Learn Words About a New Subject

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1 Words About Earthquakes Learn Words About a New Subject Materials Needed Student Reproducibles, pp Transparency 2, p. 416 Getting Started Mystery Word of the Week Clue 1 We first felt the earthquake as a slight that shook the plants in the window. Vocabulary Words destruction epicenter fault seismograph tectonic plates The mystery word of the week is tremor. Model/Teach Distribute the Student Reproducible pages 287 and 288. Ask a volunteer to read the Word Learning Tip. Explain that content words are often the longest and most difficult in a text. Invite students to read the Vocabulary Building Strategy. Tell them that even though content words may look difficult, students will know something very important that can help them determine their meaning: All of the content words will relate to the big idea or subject. Ask them what topic this lesson s vocabulary words are associated with. Make sure that they understand that all of the words in this lesson are about earthquakes. Activate students knowledge by providing time for them to tell what they know about earthquakes. Jot their thoughts on the chalkboard. Have students read the directions, read the text, and look at the scene shown on pages 287 and 288. Before you go over the page a second time, do the on page 281 to model how to learn the meaning of content words. After you have modeled how to find the meaning of the term tectonic plates, read the passage aloud again. This time pause at each boldface word. 280 Chapter 3 Content Words Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources

2 Think Aloud Place the transparency on the overhead projector. Ask students what word belongs as the title or the author s big idea (earthquakes). Tell students that as you pause at each boldface word, you want them to tell you how the word is connected to the idea of earthquakes and/or to one of the other content words. You also use them to tell you what it means. For example, tectonic plates is connected to the idea of earthquakes because it names the huge blocks of rock that are constantly moving. Record their thinking on the transparency. After students have discussed each word, allow them to work in small groups. Give them the opportunity to work with flashcards to reinforce word meanings. English Language Learners If there are any Japanese speakers in your class, ask them to pronounce the word tsunami for the class benefit. Ask them to share other Japanese words related to earthquakes. Also ask other English language learners to share earthquake words from their first languages. Let s look at the text so that I can demonstrate the thinking that I do to determine the meaning of content words: Earthquakes can occur under water as well as on land. The outer surface of the earth is called the crust. In an ocean, the crust is the ocean floor and is covered by water. This outer surface is made up of tectonic plates, huge blocks of rock that are constantly moving. So far, these sentences have been telling me about the crust or outer portion of the earth. I look at the diagram on the next page and identify the parts labeled crust and tectonic plates. The first thing I notice is that there are two tectonic plates. They seems to be blocks of rocks. I saw the words huge blocks of rock that are constantly moving in the sentences I read. This seems to be the definition of tectonic plates. I know that when I read content words, illustrations can provide useful clues to meaning. In addition, sometimes the writers define the content words right in the text. Independent Activity Earthquakes and Me Have students write journal entries about their experiences with or feelings about earthquakes. If they prefer, instead of writing about personal experiences, they can write about earthquakes in movies they have seen or books they have read. Encourage them to use as many vocabulary words as they can. Answer Key See page 390 for definitions. Lesson 19 Words About Earthquakes Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources 281

