8

Science
Learning Activity
Sheet

Subject Area and Grade Level: Science 8

Activity Sheet No: 1
 First Edition, 2020

Published in the Philippines

By the Department of Education
Region 8 – Division of Samar

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in
any work of the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the
government agency or office wherein the work is crafted shall be necessary for
exploitation of such work for profit. Such agency or office may among other things
impose as a condition the payment of royalties.

This Learning Activity Sheet is developed by DepEd Region 8 –

Division of Samar.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this learning resource may be

reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical,
without written permission from the DepEd Regional Office 8 – Division of Samar.

Development Team of Science Activity Sheet

Writers: Lea L. Senolos, T-III and Joan O. Catienza, T-III

Illustrator & Layout Artists: Lea L. Senolos, T-III
Reviewer: Gina L. Palines, PhD.
Editor:

Carmela R. Tamayo EdD., CESO V – Schools Division Superintendent

Moises D. Labian Jr.PhD., CESO VI – Asst. Schools Division Superintendent
Antonio F. Caveiro,PhD. - Chief Education Supervisor, CID
Gina L. Palines, PhD. - EPS – Science
Josefina F. Dacallos EdD. – PSDS/LRMS Manager Designate

Deogene U. Dapuran, PhD. - District Head

Adela V. Bagas - School Principal
 SCIENCE 8

Name of Learner: _______________________ Grade Level & Section: ___________

School: ____________________________ Date: _________________________

LEARNING ACTIVITY

EARTHQUAKES AND FAULTS

I. Introduction:

An earthquake is the sudden shaking of the ground caused by the underground rock
masses that suddenly shift in position. It is believed that forces are interacting within the
earth’s interior. All the stress and strain produced by these forces build up on the rocky
crust and becomes lock due to friction. Slippage of rocks occurs when the accumulating
stress has enough force to overcome friction. The stored energy (potential energy) is
suddenly released into energy of motion (kinetic energy) and the rock masses suddenly
shift in position.

Earthquakes occur on faults. A fault is a thin zone of crushed rock separating blocks
of the earth's crust. When an earthquake occurs on one of these faults, the rock on one
side of the fault slips with respect to the other.

The sudden shifting in the position of rocks causes the ground to vibrate. The energy
that is released travels outward in all directions in the form of spherical wave energy
called earthquake waves or seismic waves. Seismology is the study of earthquakes
and the waves they create.

II. MELC with Code

Using models or illustrations, explain how movements along faults generate

earthquakes
S8ES -IIa – 14
III. Strategy

A. Explore

Activity 1: The Earth’s Interior

Complete the graphic organizer below with the needed information to recall the
layers of the earth’s interior.

Layer Description

EARTH’S
SURFACE
What it is made of Draw and label

B. Learn
Activity 2: A Fault-y setup

Objectives:
After performing this activity, you should be able to:
1. Describe the appearance of a fault; and
2. Explain how a fault form.

Materials Needed:
 two sheets of cardboard (or folder)
 fine sand
 ruler
 newspaper (or plastic sheet) as wide as a newspaper page

Procedure:
1. Spread the newspaper on a table. Do the activity on the newspaper.
2. Arrange the two sheets of cardboard edge to edge (Figure 1).
 Figure 1. Cardboard sheets placed side by side.

3. Pour sand along the boundary of the two sheets (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Sand along the boundary.

4. With the ruler, flatten the top of the sand and make two parallel lines.

Figure 3. Top of sand flattened.

5. Now, move the sheets slowly in the direction shown in Figure 3.

Q1. As you move the sheets, what is formed in the sand?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
 Q2. What happens to the lines?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Now, study Figure 4. Do you see anything unusual?

Figure 4. Can you spot the fault? (Image courtesy of the GEER Association and National
Science Foundation)

If you look at the picture carefully, you can guess that the road was originally in one
piece. But the road is no longer continuous. There is a cut across the road and now there
are two sections. One section has moved with respect to the other.

Compare what you see in the picture and what you saw in the activity. Is there
something in the picture that looks like what was formed in the activity? Do you see
anything similar?

