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BTN: New Zealand's earthquakes

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Graphic image of fault lines below city
BTN: New Zealand's earthquakes

SUBJECTS:  Science

YEARS:  5–6, 9–10


Damaged buildings, flooded roads, and crashed cars!

No, it's not a bad dream; it's actually the aftermath of an earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2011.

Find out about what causes earthquakes, the damage they cause, and why Christchurch was rocked by two quakes within six months.

This clip includes footage of earthquake damage and eyewitness accounts.


Things to think about

  1. 1.Do you recall hearing about two large earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand? What causes earthquakes and why do you think New Zealand seems to be a target for them? Do earthquakes occur in Australia and other parts of the world?
  2. 2.Listen as the reporter explains where earthquakes happen. Why does she say earthquakes happen more often in places such as New Zealand? What is the name given to the region of the world where most earthquakes happen? Of New Zealand's two recent earthquakes, was it the larger or smaller one that caused the most damage?
  3. 3.What causes earthquakes and what is the connection between earthquakes and volcanoes? Explain using a diagram or map. Draw a diagram to show why some earthquakes are more damaging than others. Include things such as the magnitude, location, time, nearby structures and any other significant details.
  4. 4.Using your favourite software, create an interactive poster about earthquakes. Show their causes, how they are measured, where they occur, and their effects on people, buildings and the environment. Research the connection between earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis, and show on a world map where they mostly occur.



Date of broadcast: 1 Mar 2011


Copyright

Metadata © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia Ltd 2012 (except where otherwise indicated). Digital content © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). Video © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). All images copyright their respective owners. Text © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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