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Getting Started

What Educational Seismology has to offer

One of the most exciting moments after installing a new seismic station in a high school classroom is recording an earthquake. Students leave their desks; teachers stop mid-sentence, as if the classroom beneath their feet were shaking! Earthquakes are a fascinating, powerful, and uncontrollable force that capture the attention of people young and old, and naturally lend themselves to engaging students in the classroom.

National Science Education Standards

Seismology offers unique opportunities to enrich earth science and physics curriculum. Beyond the specific content standards in earth science such as structure of the earth system, energy in the earth system and earth history, the national science education standards emphasize content standards in areas such as science and technology, science in personal and social perspectives, and the history and nature of science, all of which can be addressed with earthquake studies.

The most engaging method to teach earth science is to involve students in questioning and problem solving. A seismometer in the classroom raises awareness of earthquake activity around the world and promotes student questions about earthquake location and frequency of events. At the 7-12th grade levels, real-time seismic data can be used to explore earthquakes, plate tectonics and its driving forces. In physics classrooms seismic data can be used to teach lessons on force, friction, wave propagation, and engineering design.

What is the first step?

There are opportunities to include seismology in the classroom with or without a physical seismometer. Check out our Resources page for more information!

There are a number of companies selling educational seismometers. While IRIS does not recommend a particular instrument, check out the Instrument Info page to see the options!

IRIS will be donating instruments again in 2010.  Apply to receive an AS-1 instrument and 2.5 day training from IRIS! The application period will open in March 2010 for our Fall workshop and instrument distribution. The application will be available from this site.