New
New
Earthquakes
I can describe where earthquakes occur and explain how they happen.
Lesson 8 of 12
New
New
- Year 8
Earthquakes
I can describe where earthquakes occur and explain how they happen.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Earthquakes are sudden, violent movements of the ground caused by tectonic plate movement.
- Earthquakes usually happen on or near plate boundaries.
- At a plate boundary two plates are locked together, yet moving in different directions.
- When rock fractures at a plate boundary this causes an earthquake.
- Small earthquakes can also occur far from plate boundaries.
Keywords
Tectonic plates - the huge pieces that Earth’s surface is broken into
Plate boundary - where two plates meet
Fault lines - fractures in Earth’s surface
Focus point - the point deep underground where the tectonic plates first break
Common misconception
Plate boundaries are clean cuts through the ground which separate two plates.
There is not one fault but many, which make up a plate boundary and the rock is locked together across the two plates.
Get up-to-date details of earthquakes in the UK and globally using the British Geological Survey and US Geological Survey websites.
Teacher tip
Equipment
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is a volcano?
What is a volcano?
A deep crack in the ocean
A mountain made of ice
A type of earthquake
Q2.What is magma called once it reaches the surface?
What is magma called once it reaches the surface?
Ash
Rock
Steam
Q3.Which type of plate boundary causes most volcanoes?
Which type of plate boundary causes most volcanoes?
Conservative
Passive
Transform
Q4.What is the name of the area with many volcanoes around the edge of the Pacific Ocean?
What is the name of the area with many volcanoes around the edge of the Pacific Ocean?
The Lava Zone
The Volcanic Circle
The Pacific Rift
Q5.Which of the following is a primary effect of a volcanic eruption?
Which of the following is a primary effect of a volcanic eruption?
Crops fail due to ash
Increase in tourism
Spread of disease
Q6.What is a secondary effect of a volcanic eruption?
What is a secondary effect of a volcanic eruption?
Magma rising
Earth shaking
Lava erupting
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.What are tectonic plates?
What are tectonic plates?
Thin clouds in Earth’s atmosphere
Deep cracks filled with lava
Islands in the ocean
Q2.What happens at a plate boundary?
What happens at a plate boundary?
Two rivers meet
Two mountains form
Earth’s crust disappears
Q3.Fractures in Earth’s surface where earthquakes happen are called lines.
Fractures in Earth’s surface where earthquakes happen are called lines.
Q4.Which of the following is true about plate boundaries?
Which of the following is true about plate boundaries?
They are neat, straight cuts in the ground
They never change
They can be seen clearly from space
