Geology Lesson Planning:

Objectives:
Create Student understanding of how scientists find the epicenters of
earthquakes from 3 seismic stations.
Create student understanding of how scientists determine where plate
boundaries are from earthquake data.
SOL Objectives:
Identify differ Seismic Waves
Locate the epicenter of an earthquake, given seismic wave information
Interpret a seismic wave time/travel graph

Activities

Time Activity Materials

10 Usual Warm up Warm up Paper

min

5 min Introduction to earthquakes, review what Powerpoint slides

happens and why they occur.
Ask questions to the class, and call on
students for a response.
https://docs.google.com/pre
sentation/d/1oZvTcJOwek
wJUhaReWZrddeE-
d8ERa3JSuQaovruBIg/edit?
usp=sharing

20 Finding the epicenter of an earthquake Powerpoint slide

min through math and graphing!
● Give presentation on finding
epicenters, walk through the steps
of locating epicenters, answer any
questions along the way.
● Working with partners the students
will use the seismogram worksheet
to determine the time difference
between the P and S waves
● Students answer discussion
questions on the worksheet.
https://docs.google.com/pre
sentation/d/1oZvTcJOwek
wJUhaReWZrddeE-
d8ERa3JSuQaovruBIg/edit?
usp=sharing
Worksheet as seen below
Compasses

Plate Tectonics: Finding Epicenters

Ground Breaking Questions: Name:
 Ground Breaking Questions: Name:

Seismograph Arrival time of Arrival time of Difference in Distance to

Station P Wave S wave Arrival times Epicenter
(S-P wave) (km)
Time
(min:sec)

Chicago

Tampa

Wink
 1. What difference between P-waves and S-waves was used to find the
earthquake's epicenter?

2. What was the approximate location of the epicenter of this earthquake?

(Nearest town)

3. Why are three seismic stations necessary to locate an epicenter?

4. Why does the time between the arrival time of the P-wave and S-wave
become greater and greater as you get farther away from the epicenter?

5. How can we use earthquakes to locate tectonic plate boundaries?

Feedback for Ms. Thilenius

This lesson was:

1 = Boring 2 3 4 5 = Interesting

I understood the information being presented:

1= Not a clue 2 3 4 5 =Very clear

The PowerPoint and Worksheet were:

1 = Confusing 2 3 4 5 = Amazing

Things Ms. Thilenius could improve on?