Flood through the window

Following the devastating effects of the floods in Texas, our ELI today is 'Flood through the window - what would you see, how would you feel? Pupils picture for themselves what a major flood through the window might look like.'

This activity encourages pupils to really think about flooding and what it would be like to be caught in a sudden flash flood. The ELI gives a series of questions to help pupils realise the effects and their possible consequences.

Related activities can be found in our Natural Hazards category.

Following the devastating earthquake (7.7 magnitude) which occurred in Myanmar on 28th March, today's ELI is all about seismic waves. 'The slinky seismic waves demo; using slinkies to show how earthquakes produce P-, S- and surface waves'.

In this activity, two slinky springs are used to show how one earthquake produces P-, S- and surface waves.

More activities related to Earthquakes can be found in our Natural Hazards category.

Sink Holes

Sink holes have been in the news in the UK over the last few weeks. Our ELI about this topic is 'Sink hole! Demonstrate sink hole processes in action'.

Sink holes commonly form over limestone bedrock, but also develop where the underlying materials are even more soluble, such as rock salt and gypsum deposits. This classroom activity models the dissolving of underground materials and the impacts this can have at the surface.

Other activities can be found in our natural hazards category.

Landslide danger

"Rescuers continued their search on Saturday after a landslide in Nepal swept two passenger buses carrying over 60 people into the Trishuli River on Friday."

In view of the recent fatal landslide in Nepal, today, the ELI Team is publishing "Landslide danger – and climate change; case studies of how landslides work and the likely effects of climate change."

This ELI gives a comprehensive introduction into landsliding processes and the likely impacts of climate change. It uses two case studies.

Related Earthlearningideas can be found in the 'Landslides' group in the Natural Hazards category.

Catastrophic processes - dramatic geological events

Let's consider 'What catastrophic natural processes affected your region in the geological past? Use the evidence in your local region to interpret dramatic geological events'.

In this Earthlearningidea, several photographs are used to stimulate discussion about possible rapid geological processes in the past which might have had “catastrophic” outcomes if there had been humans on the Earth at those times.

Explore the category 'Natural Hazards' for many other activities about catastrophic processes.

Geohazard - sink holes

Continuing our geohazards theme - 'Sink hole! Demonstrate sink hole processes in action'

 

Video (Catalan language)

Sink holes commonly form over limestone bedrock, but also develop where the underlying materials are even more soluble, such as rock salt and gypsum deposits. This classroom activity models the dissolving of underground materials and the impacts this can have at the surface.

Our Natural Hazards category lists many more Earthlearningideas.

Forecast earthquakes by monitoring movement on faults

The new ELI today is 'Slip-sliding away; how does monitoring fault creep help to forecast earthquakes?'

This earthlearningidea is a simulation and case study of a monitoring survey used to monitor the slow creep along fault planes that leads to the build-up of strain prior to its release in an earthquake.

Go to our Natural hazards category to find other activities about earthquakes.

Predicting volcanic eruptions

Now there is a teaching video to accompany the activity we published many years ago, 'When will it blow? – predicting eruptions; how a simple tiltmeter can demonstrate the bulging of a volcano before eruption'.

The activity could form part of a lesson about volcanic eruptions and their effects. It could be used as part of the preparation for the best response to an eruption in a volcanic area.

Click here to find many other volcanic teaching ideas.
 

Landslide danger - and climate change

The new ELI today is the last in our 'net zero' emissions series - 'Landslide danger - and climate change; case studies of how landslides work and the likely effects of climate change'.

This activity is an introduction into landsliding processes and the likely impacts of climate change, using two case studies.

The rest of this series of Earthlearningideas can be found be here. Other activities about Landslides can be found in our Natural Hazards category.

Earthquakes - why do some buildings fall and others do not?

The ELI Team is launching a series of new videos to accompany some of our very early Earthlearningideas. This one accompanies the very first ELI ever to be published at the end of 2007! 

'Quake shake – will my home collapse?
When an earthquake strikes – investigate why some buildings survive and others do not'

 

The activity could form part of a lesson about earthquakes and their effects. It could also form part of the preparation for the best way people should respond to an earthquake in earthquake-prone areas.

Many related activities can be found in our Natural Hazards category.

 

Party time for volcanoes!

This is a good time of year to try 'Party time for volcanoes! How much force does it take to set off a party popper “volcano"?'

