Earthquakes and Volcanoes
- Earth & Space
- Ages 8–11 · Grades 3–5
What you’ll find out
- Earth’s outer layer is broken into slowly moving tectonic plates.
- Earthquakes and volcanoes happen mostly along plate edges, forming patterns on a map.
- Monitoring, strong buildings and drop-cover-hold-on reduce the harm they cause.
No sign-up and no real names. In the lesson you check your understanding as you read, and practise until it sticks.
A planet that moves
The ground feels solid and still, but Earth’s outer layer, the crust, is broken into huge pieces called plates. They move very slowly, about as fast as your fingernails grow. Where two plates push together, pull apart or grind past each other, stress builds up in the rock. When it suddenly slips, the ground shakes in an earthquake. Hot, melted rock called magma can also rise at these edges and erupt from volcanoes.
Staying safe
Nobody can stop an earthquake or a volcano, but people can prepare for them. Scientists use instruments called seismometers to measure shaking, and they watch volcanoes closely for warning signs such as small earthquakes or swelling ground. Engineers design buildings that can sway without collapsing. If an earthquake happens, drop to the ground, take cover under a sturdy table, and hold on until the shaking stops.
Curriculum links: NGSS 4-ESS2-2 · NGSS 4-ESS3-2 · Cambridge Primary Stages 4–6: Earth and space · NCERT Environmental Studies, Classes 3–5