3 Words About Earthquakes Connect Words and Meanings Materials Needed Student Reproducible, p. 289 Semantic Map Graphic Organizer, p. 423 Think Aloud Let s look at the first definition: the spot on the earth s surface that is directly above the place inside the earth where an earthquake begins. There are two important parts of this definition. First, it s on the surface and second, it s directly above the place where the earthquake begins. I know that an earthquake begins when the tectonic plates collide and slide. So the word I am looking for is going to name that spot on top of the center of the earthquake. I think center is a key idea and part of the word I am looking for. I choose the word epicenter and try it: An earthquake actually begins deep below the spot that marks its epicenter. That makes sense, so I write epicenter in the blanks. By the way, epi- is a prefix that means on or above, so epicenter is the point on the surface that marks the center or the point above the center. Answer Key 1. epicenter 2. epicenter 3. fault 4. Fault 5. tectonic plates 6. tectonic plates 7. seismograph 8. seismograph 9. destruction 10. destruction Getting Started Mystery Word of the Week Clue 2 The strongest of this earthquake measured only a moderate 4.2 on the Richter scale. Review and Share Have volunteers read aloud the journal entries they wrote about earthquakes from the activity on page 281 of the teacher s pages. You might want to have students create a semantic map on all words related to earthquakes that they use. Distribute copies of the Semantic Map Graphic Organizer Model/Teach Distribute the Student Reproducible page 289. Before students begin the activity, do the. Have students complete the activity independently. Then ask them to share their responses. Independent Activities Create a Safety Preparedness Guide Before students start, allow them to work in small groups to develop a list of resources. Tell them to use at least two vocabulary words and three new content words they learned by using the Word Learning Tip and Vocabulary Building Strategy. Search for Destructive Words Tell students that newspapers, news magazines, stories on television, and sources on the Internet often report on the destruction caused by natural forces such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. Ask students to search for stories like this. Tell them to record at least three new content words that describe the destruction. Then they should explain how the Word Learning Tip and Vocabulary Building Strategy helped them determine the meaning of these words. 282 Chapter 3 Content Words Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources

4 Use Content Words Materials Needed Student Reproducible, p. 290 Getting Started Mystery Word of the Week Clue 3 I was in an earthquake once, but it wasn t a big one, just a little. Review and Share Allow time for students to share their preparedness guides from the activity on page 289. List the vocabulary words they use and any new earthquake words. Post their guides on the bulletin board to celebrate their success. Model/Teach Distribute the Student Reproducible page 290. Before students begin the activity, do the. Have students continue the activity on their own, filling in the blanks as they go. Ask a group of volunteers to do a dramatic reading of the story, including the filled-in words. Think Aloud The professor says that studying earthquakes is fun, but being in an earthquake isn t. I can believe that. She says, I like to be as far from the of a quake as possible, until it s over. Our job is to find the vocabulary word that fits in that blank. What part of an earthquake would I want to be far away from? Well, I d want to be far from any part of it, but especially the middle of it, or the center, where it s most intense. And I remember that there s a special word for the place on the surface that marks where the center of the quake is below the surface. It s called the epicenter. To check this, I would go over the other possibilities and eliminate them. For example, the professor wouldn t want to be as far as possible from the seismograph! She d want to be as close as possible to that. English Language Learners The topic of earthquakes provides a good opportunity to review safety words with English language learners. Write the following words on the chalkboard and review their meanings: caution, emergency, explosion, fire exit, fire extinguisher, first aid, flammable, hospital, warning. Ask students to suggest other safety words to add to this list. Independent Activity Ask the Geologist Present this activity as a kind of brainstorming task. Give students two to five minutes in which to read about geology or other Earth-related topics. Ask them to write down questions that come up and new content words they learned. Answer Key 1. epicenter 2. fault 3. seismograph 4. epicenter 5. seismograph 6. destruction 7. destruction 8. fault 9. tectonic plates 10. tectonic plates Lesson 19 Words About Earthquakes Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources 283

5 Words About Earthquakes Put Words Into Action Materials Needed Student Reproducible, p Ws and H Graphic Organizer, p. 419 Blackline Master of Transparency 2, p. 416 Getting Started Mystery Word of the Week Clue 4 If an earthquake registers at level 1 on the Richter scale, you will not feel a. Think Aloud I ll try the first sentence as a model for you. The first sentence is: The study of the movement of tells us that most earthquakes happen at the boundary between one huge mass of land and another. I think the word movement is important. I think about how it connects with earthquakes. What is it that moves and collides to create an earthquake? I remember that tectonic plates are the huge blocks that move and collide, so I write tectonic plates in the blank. Review and Share Have students read aloud the questions they would like to ask the geologist, from the activity on page 290. Briefly discuss where students might find out the answers to their questions. Interested students may wish to do research at home or in the library and report their findings. List all new content words they learned on a chart or word wall. Model/Teach Distribute the Student Reproducible page 291. Before students begin the activity, do the to introduce the activity. Invite students to complete the activity independently. Then ask them to share their responses. Independent Activities Write a News Article Distribute copies of the 5Ws and H Graphic Organizer. Tell students to answer the questions Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? before they write their news story. Learn Words About Earthquakes Distribute copies of the transparency blackline master. Ask students to record any new content words they learned when they read about Famous Earthquakes. Answer Key 1. tectonic plates 2. fault 3. epicenter 4. destruction 5. seismograph 6. epicenter 7. destruction 8. tectonic plates 9. seismograph 10. fault 284 Chapter 3 Content Words Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources

