ShakeAlert Ready – ShakeAlert

Your school has taken the critical step to protect your community by installing the ShakeAlert® Earthquake Early Warning EEW) System. Your school is now Powered by ShakeAlert! This new safety tool could give your staff and students seconds of warning to Drop, Cover, and Hold On before damaging shaking from an earthquake reaches you.

Intentional, inclusive, and ongoing education to all members of your school community is vital to EEW’s effectiveness. The goal for everyone to Drop, Cover, and Hold On when they feel shaking or receive an EEW alert immediately and without hesitation requires ongoing practice.

To help enhance the safety of your community, the U.S. Geological Survey and ShakeAlert partners in California, Oregon, and Washington are providing these resources.

ShakeAlert Ready Resources

School Plan

Staff Back to School Presentation

Staff Professional Development

Parent / Community Presentation

School Plan

ShakeAlert Ready School Plan

Staff Back to School Presentation

Intended Time of Year: (August / September)

(3 minutes) This presentation is designed to be a brief introduction or reminder of the EEW, how it works, and how to respond. Speaker notes are provided.

PowerPoint Note: Click “Enable Content” when you open PowerPoint files. This will ensure all animations, video and audio work correctly.

Staff Back to School Presentation (slides)

Staff Professional Development

Intended Time of Year: (1-3 weeks before earthquake drill lessons taught)

(30 minutes) This presentation is designed to prepare K-12 teachers to teach ShakeAlert-powered earthquake drill lessons.

PowerPoint Note: Click “Enable Content” when you open PowerPoint files. This will ensure all animations, video and audio work correctly.

Lesson Professional Development (slides)

Parent / Community Presentation

At a Meeting of Adult Caregivers

(6 minutes) This presentation is designed to be shared at a PTA, PTO, or other parent organization meeting. Speaker notes are provided.

PowerPoint Note: Click “Enable Content” when you open PowerPoint files. This will ensure all animations, video and audio work correctly.

Parent / Community Presentation (slides)

ShakeAlert-powered Earthquake Drill

K-2 Lesson

3-5 Lesson

6-8 Lesson

9-12 Lesson

K-2 Lesson

Intended Time of Year: (e.g. Great ShakeOut in October)

Family Engagement Letter
Teachers will send this home after conducting their ShakeAlert-powered earthquake drill.
Family Engagement Letter (English)
Family Engagement Letter (Spanish)

1st grade student sheet
2nd grade student sheet

(Two 30-minute lessons) Lesson to teach EEW, and practice Drop, Cover, Hold On. Student sheet for K, 1st, and 2nd provided.
OPTIONAL: Print the story, Rocket’s Earthquake Safety Adventure.
OPTIONAL: Print or buy Rocket’s Earthquake Safety Activity Book.
OPTIONAL: Encourage schools to sign up for RocketLive!, a 20 minute interactive live earthquake lesson that integrates EEW. (Website LINK, Form LINK)

PowerPoint Note: Click “Enable Content” when you open PowerPoint files. This will ensure all animations, video and audio work correctly.

K-2 Lesson (slides)

3-5 Lesson

3rd grade student sheet
3rd grade ANSWER KEY
4th-5th grade student sheet
4th-5th grade ANSWER KEY

(60 minutes) Lesson to teach EEW, and practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Student sheet for 3rd, and 4th-5th provided.

OPTIONAL: Provide schools with one Giant SlinkyⓇ, 8 small metal Slinkies, or 8 – 2-meter lengths of rope, and a roll of masking tape per classroom.

PowerPoint Note: Click “Enable Content” when you open PowerPoint files. This will ensure all animations, video and audio work correctly.

3-5 Lesson (slides)

6-8 Lesson

(30 minutes) Lesson to teach EEW, and practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On.
OPTIONAL: Provide students with an OreoⓇ and fun-size Milky WayⓇ for plate tectonics model.
PowerPoint Note: Click “Enable Content” when you open PowerPoint files. This will ensure all animations, video and audio work correctly.

6-8 Lesson (slides)

9-12 Lesson

(15 minutes) Lesson to teach EEW, and practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On.

PowerPoint Note: Click “Enable Content” when you open PowerPoint files. This will ensure all animations, video and audio work correctly.

9-12 Lesson (slides)

ShakeAlert Ready – K-12 School Communities is for the entire school community. Partnership coordinators Katrina Arras (karras@pps.net) and Roger Groom (rgroom@pps.net) provide cost-free assistance in planning or implementing your ShakeAlert Ready plan. Services they offer include presenting at parent group meetings, professional development gatherings, staff meetings, or working with staff to prepare or model activities. Feel free to share ideas about the EEW resources that would be helpful in your school community!

Now that your school is Powered by ShakeAlert, let’s work together to provide awareness, learning, and increased resilience for all members of your school community.

Explore additional ShakeAlert resources on ShakeAlert.org.