Explore Central Great Plains Geology and Geophysics through the EarthScope Program
June 12 – 13, 2008
University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Agenda

• be able to describe why EarthScope is investigating the geophysics of the Great Plains, how understanding the past can help us understand the present and future & how present day geologic phenomena can help us understand the past,
• improve their foundation in geophysics, and
• be able to implement selected EarthScope activities in their classrooms.

This is a fun filled, action packed workshop – PLEASE ask questions as you think of them!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Welcome

David Gosselin

8:00 – 8:20 AM

Introduction: Sponsors & Instructors, Agenda Overview, Ice Breaker

John Taber

8:20 – 9:05 AM

An Overview of EarthScope

How GPS & Seismic Data Provide Evidence for Plate Tectonics [ppt] [pdf]
Outcome: To increase participants’ understanding of EarthScope, the physical processes being investigated and the improvement in our ability to assess hazards and understand our environment. Teachers will be able to describe evidence for and summarize plate tectonics.

Questions & Answers

John Taber / Charlotte Goddard

9:05 – 10:15 AM

Exploring Earth Structure With Occam's Razor / Layers of the Earth
http://www.unavco.org:8080/cws/learn/earthscopeNebraska/ppts/layersofearth/

• Student Worksheet
• Template to create 20 cm semicircle
• Braile's version of this activity

Outcome: To use a simple model of Earth and seismic data to increase participants' understanding of Earth structure and seismic tomography.

Teaching Tips and Learning Challenges

John Taber

Teacher Participants/
Shelley Olds facilitating

10:15 – 10:30

Break

10:30 – 11:25 AM

Exploring Earthquake, Volcano, and Plate Motion Relationships
http://www.unavco.org:8080/cws/modules/regionalplatemotion_voyagerjr

• Student Worksheet
• Computer Instructions
• Map of Western U.S. to print onto a transparenvy
• Instructor Presentation
• Map Pack

Outcome: Describe how the locations of earthquakes, volcanoes, and GPS velocity vectors provide evidence for plate tectonics

Teaching Tips and Learning Challenges

Celia Schiffman

Teacher Participants/
Shelley Olds facilitating

11:25 AM – 12:00 PM

Seismic Waves Basics
http://www.unavco.org:8080/cws/learn/earthscopeNebraska/ppts/slinky.pdf

Outcome: To increase participants understanding of Earthquake waves and their propagation across USArray.

John Taber

12:00 – 1:00 PM

Lunch

1:00 - 2:00 PM

Structure of the Great Plains & Why is EarthScope Interested
Outcome: Teachers will be able to describe how EarthScope's investigation in the Great Plains will improve our knowledge about the midcontient rift and mantle transition from the western U.S. orogenic zone to the stable North American craton.

Questions & Answers

John Taber: Introduction

Matt Joeckel

2:00 – 2:55 PM

Build Your Own Seismograph

• Worksheet
• Slides [ppt] [pdf]

Teaching Tips and Learning Challenges

Kelly Reeves

Teacher Participants/
Shelley Olds facilitating

2:55– 3:10

Break

3:15 – 4:05 PM

Locating an Earthquake Epicenter?
http://www.unavco.org:8080/cws/learn/earthscopeNebraska/ppts/eqepicenter/

• Teachers Guide with graphs
• S-P simple time travel curve
• Tectonic map
• Time travel curve

John Taber

4:05 – 4:40 PM

Reading GPS Time Series Plots / Where are these Plates moving?
http://www.unavco.org:8080/cws/modules/readingGPStimeseries/

• How GPS Works Presentation
• Student Worksheet
• Instructor Presentation
• Reading Time Series Plots Reference Key

Outcome: Teachers will be able to calculate plate velocity vectors to determine regional plate motion.

Teaching Tips and Learning Challenges

Shelley Olds

Teacher Participants/
Shelley Olds facilitating

4:40 – 5:00 PM

Reflection on Today’s Learning / Linkages to the Big Picture

John Taber

5:15 PM

Take Shuttle to Museum on City Campus

5:30 – 9:00 PM

Reception/Visit/Dinner at the Nebraska State Museum of Natural History

Friday June 13, 2008

8:00 – 8:15AM

Summary of Day 1: Using today to look into the past, Overview for Day 2: What’s the future looking like

John Taber

8:15 – 9:00 AM

Investigating Plate Motion and Deformation in California using GPS Time Series Data
http://www.unavco.org:8080/cws/modules/GPStimeseriesCA/

• Student Worksheet
• Instructor Presentation
• Reading Time Series Plots Reference Key
• Lesson Plan: The activity: Introduction to Reading Time Series Plots and this activity: Exploring Plate Motion and Deformation in California Using GPS Time Series Plots have been tied together in a single Lesson Plan (http://www.unavco.org:8080/cws/modules/GPSlessonplanCA/)

Outcome: Teachers will calculate plate velocity vectors to determine plate motions and describe plate rebound after an earthquake.

Shelley Olds

9:00 – 10:00 AM

Seismic Eruption – predicting future earthquakes
http://www.unavco.org:8080/cws/learn/earthscopeNebraska/ppts/seismiceruption/

• Student Centered Experimentswith Earthquake Occurrence Data
• Guntenberg-Ruchter Plot
• Seismic Eruption Application

Teaching Tips and Learning Challenges

John Taber

Teacher Participants/
Charlotte Goddard facilitating

10:00 – 10:20 AM

Break

10:20 – 11:30 AM

Episodic Tremor and Slip in the Pacific Northwest: When is the next big earthquake?
http://www.unavco.org:8080/cws/modules/ETS_pacificnorthwest/

• Student Worksheet
• Instructor Presentation

Demo: The Earthquake Machine

Shelley Olds

11:30 – 11:40 AM

Further Integrating Activities into Your Teaching

11:40 – 11:50 AM

Complete Evaluation

Shelley Olds

11:50 – 12:00 PM

Summary & Final Linkages

John Taber
Shelley Olds

celias@unavco.org

Cindy Larson-Miller, School of Natural Resources, UNL

clarsonm@yahoo.com

Charlotte Goddard, EarthScope

cgoddard@coas.oregonstate.edu

David Gosselin, School of Natural Resources, UNL

dgosseli@unlnotes.unl.edu

John Taber, IRIS

taber@iris.edu

Kelly Reeves, IRIS

kelly.reeves@iris.edu

Matt Joeckel, School of Natural Resources, UNL

rjoeckel@unlnotes.unl.edu

Shelley Olds, UNAVCO

olds@unavco.org