6 Review and Extend Materials Needed Student Reproducible, p. 292 Getting Started Review and Share Allow time for groups of students to use the news articles they wrote for the activity on page 291 to present to news show about earthquakes. Then collect all of their articles in a class booklet. Model/Teach Distribute the Student Reproducible page 292. Read the boxed information aloud and discuss the new bonus content words. Use the Mystery Word of the Week Clue 5 I looked for a protected area as soon as I felt the first of the earthquake. to introduce the activity. Have students complete the activity on their own. Then ask them to read the completed sentences aloud. Independent Activities Write a Legend Before students start, you might want them to find legends about earthquakes in the library. Legends from Hawaii and Japan are good sources. Make an Illustrated Glossary Review all of the words that were used this week about earthquakes. This list should include the vocabulary words and any other earthquake-related words students learned during the course of completing the activities. Ask students to create an illustrated glossary for these words to give to younger students or write a booklet, one page per vocabulary word, to give to them. Think Aloud The first item is, After the earthquake, a large opened up in the middle of Main Street, separating the two lanes by at least three feet. I hope not, at least not when I m driving! But let me show you how I d go about finding the right word to fill this blank. I have to check the bonus words as well as the vocabulary words, and I have to remember how the bonus words are used in relation to the topic because they do have other meanings as well. Let me think: a large something opens up in the middle of a street after an earthquake. A tectonic plate? No, a tectonic plate is a huge land mass. We re talking about a crack that would appear on a street. How about fault? That s close, but it doesn t quite fit. A fault would be already there, causing the quake; it wouldn t first open up like a crack at the time of the quake. What word means a crack in the earth? I know: it s one of the bonus words, fissure. Answer Key Mystery Word of the Week: tremor Accept other words that fit the context, too. 1. fissure 2. fault 3. tectonic plates 4. epicenter 5. destruction 6. magnitude Lesson 19 Words About Earthquakes Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources 285

7 Words About Earthquakes Check Your Mastery Materials Needed Student Reproducible, p. 293 Student Self-Assessment Journal Writing Have students write in response to this question: If you were reading a new subject that contained a lot of content words that you did not know, what would you do to learn these words? Give the Test Distribute the Student Reproducible page 293. Read aloud the directions: Circle the letter of the best answer. Make sure that students understand that they have to circle the letter and not the word. Model answering a question by writing the following on the chalkboard. A dangerous place to be during an earthquake is the. A. epicenter B. tectonic plates C. seismograph Ask students to select the best answer. Ask them to explain why A is the correct choice. Tell students to complete the rest of the activity on their own. Review the activity orally with students. Discuss any questions that need to be resolved about which answers are correct and why. Discuss how the Word Learning Tip and the Vocabulary Building Strategy helped students find correct responses for these two activities. Tally students correct responses. Answer Key 1. A 2. C 3. B 4. C 5. A 6. B 7. C 8. A 9. B 10. A 286 Chapter 3 Content Words Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources

