In this activity, students calculate the distance from a satellite to a receiving station on Earth. They will learn that radio signals are waves and that wave characteristics can be used to measure properties such as velocity, distance, and time. Full description.

In this lesson, younger students will be introduced to the various orbital paths that are used for satellites. Using a globe and a satellite model or a large picture of Earth, the teacher will introduce three types of orbital paths (polar, elliptical, and geosynchronous). The students should be able to define 'satellite', define the three types of orbits, describe how satellites orbit the Earth, and ... Full description.

The EERC at the University of Bristol has developed an Earthquake Engineering Competition that challenges secondary school students to design and make small scale models of buildings that can withstand strong earthquakes. Provided on the website are tips for model design and construction, load testing advice, and a gallery of models organized by various characteristics. Full description.

This article describes the eqipment in use to simulate earthquake loading in materials at the Geotechnical Centrifuge Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The equipment includes a centrifuge machine that can test a payload of 1 ton at 100g or 0.5 ton at 200g, a small in-flight computer-controlled earthquake simulator (shaker), a laminar rectangular box simulating the shear beam boundary conditions ... Full description.

This online exercise lets students practice vector addition. They choose the precision of the test by selecting a target size, then estimate the sum of the two vectors by dragging and dropping a third arrow. Points are awarded; a higher degree of precision scores more points. Full description.

This teacher's guide is intended to provide suggestions on how to teach about seismic waves. It provides information on the types and properties of seismic waves and instructions for using some simple materials, especially the 'slinky', to demonstrate seismic wave characteristics and wave propagation. These activities can be performed by the students themselves, or as demonstrations by the teacher. ... Full description.