Learning Map
ScienceVolcanoes & Earthquakesusually ages 7–9

Why Earthquakes Happen

Understand that earthquakes happen when rocks underground suddenly move or break, releasing energy that shakes the ground

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

🖨 Print this page to keep the checklist — it prints beautifully.

Try this together

If your child felt a small tremor or saw footage of an earthquake, could they explain that it happens because rocks deep underground suddenly shift or crack?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on
What Is an Earthquakeages 5–7Understanding earthquake causes builds on knowing what an earthquake is
Why Earthquakes Happenthis skill · ages 7–9
Unlocks
Measuring Earthquake Strengthages 9–11Measuring earthquakes requires understanding what causes them
Plate Boundariesages 9–11Plate boundaries as earthquake cause builds on simpler causal model
Ring of Fireages 7–9Mapping patterns benefits from understanding earthquake causes
Tsunamisages 7–9Tsunamis also caused by earthquakes, so understanding earthquake causes helps

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Candidate matches to official curriculum codes — machine-suggested, unreviewed (v0.1).

Show candidate curriculum codes · 1 VIC

Australian Curriculum v9 candidate

This skill sits outside the F–6 Australian Curriculum — no candidate code matched (v0.1).

Victorian Curriculum 2.0 codes & levels only

VC2S6U06low confidenceScience · Levels 5 and 6 · Science Understanding strand

These are candidate alignments generated by semantic matching — machine-suggested and unreviewed (v0.1), not official or verified mappings. For official curriculum content see australiancurriculum.edu.au, curriculum.nsw.edu.au and f10.vcaa.vic.edu.au. Don’t rely on them for registration or compliance purposes.

Nearby on the map

Active, Dormant & Extinctages 7–9 Earth's Layersages 7–9 Inside a Volcanoages 7–9 Pompeii & Vesuviusages 7–9

All Volcanoes & Earthquakes skills →