8 Words About Earthquakes Learn Words About a New Subject Vocabulary Words destruction epicenter fault seismograph tectonic plates Word Learning Tip! When you read about a new subject, you may see new content words that you have not seen before in your everyday reading. These words are often the longest and most difficult words in the text. They tell something specific about the subject you are reading. To learn these new words, think about the big idea or subject of the paragraph. In this lesson, all content words tell about earthquakes. Vocabulary Building Strategy To learn the meaning of content words that tell about a new subject, make connections between the unknown word and the big idea or subject of what you are reading. The new word will tell something specific about the big idea or subject. Tie together the big idea and the meanings of other content words that you know to determine the exact meaning of an unknown content word. Directions Read the text below and look at the diagram on the next page. They describe an earthquake at sea. Think about how the boldface words connect to the big idea of earthquakes. Earthquake News August Issue Number 16 An Earthquake at Sea A Monthly Newsletter of Earthquest Earthquakes can occur under water as well as on land. The outer surface of the earth is called the crust. In an ocean, the crust is the ocean floor and is covered by water. This outer surface is made up of tectonic plates, huge blocks of rock that are constantly moving. When the plates on both sides of a fault or crack in the crust rub against each other, collide, or slide, the result may be an earthquake the trembling and shaking of the earth. These sudden shiftings in the earth s crust release a lot of energy. With the help of instruments such as the seismograph, we can not only tell how strong an earthquake is, but pinpoint its precise epicenter. Computer analyses may someday allow accurate prediction of earthquakes. Perhaps this information will help people prepare for some of the aftereffects, such as the mass destruction caused by huge waves. These waves, called tsunami, can create even more loss of life and property than the earthquakes caused. So an earthquake may start far out at sea when tectonic plates collide. Ships traveling over its epicenter will feel its force and be in danger. The huge wave created by the earthquake may be as high as a tall building. When it reaches land, this tsunami may cause flooding and sweep away things in its path. Many lives may be lost and there may be millions of dollars of damage to buildings and other property. The result of the earthquake at sea is destruction on land. Content Words Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources 287

9 L Words About Earthquakes Shock waves from quake overturn buildings, causing great destruction or disasters. epicenter tectonic plates crust mantle crust mantle A wave can be hundreds of feet high and cause destruction in coastal cities. fault line Movement along fault line causes shock waves. 288 Words About Earthquakes Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources

10 Words About Earthquakes Connect Words and Meanings destruction epicenter fault seismograph tectonic plates Directions Read each definition below. Choose the vocabulary word that best fits the definition and write it in the blank. Then complete the sentence that follows the definition. You may use your dictionary or the glossary to help you. 1. Definition the spot on the earth s surface that is directly above the place inside the earth where an earthquake begins 2. An earthquake actually begins deep below the spot that marks its 3. Definition a fracture or break in the earth s crust along which two blocks or plates move 4. The fracture known as the San Andreas runs along the San Francisco Bay area of California. 5. Definition the large blocks or pieces that move on the earth s surface 6. The outer layer of the earth is divided into large pieces or blocks called. 7. Definition an instrument that measures vibrations in the earth and is used to predict earthquakes 8. The powerful earthquake sent the needle of the rocking. 9. Definition great damage; loss of property and life 10. For residents of seacoasts in Japan and other earthquake-prone places, a huge wave called a tsunami can cause as much as the quake itself. Create a Safety Preparedness Guide People need to take precautions if they live in areas that are likely to have earthquakes. In addition, they need to know what to do during an earthquake. Write ten safety tips. You might use the Internet to help you or find brochures in the library put out by the government or organizations such as the American Red Cross. Use at least two vocabulary words in your guide and three new content words you learned by thinking about the Word Learning Tip and Vocabulary Building Strategy. Content Words Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources 289

