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Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Our Planet

Core Connections

Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Our Planet

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By:  Gina Crider, Calloway County Schools

On December 26, 2004 the world was captivated by images of a deadly tsunami in Indonesia. Students throughout our state returned from holiday break bursting with questions and misconceptions of what caused this tragedy. As students were faced with the effects on human lives, an interest in Earth science was sparked. Though tragic, this historic event was a prime teaching moment for teachers.

Textbooks don't always help students make those natural connections. Our planet is an ever-changing sphere. The materials found within its layers supply us with valuable resources that are used in everyday life. Plates constantly shift to form new features on the landscape, enrich soil, and sometimes unfortunately, to destroy existing land and inhabitants. Before we can teach students how the Earth's crust shifts to cause earthquakes and volcanoes, it's important to give them a basic understanding of the layers and materials that make up our planet. This helps them comprehend how the top layer "floats" above the mantle, and it also helps them understand where our resources, such as metals, originate.

 

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Listen Up! With Audio In The Classroom

Instructional Illuminations

Listen Up! With Audio In The Classroom

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What's music got to do with learning? Don't students need to focus on the critical cognitive skills being taught? Many educators might be surprised. Consider this scenario from Royalty Free Music.
 

"Three teachers are trying to teach first-time students the alphabet.
• The first teacher writes the letters on the blackboard but does not pronounce them. Result? ....
• The second teacher writes the letters on the blackboard while saying them out loud....
• The third teacher goes a little further- writing the alphabet on the board, while saying the letters out loud, and then singing the ABC nursery rhyme. The children are greatly interested in the lesson. They not only find it easy to associate the sound with the shapes on board, but are also able to remember and repeat the alphabet as they sing along."


Is there a lesson in this for teachers at all grade levels? Can sound/music enhance learning? Many students already own mp3 players. Perhaps teachers can use something students already love to create an immersive learning environment rich with music and sound. Sound belongs in any classroom, not just choir or band class!

 

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