Home | Session 2 | Faults 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Faults: A USGS Teacher's Lesson

Exploration Phase - Part 1

1. You may wish to introduce this activity by asking students:

   a. Can you name a famous fault?

   b. What happens when giant fractures develop on the Earth and the pieces move relative to one another?

2. Illustrate compressional earth movements using a large sponge by squeezing from both sides, causing uplift. Illustrate tensional earth movements (stretching and thinning) by pulling the ends of a piece of latex rubber with a wide mark drawn on it.
   
   
3. Have students construct a fault model using the Fault Model Sheet. Instructions to students:
   

   a. Color the fault model that is included according to the color key provided.
   

   b. Paste or glue the fault model onto a piece of card stock or construction paper.
   

   c. Cut out the fault model and fold each side down to form a box with the drawn features on top.

   d. Tape or glue the corners together. This box is a three-dimensional model of the top layers of the Earth's crust.

   e. The dashed lines on your model represent a fault. Carefully cut along the dashed lines to form two pieces. Tape or glue a piece of card stock or paper along the fault on each piece of the model (these two attachments should rest flush atop one another).

   An enlarged version of the fault block model can be made for classroom demonstrations.

4. Have students develop a model of a normal fault. Instructions to students:

   a. Locate points A and B on your model. Move point B so that it is next to Point A. Observe your model from the side (this is called the model's "cross-section").

   b. Draw the normal fault as represented by the model you just constructed.

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updated January 28, 2002

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