11

Lesson 11 of 84 ยท Earth Systems

Experimentโญ 30 XP๐ŸŒ‹ Rock Realm

Earthquakes: When the Ground Shakes

๐ŸงชLab Brief #11

Earth Systems.

๐ŸŽฏ Your mission

Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).

โšก The twist

Today's mountain was yesterday's ocean floor.

๐Ÿคฏ

Mind = Blown

๐ŸŒ‹ There are 1,500 active volcanoes on Earth right now.

๐Ÿ”ฎ

Make a hypothesis first

Guess: where will the water go first?

What You'll Learn

Earthquakes happen when stress builds up along faults in Earth's crust and suddenly releases. Seismic waves radiate from the focus, shaking the ground.

Key Words

  • erosion
  • sediment
  • igneous

Materials Needed

  • clay
  • water
  • plastic tray
  • magnifying glass
  • newspaper

Safety First

  • Do not taste any materials.
  • Wear safety goggles when mixing liquids.
  • Wash hands after handling materials.

Steps

Step 1 โ€” Read

Read about Earth Systems and write down three key facts.

Step 2 โ€” Do

Test rock hardness using Mohs scale: try scratching rocks with your fingernail, a penny, and a nail. Rank them from softest to hardest.

Step 3 โ€” Observe

Look for patterns in your observations.

Step 4 โ€” Record

Make a graph or chart showing your results.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What is an aquifer?

๐ŸŒ

Where you see this in real life

This is shaping the ground you walk on, slowly, every single day.

๐Ÿ†

Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Find a rock outside and try to guess how old it is.

๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ‘ง

For the dinner table

โ€œWhat's the slowest change you can think of?โ€

๐ŸŽฏ

Next Smart Experiment

We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.

๐ŸŒฑShare card

Share this experiment

Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.

๐Ÿ–จ๏ธ

Checkout complete lesson on Earth Systems for 4th Grade

Get the full Earth Systems track as a printable PDF โ€” all lessons, worksheets, and answer keys.

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