11 Words About Earthquakes Use Content Words destruction epicenter fault seismograph tectonic plates Directions Visit a seismic observatory a place where earthquakes are studied with a professor of geology. Write the correct vocabulary words in the blanks below. Each word will be used twice. Studying earthquakes is fun, but being in one is terrifying, said Professor Elena Tucci. I like to be as far from the (1) of a quake as possible, until it s over. And I recommend not building a house on top of a (2) line. A (3) is a very useful tool. By comparing readings of the same quake from observatories round the world, we can calculate the precise (4) of the quake. Did you know that the (5) was invented by two Italian scientists in 1876? Their machine recorded earth tremors with pen and paper. That method is still used, but today I can get a readout on a computer screen, too. Professor, is it true that a huge wave called a tsunami can cause more (6) to a coastal city than the earthquake which caused the wave? asked a student. Absolutely. The tallest wave caused by an earthquake ever recorded occurred in 1958 in Alaska. It was 1,720 feet high. Imagine seeing something like that coming toward shore! Think about the (7) it could cause. Where are the major (8) lines in the world, Professor? asked another student. They occur at the boundaries between major land masses. The west coasts of North and South America are prime examples. So is the eastern rim of Asia, responded Professor Tucci. How many of those huge shifting land masses called (9) are there? Profession Tucci answered, The current data tell us that there are eight major (10) and several smaller ones. They keep the earth s crust constantly moving. Any more questions? Ask the Geologist What questions would you like to ask the professor about earthquakes? Write down two or more. Try to use a vocabulary word in each question and two new content words that you learned from reading about the big idea of this lesson or another subject about Earth. 290 Words About Earthquakes Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources

12 Words About Earthquakes Put Words Into Action destruction epicenter fault seismograph tectonic plates Directions Read the following article about famous earthquakes. Then write the correct vocabulary word in each blank. The study of the movement of (1) tells us that most earthquakes happen at the boundary between one huge mass of land and another. Most (2) lines lie along the boundaries, such as the eastern edge of Asia, the western edge of the Americas, and a Eurasian belt that runs through Turkey, the Himalaya Mountains, and North Africa. For example, Mexico City has been the (3) of numerous quakes. In September, 1985, a very strong quake with a terrible aftershock two days later killed 10,000 people. One of the modern earthquakes that caused the most (4) was a series of jolts in Tangshan, China, in July, It came without warning from deep in the earth, killing 242,000 unprepared people. In contrast, the great Alaska quake of 1964, which showed even more powerful readings on the (5), killed only 131 people, because it struck a thinly populated area. Its (6) was Prince William Sound. Because the shocks came from offshore, a large wave resulted. This wave, and not the quake itself, was the cause of most of the deaths. A more destructive wave caused by an earthquake killed 27,000 people in southern Japan in A wall of moving water can cause (7) thousands of miles from its origin. For example, a powerful quake in May, 1960, began in Chile, where it killed 5,000 people. But an additional 61 people were killed in Hawaii by the high water. A historic earthquake that would have surprised students who study the way (8) move was the New Madrid, Missouri quake of It was an unusual mid-continent quake that greatly changed the landscape. It brought severe aftershocks for more than a year, but caused few human deaths because there were no large cities nearby. Would a (9) have detected this quake? How many lives would have been saved if people had been prepared? Scientists can only estimate. And even today, though we know where the (10) lines are, we cannot yet predict earthquakes accurately. Write a News Article Imagine that you are in a city that has survived a major earthquake. Write a news article about what you see around you. Use all of your vocabulary words and as many other new content words that you have learned as you can. Content Words Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources 291

13 L Words About Earthquakes Review and Extend destruction epicenter fault seismograph tectonic plates Bonus Words Here are two new words relating to earthquakes. You may have never before encountered these words being used to tell about the movements of the earth, but now you know that they both have to do with the big idea of earthquakes. That gives you important information to use in determining their meanings. fissure magnitude a crack, such as in the earth the intensity or measured size of the earthquake Directions Read each item below. Choose the vocabulary word or the new bonus word that best fits the context. Write it in the blank. 1. After the earthquake, a large opened up in the middle of Main Street, separating the two lanes by at least three feet. 2. Where a exists, two masses of rock may move against each other or apart from each other. 3. The earth s crust consists of several large, slow-moving pieces. The movement of these can cause an earthquake. 4. The of a strong earthquake is likely to be a site of heavy damage. 5. The huge wave that comes after an earthquake can cause a lot of and deaths. 6. The Richter scale measures the or force of an earthquake. Most likely, people would not even feel a quake that measures only 1. Write a Legend Before people understood the actual cause of earthquakes, they created legends to explain them. Write a legend providing an imaginative explanation for an earthquake. For example, your legend might have trolls bowling deep within the earth. Use as many vocabulary words as you can. 292 Words About Earthquakes Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources

