For example, if they've uncovered earthquake patterns in regions of Africa, they can compile the statistics, put the data into a spreadsheet or a computer database, then analyze and discuss the results. Perhaps they could chart the frequency and severity of the earthquakes. Or they might look for common geological formations and weather patterns at selected earthquake sites and make probability calculations for future events. The scope and depth of the assignment will be determined by the amount of time and resources available. This might be the easiest discipline in which to integrate technology.
Students can list all the nouns or verbs they can think of to describe an earthquake's impact.
They can write a first-person account of a quake and imagine what it would feel like to actually experience one. They will have plenty of facts and figures from their science, math, and social studies classes, so their writing should be rich with relevant details. The language arts teacher is free to focus on a given standard, such as subject-verb agreement or narrative writing. Students who can get to a computer can generate these activities on the word processor and illustrate their stories using the drawing tools. This could be the perfect time to let one or two teams of students use the Internet while other youngsters use traditional research tools, such as magazines and encyclopedias, to complete the same assignment.