Map real earthquakes: a plate boundaries activity for grades 6–8

1. Open the USGS Latest Earthquakes map (no account needed). Set it to show the past 30 days and magnitude 2.5 and larger.
2. Pairs zoom out to the whole world. Ask: "Are earthquakes spread out evenly or in lines and clusters?"
3. Students trace the main lines and clusters onto their blank map in one color.
4. Reveal the plate boundary map. Students outline the boundaries in a second color on top of their tracing.
5. Discuss: where do the lines match? Where are there earthquakes away from a boundary, and what might explain them?
6. Click two earthquakes and read the depth. Compare a shallow one with a deep one near the same coast.
7. Students write a claim: "Most earthquakes happen ___ because ___."

Safety: online use stays on the USGS map, with no accounts, sign-ins or personal information. If a student has lived through a strong earthquake, let them choose whether to share.

Differentiation: students who need support trace only the Pacific region. Students who are ready compare the 30-day map with a 7-day map and describe what changes. English learners can use "Earthquakes line up along ___."

Quick check: ask: "Why are there so many earthquakes along the west coast of South America?" (A plate boundary runs along it.)

For more ideas at this grade, browse the other free activities on the Hub.