by Gema Venegas

On May 3, 2008, the Southern California Earthquake Center co-hosted a half-day workshop with the USC Joint Educational Project at the SCEC headquarters. The purpose of the workshop was to discuss earthquake education related activities and lesson plans that teachers could implement in their classrooms.

Larger imageGema Venegas leads a plate puzzle activity during the SCEC/JEP Workshop.

The workshop was attended by teachers from Southern California, including teachers from the USC Family of Schools. Several California State University, Los Angeles students majoring in education were also in attendance.

Robert de Groot, Education Programs Manager, gave an introduction to earthquake education and the role SCEC plays in distributing earthquake knowledge to the general public, including teachers. Afterward, Gema Venegas, Education Program Assistant, led a plate puzzle activity with teachers demonstrating the geology behind earthquakes.

Workshop participants each received an Earthquake Country Los Angeles educator kit and a copy of all the lesson plans presented that day. They also had an opportunity to network with other workshop participants during the Faults in your Front Yard Map Activity.

Larger imageGema Venegas guides participants through the contents of the ECLA kit.

De Groot shared information about the Dare to Prepare campaign, the ECLA Online Kit and other items of interest with workshop attendants. Participants were also invited to participate in The Great Southern California ShakeOut, November 12 - 16, 2008.

Workshop attendants left the workshop with a sufficient amount of knowledge about earthquakes and earthquake activities they can implement in their own classrooms. Each participant was offered a free class set of the Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country publication.