Stories are told to teach lessons and to remember important events. They engage our imaginations, teach about cultures and help us understand ourselves and others. Stories about cataclysmic events are no exception. The recent story of the January 2010 Haitian earthquake has taught the students at Blatchley Middle School (BMS) many lessons.
For one, BMS students are able to compare their local geology to that of Haiti. This comparison enables students to understand the power of earth’s tectonic processes and helps them appreciate the importance of learning about such processes.
Baranof Island is approximately 25 miles wide at its widest point and is located near the Fairweather fault.
The rupture of the Enriquillo-Plaintain Garden fault was approximately 40 miles long.
Cataclysmic events also help students understand culture. By researching the affects of events such as the 2010 Haitian earthquake, students gain a greater understanding of cultures.
“As of Feb. 12, an estimated three million people were affected by the quake. The Haitian Government reports that between 217,000 and 230,000 people had been identified as dead, an estimated 300,000 injured, and an estimated 1,000,000 homeless. They also estimated that 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings had collapsed or were severely damaged.” (wikipedia)
Haiti is situated on a strike-slip fault similar to Sitka. What would happen to Sitka if we would experience such an event?
In the nights following the earthquake, many people in Haiti slept in the streets, on pavements, in their cars, or in makeshift shanty towns either because their houses had been destroyed, or they feared standing structures would not withstand aftershocks. Construction standards are low in Haiti; the country has no building codes. Engineers have stated that it is unlikely many buildings would have stood through any kind of disaster. Structures are often raised wherever they can fit; some buildings were built on slopes with insufficient foundations or steel works. A representative of Catholic Relief Services has estimated that about two million Haitians lived as squatters on land they did not own. The country also suffered from shortages of fuel and potable water even before the disaster.” (wikipedia)
Buildings in Sitka, AK
How is the culture of Sitka different than that of Haiti? Would this difference influence the response if Sitka were struck by such a disaster?
Evaluate
The resources presented in this module illustrate tectonic processes wonderfully. I love the idea of visually comparing subduction produced volcanoes to those produced by hotspots. The resources will also help me teach kids about the uniqueness of Sitka; Baranof Island is located on a strike-slip fault, but has a volcanic field less than 10 miles away-hmm…how can that be?
Evaluate
The resources presented in this module illustrate tectonic processes wonderfully. I love the idea of visually comparing subduction produced volcanoes to those produced by hotspots. The resources will also help me teach kids about the uniqueness of Sitka; Baranof Island is located on a strike-slip fault, but has a volcanic field less than 10 miles away-hmm…how can that be?
