Ms.

Dandridge

October, 2015

Earthquakes: Seismic waves and Triangulation Lesson Plan

SOL(s):
ES.7

The student will investigate and understand geologic processes including plate tectonics. Key
concepts include
a geologic processes and their resulting features; and
b Tectonic processes.

Instructional Objectives:

Students will be able to label the epicenter and focus of an earthquake and distinguish
between the different waves generated by an earthquake.
Students will know how each different wave travels through the earth.
Students will understand that earthquake waves have given scientists a valuable tool for
mapping the inside of the earth, and predicting and measuring earthquakes.

Lesson
Segment &
Time Est.

Materials

Instructional Sequence

Intro

- Warm-up
worksheet
10 minutes - Writing utensil
- Projector &
projector screen

Body
70 minutes

Notes-sheet
Writing utensil
Projector &
projector
screen

Students will be given a warm-up about

faults. The warm-up will be three
questions intended to give students a
chance to review material and the
teacher a chance to assess their
understanding of that material.

Students will be given the note-sheet

and asked to fill in the blanks with the
teacher.
Then, the teacher will introduce
earthquake waves with a
demonstration: the ripples made by a
drop of water. She will then introduce
the two categories of waves: body and
surface waves
The teacher will use a slinky to depict
how earthquake waves move. She
will ask students to describe the
movement and draw it into a chart on
their note-sheet.
Then the class will fill in the key facts
about each wave ( how fast they

Teacher/Student
Actions
Teacher will hand out
worksheets and remind
students of the expectations
during warm-ups. Then she
will go over the warm-up
questions and check for
understanding.
Students will follow
directions and answer warmup questions.
Teacher will hand out notesheets, ask students to fill in
the review part of their notes
on their own. The teacher
will then fill in part of the
notes with the students. The
teacher will demonstrate the
waves and ask students to
draw the movement.
Students will complete notes
and brainstorm wave
movement.

Ms. Dandridge

October, 2015

Closure
10 minutes
Total Time =
90 min

Assessment
Plan:

Student
notebooks
Note-sheet
Writing
utensil

travel, what they can/cannot travel

through and how destructive they are)
Students will then learn how
earthquakes are measured. They will
be introduced to key vocabulary using
the note-sheet.
Students will be shown a clip of
Taken in which an actor must
triangulate a location. Then the class
will triangulate their own earthquake
as a class.

Students will be asked to tape or glue

their notes into their notebooks. While
they are completing this task the teacher
will ask review questions and check for
understanding.

Teacher will complete the

key facts with the students
and show the movie clip. She
will then lead students
through a discussion of
triangulation.
Students will complete notes
and answer questions about
triangulation, they will
complete their maps as a
class.
Teacher will direct students
to glue notes into their
notebooks on the correct
pages. She will also ask
questions while students are
completing this task.
Students will answer
questions and put their notes
in their notebooks.

Students will be assessed on their

understanding of key facts about
earthquakes and achievement of the
objectives through their verbal answers
to review questions and their future
warm-ups.

Differentiated and Accommodation

A copy of the notes page will be provided online for those students with an accommodation allowing
them to use assistive technology. Notes will be projected on the board and the teacher will read through
the notes with students allowing those who are auditory learners. Diagrams of wave movements will be
provided and a demonstration will take place to help students visualize the movement. Students who
learn more comfortably within a small group will be allowed to work with a collaborating teacher in the
lab area to complete the notes.