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What Is an Earthquake

Know what an earthquake is: a sudden shaking of the ground that can be strong or weak

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What a learner can do afterwards

  • Describe an earthquake as the ground shaking suddenly
  • Explain that earthquakes vary in strength from barely noticeable to very strong
  • Describe what it might feel like during an earthquake

The lesson

An earthquake is when the ground shakes suddenly. It can happen without any warning at all.

Light1Medium2Strong3
Earthquakes can be light, medium, or strong.
Try it together

Mia feels a small shake at breakfast. Her cup wiggles just a little bit. That was a light earthquake.

Good to know

If you ever feel shaking, stay calm. Most earthquakes are small and stop fast.

Earthquakes are sudden ground shakes, from light to very strong.

Watch it

Where it sits

Learn first

Nothing; this is a starting point.

This opens up

Where this leads

Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.

Then practise

8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.

What Is an Earthquake · Science, ages 5 to 7 · LightMySky