Earthquakes and Earth’s Interior

The Wiley GeoDiscoveries Media Libary has numerous animations, simulations and interactivities that help to explain the science behind Saturday’s earthquake in Chile.

Here are a sample of some of the media assets available [viewed best using Internet Explorer]:

Asset:  Earthquake Animation
Description: Simple Illustration of an earthquake at a strike-slip fault and the chain of events that may be brought about as a result, including bridge failure and flash floods.
Link:  http://www.edugen.com:30120/geodiscoveries/resources/ch09/print/earthquake_animation/index.htm

Asset: Earthquakes, Plates, and Margins Drag and Drop
Description: A drag and drop exercise in which you must correctly place the names of various plates on a diagram of the globe whose regions are highlighted according to quake depth.
Link:  http://www.edugen.com:30120/geodiscoveries/resources/ch09/print/plates_drag-drop/index.htm

Asset: Tsunami
Description: Simulation of a tsunami along a coastline.
Link:  http://www.edugen.com:30120/geodiscoveries/resources/ch09/print/tsunami/index.htm

Underwater Plate Cuts 400-Mile Gash

Description: Discussion of the plate boundaries related to the recent quake near Chili. 

Source: NYTimes

Date: 2/28/10

Link:  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/world/americas/28quake.html

Questions for Discussion:

What are some of the important questions about plate tectonics that remain unanswered today?

Plate Boundaries Virtual Tour using Google Earth(tm)

Plate Boundaries
Tour created by Professor Randy Rutberg, CUNY Hunter.

This field trip is designed to showcase the three major types of tectonic boundaries: divergent, convergent and transform. In all cases I have tried to show the large scale features with a view from above and then smaller scale features using the zoom tool. The tour can be paused and additional photos can be shown if desired. 

I use this field trip during my presentation of chapter 1. I try to “wow” the students with technology and stimulate their interest in the world around them. It usually makes quite an impression.

Again, this tour can be customized by removing or changing icons, changing the start location etc.

Download File: Plate_Boundaries

Igneous Virtual Tour using Google Earth(tm)

Igneous Tour
Tour created by Professor Randy Rutberg, CUNY Hunter.

This virtual field trip is designed to show students spectacular examples of igneous activity. I specifically included places that I thought might be familiar to them. In addition, I tried to include sites that might connect to other disciplines, i.e. Pompeii might have been discussed in an archaeology class and Krakatoa in a Climate Class. 

At each destination, it is possible to pause the tour and click on photographs (blue squares) so that students can see additional views. In addition, tours can be further customized to include or not include icons, i.e. the volcano symbol. I chose to begin each tour at Hunter College, but the start point of a given tour can easily be changed.

During the tour I describe features that we have discussed in class, i.e. the shape of the volcano, cinder cones, lava types, explosiveness etc. I use the “field trip” to reinforce the concepts.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify several different categories of volcanic eruptions.

Download File: Igneous_Tour

We Are #1! Or Are We?

Issue: Cultures can be many things, but they are certainly not static. Cultures can be changed through innovations and inventions, diffusion, acculturation, and revitalization. With the twentieth century advancement in communications, transportation, and trade, cultures in many parts of the world have become increasingly dynamic. Some nations fear an eventual loss of cultural identity with ever-increasing global interconnections.

In this Google Earth(tm) virtual tour students will read about cultural imperialism, explore different examples of cultural diffusion and appropriation, then answer questions based on what they have learned.

Learning Objectives:

1. What are local and popular cultures?
2. How are local cultures sustained?
3. How is popular culture diffused?

Download File: cultural_imperialism

Glacier Virtual Tour using Google Earth(tm)

Glaciers 
Tour created by Professor Randy Rutberg, CUNY Hunter.

This virtual field trip is designed to show students examples of glaciers and of glacially shaped landscapes. The tour starts at Hunter College and moves to the Franz Joseph Glacier in New Zealand. This is a great location because the resolution is high enough to see details in the structure of the ice. In addition there are fabulous photographs of the ice and students can get a sense of the dynamic nature of the glacier. I have included a path on this tour. The tour needs to be paused and the path clicked on. This will take the students on a “virtual hike” up the glacier. The tour then moves to Milford Sound. The resolution here isn’t great, but the photographs (click on the blue squares) are. Students can see the fjords that were carved by glaciers during the Pleistocene ice ages. The tour moves onto Glacier National Park where striking topography can be observed and then to the Malaspina glacier in Alaska. This location gives a real sense of “glacial flow” and the beautiful blue of the melt water lake is quite striking. The tour continues by going to Norway where more fjords are visible and then to Chile where the glacier is quite close to sea level and lovely to look at.

Learning Objectives:
1.  Distinguish between several different kinds of glaciers and ice formations.
2.  Identify several kinds of landforms created by glacial sediments.

Download File: glaciers