ArcGIS Data with Classroom Activity

Classroom Lesson Plan and Data

by Tad Sterling

Grade level: 9

Performance Objective: Given previous background information on earthquakes and fault movement, the students will be able to use the ArcGIS mapping program to locate areas that have experienced earthquakes near cities over the past 50 years. They will be able to correlate this data with the movement of faults and points on the crust marked by these cities going back 2,500,000 years. With the combination of both of these data sets, the students will make simple predictions as to where these quakes may occur in the future. The students will be expected to reach mastery level in these exercises.

New York State Core Curriculum for Earth Science Standards

Standard 1:

• Key Idea 1:
  • The central purpose of scientific inquiry is to develop explanations of natural phenomena in a continuing, creative process.

Standard 6:

• Key Idea 2:
  • Models are simplified representations of objects, structures, or systems used in analysis, explanation, interpretation, or design.
• Key Idea 5:
  • Identifying patterns of change is necessary for making predictions about future behavior and conditions.

Lesson Plan and Data

• Strain Rate Models and Predictions: Lessons with ArcGIS (.doc file for Word)
• Strain Rate Models and Predictions: Lessons with ArcGIS GIS Data (.zip archive)

Extended GIS Data for Additional Exploration (.zip archive)