Over the summer, something rare happened. The east coast of the United States had a pretty sizable earthquake! It happened pretty far away from us in Virginia but a few of us felt a little bit of shaking under our feet!
In certain places in the world, earthquakes happen much more often. I bet if you talked to our good friends in Mrs. Yollis’ class in California, Mrs. Watson’s 2/3s in British Columbia, or B4 in New Zealand, they’d have many more experiences with earthquakes. That’s because most of them live somewhere close to tectonic plate boundaries.
The world is covered in tectonic plates. They are essentially giant pieces of rock that drift on top of the earth’s mantle. They can move from side to side as well as up and down. Below you can see how the earth is broken up into these plates.
Sometimes, these tectonic plates get stuck up against one another. Pressure starts to build up and then finally one plate will slip past the other. All that energy that was built up is unleashed and it sends out seismic waves through the earth. Those waves cause a shaking feeling which can be felt on the surface. The more pressure that was built up, the stronger the magnitude, the more shaking you’ll feel!
Most earthquakes happen where the tectonic plates meet. In the United States, that would be along the west coast in California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. They also meet in places with recent major earthquakes such as Chile, Haiti, New Zealand, and Japan. Below you can see where tectonic plates meet and where the majority of earthquakes occur.
In order to learn a little bit more about earthquakes, we used the United States Geological Survey website to research recent earthquakes. Students had to find the location (latitude and longitude), magnitude, and depth of five recent earthquakes. We then used Google Maps to mark the location and information about each of the earthquakes. You can see some examples of their maps below.
View Earthquake Map by Moriah and Jenny in a larger map
View Earthquake Map Alyxandra and Kevin in a larger map
View Earthquake Map by Ryan and Fiona in a larger map
If you’d like to see the rest of our maps, you can visit our wiki.
*Have you ever felt an earthquake before?*
*What else can be created by tectonic plates?*
There was a question in the Geography Bee about this earthquake! Most people don’t realize that Massachusetts is crisscrossed by 5 major fault lines – Connecticut Valley Border Fault, Wekepeke Fault, Clinton-Newbury Fault, Bloody Bluff Fault, and Northern Border Fault – and that the whole New England Region experiences significant seismic activity on a regular basis, but it is usually between 1 and 3 on the Richter scale so it goes largely unnoticed.
Mrs. P,
Thanks for sharing such great information! Previously this year we talked about reasons why the west coast sees so many more measurable earthquakes than the east coast does. However, it’s definitely important for students to understand that even here in New England, seismic activity definitely still occurs!
Sincerely,
Mr. Avery
Dear Mr. Avery and class,
Although born in Montana, I have spent the majority of my life living in California. I have experienced many earthquakes. Most have been quick jolts that last a few seconds…sort of like a big, hard shake, but quick. I’ve also experienced long, rolling ones where it sounds like a freight train is rolling by. It’s always interesting to watch the chandeliers swinging or pool water sloshing back and forth following a quake.
One time I was on the telephone with my mother-in-law. I was in Los Angeles and she was in San Diego. The ground started to shake and I heard that rumbling and I said to her, “Hey, we’re having an earthquake right now!” About thirty seconds later she said, “It’s here! I feel the earthquake!”
The worst earthquake in my life was the January 17, 1994, Northridge earthquake. It registered a 6.7 magnitude and lasted about 20 seconds. I know that doesn’t sound like a long period of time, but it was scary! The ground kept jolting and shaking and I didn’t think it would ever stop! It hit at around 4:30 A.M., so I was in bed. I remember hearing glass break as some crystal fell off some shelves.
Mr. Yollis lived in Northridge in 1994! He said that when the two plates slipped, one plate jumped about 12-15 feet north in an instant. Consequently, everything in his house that was on a north wall was destroyed. His t.v. fell down, and all the large items in any cabinets that were on a north wall were thrown into the center of the room. Items on the south wall, like his refrigerator, had the contents pressed against the wall and did have much damage. The shaking continued and lots of items were destroyed from just general shaking. There were lots and lots of after-shocks, many of them were quite strong. Mr. Yollis said the jolt nearly threw him out of the bed. When he got up and went down the hallway, he was hit by the wall as the ground and the house were moving. Scary! I’ve lived through many, many small quakes and never really worried much, but the Northridge earthquake scared me.
Thanks for such a rockin’ post! 🙂
Your California friend,
Mrs. Y♥llis
Dear Mr. Avery,
In Michigan, we felt a little bit of the earthquake but I felt a lot of it because I was in Pennsylvania. Has it snowed because it still feels like fall here? Have you seen Conner’s Epic Blog on Techie Kids under student blogs? It is awesome. You should visit it sometime.
From,
Rachel
A Techie Kid
Dear Mr. Avery’s class,
I like all your interesting information on earthquakes. Thank you for sharing it with us. We really appreciate it. Merry Christmas and have a happy new year. See you next year. 😉
Cyber high fives,
Your blogging buddy Juliana
Techie Kids
Dear Mr. Avery’s class,
I don’t want to be in an earthquake. If I am, I will tell everyone I know if I survive. Also, tell your kids to try and donate things to other people who have been in one. On the other hand, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!;)
Your Blogging Buddy,
Kora
Dear Mr. Avery`s Class,
I have never bean in an earthquake. I think that is cool that you have. Anyway, Merry Nollag and a Athbhliain Shona!(Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!)