Based on the activity and the picture, you can probably guess what a fault is by now. A
fault is a break in the Earth’s crust, and along the break, significant movement has taken
place.

Activity 3: Stick ‘in’ slip

Objectives:
After performing this activity, you should be able to:
1. explain how faults generate earthquakes; and
2. explain why not all movement along faults produces earthquakes.

Materials Needed:
 two small boxes (fruit juice boxes are ideal)
 masking tape
  rubber
 band paper
 clip

Procedure:

1. Attach the rubber band to the paper clip. Then attach the paper clip to one end of
one box. (See Figure 5. The ruler is included for scale.)

Figure 5. Two boxes - one with a rubber band attached to a paper clip

2. Place the boxes side by side. Put a toy house on the box with the rubber band.
Then tape (lightly?) the two boxes together as shown in Figure 6. Important: Do not
stick the tape on the boxes too much. The tape is meant to come off.

Figure 6. Two boxes side by side and lightly taped. Toy house on top of box with rubber
band)

3. With your left hand, hold the box without the rubber band in place. With your other
hand, slowly pull on the rubber band in the direction shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7. Rubber band on box with toy house pulled slowly. Observe what happens.

Question 1: What happens to the rubber band?

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Question 2: Keep on pulling on the rubber band.
What happens to the box attached to the rubber band? ____________________
________________________________________________________________

Note: The tape is supposed to come off, so stick it on very lightly.

Question 3: What happens to the “house”?

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Question 4: Which is the “fault” in this setup? _____________________________________

Activity 4: Stick ‘n’ shake

Objectives:
After performing this activity, you should be able to:
1. explain the effect of bending of rocks along faults, and
2. relate faults movement and earthquakes

Materials Needed:
 two plastic rulers
 a bit of clay

Procedure:
1. Using the clay, attach the rulers’ ends together (how long is the overlap
between rulers?) (Figure 8 shows closeup photos of side and top views of
the setup.)

Figure 8. Side view and top view of setup.

 2. Hold the rulers as shown in the picture below. Then slowly move your hands in
the direction of the arrows.

Figure 9. Right hand pushes (arrow up) Figure 10. What is stored in the
bent rulers? while left hand pulls
(arrow down)

Question: What happens when bending becomes too much? Note: If nothing happens,
separate the rulers and re-attach them only slightly.
_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

The activity you just performed simulates how rocks bend along a fault. Think of the
rulers as if they were part of the ground. Figure 11 can help you visualize this.

Drawing A shows how the rocks look at first. Then energy from inside the Earth makes
the rocks bend (Drawing B). But as mentioned earlier, the rocks along the fault do not move
immediately. Friction keeps them in place. (In the activity, what represents friction?)
 Figure 11. Drawing A shows the ground before bending. In Drawing B, the ground is
bending, storing energy. In Drawing C, the bending limit is reached, and the ground has
snapped.
When too much bending occurs and the limit is reached, the rocks suddenly snap
(Drawing C). The bent rocks straighten out and vibrate. The vibrations travel in all directions
and people in different places will feel them as a quake. An earthquake is a vibration of the
Earth due to the rapid release of energy.

Faults are zone weakness in the crusts and

earthquakes occur repeatedly in these
areas.

Ninety five percent of the world’s

earthquake occur along active plate
boundaries. California, Alaska, japan, south
America, and the Philippines are all on plate
boundaries. Only five percent are
associated with volcanic activities.

Active faults are areas where rock

displacement can occur. According to
seismologists, faults can be considered
active if there has been observed
movement during the last 10,000 years.
Active faults tend to occur within the edges
of tectonic plates.

Inactive faults are areas that do not

produce earthquakes. Inactive faults are
those that had not exhibit activity for
millions of years.

How faulting generates earthquakes?

Movement on the fault causes a release in energy. As the energy passes through an
area, the vibration is felt. The energy is transferred through the earth and man-made
structures. The bigger the amount of slip the more energy released and therefore, the more
vibrations are produced.

How earthquakes cause damage?

