STEM Education
Free Teachable Moments Resources Help Educators Teach About Earthquakes
A university consortium with more than 125 member institutions is
making free resources
available to help K–12 educators teach about earthquakes as they
happen.
The "Teachable
Moments" resources offer documentation, photos, animations,
data and explanations behind the science of earthquakes designed to
engage students "in scientific inquiry and [to] offer a critical
connection to real-life events," according to Incorporated
Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Outreach Specialist
Tammy Bravo.
According to IRIS: "Each Teachable Moment lesson consists of
a downloadable and editable PowerPoint presentation, which is
available in both Spanish and English and pertains to a specific
earthquake. The lessons include interpreted U.S. Geological Survey
earthquake information, plate tectonic and regional tectonic maps and
summaries, concept animations, seismograms, damage photos, and other
event-specific information and hazards." PDFs are also
available.
Data are generated within hours of an earthquake and made
available in a classroom-ready format that is also customizable.
Resources can
be freely accessed here.