Sincerly,
A Techie Kid Autymn
Dear Mr. Avery,
We are glad that the earthquake was not by you. We have not felt one before. We have not gotten snow yet this year but we should be getting 1 inch of snow today. We hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy new year!
Techie kids,
Holly and Megan
Dear Mr. Avery’s class,
I couldn’t imagine how bad it would be if I was in an earthquake. I’ve seen Haiti on the news with them having all the houses wrecked and their food is practically GONE and people deliver food, water, and other supplies. I would get so scared. By the way MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR! 🙂
Sincerly,
Claire
Dear Mr Avery’s class,
That is a lot of good facts about earthquakes. Do you have anymore cool facts about earthquakes? How many people in your class felt the quake? Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years. See you in 2012.
Sincerely,
Ryan and Jordon
Techie Kids
Dear Mr. Averys Class,
I have felt an earthquake before! I was actually in my bedroom when I felt it. have you ever felt one before? I heard about the one in Haiti and felt horrible. Well, Merry Christmas!
Sincerely,
Jenna from Techie Kids
Dear Mr. Avery,
That must have been scary being in a real earthquake! Instead of just hearing about them, you guys experienced one! Natale Hilare Et Annum Faustum! That’s Latin for “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!”
Your friends,
Jackie & the Techie Kids
Dear Mr. Avery’s class,
This information was very helpful for when an earthquake in Michigan but I highly doubt that we are gonna have an earthquake anytime soon around here. We hope to see you soon in the new year 2012! Merry Christmas from the Techie Kids.
Sincerely,
Emma, Jaylon, Makenzie, and Hunter
Dear Mr. Avery and class,
Earthquakes can be very scary. My grandpa has been in a tornado at least 15 times! He lives in Hawaii so it happens quite often. Anyways, I haven’t been in an earthquake before but I have been in a tornado maybe once or twice. It was scary! I was at least 4 years old and I lived on an old horse farm. After the tornado we moved because it broke part of our house, shed, and barn down! Thank you for listening to my story! Have a Merry Christmas!
Your blogging buddy,
Emma
Dear Mr. Avery
This was very intresting! I hope nothing like that happens to us. It would be a big disaster. Well, I just want to say that and wish you guys a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
A TK kid,
Gavin
Dear Mr. Avery and class,
I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. Needless to say, I grew up aware of earthquakes. You know how in school they do fire drills? We did that too, but in addition to fire drills, we also practice earthquake drills. We’d have to take cover and discuss why we chose where we chose to protect ourselves during an earthquake. The teacher would throw bouncy balls around the classroom. Interesting? I suspect they no longer do that. =)
When the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake hit, I was glad I knew just what to do and where to go. I remember it all too well.
Kind regards,
Mrs. Watanabe
Dear Mr. Avery’s Class,
I enjoyed reading your post about earthquakes! It was very unusual to have one in Massachusetts.
In Washington, we have small ones a lot. Most of the time we don’t even feel them because they are so small. However, I have experienced some big ones here and when I lived in the San Fransisco area.
They are pretty scary! The last big one we had here was in Feb. 2001 and was a 6.8 magnitude and lasted for 45 seconds. It was during the school day and my first grade students and I dove under our desks immediately! Many buildings in our school district had damage as did numerous buildings in Seattle.
Like Mrs. McKenzie said it feels like the ground is rolling underneath you. Very strange and very scary!
From,
Mrs. Hembree
P.S. – Congrats on your Edublog Award finals! Awesome work!
Dear Mr Avery and class
Earthquakes are certainly a fascinating subject!
On September 2010 there was a 7.1 earthquake that struck Christchurch, NZ at 4.35am. We live 3 hours drive away and we felt the quake strongly here too. Following that first quake there were many, many aftershocks, but we didn’t feel so many of those.
On February 22 2011 there was a 6.3 shake in Christchurch at about 1pm. 181 people died in that quake because of building collapses. The people of Christchurch are still dealing with the aftermath of all those quakes.
We were sitting in the staffroom that day and felt that quake – it felt like being on a boat, quite a rolling feeling.
Here is a link to the posts we’ve made about earthquakes on our blog.
Happy holidays to you
Mrs McKenzie
Dear Mrs. Watson,
That was a really cool fact. It was very interesting to hear about what its like to encounter a real life earthquake. Oh, and at our school we are not allowed to play in the woods. Our teachers think it’s too dangerous. Anyways, I think you were very lucky to have such a mild quake. If I had been you in that situation, I to would have been terrified for the kids! They too were very lucky, even more so than you and the other teachers whom we’re inside. Like I said before, it was really cool hearing about such a thing that would hopefully never happen around here in Plympton. Even though it was really interesting hearing about it I hope you NEVER have deal with such a thing EVER again!
Sincerely,
Molly C.
Dear Mr. Avery and Grade 6,
On September 9th an earthquake struck Vancouver Island fairly close to where we live. The quake struck at about 12:40 pm while the students were all outside playing on the playground. It was a magnitude 6.4 earthquake and I believe the shaking lasted for about 20 seconds, but it felt longer.
The teachers were sitting in the staffroom at the table. It felt like someone was pushing the table (I thought one of the staff members was trying to be funny)and we all felt sort of dizzy or light-headed. It took a few seconds for us to realize what was happening (that was the first earthquake I have ever experienced).
We were worried about the students who were outside because many of them play in the forest. When we got outside and called all of the children out of the woods we found out that only the students who were sitting on the ground or on the play structure felt anything. Most of the students had no idea that we had an earthquake.
Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and holiday!
Mrs. Watson