most
large earthquakes
occur at the edges of
tectonic plates.
Students can identify
tectonic plates on a
map.
Students can predict
where large
earthquakes might
happen.
Students can discuss
the occurrence of
larger earthquakes
on plate boundaries,
using secondary data
as evidence.