Describe and understand key aspects of: physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle
Resources: The handouts, pencils and coloured pencils.
Support Handout (1): This handout provides a scaffold for the children to produce their new reports. Children may wish to make notes and present their news report orally.
Core Handout (2): This handout provides a structure for the children to write their news reports.
Recap on the children’s understanding of earthquakes and their impacts on the Earth’s surface. Did they know that earthquakes happen from time to time in areas along the fault lines, where the tectonic plates meet? Look at a map of the world and locate some of these areas.
During this presentation, the children will learn about some recent earthquakes that have occurred, for instance, in Turkey/Syria in 2023 that reached 7.8 magnitude and in Taiwan in 2024 that reached 7.4 magnitude. The children will learn that although the magnitude was of a similar size, the impact of the Taiwan earthquake was far less due to quake preparation and building regulations (wealthier countries can prepare more effectively). The children will be introduced to seismologists who study earthquakes and how seismic waves travel through the earth to better understand earthquakes and their impact.
Ask the children to create a news report on a recent earthquake. The handouts provided will enable the children to conduct research, but you could also use the internet. Ensure the children include where the earthquake occurred, what happened, how severe the quake was and the impact on people living in the region. The children could present their news reports in a written or oral form.
Challenge Task: The children may want to write their news report from the perspective of someone who was in the quake. For instance, they could write it as someone from the search and rescue team or a rescued victim. The report could take the form of an interview or eyewitness account.
Ask the children to present their news reports to the class.
Earthquakes are powerful natural events that occur when tectonic plates shift along fault lines, causing the Earth's surface to shake. These movements happen in areas prone to seismic activity, particularly along the boundaries of tectonic plates, such as the Pacific Ring of Fire. Recently, major earthquakes have occurred in places like Turkey and Syria in 2023, with a magnitude of 7.8, and in Taiwan in 2024, with a magnitude of 7.4. While both earthquakes were similarly powerful, the impact differed significantly. In Turkey and Syria, widespread destruction occurred due to less stringent building regulations and less preparedness, whereas Taiwan, despite the strong tremor, experienced far less damage because of better earthquake preparedness and building standards. This highlights the importance of infrastructure and planning in mitigating the effects of such natural disasters.
Seismologists play a crucial role in understanding earthquakes by studying seismic waves, which travel through the Earth's layers, helping to locate the origin of earthquakes and assess their magnitude. This knowledge helps communities prepare for future quakes, improve building safety and implement emergency response plans.
When earthquakes strike, the impact on communities can be devastating. Buildings may collapse, roads can become impassable and people may lose their homes or lives. Earthquakes also disrupt essential services like electricity, water, and healthcare, making it difficult for those in affected regions to recover quickly. The aftermath often involves rescue efforts, temporary shelters and long-term rebuilding.