Earthquakes cause damage by moving and shaking the ground, sometimes for
several minutes. The shaking can damage or destroy buildings and other infrastructure.
Most damage and loss of life in earthquakes is a result of ground shaking. The shaking can
also cause landslides, surface ruptures, ground cracks, liquefaction, tsunamis, and seiches
(standing waves). The combination of all of these effects is what makes earthquakes such a
powerful geologic hazard. When earthquakes occur on faults that reach the Earth’s surface,
the ground may rupture. Depending on the type of fault, the ground can move laterally,
vertically, or a combination of both. 
C. Engage

Activity 5: Graphic Organizer

Complete the map by writing your answer inside the box.

D. Apply

Activity 6
Read and understand each sentence. Identify what is being describe in each number
and encircle the letter of your correct answer.

1. Which type of fault is illustrated in the diagram on the right?

A. Normal fault C. Stick ‘n’ slip fault
B. Reverse or thrust fault D. Strike-slip fault
2. The following are the damages cause by an earthquake, EXCEPT?
A. loss of lives C. destroys buildings and infrastructure
B. typhoon D. landslides
3. An ______________ is the sudden shaking of the ground caused by the underground
rock masses.
A. Active fault C. Earthquake
B. Seismic wave D. Normal fault
4. A ____________is a break in the Earth’s crust, and along the break, significant movement
has taken place.
A. Earthquake C. Fault
B. Seismic wave D.
5. _________________ are areas that do not produce earthquakes.
A. Inactive fault C. Active fault
B. Reverse fault D. Normal fault
6. A branch of science that deals with the study of earthquakes and the waves they create.
A. Seismology C. Geology
 B. Hydrology D. Volcanology

7. The energy that is released travels outward in all directions in the form of spherical wave
energy called ___________________.
A. Seismic wave C. P-wave
B. S-wave D. Tsunami wave

8. ________________ is formed due to tensional forces that pull the crust apart.
A. Reverse fault C. Normal fault
B. Strike slip fault D. Lateral fault
9. __________________ are areas where rock displacement can occur.
A. Inactive fault C. Active fault
B. Reverse fault D. Gravity fault
10. A _______________ occurs due to horizontal forces that slide the crust past each other.
A. Reverse fault C. Normal fault
B. Strike slip fault D. Slip fault
IV. References

Books
 Science 8 Learners Module
 (REX Book) K-12 Worktext in Science and Technology
Science Links 8 by Marites D. Aquino, et.al

Other Resources

 https://www.usgs.gov/natural-hazards/earthquake-hazards/science/science-
earthquakes?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects

 http://scecinfo.usc.edu/eqcountry/roots/basics.html

 https://www.slideshare.net/saadraja338/what-are-earth-quacks

 https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/explainer-earth-layer-layer
 Activity 4: Graphic Organizer
8. C 3. C
7. A 2. B
6. A 1. B
Activity 5
Activity 1
Layer Description
Figure 11. Earth’s Crust=> extremely thin, cold and brittle
shown in Mantle=> thickest layer
Q1. The rulers separate and vibrate as Outer Core=> liquid layer, its motion creates earth’s magnetic
Activity 4: Stick ‘n’ shake field
Inner Core=> solid metal ball
the two boxes.
EARTH’S
Q4. The “fault” is the boundary between
What it is made of Draw and label
Q3. The “house” falls over. SURFACE
Q2. The box jerks forward.
Q1. The rubber band stretches. Crust made of relatively light
elements, especially silica,
Activity 3: Stick ‘in’ slip aluminum and oxygen
Mantle made mostly of iron,
Q2. The lines are shifted or displaced. magnesium and silicon
sand Outer core made from iron
Q1. A crack, ‘line’ or break is formed in the and nickel in liquid form
Inner core is a iron and nickel
Activity 2: Fault-y setup
V. Key to Correct Answers
Prepared by:

LEA L. SENOLOS JOAN O. CATIENZA

SST-III SST- III
San Jorge National High School San Jorge National High School

Attested by:

ADELA V. BAGAS
Secondary School Principal II

Approved:

GINA L. PALINES, Ph., D.

Division EPS Science