Seismologists use the direction and arrival times of p waves and s waves to determine the distance to the source of an earthquake. The engaging lesson has students line up to form human waves. Through different movements when attached,...

Waves, waves, and more waves. Here, class members look at the many types and characteristics of energy waves including transverse, longitudinal, standing, seismic, p-waves, s-waves, and l-waves. 

Learning about waves can have its ups and downs, but a demo-packed tool kit has the class "standing" for more! Learners gain experience with several different wave types, organizing observations and data, and wave...

The epicenter is the point on the ground above the initial point of rupture. The 10th lesson in a series of 20 encourages scholars to learn to triangulate the epicenter of an earthquake based on the arrival times of p waves and s...

The final lesson in the 20-part series is a post assessment covering earthquakes and volcanoes. Twenty-three questions incorporate each of the previous lessons through multiple choice, justified multiple choice, expanded multiple choice,...

Beginning with a pre-lab, kindergarteners trace the letters in the word earthquake and discuss what happens in an earthquake. The lab portion allows young scientists realize that earthquakes trigger shaking of different intensities...

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] The seismic waves that emanate from earthquakes include body waves and surface waves. Learn how scientists use seismic waves to learn about the Earth's interior.

This sequence is an introduction to plate tectonics using evidence from topographical maps, earthquake location and depth, and volcano location using the Seismic Explorer model to investigate patterns of earthquake data and to infer the...

In this experiment, students go outside and create a simulation of P and S waves traveling across a 30-meter span. This is repeated using a 30-meter square. They experiment with P and S wave behavior, record results, and use...

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How scientists use seismic waves to learn about the Earth's interior.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Discover how scientists learn about Earth's interior using seismic waves, meteorites, density, and the magnetic field. Additional resources are available for download.