This activity measures the force required to burst a party popper; it provides a quantifiable way of measuring a gradually increasing stress, akin to the build up of pressure beneath a volcano, or the increases in stress as rock masses begin to move relative to each other. The variable results obtained relate to the prediction of volcanic eruptions or earthquakes - and it's great fun!

Many more Earthlearningideas about volcanic eruptions and earthquakes can be found on our website.

Volcanic eruptions - which classroom eruption is best?

Following the eruption of Mt Semeru on Java in Indonesia, the ELI today is 'Best classroom eruption? Which type of classroom eruption best shows how volcanoes erupt?

 

 

This Earthlearningidea evaluates different types of classroom eruptions to gauge which best shows how eruptions are triggered.

Many activities about volcanic eruptions can be found by using the search engine or alphabetical index on our website.

Landslide through the window?

'Landslide through the window - what would you see, what would you feel? Asking pupils to picture for themselves what a landslide through the window might look like.'

This Earthlearningidea is a ‘thought experiment’ imagining how different landslides might affect the view through the window.

There are many more activities about natural hazards in the Natural Hazards category.
 

Volcanic eruptions with party poppers

Fun at the end of term - - 'Party time for volcanoes! How much force does it take to set off a party popper “volcano”?'

Measuring the force required to burst a party popper and relating the variable results obtained to the prediction of earthquakes, landslides and volcanic eruptions

This activity provides a quantifiable way of measuring a gradually increasing stress, akin to the build up of pressure beneath a volcano, or the increases in stress as rock masses begin to move relative to each other.

Many related activities can be found in the Natural Hazards category on the website.

Natural hazards in your local area?

The new ELI today is - 'Which natural hazards could damage the area where you live? How safe is your home area?'

Pupil are asked to look around their local regions to suggest what natural hazards might affect the areas in the future. In the activity, several photographs are used to stimulate discussion about natural hazards in pupils’ own home regions.

Many Earthlearningideas can be found about each of the natural hazards in the Natural Hazards category on our website.

Why are big earthquakes so much more destructive than small ones?

'Spaghetti quakes; why are big earthquakes so much more destructive than small ones?'

 This activity uses increasingly large bundles of dry spaghetti to demonstrate how each unit of logarithmic increase in earthquake magnitude is related to a 30-fold increase in energy release. It is a demonstration of “earthquake energy” using spaghetti, to help students to appreciate the use of logarithmic scales when
measuring quantities with huge ranges in values.

Many more ELIs about earthquakes can be found on our website either through the search engine or by using the alphabetical index.

 

Earthquake in your classroom

Have you tried the Earthlearningidea 'An earthquake in your classroom; a classroom earthquake intensity scale'?

“Earthquakes don’t kill people; buildings do.”
This activity helps pupils to visualise what experiencing an earthquake of different intensities might be like. With some classes, it will need careful management!
Many other earthquake related activities can be found on our website.

Sink holes

'Sink hole! Demonstrate sink hole processes in action'

Sink holes commonly form over limestone bedrock, but also develop where the underlying materials are even more soluble, such as rock salt and gypsum deposits. This classroom activity models the dissolving of underground materials and the impacts this can have at the surface.
Many other innovative teaching ideas can be found on our website.

Catastrophic processes - a discussion of sedimentary beds

The new ELI today is 'If a sedimentary bed were laid down outside now – what would it be like? A discussion of beds and catastrophic processes'

A class discussion to develop the idea of a ‘bed’ of rock and how beds might be deposited catastrophically. The type of bed that could be deposited very much depends on the altitude and character of the area. Both likely and less likely scenarios are described in this ELI..
The activity can be used with any age of pupils or adults.
Many more Earthlearningideas in the Natural Hazards caregory can be found on our website.

Why are big earthquakes so much more destructive than small ones?

Today we are publishing our 300th Earthlearningidea!
'Spaghetti quakes; why are big earthquakes so much more destructive than small ones?

This activity uses increasingly large bundles of dry spaghetti to demonstrate how each unit of logarithmic increase in earthquake magnitude is related to a 30-fold increase in energy release. It's a demonstration of “earthquake energy” using spaghetti, to help students to appreciate the use of logarithmic scales when measuring quantities with huge ranges in values. And it's fun!
Many more earthquake related activities can be found on our website by using the search engine or the alphabetical index.