ShakeStudy Seismometer

Students will love learning about earthquakes and explosions with this classroom seismometer—a scientific instrument that responds to vibrations in the ground, allowing users to detect earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and explosions.

Students will start with the basics, discussing the layers of the earth and movement of tectonic plates. They'll come to their own conclusions about how the movement of these massive subterranean plates can cause natural phenomena like earthquakes, mountains, tsunamis, and volcanic activity. Finally, they will see how scientists capture these movements with listening and measuring devices.

Equipped with new knowledge, students place the seismometer on a table, place a marker inside, and shake it with varying force to create different levels of tremors. The marker inside creates a wave pattern as students shake the table and pull the paper roll. What happens during an earthquake? How did the seismometer readings change when different force was applied? Students will ask and answer questions about the experiment.

The frame is 17-1/2"L x 17-1/2"W x 20-1/4"H to fit on most standard desktops. It is recommended to have up to 4 students at this station at a time. 3 lb. Recommended for Elementary to Middle School.

Complete Set includes 1 ShakeStudy frame, 1 paper roll, a set of 6 markers, and lesson direction. The included lesson direction details setup instructions, activities by grade level, learning objectives, and teaching suggestions to expand lessons that are adaptable for grades K-4 and 4-8.