Curriculum

What Is Our Evidence That We Live on a Changing Earth?

What Is Our Evidence That We Live on a Changing Earth?

What Is Our Evidence That We Live on a Changing Earth? is part of Smithsonian Science for the Classroom, a brand-new curriculum series by the Smithsonian Science Education Center. It is aligned to a group of grade 4 standards. It has a focus on Earth and space science with a secondary focus on engineering. In this module, students:

  • Analyze models of Earth, maps and globes, identifying patterns in the locations of major topographic features and occurrences of earthquakes and volcanoes
  • Obtain information about the hazards associated with earthquakes and volcanoes and ways humans monitor such Earth processes
  • Explain differences between wind-driven ocean waves and tsunami waves
  • Design and test models of earthquake-resistant buildings
  • Investigate weathering and erosion processes and explain the roles these processes have in changing the landscape
  • Use fossils and structures found in rock layers to explain the appearance of former landscapes
  • Propose a Smithsonian exhibit on Our Changing Earth that answers the module question

Below are digital resources that support teaching of this module.

Lesson 1: Looking Down on Earth

L1 Engagement
This image of a phenomenon should spark student thinking about evidence of change on Earth.
Download the L1 Engagement PDF

Volcano Map
This is a map showing locations of active volcanoes on Earth.
Download the Volcano PDF

Rock Cliff 
This rocky cliff experiences several types of weathering and erosion.
Download the Rock Cliff PDF

Lesson 2: Patterns on the Surface

L2 Engagement 
This image of a phenomenon should spark student thinking.
Download the L2 Engagement PDF

Baseline Map
This global map provides students with more exposure to different types of maps.
Download the Baseline Map PDF

Earth Events
Use this site to show the global distribution of recent earthquake activity and volcano hazard alerts.
https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP/

Lesson 3: It’s a Disaster

Hazards
This video contains clips of eruptions at Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii.
Download the Hazards Video
Download the Accessible Version of the Hazards Video
Download the Hazards Video Transcript

Natural Hazards Viewer 
A website with which you can search for several different types of natural disasters. To prepare the site for the Lesson 3 extension, select the Reset All Filters button on the lower left side of the viewer. Then select the check box next to Significant Earthquakes, Significant Volcanic Eruptions, or both. Use the search button for each of these hazards to limit the search to one year, possibly the year most of your students were born. Select specific events and access the information for students or prepare to show the viewer to the class and have them guide the selection.
https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/maps/hazards/?layers=0

Lesson 4: Tsunami Alert!

Deep Water Floater
This video shows an object bobbing up and down in deep water when a wave passes through.
Download the Deep Water Floater Video
Download the Accessible Version of the Deep Water Floater Video
Download the Deep Water Floater Video Transcript

Stadium Wave
This video shows a wave moving through the crowd in a stadium.
Download the Stadium Wave Video
Download the Accessible Version of the Stadium Wave Video
Download the Stadium Wave Video Transcript

Wave Diagram
This is an unlabeled diagram of a wave.
Download the Wave Diagram PDF

Tsunami Evidence
This file contains two photographs of evidence of a tsunami wave. One shows evidence in rock layers and the other shows evidence of a recent tsunami.
Download the Tsunami Evidence PDF

Tsunami Signs 
This link provides access to examples of tsunami warning and evacuation signs from several locations.
http://itic.ioc-unesco.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1603&Itemid=2321

Lesson 5: Shake It Up

Earthquake Shaking
For Lesson 5, show the first 34 seconds of this video which shows shaking during a 30 November 2018 earthquake in Anchorage, Alaska. The earthquake’s focus was 46.7 km under the surface of Earth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kjvpk2Fe6UQ

Earthquake Activity 
This link provides access to an earthquake database. Use the setting icon on the top right to select magnitude and time limits. The map view can be changed by using the “Zoom to” button to select a region or by using the +/- keys.
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/

Shake It Up Model
This is a picture of the model students will use in their investigation.
Download the Shake it Up Model PDF

Mercalli Scale 
This image provides a description of the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale.
Download the Mercalli Scale PDF

Lesson 6: Designed for Survival

In an Earthquake
For Lesson 6, show three video clips.

