Publication Date:
2017-04-04
Description:
Balanced information and education are fundamental prerequisites for risk prevention and
preparedness. Among others, children embody our best chance to implant appropriate behaviors
that will be recalled during hazardous situations and to involve adults according to a knowledge
chain reaction. In this work, scientists challenge their communication skills to built a set of
hands-on and learn-by-play based laboratory activities, for primary and secondary schools,
addressing three major issues: (1) the location of earthquakes and volcanoes on Earth; (2)
earthquakes and eruptions mechanisms; (3) earthquakes unpredictability. Students are asked to
place volcanoes and earthquakes epicenters (issue 1) on a wooden plate puzzle according to
Plate dynamics. To addresses eruption mechanisms (issue 2) and related hazard, we use backing
soda forced blowing out from a volcano vent and suggest that a pyroclastic flow is fast, it can
spread over a large area and raise high up to the stratosphere. Earthquake mechanisms (issue 2)
are discussed describing the energy buildup, release, and transfer, using a wooden sticks bendand-
break analogy. The display of acoustic waves caused by the breakage in different situations
allows understanding of both the rupture energy and the wave attenuation. Earthquakes
occurrence (issue 3) is addressed using steadily pulled blocks sliding on a frictional surface,
where pins simulate asperities. These activities were tested, involving thousands of students.
Discussions with students and teachers and the analysis of the answers to specific questionnaires
gave us confidence that we proposed proper tools to raise risk awareness
Description:
Published
Description:
89-93
Description:
3T. Pericolosità sismica e contributo alla definizione del rischio
Description:
restricted
Keywords:
Seismic and volcanic hazards, Outreach, Education
;
05. General::05.09. Miscellaneous::05.09.99. General or miscellaneous
Repository Name:
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV)
Type:
book chapter
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