Gas Blowout Workshop Lesson Plan: Landslide or Not?

In this lesson, students apply principles of stratigraphy to investigate a large submarine landslide in the Atlantic Ocean off the coasts of Virginia and North Carolina. This slide, called the Albemarle-Currituck Slide, occurred approximately 18,000 years ago. It is estimated that over 33 cubic miles of material slid seaward from the edge of the continental shelf, possibly causing a tsunami that affected parts of eastern North America. Students will use information and data to infer whether observed 'cracks' in the continental shelf off the coast of the eastern United States point to a future undersea landslide. Educational levels: Middle school, High school