Why Earthquakes Happen

Lesson Plan Overview

This lesson is for Year 5 Geography, designed in line with the UK Key Stage 2 National Curriculum, specifically focusing on:

• Understanding physical geography processes, including tectonic activity.
• Developing skills to compare the geographical aspects of two regions (California and Alaska).
• Encouraging the use of geographical vocabulary.

By the end of the 45-minute lesson, students will:

• Understand the link between tectonic plates and earthquakes.
• Identify why California experiences more earthquakes than Alaska.
• Apply their knowledge to create an earthquake hazard map for a fictional region.

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Learning Objectives

1. Knowledge: Describe the causes of earthquakes.
2. Comparison: Explain why California experiences more frequent earthquakes compared to Alaska.
3. Application: Use maps and physical geography knowledge to assess areas at risk for earthquakes.

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Key Resources

• PowerPoint presentation: “Why Earthquakes Happen” (to be teacher-led).
• Large map of tectonic plates zones (displayed on the board).
• Student atlases or printed outline maps of the Pacific Ring of Fire.
• A3 paper and coloured markers for group activity.
• Handout: “Tectonic Trouble Spot!” scenario.

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (5 mins)

Objective: Hook students into the topic and introduce vocabulary.

Activity Name: “Rumble or Rest”

• Display a Quick Quiz on the board:
  • 6 regions are shown (e.g., California, Alaska, UK, Japan, Antarctica, Italy).
  • Students enter their initial thoughts: Which places experience earthquakes and why?

Plenary for Starter: Discuss where earthquakes happen globally, introducing concepts like tectonic plates and the Ring of Fire.

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2. Main Teaching (15 mins)

Objective: Teach students why earthquakes happen and where they’re most common.

PowerPoint Content Overview:

Slides:

1. Intro to Earthquakes:

   • Animated graphic showing tectonic plate shifts (age-appropriate labels: “Crust”, “Plates”, “Fault Lines”).
   • Key Vocabulary: earthquake, tectonic plates, fault lines.

2. Understanding California:

   • Visual showing the San Andreas Fault line cutting through California.
   • Explanation of “transform boundary” and why it leads to frequent earthquakes.

3. Why Alaska is Different:

   • Alaska is at a “subduction zone”: still prone to quakes, but fewer people live there.
   • Highlight Alaska’s smaller population/different infrastructure, making smaller earthquakes less noticeable.

4. Comparison Map:

   • California vs Alaska: Population density, fault lines, and past earthquake data.

Interactive Question (Each Slide):

After each slide, pose a question (e.g., “What might happen if someone built a town directly on a fault line?”). Students discuss in talk-partners.

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3. Main Activity (20 mins)

Activity Name: Design a Hazard Map: New Pacific Island

Objective: Apply learning to a practical scenario.

• Teacher gives each group a scenario where a “newly-discovered island sits along a plate boundary in the Pacific.”
• Students will:
  1. Use handouts to mark the island's high-risk fault lines.
  2. Decide where the safest place for a town would be.
  3. Present their map to the class, explaining why their town placement avoids the most earthquake-prone areas.

Teacher Support: Move around the room, encouraging geographical reasoning (e.g., “Why did you choose that spot? Are there any safer areas?”).

Differentiation:

• Lower ability: Provide colour-coded versions of the plate map and pre-marked zones.
• Higher ability: Challenge students to also include evacuation plans on their hazard maps.

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4. Plenary (5 mins)

Objective: Reinforce learning and address misconceptions.

Activity Name: “Quickfire Questions”

• Students stand up. Teacher asks questions (e.g., “Why does California experience more earthquakes? What is a transform boundary?”).
• Students sit when they’ve answered a question correctly.

Extension for Early Finishers:

• Students create a list of countries most at risk from earthquakes, using atlases or prior knowledge.

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Homework Idea

“Quake-Proof Homes”: Ask students to design a house/building that would survive earthquakes in California or Alaska. They can draw their designs and list key structural features that make the house safe.

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Teacher Note: WOW Factor!

• Make the hazard map activity interactive by encouraging groups to present as "disaster relief experts" advising a government official about their island. Play dramatic sound effects when reviewing earthquake zones on the map to engage the class further.

This highly interactive and age-appropriate approach directly aligns with the UK Geography Key Stage 2 standards, promoting critical thinking, map-reading skills, and geographical reasoning.