California Earthquakes

Phenomenon: Earthquakes in California

California experiences frequent earthquakes due to its location along the boundary of the Pacific and North American tectonic plates. This phenomenon offers a rich opportunity to engage students in NGSS-aligned inquiry by integrating all 7 Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs).

Progression of Guiding Questions by Crosscutting Concept

1. Patterns

• Guiding Question: Where do earthquakes most frequently occur in California, and how often do they happen?

• CCC Focus: Identify spatial and temporal patterns in earthquake data.

• Student Activity: Use USGS earthquake maps to plot frequency and location over time.

2. Cause and Effect

• Guiding Question: What causes earthquakes in California, and what effects do they have on people and infrastructure?

• CCC Focus: Explore tectonic movement and its consequences.

• Student Activity: Model fault movement and relate it to observed ground shaking and damage.

3. Scale, Proportion, and Quantity

• Guiding Question: How does the magnitude of an earthquake relate to the amount of damage it causes?

• CCC Focus: Understand how measurements relate to impacts.

• Student Activity: Compare effects of different magnitude earthquakes using historical data (e.g., Northridge vs. Ridgecrest).

4. Systems and System Models

• Guiding Question: How does the movement of Earth's tectonic plates create faults and generate earthquakes?

• CCC Focus: Model the Earth’s lithosphere as a dynamic system.

• Student Activity: Build a plate tectonics model to simulate stress, strain, and rupture.

5. Energy and Matter

• Guiding Question: How is energy stored and released during an earthquake?

• CCC Focus: Trace the flow of energy in geologic systems.

• Student Activity: Demonstrate seismic waves using slinkies or online wave simulations.

6. Structure and Function

• Guiding Question: How do different building structures respond to seismic waves?

• CCC Focus: Explore how structural design affects earthquake resilience.

• Student Activity: Evaluate shake table models of buildings made with various materials and designs.

7. Stability and Change

• Guiding Question: How has California’s earthquake preparedness changed over time?

• CCC Focus: Understand how societies adapt to dynamic Earth systems.

• Student Activity: Analyze changes in building codes, early warning systems, and community planning post-major quakes.