1:00-1:23 of this video (shown in Lesson 5) which shows shaking during a 30 November 2018 earthquake in Anchorage, Alaska. The earthquake’s focus was 46.7 km under the surface of Earth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kjvpk2Fe6UQ

0:23-0:57 of this video which shows shaking during a 14 February 2016 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand. The earthquake’s focus was 15 km under the surface of Earth.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-35572717

The first 50 seconds of this video which shows shaking during a 05 July 2019 earthquake in Ridgecrest, California. The earthquake’s focus was 8 km under the surface of Earth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjtpldwveGA

Lesson 7: Resist This

School Earthquake Safety
This link provides information about school earthquake safety under the heading Preparedness and Safety Resources.
https://www.shakeout.org/schools/index.html#preparedness

Model Joints
The images in this file are tips for joints students can use in their designs.
Download the Model Joints PDF

Resist This Engineering
This lists the criteria and constraints for the student project.
Download the Resist This Engineering PDF

Shake Tests 
The video shows earthquake shake testing in the University of Buffalo Structural Engineering and Earthquake Simulation Laboratory. For the initial discussion, show only the first 50 seconds of the video.
Video courtesy of Structural and Earthquake Engineering and Simulation Laboratory (SEESL), University at Buffalo (Buffalo, NY).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80p27T5yoeM 

Drop Cover Hold On
This link provides resources for earthquake safety for people with disabilities.
https://www.earthquakecountry.org/disability/

Lesson 8: Agents of Change

Tsunami Debris
This image shows natural and man-made materials moved around by a tsunami coming ashore.
Download the Tsunami Debris PDF

Glacier
This image shows a mountain glacier.
Download the Glacier PDF

Tray Angle
This image shows students how to mark an index card for measuring tray angle.
Download the Tray Angle PDF

Water on Soil
This video includes two clips of water interacting with bare ground.
Download the Water on Soil Video

Download the Accessible Version of Water on Soil Video
Download the Water on Soil Video Transcript

Lesson 9: Break It Up

Concrete
This image shows a sample of concrete.
Download the Concrete PDF

Lesson 10: Plants—Friend or Foe?

Tree Roots
This image shows tree roots growing into rock on a cliff.
Download the Tree Roots PDF

Soil Erosion Test
This is a photograph of the investigation set up for Lesson 10.
Download the Soil Erosion Test PDF

Rain Gardens
This is a collection of links to websites related to designing and building rain gardens.
http://www.groundwater.org/action/home/raingardens.html
https://www.nwf.org/Magazines/National-Wildlife/2015/AugSept/Gardening/Rain-Gardens
http://www.chesapeakeecologycenter.org/rainscaping-org/
https://www.epa.gov/soakuptherain/soak-rain-rain-gardens

Lesson 11: Picturing the Past

Studying Earth Layers
This file contains several images to support the discussion of Lesson 11.
Download the Studying Earth Layers PDF

Lesson 12: Landscape Match Game

Red Rock Canyon
These are current pictures of Red Rock Canyon, showing variations in the landscape near Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Download the Red Rock PDF

Lesson 14: Our Changing Earth Exhibit Part 1

Exhibit Guidelines
This file houses the guidelines for the Science Challenge.
Download the Exhibit Guidelines PDF

Exhibit Learning
This file contains the prompts students will respond to when visiting other exhibits.
Download the Exhibit Learning PDF

Smithsonian Exhibits
This is a link to a webpage from a Smithsonian Institution’s exhibits group.
https://exhibits.si.edu/portfolio/

Lesson 15: Our Changing Earth Exhibit Part 2

Pepper the Robot 
This file is an introduction to Pepper, a robot docent at the Smithsonian Institution.
Download the Pepper the Robot PDF

Kit Tips & Tricks