Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology
Iris: Seismic Wave Behavior: Direct vs. Critically Refracted Graphed
Examine the behavior of seismic waves. This graph illustrates direct and critically refracted waves.
Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology
Iris: Seismic Waves Viewer
Visualize the propagation of seismic waves from historic earthquakes through Earth's interior and around its surface.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Shake It Up! Engineering for Seismic Waves
Students learn about how engineers design and build shake tables to test the ability of buildings to withstand the various types of seismic waves generated by earthquakes. Just like engineers, students design and build shake tables to...
Other
Nevada Seismological Laboratory: Seismic Waves
This resource describes the two different types of seismic waves and how they travel through the earth, offers diagrams of the waves, their speeds, and how seismograms are used to locate earthquakes.
Other
Tulane University: Earthquakes and Earth's Interior
College instructor's notes on seismology includes earthquake origins, seismic waves, risks and damage assessments, and other information about the interior structure of the Earth.
Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology
Iris: Seismic Wave Motions
Four animations showing the movements of surface waves and body waves that are created by earthquakes. Includes P, S, Rayleigh, and Love waves.
Purdue University
Purdue University: An S and P Wave Travel Time Simulation
A classroom simulation modeling how earthquake waves travel through Earth at different speeds. A graph is constructed to demonstrate the relationship between the distance and time of travel of seismic waves, and then used to locate the...
Other
Matter Project: Seismic Waves
Seismic waves are studied to better understand the ground beneath us, the layers of Earth and points of interest for earthquakes. Better understand the types of waves, what substances they may travel through and how, and gain a clearer...
California Institute of Technology
Scedc: Investigating Earthquakes Through Regional Seismicity
Learn about earthquakes and how they are measured. Follow up with some activities that help to enhance your learning.
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: Dynamic Planet
Seven hands-on lessons module where students learn about our dynamic planet. These inquiry-based explorations investigate scientific models, earthquakes and seismic waves, Earth's interior, Earth movements, the lithosphere, plate...
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: The Faultline/seismic Slinky
A lesson plan for investigating longitudinal waves by use of a Slinky toy. Directions, questions, and applications to seismic waves are provided.
Other
Digital Library for Earth System Education: Teaching Box: Earthquake Country
A suite of lessons focusing on all aspects of earthquakes. Inquiry-based exploration of earthquakes includes measuring seismic waves, predicting earthquakes, investigating magnitude and intensity, mapping fault lines, and evaluating...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Mechanical Waves: Interactive Lesson
Learn about mechanical waves, which transfers energy from one place to another through liquids, gases and solids, with this interactive lesson.
US Geological Survey
U.s. Geological Survey: What Causes Earthquakes?
USGS provides the definition of a fault, the basics of earthquakes, the theory of plate tectonics, location of plates and earthquakes, and embedded links to related material.
Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology
Iris: How Are Earthquakes Located?
This illustrated fact sheet shows how S and P waves each travel at varying speeds and therefore arrive at seismic stations at different times.
Scholastic
Scholastic: Study Jams! Science: Landforms, Rocks & Minerals: Earthquakes
A video and a short multiple-choice quiz on earthquakes, how they form, how they are measured, and the ways they can change the surface of the Earth.
NASA
Nasa Space Place: What Is an Earthquake?
Discover why earthquakes happen, how we measure them, and why they only happen on Earth.
Other
Federal Emergency Management Agency: Tremor Troop: Earthquakes [Pdf]
A 260-page unit of activities on earthquakes. Covers what they are, their cause, why and where they occur, their impact on the Earth, how they are measured, and safety and survival. Includes worksheets and has a glossary at the end.
US Geological Survey
U.s. Geological Survey: Learning About Earthquakes Coloring Pages
Coloring pictures of seismic waves, earthquake safety and hazard maps. [PDF] Links to other handy tools, including trivia, stories, games and fun projects.
PBS
Nova: Seismic Signals
Scientists have determined that the earthquakes preceding volcanic eruptions are different than those that precede earthquakes. Discover the sounds and wave patterns produced by the three different types of volcanic seismic activities.
Concord Consortium
Concord Consortium: Exploring Earth's Seismicity
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...
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Savage Earth: The Restless Planet Earthquakes
Discussion of liquefaction and landslides which are two of the many effects of earthquakes.
Columbia University
Columbia University: Evidence for Internal Earth Structure and Composition
College-level research information describes how the movement of Earth's interior causes seismic wave activity.
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Earthquakes
A quick, introductory lesson about how earthquakes happen, and what impact these natural events have on life.