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Natural Disasters Activity for Kids
Seismograph DIY
- Duration: 30-60 min
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: $0 to $5
Construct your own seismograph and simulate an earthquake!
Material List
- 1Box
- 1Pair of scissors
- 5Rubber bands
- 1Marker
- 1Paper strip
- 1Ruler
Instructions
- 1Tape one side of the box closed.
- 2Cut a rectangular slit on both sides of the box along the bottom.
- 3Along the top, poke a hole in the 4 corners of the box.
- 4Tie 1 rubber band around each of these holes.
- 5Loop the 4 bands around a marker and use one more rubber band to secure it in place.
- 6Adjust the height of the marker so it just barely touches the bottom of the box.
- 7Feed the paper strip through the slot while shaking the box to simulate an earthquake.
How It Works
When an earthquake occurs, a seismograph records earthquake activity. Due to the shaking, a pattern on the sheet of paper is created. These patterns provide information about the details of an earthquake, such as how strong it was and how long it lasted.
Check out the Full Lesson on Natural Disasters
In this lesson, we learn that:
- Earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanoes are a result of natural processes.
- Earthquakes and volcanoes occur in patterns on Earth’s surface.
- They are mainly found along the boundaries between oceans and continents.
- Humans cannot eliminate these hazards, but we can take steps to reduce their impact.
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