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Life Along the Ring of Fire

Grade Level: Middle School

Curriculum Connections: Science, Language arts

Required Software: Microsoft Encarta Reference Library 2004, Microsoft Word

What's in this Lesson:

Teacher Guide (including How to Begin)

Student Activity, Step-by-Step:

Step A: Explore the Ring of FireStep B: Research Societies That Inhabit the Ring of FireStep C: Compare Societal Responses

Teacher Guide

Summary:

Students gain an understanding of the geological forces that create the Ring of Fire

and its effect on distinct cultures.

Objectives:

Explore plate tectonics and allow students to prepare reports that describe how

natural disasters have influenced societies.

Time Allotted:

Approximately two or three class periods

How to Begin:

1. Go to the article Plate Tectonics in the Encarta Reference Library 2004 andshow the students the short video Magma Upwelling. Have the class readthe caption that describes how magma is released as plates move apart outloud.

2. Brainstorm recent incidents of volcanic activity and earthquakes and point outthat most of these occur along the Ring of Fire. Explain that in this activity thestudents will each assume the role of an anthropologist and compare how lifeon the Ring of Fire has influenced two distinct societies.

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Extensions:

Have students study how the Richter scale measures earthquake activity andcompare the effects on different societies from earthquakes that measuredfive, seven, and nine on the Richter scale.

Student Activity

Description:

You will create a multimedia report describing what creates the Ring of Fire and

comparing how seismic events have influenced the culture of two distinct societies

that live along the Ring of Fire.

Step A

Explore the Ring of Fire

1. Start Encarta and click Articles. Read the articles Stratovolcano and PlateTectonics in the Encarta Reference Library 2004.

2. Review some of the societies that live along the Ring of Fire. This will be agood starting point for picking the cultures you will research.

Step B

Research Societies That Inhabit the Ring of Fire

1. Select two distinct societies that live along the Ring of Fire.

2. Use Encarta to research the effect of seismic events on these societies: Whathazards do they face? How do they cope? How has the threat of disasterinfluenced their cultures? Use Encartas Dynamic Browser to research relatedentries, multimedia, and Web sites suggested by the articles. (Hint: Use theEncarta World Atlas found in the Maps tool to explore your subjects region.)

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Step C

Compare Societal Responses

1. Gather information from all appropriate articles, sidebars, media features, andWeb sources. Compare how these societies have been influenced by the

threats posed to them by living along the Ring of Fire.2. Use the Encarta Researcher in the Homework Center to help you organize

your information and outline your report. Make sure to include examples ofart, architecture, and engineering that demonstrate a societal response to thethreat of natural disasters.