Ecuador Endures Massive Quake

WORLD This region, where the Pacific seafloor is shoving underneath South America, also produced the biggest earthquake ever recorded—and built the Andes mountains. (Scientific American) Use or video to better understand South America’s earthquakes. Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers’ Toolkit, including today’s simple MapMaker Interactive map. Discussion Ideas In our video “Earthquakes 101,” we learn that most … Continue reading Ecuador Endures Massive Quake

Quake Devastates Nepal

SCIENCE A strong earthquake rocked Nepal early Saturday, destroying buildings, damaging historic temples, and killing more than 4,000 people. (Nat Geo News) Explore the impact of the quake and the tectonically active region of Himalayas with today’s MapMaker Interactive. Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers’ Toolkit.   Discussion Ideas In our video “Earthquakes 101,” we learn that most earthquakes … Continue reading Quake Devastates Nepal

Weekly Warm-Up: What it Means to be Frozen in Space

When it comes to our planet, we are used to its seasons and weather patterns. And while we can predict the onset of hurricanes and tornadoes, it is often difficult to determine when earthquakes may strike or when volcanoes may erupt. By studying natural events on Earth, however, scientists can learn about other planets and their moons. By looking for commonalities in natural events and physical land formations, scientists … Continue reading Weekly Warm-Up: What it Means to be Frozen in Space

Whose Fault Was It?

GEOGRAPHY The magnitude 6.0 earthquake that struck California’s Napa Valley north of San Francisco on Sunday morning—collapsing older buildings, sparking fires and causing scores of injuries—fell along a series of cracks in the Earth tied to the famed and feared San Andreas Fault. (National Geographic News) Take a look at this map to see the web of faults beneath the San Francisco Bay Area. (For … Continue reading Whose Fault Was It?

What Caused the ‘Shamrock Shake’?

SCIENCE This week, a small crack unzipped under the Santa Monica Mountains north of Los Angeles, waking millions of people with a magnitude 4.4 earthquake. (LiveScience) Feel the Earth move under your feet? Watch “Earthquakes 101” to understand why. Discussion Ideas Read through the short, great LiveScience article, then take a quick look at the overview of earthquakes in our “Forces of Nature” interactive. (Earthquakes are … Continue reading What Caused the ‘Shamrock Shake’?