14 Words About Earthquakes Check Your Mastery Directions Circle the letter of the best answer. 1. If the ground under your right leg is moving away from the ground under your left leg, you are probably standing on top of a. A. fault B. seismograph C. destruction 2. An earthquake begins underground, and travels upward to the on the surface. A. seismograph B. tectonic plates C. epicenter 3. During the Han dynasty in ancient China, Chang Heng created a very early form of a, the instrument that detects earthquakes. A. destruction B. seismograph C. fault 4. One major or crack occurs at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean near Japan. A. seismograph B. tectonic plates C. fault 5. When you feel the earth tremble and shake, you know that the have collided or rubbed against one another. A. tectonic plates B. epicenter C. destruction 6. A is a pendulum-type instrument that measures the magnitude of earthquakes. A. destruction B. seismograph C. epicenter 7. When it reaches land, the huge wave called a tsunami can be as high as a very tall building and cause more than the actual quake. A. fault B. seismograph C. destruction 8. The further away from the of a quake you are, the less you will feel it. A. epicenter B. seismograph C. tectonic plates 9. There are fewer earthquakes in the Atlantic Ocean than in the Pacific Ocean because in the Pacific the are constantly colliding while in the Atlantic they are moving away from each other. A. destruction B. tectonic plates C. epicenter 10. An earthquake causes a lot of, so the cost to rebuild afterward can be very high. A. destruction B. tectonic plates C. fault Content Words Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources 293

15 DEFINITIONS destruction (di-struhk-shuhn) noun: great damage; loss of property and life epicenter (ep-uh-sent-ur) noun: the spot on the earth s surface that is directly above the place inside the earth where an earthquake begins fault (fawlt) noun: a fracture or break in the earth s crust alone which two blocks or plates move seismograph (size-muh-graf) noun: an instrument that measures vibrations in the earth and is used to predict earthquakes tectonic plates (tek-ton-ik-playts) noun: the large blocks or pieces that move on the earth s surface There are no symbols used in this pronunciation system (Scholastic Children s Dictionary, copyright 2002, 1996 Scholastic Inc.). Instead letters and letter combinations are used to stand for different sounds. 390 Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources

16 GLOSSARY D destruction (di-struhk-shuhn) noun: great damage; loss of property and life E epicenter (ep-uh-sent-ur) noun: the spot on the earth s surface that is directly above the place inside the earth where an earthquake begins F fault (fawlt) noun: a fracture or break in the earth s crust alone which two blocks or plates move S seismograph (size-muh-graf) noun: an instrument that measures vibrations in the earth and is used to predict earthquakes T tectonic plates (tek-ton-ik-playts) noun: the large blocks or pieces that move on the earth s surface Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources 405

17 Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success Transparency 2 Author s Big Idea or Subject is is connected to the is connected to the is connected to the is connected to the idea of idea of idea of idea of because because because because is connected to the idea of because 416 Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources

18 Graphic Organizers 5 Ws and H Chart Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources 419

19 Graphic Organizers Semantic Map Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources 423

20 Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources destruction (di-struhk-shuhn) seismograph (size-muh-graf) epicenter (ep-uh-sent-ur) tectonic plates (tek-ton-ik-playts) fault (fawlt)

21 noun: a fracture or break in the earth s crust alone which two blocks or plates move noun: the spot on the earth s surface that is directly above the place inside the earth where an earthquake begins noun: the large blocks or pieces that move on the earth s surface noun: great damage; loss of property and life noun: an instrument that measures vibrations in the earth and is used to predict earthquakes Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Combined Edition, Grade 6 Scholastic Teaching Resources