Understanding Tsunamis

The tsunami that shocked the world and devastated parts of Asia on December 26, 2004, brought global attention to this dangerous force of nature. To give your students a scientific perspective on tsunamis, here are some online resources to use in your classroom. Incorporating this material into your teaching will help you answer questions students may have about this historic geological happening.

• BrainPop - You can learn more about tsunamis by watching a presentation movie, then take an interactive quiz. Without a subscription to this site, you can watch two movies a day.
  
• Frequently Asked Questions About Tsunamis (from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
  International Tsunami Information Center provides this page of frequently asked questions about tsunamis. Many of the questions are relevant for students who have researched other tsunami-related links. Use the Recent Data link on the left side of the page to find data -- such as tsunami height and sea level -- that students can use in a spreadsheet or other analysis activity. A number of printable brochures, including the Great Waves brochure linked on the left side of the page also are available.
• Tsunami WebQuest 2004
• British Girl Saves Thailand Vacationers Thanks to Science Lesson
  A 10-year-old British girl saved 100 people in Phuket, Thailand, when she recognized signs of the approaching tsunami that occurred last week. According to Reuters, an international news agency, the girl had just learned about the science of tsunamis in school. She and her mother quickly warned hotel staff, who evacuated the beach minutes before the devastating tsunami hit. The beach was one of the few on the island where no one was killed.
• How Tsunamis Are Formed (06:50 min.) From DiscoverSchool.com
  An excellent video that helps give students a scientific perspective on tsunamis.
• How Tsunamis Work
  The devastation of this tsunami overshadowed the devastation of any other tsunami we've seen in recent history, but scientifically, the course of events followed the same basic sequence of a typical tsunami. This site looks at what causes tsunamis, the physics that drives them and the effects of a tsunami strike
• 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake From Wikipedia
  The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was a magnitude 9.0 undersea earthquake on December 26, 2004 which generated tsunamis that caused one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern history.
• Monster Waves
  Students will build a tabletop village and use it to visualize the relative height and effects of tsunamis. Included with the lesson plan is a reproducible article, Tremors Behind Tsunamis, that gives students background information on tsunamis and notes where they are likely to occur. The class, working in small groups, makes a replica of a seaside fishing village or port city to help them visualize the massive size of tsunamis and the destruction they can cause.
• SAVAGE EARTH Online
  This Internet site, maintained by the Public Broadcasting System (PBS), is an extension of the television series that explores the destructive power of earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis. Articles on the web site investigate the aftermath of events that have occurred in Earth's past. Students learn why these disasters occur and how scientists are developing new ways to detect and predict them. This site also contains computer animations that demonstrate the spreading of gigantic ocean waves and the movement of thrust faults and strike-slip faults. Video clips from the television broadcasts capture the massive power of these natural disasters. Color photographs show earthquake rubble, lava fountains, and the damage from tsunamis.
• Earth and Space Sciences (Geology and Geophysics) at University of Washington
  This site is maintained by the University of Washington Geophysics Program. Users can access links to public interest areas such as the Pacific Northwest Seismograph Network (PNSN) earthquake information, a list of recent earthquakes from PNSN, and tsunami information.
• Tsunami Theme Unit at edHelper
  Tsunami maps, quizzes, writing prompts, and other printables.
• Understanding Tsunamis (DiscoverySchool.com)
  Videos, classroom discussion questions and writing activities.
• The USC (University of Southern California) Tsunami Research Group
  Photos from several recent tsunamis and related tsunami information.
• Tsunami: The Big Wave (NASA’s Observatorium Teacher's guide)
• Tsunamis - Forces of Nature
• Ocean in Motion: Waves – Tsunamis
• Understanding Tsunamis (Dynamic Earth--Weather/Weather lesson plan (grades K-5) fromDiscoverySchool.com)
• Tsunami Warning
  Intended for elementary students, this online booklet contains 30 sequential pages of artwork and story
• Killer Wave! Tsunami (From National Geographic for Kids)