New
New
The causes of earthquakes
I can describe and explain what causes an earthquake.
Lesson 1 of 7
New
New
- Year 6
The causes of earthquakes
I can describe and explain what causes an earthquake.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Earth is composed of four layers: the crust, mantle, outer core and inner core.
- Movement in the tectonic plates that form Earth’s crust causes earthquakes.
- Earthquakes occur at plate boundaries.
Keywords
Earth’s crust - Earth’s crust is the outermost layer of our planet.
Tectonic plates - The huge pieces that Earth’s crust is broken into are known as tectonic plates.
Shock waves - Shock waves are areas of sudden high pressure or temperature that travel through water, air or the ground.
Plate boundaries - The point where two tectonic plates meet is known as a plate boundary.
Common misconception
Earthquakes are random events.
Earthquakes are not random events, but are a consequence of tectonic plate movement.
To explain tectonic plate movement, an egg can be used. The shell is the Earth's crust, the white is the mantle and the yolk is the core. You can use a hardboiled egg with the shell cracked to show how the tectonic plates fit together like a jigsaw.
Teacher tip
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
Loading...
Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What shape is the Earth?
What shape is the Earth?
Q2.Where do earthquakes occur?
Where do earthquakes occur?
in the sky
in space
Q3.What is an earthquake?
What is an earthquake?
a myth
severe weather
Q4.The Earth's crust is broken up into huge pieces. What are these called?
The Earth's crust is broken up into huge pieces. What are these called?
rocky plates
crusty plates
sandy plates
Q5.Which of these are natural hazards?
Which of these are natural hazards?
tropical rainforests
light winds and rain
Q6.The layer of the Earth on which humans live is called the ...
The layer of the Earth on which humans live is called the ...
centre of the Earth
middle
mantle
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which layer is the outermost layer of the Earth?
Which layer is the outermost layer of the Earth?
the mantle
the outer core
the inner core
Q2.Which layer of the Earth sits between the crust and the outer core?
Which layer of the Earth sits between the crust and the outer core?
Q3.Match each layer of the Earth to the correct description.
Match each layer of the Earth to the correct description.
Q4.What are tectonic plates?
What are tectonic plates?
huge pieces of the Earth's core
huge pieces of the Earth's mantle
Q5.What causes earthquakes?
What causes earthquakes?
shockwaves passing through the Earth's mantle
lorries carrying heavy loads
Q6.Where do most earthquakes occur?
Where do most earthquakes occur?
at the boundary between sea and land
randomly all over the world
