Why Earthquakes Happen
Understand that earthquakes happen when rocks underground suddenly move or break, releasing energy that shakes the ground
Teaching approaches
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1 approach
If your child felt a small tremor or saw footage of an earthquake, could they explain that it happens because rocks deep underground suddenly shift or crack?
Understand that earthquakes happen when rocks underground suddenly move or break, releasing energy that shakes the ground
Learning resources
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This concept
Check understanding
- Explain that earthquakes are caused by rocks underground suddenly moving
- Describe how this movement sends shaking through the surrounding ground
- Distinguish between the underground cause and the surface effects of an earthquake
“If your child felt a small tremor or saw footage of an earthquake, could they explain that it happens because rocks deep underground suddenly shift or crack?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Conceptual
- Subject
- Science
- Domain
- Volcanoes & Earthquakes
- Age range
- Ages 7–9