EARTHQUAKES

California’s White Mountains have been rocked by earthquakes this month. And 80 quakes hit the Mammoth Lakes area in a single day. Nobody was hurt, and no damage was reported. That’s the case with most of the state’s earthquakes. But scientists are concerned that the recent quake swarms could presage a bigger shift in the Earth’s crust soon. If it happens, will you know why and what to do? To learn more about earthquakes and earthquake safety, use the direct links on The Times’ Launch Point Web site. http://preview.nohib.com/launchpoint/

Here are the best sites for getting your schoolwork done or for just having fun.

LEVEL 1

Earthquakes from A to Z. Learn about earthquakes from children’s drawings and descriptions. This site also contains “Parent’s Guide to Earthquakes,” which describes each of the terms in greater detail.

https://www-socal.wr.usgs.gov/ABC/ca.html

Earthquake! What do you do before an earthquake hits? And what do you do after the ground stops moving? This site answers those and many other questions while explaining the facts and exposing the popular fictions about earthquakes. Includes dramatic photos.

https://coe.ilstu.edu/portfolios/students/nmbudis/eaf228.htm

“Moving” Stories. Read mini-accounts written by earthquake survivors, and add your own story as well.

https://falcon.miamisci.org/hurricane/earthquake.html

LEVEL 2

Earthquakes: The Rolling Earth. Helpful diagrams explain how the movement of the Earth’s plates creates different kinds of seismic waves that are responsible for a quake’s destruction. See an aerial view of the San Andreas fault and learn about the Richter Scale for measuring earthquakes (for example, a 4.5 quake is equivalent in force to an average tornado).

https://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/vwlessons/ lessons/Rolling_earth/Rolling_earth1.html

Earthquake Preparedness Month: Resources. Prepare yourself for the next big earthquake by learning safety and other tips for different situations. Included are specific ways to help children, the elderly, the physically challenged and pets. Print out your own emergency supplies checklist, and organize a before and after quake plan.

https://www.best.com/~trbu/oes/resources.html

ABAG Earthquake Quiz. Test your earthquake knowledge with a quiz and a crossword puzzle developed by the Assn. of Bay Area Governments.

https://www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/eqmaps/quiz.html

LEVEL 3

Earthquakes: Encarta. A well-organized site that uses recent earthquake photos, topographic maps and diagrams to explain plate tectonics and how the movement of the Earth’s plates causes quakes. Special features include links to eyewitness accounts of earthquakes and an “Ask an Expert” section where you can send your earthquake questions.

https://www.encarta.msn.com/schoolhouse/equake/shearth.asp

Earthquakes in Southern California. Study recent and historical earthquake data, the locations of known faults and the probabilities for future earthquakes. See illustrations that explain how earthquakes occur. Find out what makes a building safe as well as what is the truth behind some earthquake myths.

https://www.scecdc.scec.org/eqsocal.html

USGS National Earthquake Information Center. View a live earthquake map that lists the latest 21 earthquakes worldwide. Find out how animals behave during earthquakes, if the number of earthquakes is increasing and locations of the 10 largest earthquakes from 1900 to 1994.

https://gldss7.cr.usgs.gov/

Launch Point is produced by the UC Irvine department of education, which reviews each site for appropriateness and quality. Even so, parents should supervise their children’s use of the Internet. This week’s column was designed by Trish Bray, Kathy Fujinami, Anna Manring and Stan Woo-Sam.

EXPLORER’S QUEST

The answer to this Internet quiz can be found in the sites at right.

Which two states have the fewest earthquakes?

Clue: See USGS National Earthquake Information Center.

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Answer to last week’s Quest:

President Lincoln proclaimed the fourth Thursday of November as a national day for giving thanks.