Sudden geological changes and extreme weather events can affect Earth’s surface

This online supports the Year 6 Earth and space science.

The resource is a teaching package that provides hands-on activities with teacher support materials to support the Year 6 Earth and space science components of the Australian Curriculum.

The activities are organised into six topics:

1. What Lies Below?
2. Volcanic Eruptions
3. Earthquakes
4. Tsunamis
5. Droughts and Flooding Rains
6. Managing Disasters Scientifically

Australian Curriculum v9 Codes: AC9S5U02 (Year 5), AC9S8U03 (Year 8)

This online resource investigates fault lines and earthquakes.

The resource has been developed by Geoscience Australia specifically for use in the classroom and the material available on the site examines the occurrence and origins of earthquakes based on the plate tectonics model and has an overview of plate tectonics that distinguishes between the types of faults found at the different types of plate boundaries.

The resource gives details for a hands-on inquiry modelling floodplain erosion with clay.

It includes student worksheets and a step-by-step teacher guide.

Australian Curriculum v9 Codes: AC9S5U02 (Year 5)

This online resource looks at the different types of geological fault lines.

The resource gives step-by-step instructions and worksheets for a hands-on activity building cardboard models of the different types of geological fault lines.

Teacher background information is also provided.

Australian Curriculum v9 Codes: AC9S8U03 (Year 8)

This online resource explores the effects of a meteor strike on the Earth.

The resource contains instructions for a hands-on activity, teacher background information and downloadable student resources.

In the activity, students simulate an impact in a container of sand using various-sized rocks, all while measuring, recording and graphing their results.

This online resource explores the science involved in dams.

The resource examines the forces involved and includes background information, student worksheets and step-by-step instructions to help students build model dams.

New Australian Curriculum 9 Codes: AC9S4U03 (Year 4)

This online resource investigates the potential damage done by earthquakes.

The resource gives instructions on how to build miniature models of cities out of common kitchen ingredients to test various structures against simulated earthquakes.

The cities are built using sugar, bouillon and gelatin cubes. They are then put through simulated earthquakes to see which cube structures withstand the shaking movements the best.

This online resource investigates the implications of earthquakes.

The resource gives details for a student activity building and testing a structure that needs to withstand simulated earthquake vibrations.

Students use a shake table to simulate the earthquakes' movement. The activity can be used as is, or can be used as a stimulus for similar activities such as simulating liquifaction.

There is also scope to build and test different types of structures, using a variety of materials, to examine how the shake table affects the structures.

This unit of work investigates earthquakes.

The resource provides full information for a unit of work in which students explore how sudden geological changes and extreme weather conditions can affect the Earth's surface.

In the unit, students examine the causes and effects of earthquake and study how the magnitude, intensity and effects of earthquakes are measured.

This online resource is an introduction to the phenomenon of Tsunamis.

When using this resource, students (and teachers) will explore information about tsunamis and how they are formed.

They will examine the threat tsunamis present and the warning systems that are used in Australia. They will also explore what to do in the event of a marine or land tsunami threat and examine the Japanese and Thailand tsunamis and their effects.