Computer-based visualizations and/or current earthquake reports are used to determine worldwide patterns of earthquake magnitude, depth, and location. These activities use the IRIS Earthquake Browser (IEB; ds.iris.edu/ieb) and are designed to stimulate interest in global earthquake patterns and their causes. This activity provides a natural transition to teaching plate tectonics.

This interactive activity provides three options to demonstrate the geometry of faults (normal, reverse, and strike-slip) and fault displacements with 3-D models. Fault models aid in the visualization and understanding of how faults are created and move because the instructor and their learners can manipulate a 3-D model for a hands-on experience.

The Earthquake Machine is a simple model that helps learners visualize the inputs and outputs of an active fault system that leads to earthquakes. The Earthquake Machine introduces the basics physics of an earthquake. Instructors can use the activity for exploration or demonstration purposes.

The Earthquake Machine is a simple model that demonstrates earthquake mechanics. The parts of the Earthquake Machine represent the elements of an active fault. The activity provides opportunities to understand the unpredictability of earthquakes, in terms of magnitude or frequency (time between earthquakes).

Magnitude (M) describes the size of an earthquake. The energy released in an earthquake relates to the difference in magnitude. Each step in magnitude represents a 32 times increase in the amount of energy released. Breaking spaghetti illustrates this concept. If a Pasta Quake M5 earthquake is one spaghetti noodle, 32 noodles is a M6 earthquake! And 1024 noodles is a M7 earthquake - try to break that with your hands!

In this activity, learners will model seismic waves using a Slinky© to experience how seismic waves interact and move through the Earth. Three different options provide opportunities to understand the characteristics of different types of seismic waves. In the 5-minute activity, learners observe an animation about fast traveling P waves and the slower-traveling S waves then discuss the basics of the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning system. The 15-minute activity provides hands-on experiences of how P and S waves travel using a Slinky©. The 45-minute activity provides learners an opportunity to explore additional seismic wave concepts and how they relate to real-world situations.

This set of hands-on activities helps students investigate ground deformation and earthquake hazards in the Pacific Northwest using physical models, real-world data, and map analysis. A brief demonstration with a compression spring illustrates how the subduction of the Juan de Fuca plate beneath the North American plate causes varying motion across the region. In longer activities, students measure compression, analyze GPS vector maps, and identify seismic hazard zones. By interpreting real-world data, students develop a deeper understanding of tectonic forces and connect these concepts to earthquake preparedness strategies.