81

Lesson 81 of 84 ยท Plate Tectonics

Experimentโญ 30 XP

Earthquakes: When the Ground Shakes (Part 3)

๐ŸงชLab Brief #81

Plate Tectonics.

๐ŸŽฏ Your mission

Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.

โšก The twist

Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.

๐Ÿคฏ

Mind = Blown

๐Ÿ”ฌ The more you look, the more nature shows you.

๐Ÿ”ฎ

Make a hypothesis first

Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.

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

  • barometer
  • anemometer

Materials Needed

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

Safety First

  • Adult supervision recommended.

Steps

Step 1 โ€” Read

Read about Plate Tectonics 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 shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.

๐Ÿ†

Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Try one experiment in real life this week โ€” even a tiny one.

๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ‘ง

For the dinner table

โ€œWhat's the most surprising thing you learned today?โ€

๐ŸŽฏ

Next Smart Experiment

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

๐ŸŒShare 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 Plate Tectonics for 6th Grade

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

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Earthquakes: When the Ground Shakes (Part 3) โ€” Plate Tectonics | 6th Grade Science | LittleActivity | LittleActivity