NGSS Storyline
I've moved to Michigan since I first created this website and am now using NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards). A big aspect of NGSS is storylining. I will use this space to display the storylines I've created and use in my classes. I admit that these are a bit rough around the edges as I am new to the concept and technique. Also, I am still unfamiliar with some of the acronyms used in NGSS, so if you see something you like or want to use, feel free to take the idea and put your own spin on it or flesh it out more to your liking.
Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami/Meltdown
On the afternoon of March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.1 earthquake rocked the northeast corner of the island of Honshu, Japan. The earthquake was a byproduct of a subduction zone created by a piece of oceanic crust made of the mafic igneous rock called basalt diving beneath, or subducting, another piece of ocean crust. The subducting crust encounters the mantle where it melts. The molten rock rises up to the surface where it forms a series of underwater volcanoes, or seamounts. Eventually, these seamounts break the surface of the ocean as an island arc. Japan is one such island arc. As the plate subducts, it drags the overlying plate with it, putting so much strain on the overlying plate that the rocks warp and bend. However, the rocks can take only so much strain and eventually snap back into place. This is called elastic rebound and was the cause of the March 11 earthquake.
The ground shook for 5 minutes. Buildings were damaged and power was knocked out. But something far worse was triggered. A massive tsunami was racing toward the northeast coast of Honshu. The water rose...fast! Whole towns were effectively washed away in the torrent. The water reached several miles inland and topped out at about 140 ft. The energy necessary to cause this came from the rupture of the megathrust fault that created the massive earthquake moments before. Eventually, the water slowed and subsided. The coast was in ruins and thousands were missing or dead. Unfortunately, this nightmare was far from over.
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is on the northeast coast of Honshu. When the earthquake knocked out electricity, diesel generators kicked on in order to facilitate the emergency shutdown of the nuclear reactors. Water must be pumped through the reactor at all times to cool the reactor during the shutdown. The diesel generators provided electricity to power the pumps. However, these generators must remain dry and Fukushima Daiichi had a 23 ft high sea wall protecting the plant and its generators. The first tsunami wave was 40 ft high. The generators were inundated. Luckily, Fukushima had backups to the backups. Battery powered generators kicked on and continued powering the pumps. But, these could only last 8 hours. With all of the damage and destruction caused by the earthquake and tsunami, there was no chance of restoring power before the 8 hours ran out. The pumps stopped.
The ground shook for 5 minutes. Buildings were damaged and power was knocked out. But something far worse was triggered. A massive tsunami was racing toward the northeast coast of Honshu. The water rose...fast! Whole towns were effectively washed away in the torrent. The water reached several miles inland and topped out at about 140 ft. The energy necessary to cause this came from the rupture of the megathrust fault that created the massive earthquake moments before. Eventually, the water slowed and subsided. The coast was in ruins and thousands were missing or dead. Unfortunately, this nightmare was far from over.
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is on the northeast coast of Honshu. When the earthquake knocked out electricity, diesel generators kicked on in order to facilitate the emergency shutdown of the nuclear reactors. Water must be pumped through the reactor at all times to cool the reactor during the shutdown. The diesel generators provided electricity to power the pumps. However, these generators must remain dry and Fukushima Daiichi had a 23 ft high sea wall protecting the plant and its generators. The first tsunami wave was 40 ft high. The generators were inundated. Luckily, Fukushima had backups to the backups. Battery powered generators kicked on and continued powering the pumps. But, these could only last 8 hours. With all of the damage and destruction caused by the earthquake and tsunami, there was no chance of restoring power before the 8 hours ran out. The pumps stopped.