Case 1 Pedagogical Background
Earthquake Hazards along the Wasatch Fault
by Michael Hernandez

Overview

This website contains a series of Virtual Tours and related Learning Resources that supplement an introductory Printed Case Study found in the book: Ford, R. E. and J.D. Hipple. 1998. GeoSystems Today: An Interactive Casebook. This material was designed as a supplement to geoscience, earth systems science, geology, geography and environmental science textbooks published by John Wiley and Sons.

The Virtual Tours explore graphically and interactively the geophysical processes that have shaped the Intermountain Seismic Belt and particularly the Wasatch Front of Utah of North America. Each virtual tour focuses on a specific sub-region, geoscience process, or the human dimension of global change issue.  


How to Use the Materials and Time Requirements  

After reading the Printed Case Study available from John Wiley & Sons take a Virtual Tour (preferably in the order they are presented online) and then test your knowledge by doing the Self-Test Exercises. 

Each virtual tour should take no more than 25 - 40 minutes to do and the self-test exercise about 10-20 minutes. Your instructor may ask you to print-off the exercise page and fill-in the answers to be handed-in.


Key Geoscience and Earth Systems Concepts Addressed
 

  • Seismological and geological risks and hazards in the Intermountain West of North America.
  • Surface and subsurface evidences of earthquake faulting.
  • The  human dimensions of earthquake risks and hazards, focusing specifically on land use planning, housing codes, prevention and mitigation of hazards. 
  • Broader implications of geological/geophysical processes in the ISB (Intermountain Seismic Belt) for understanding earth history and processes.

Learning Resources  

The website also contains an extensive set of supplementary learning resources for use by students or instructors as a starting point for specialized projects, classroom presentations, home-work assignments or supplementary reading. The learning resources are organized under the following categories: 


Contact an Expert 

Names and contact information on researchers, policy-analysts and other experts or organizations involved with the topics discussed in the case.


Find the Facts

Online sources of data and statistical information of various types.


Glossary and Key Terms 

This includes links to existing online glossaries; it also includes an extensive list of geoscience key terms used in the case study both in the print and online sites. 


Graphics Gallery 

Online sources of photos and graphics related to the region and processes discussed. 


Instructors Integrator

Provides pedagogical notes to instructors, including: information on how to promote active learning in the classroom, recommended prior readings, pointers on adaptation of the materials to specific courses or curricula, correlation with the national science standards or benchmarks, answer keys to the self-test exercises, and a mechanism for feedback to the case study contributors and for possible material contribution by the users. 


Join a Discussion Group 

Links to electronic discussion groups on related topics from the region. 


Read More About It

Supplementary reference sources and bibliographies.


Videos and Films 

A short list of videos and films on topics related to earthquakes and the Wasatch Fault as well as information on where and how to get them. 


WWW Links to Related Resources 

URLs on ISB (Intermountain Seismic Belt) and Wasatch Front (Utah) geoscience, ecology, anthropology, sustainable development, hazards and related issues found on the World-Wide-Web.

Created 30 August 1998. Last updated 12 December 1998.