Mrs. Leyton's Earthquake Research

Earthquake Internet Exercise-Locating an Epicenter

Earthquakes: A Whole Lot of Quakin' Goin' On

Required Materials

Handout 1: Zip Code base Map of Northridge Quake
Handout 2: Earthquake Experiences
Handout 3: USGS-defined MMI values for the Northrige quake

Vocabulary & Concepts

The Modified Mercalli Intensity scale (MMI)
Seismograph
Richter Scale
Moment Magnitude Scale
Soils & Earthquakes
Magnitude
Intensity
Why are there so many magnitude scales?

Additional Resources

Northridge Earthquake Photo Collection
More earthquake links on the web

Physical Science & Geology Standards

• Dynamic Earth Processes 3d Students know why and how earthquakes occur and the scales used to measure their intensity and magnitude (Plate tectonics)
• California Geology 9d Students know how to analyze published geologic hazard maps of California and know how to use the map’s information to identify evidence of geologic events of the past and predict geologic changes in the future,

Learning Objectives: The students will...

• apply Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) values to written descriptions of an earthquake;
• map MMI values on a large-scale zip code map and defend their decisions;
• compare their MMI maps to USGS map of MMI values, noting similarities and differences; and
• explain how measures of magnitude and intensity are applied to earthquakes.