Earth Science - Review I

The student should be able to label correctly a picture of the Earth, from inner core to crust, including the following: inner core, outer core, mantle, mesosphere, asthenosphere, lithosphere, Moho, crust.

The student should be able to answer the following questions:

How do we know that part of the inside of the Earth is liquid?
What is the composition of the mantle and core?
What is a continental plate?  How have they changed positions over time?
Give four explanations that support plate tectonic theory.
Name five kinds of volcanoes and explain the differences among them.
What types of materials do volcanoes release?
What is the difference between lava and magma?
What are convergence, divergence, and subduction?
What is elastic rebound theory?
What is the difference between primary waves and secondary waves?

Explain how a seismograph works.

The student should be able to reproduce the geologic column and label it correctly, explaining how radioactive decay helps determine numerical age of rock strata.

Earth Science - Earthquakes - Tsunamis

Sweeping Tsunamis by Louise and Richard Spilsbury
Tsunamis by Margaret W. Carruthers
Naked Science: 10 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT TSUNAMIS (Part 2)

Discussion:
Difference between normal waves and tsunamis
Causes of tsunamis (earthquakes, meteors, volcanoes)

Activity:
Tsunami in a bathtub.  Make islands out of floating toys.  Make "earthquakes" and waves.

Earth Science - Earthquakes - Famous Earthquakes

Earthquakes and Volcanoes by Lin Sutherland and Thomas Wright
How the Earth Works by Michelle O'Brien-Palmer
Earthquakes by Ker Than
Things You Didn't Know About Earthquakes

Discussion:
After-effects of earthquakes (mudslides, building structural flaws, fires, avalanche, etc)
Things learned from big quakes

Activity:
Shake-A-Quake activity (jello jigglers, marshmallows, toothpicks) from How the Earth Works

Earth Science - Earthquakes - Measuring Earthquakes

Danger! Earthquakes by Seymour Simon
Geology Rocks! by Cindy Blobaum
Earthquakes and Volcanoes by Lin Sutherland and Thomas Wright
Geology by Barbara Murck

Vocabulary Added:
hypocenter: location of the earthquake within the Earth
epicenter point on the Earth's surface directly above the hypocenter

Discussion:
Using triangulation to find the epicenter
How seismographs work, generation of seismograms
The Richter scale

Activity:
Scan through I Felt That (app on iPhone), observing types of earthquakes recently recorded, and locations
Make a seismograph - from Geology Rocks!

Earth Science - Earthquakes - Causes

Earthquakes and Volcanoes by Lin Sutherland and Thomas Wright

Vocabulary Added:
elastic rebound theory: idea that the removal of stress allows rocks to snap back to their original size and shape

Discussion:
Plate convergence
Plate movement along faults
Direction of plate movement (horizontal or vertical)

Activity:
Rubber band snapping - demonstrate elasticity and stored energy