IS YOUR (VIRTUAL) EARTHQUAKE LAB MAKING YOU GO IN CIRCLES? (Invited Presentation)

The pandemic has forced most geology classes to transition to an online modality. Waubonsee Community College is no exception, where the geoscience lab classes Survey of Earth Science Laboratory and Introduction to Physical Geology Laboratory were converted to 100% virtual starting in the Summer of 2020. Changes and additions to the virtual transitions for these lab classes will be quickly reviewed and summarized. Both lab classes contain a lab in Seismology, and these labs will be reviewed in more detail, including the learning objectives of each and a general outline. The focus of these labs is not to draw circles to determine epicenters, but to understand the importance and contributions of the study of earthquakes to the geosciences. Specific activities will be reviewed, with audience completion of (1) a magnitude – distance exercise using videos of ‘events’ recorded by a portable ‘seismometer’, and (2) exercises using historical epicenter data from an AS1 seismometer at Waubonsee Community College. Links to videos and complete labs will be provided during the demonstration. These labs can be offered in conjunction with discussions on earthquake detection networks, earthquake preparedness, and regional events.