EarthquakesAs researched by fourth graders at Harrington Elementary.

Myths and Legends

Long ago people didn’t know what was happening during an earthquake.

They wanted to try to explain it so they made up stories about what could be happening.

Each culture had a different way to explain earthquakes.

How do other cultures explain earthquakes?

The Hindus drew a picture of the earth on top of an elephant that is on top of a turtle that is on top of a cobra. When any of them moved it moved the earth.

The Siberians thought that the earth was carried on a sled pulled by dogs. When the dogs scratched their fleas the earth shook.

Moving Continents

How the Continents Move

Jagged slabs called plates make up the earth’s outside layer.

These plates fit together like a puzzle.

The plates are always moving. We usually can’t feel it.

Over millions of years the moving plates formed the 7 continents we know today.

Famous Earthquakes

In 1906 a massive earthquake shook San Francisco, California. This is where the San Andreas Fault is.

In 1985 a massive earthquake shook Mexico City. This happened when the Cocos plate slipped under the North American plate.

Be PreparedWhen an earthquake strikes you have to beware of falling

buildings.

Sometimes, buildings sink down too.

You should go somewhere where things won’t fall on

you, like under a desk.

More about Being Prepared

Before an earthquake happens you’ve got to do drills because if you don’t do drills you won’t know what to do.

People should make buildings earthquake proof. This buildings can sway a little without falling down.

People should screw their furniture to the wall if they live where earthquakes happen. Then things won’t fly across the room.

Warning Systems

Richter ScaleScientists monitor active earthquakes They use NASA

satellites

They use bottles of water

They use the Richter Scale

They use the Modified Mercalli Scale

They use a strainmeter.

Vocabulary

Strainmeter- a tool that measures any movement deep down in the rocks. Laser beams bounce between the earth and a satellite to find any movements of the earth’s surface.

Richter Scale- measures the amount of energy given off by an earthquake. The scales goes from 1 to 9.

Modified Mercalli Scale- measures the amount of shaking and damage during an earthquake. It can be side to side or up and down.

After A Quake

There’s no electricity

People are homeless

People are injured

Telephone lines are down

Buried buildings

Fire

Houses falling

Broken windows

cracked roads

Cars that are crashed

TsunamisTsunamis are killer waves

They are wide, moving mountains of water

They are caused by earthquakes, volcanic

eruptions or a landslide on the ocean floor