People have been trying to understand what causes earthquakes for thousands of years. Ancient cultures explained earthquakes through myths and stories. Today, we know that earthquakes are caused by the motion of Earth's plates.
Write a descriptive essay about a major earthquake and its effects on people's lives. To write your essay, you will need to research major earthquakes in history. Here are some questions to guide your research:
What was a major earthquake that occurred in history?
Where and when did the earthquake occur?
How did the earthquake affect people's lives?
Are you ready? Begin by visiting the Web sites in Step 2. Look for answers to the questions above, and write down what you learn in the note-taking boxes.
With teacher supervision, you may use search engines to research other Web sites. You also can research major earthquakes at the library. When you are ready, follow Steps 3 and 4 to write your descriptive essay.
Step 2. Research
Research answers to the questions you were asked in Step 1. Visit these Web sites. Take notes about them on this page, too!
Toolbox Tip: Click here to find out how to use search engines to find information.
