Middle School STEM Science Lab/Activity Planner
Name of Lab/Activity: Triangulation: Finding the epicenter of an
earthquake
Grade: 6
California Science Standard(s): (please copy and paste standards taught during this lesson)
1g Students know how to determine the epicenter of an earthquake
Common Core Science Reading and/or Writing Standard(s): (please copy and paste standards
taught during this lesson)
Writing standard 2
Reading standard 3
Learning Objective/Goal:
Students know how to find the epicenter of an earthquake using the triangulation
method
Language Objective/Goal: (based on California Common Core Standards)
Next Generation Science Standards – ): (please copy and paste any of the 8 Science and
Engineering standards taught during this lesson, as well as any Cross Cutting Concepts that apply)
Materials & Resources:
2 constant velocity cars (one is modified to go slower by covering one of the batteries
with aluminum foil), tape measure, meter sticks (one per group), compass, strings,
worksheets, stop watches, graph paper, science notebook for recording the data
Teaching Notes: (include timing)
2 -3 days
triangulation using the car models.
Procedure: The activity has 2 parts:
Part A Day 1
1. Divide the class into groups of 3-4 and
distribute one stop watch per group
2. Mark a spot as epicenter on the floor
3. Mark and label seismograph stations in 3
cities at different distances in straight lines
from the epicenter mark
4. Put the 2 cars next to each other at the
epicenter mark
5. Have groups measure either the time
difference between the arriving of each car
at the marks or the time it takes each car to
arrive at the marks
6. Students record measurements in the data
table
7. Have students use other groups time
This activity can be done indoor in small
groups with smaller cars for each group
This project has been made possible in part by a grant from the Texas Instruments
Community Fund, an advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation.
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measurements to make averages of the
time travelled by each car and record in the
data table
8. Students then construct a graph showing
the difference in time (y axis) versus the
distance (x axis)
Part B Day 2
The teacher will measure and mark the 3 cities
from an epicenter prior to the activity (can be done
outdoors).
1. In pairs, students will pick a city, and use
the graph to determine the distance and
measure it on a piece of string and cut the
string
2. Students go outside and line up behind their
marked city
3. One city at the time, one student stands still
at the city mark and the other student walks
outward revolving around the marked city
(see diagram 1)
4. The second pair will do the same thing
revolving around the second city(see
diagram 2)
5. They should notice that they intersect at 2
points
6. Then the third pair revolves around the 3rd
city.(see diagram 3)
7. They should notice that now they intersect
at only one point which is the epicenter of
the earthquake.
8. Students will follow up this activity with the
next activity (lesson 2) using a compass to
find the epicenter
Math Connection (Including CCSS Math
Practice(s):
Teaching Notes:
Measuring time using stop watches
Measurement, graphing,
This project has been made possible in part by a grant from the Texas Instruments
Community Fund, an advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation.
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Technology Used to Extend Learning:
Teaching Notes:
www.geo.mtu.edu/UPSeis/waves.html
Animation of P and S waves, using calculators
and stop watches
Teaching Notes:
Have students explain the activity in a
paragraph answering the following
questions:
* What do points A, B, and C represent?
* What do the cars represent?
* Which Car represents S-waves?
* Which car represents P-waves?
* How did you find the average?
For EL students make a cloze
paragraph explaining the activity with
blanks to be filled with content
vocabulary. Paragraph is attached.
Formative Assessment: (please attach a copy)
How accurately they can find the epicenter
Strategies for EL & Special Needs Students (ELD
CCSS:
Vocabulary:
P-waves, S-waves, love waves,
epicenter, focus, triangulation, seismic
waves, seismogram
Alignment in science unit: (Brief description of lessons taught prior to & after this lab/activity)
Prior to the activity:
Animation of P and S waves from www.geo.mtu.edu/UPSeis/waves.html
After the activity
Finding the epicenter of an earthquake using compass.
Brief description of lessons taught after this lab/activity: Students practice triangulation using
a compass. (the 2nd activity lesson)
Lab/Activity adapted from: (website,
Formative Assessment adapted from:
textbook, etc.)
Dan Burns Science teacher
This lesson was developed by:
Teacher’s Name
Ron Humby
Maryam Raymond
Currently Teaching at: (School & District)
Willow Glen MS
SJUSD
This project has been made possible in part by a grant from the Texas Instruments
Community Fund, an advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation.
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