The Process

1. You will work in smallgroups of two to four students. You can divide up the work andbring your information together. You will all decide how toorganize and present your work. List everything that needs to bedone and divide up the tasks.

2. Each member should keepa journal for information collected and for writing any ideas youthink of. Try to put the information in your own words. You needto make sure Elmo can understand what you're sending him, he isonly 7 years old.

3. Prepare a survey tointerview five people each. Questions should include earthquakeexperiences of Californians. Have they ever been in an earthquake?A mild one or a big one? Was anyone hurt or was there damage done?Make a graph to show the results. Write a conclusion about theresults. Report your results is graph form to your cousin.

4. Plan a trip for yourcousin and his family. Look where his vacation spots are locatedand compare the locations to that of the SANANDREAS FAULT. Research the SANANDREAS FAULT and find out where it is inCalifornia. You will want to design your cousin's rip away fromthat area. Can you find some places to visit away from activefault areas?

5. Study definitions ofwords like FAULT, EPICENTER, PLATES, PLATETECTONICS, RICHTER SCALE, MERCALI SCALE, SEISMIC WAVES andother words that will help you and your cousin understand EARTHQUAKESbetter. Find out how and why EARTHQUAKEShappen. Make sketches and pictures to help.

6. Create a SAFETYpamphlete for your cousin to follow whengets to your HOUSE andfor this California trip. What should he do if an earthquakehappens outside? Inside? What should he bring with him for safety?

7. Each group membershould go through their HOUSE withtheir families. Make a plan for safety during an EARTHQUAKE.Check out other safety factors.

8. Find some funearthquake ACTIVITIES orexperiments for your cousin to try. You try them first to makesure they work!

9. Find someEARTHQUAKE MAPS of the world and U.S. toshow your cousin other areas that have EARTHQUAKEactivity.