Science: 5th and 6th Class: Build your own seismometer – learning about forces under the sea

Abstract

Earthquakes occur when parts of the Earth’s crust and upper mantle move suddenly. Large earthquakes can cause catastrophic amounts of damage so it’s very important to be able to predict when they might happen.

Earthquakes are detected using a seismometer which detects vibrations in the earth. In class, groups of students can work together to make a simple model of a seismometer to demonstrate how they work.

The students will experience working in groups and through a creative process develop skills intrinsic to working scientifically