How Can We
Better Understand
a Catastrophe?
The Haiti Earthquake
Presented by: Denis Knight
Junction Hill School
West Plains, Missouri
eMINTS Teacher
SMART Exemplary Educator
This activity is part of a series of lessons with a multidisciplinary approach to learning.
Based on a constructivist format, the lessons promote critical thinking skills using a
scientific inquiry approach. These additional lessons can be accessed by clicking on
Scientific Inquiry from my main page.
http://junctionhill.k12.mo.us/denisknight/index%202010%20school%20year.html
How Can We Better
Understand a
Catastrophe?
The Haiti Earthquake
On Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 4:53 PM, a 7.0
magnitude earthquake struck near Port-Au-Prince,
Haiti. Scientific agencies from all over the world
have been compiling maps and other data to
better understand this catastrophic event. These maps and data can then be analyzed to reveal patterns and/or
relationships in the information. Hopefully, this critical evaluation can help generated assumptions about this
catastrophic event.
Our goal will be to view selected maps and data using Google Earth to gather information that might help us
better understand earthquakes and specifically this tragic earthquake. Since we will view twelve distinct maps,
we will need to quickly analyze pertinent information about each map and be prepared to justify how this
information is helpful. Please keep in mind our overriding theme: How Can We Better Understand a
Catastrophe!
To begin this activity, I will use Google Earth to demonstrate the proximity this earthquake is to a plate boundary
and discuss the movement of this and neighboring plates. Our prior knowledge about plate boundaries and
their general patterns will be valuable. Next, I will again use Google Earth to access before and after images of
the earthquake. Our goal will be to observe these images to get a better appreciation of its destructive nature.
Now, we will divide into small groups (3 students) and use Google Earth to analyze a series of maps. These maps
can be accessed from my website by clicking on “scientific inquiry” on the homepage. Once you arrive at this
page, scroll down and click on “The Earth Moves”. This page will allow you to access the link entitled Haiti
Earthquake Maps and Data. I will explain how to upload these maps into your Google Earth and how to access
them individually. Below is a list of the maps we will be using:
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Preliminary Damage
o Collateral Damage
o Damaged Infrastructure
o Landslides
o Camps
Intensity Zone
USGS Shake Map
Overview Map
Population Exposure Map
Potentially Affected Population
Earthquake Summary
MMI Values
Aftershocks
Goal:
Each group will view the 12 listed maps. Carefully analyze each map as it relates to better understanding this
quake. As you appraise these maps, you may want to consider and address the following information as it
relates to our theme:
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What is the most surprising
What is the most disappointing
What is the most relevant
What is the most confusing
Specific Objective:
To prepare for class discussion, each member of the group should select a map and be prepared to describe its
impact. Your choice can be based on any of the above characteristics, or based on one of your own
perspectives. Either way, you will be expected to justify the reasons for your selection. Please keep in mind
that the evaluation of these maps is critical to our understanding of this catastrophic event.
Further Study: Overlays
Often when viewing selected Google Earth maps we realize how informative it might be if we could overlay two
maps on each other. For example, if we could overlap an intensity zone map with a shake map, how could this
better help us to understand this tectonic event? Well… believe it or not, it can be done. Here are the steps to
produce an overlay of two (or more) distinct Google Earth maps:
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Open SMART Notebook and access the Camera Capture tool
Open Google Earth
Access the desired map and zoom to the desired altitude.
Be sure to document the altitude, latitude and longitude. (assures all images will be approximately the
same geographic area)
Use the Camera Capture tool to take a picture of the area of interest. (Image will be automatically
placed in a notebook file).
Close this map and open the other map of interest
Repeat steps 3, 4 and 5
Go to the notebook file containing the two captured images
Place both images on one slide by copying one of the images onto the page of the other
Superimpose one image on top of the other.
To see each map, you can right click and access either image (or both) and go to properties
Properties command will allow you to make either or both images transparent