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Killer Quake!

Viewing Ideas

Before Watching

1. Earthquakes cannot be prevented, but scientists are trying to understand the geologic processes involved so that they may be able to predict earthquakes someday. Other events, such as hurricanes, can be predicted with some accuracy, but they cannot be prevented either. Ask students to share their ideas about the differences among preventable events, avoidable events, and controllable events.

2. Earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods are the most devastating natural disasters to strike the United States. Which type is most likely to strike the area where you live? Ask students to share their experiences with natural disasters. How do people prepare for these emergencies?

After Watching

1. Preparing for an earthquake involves many steps, from learning how to protect yourself from injury to constructing buildings with earthquake-proof designs. Some of these measures can be very expensive, and many people argue that spending money on preventive measures is not a priority, since an earth-quake might never strike the place where they live. The same argument can be made about purchasing health insurance—it can be very expensive, and some people may feel that they have wasted their money if they do not get sick. Ask students for their opinions about the benefits and drawbacks of these preventive measures.

2. As a class, discuss some of the professions in which people use prediction and prevention measures. How often would people working in these jobs need to be accurate in their predictions?