Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Monster Waves

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners investigate tsunamis by creating a tabletop village and use it to visualize the relative height and effects of tsunamis. Each group builds a difference section of the city or village and as a class they decide who build what and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Forces of Change

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders discuss various ways in which landforms change over time. They, in groups, research and create a reference book about landform change including tsunamis, earthquakes, weathering, erosion and volcanic eruptions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tsunamis by the Book

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students use the Internet and other sources to investigate tsunamis. They construct books listing several tsunami facts and cite their sources. They read their books to another class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Science of Tsunamis: Seeking Understanding in the Wake of Tragedy

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students use Internet research, articles, discussion and models to explore the dynamics of a tsunami. They focus on the 2004 Asian Tsunami and create posters illustrating their understanding of this phenomenon.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

World's Most Dynamic Force

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore the Earth's forces. They review an assessment task and its accompanying rubric. They classify ten items as long-term or short-term interactions of the Earth's components and rank the destructive impact of the forces. ...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Calm After the Storm

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students create posters providing information about Sri Lanka's history and society both before and after the tsunami. They write response papers considering the future of this small country devastated by the natural disaster.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Tsunamis"

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students visit a PBS Website about tsunamis to consider their causes, effects and steps countries have taken to try to defend against them. They answer questions and create a brochure explaining tsunami facts and procedures to survive a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Did This Happen?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students use websites and discussion to investigate the 2004 Asian Tsunami. Students identify the Indian Ocean coastline's physical, political and human geography features and consider how they affected loss of life and property in those...
Unit Plan
Burke Museum

Burke Museum: The Big One

For Students 9th - 10th
This is the introduction to the Burke Museum's online exhibit on earthquakes and natural disasters. This is part of the Burke Museum's collection of geology. Topics that are covered include an introduction to quakes, quake science, quake...
Handout
Burke Museum

Burke Museum: Tsunamis

For Students 9th - 10th
The information on tsunamis provided at this site is part of the Burke Museum's online exhibition on earthquakes and geology. Prevention is discussed, along with famous tsunamis in history.
Interactive
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Volcanic Eruptions and Hazards

For Students 9th - 10th
This interactive resource adapted from the National Park Service illustrates the difference between explosive and effusive volcanic eruptions, as well as the hazards that can result, including lahars, tsunamis, and lava flows.
Website
University of Southern California

University of Southern California:tsunami Research Group

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides a world map of locations of past tsunamis, some video/animations of tsunamis, and a list of additional links to related topics.
Website
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution: Tsunami: An Interactive Guide

For Students 9th - 10th
A complete, interactive learning activity covering the science of tsunamis, preparedness, research, and historical tsunamis. Excellent animations and real, historical recordings of survivors allow the learner to experience what happens...
Article
PBS

Pbs Nova: Wave of the Future

For Students 9th - 10th
This media-rich essay from NOVA Online describes the challenges involved in installing a warning system for tsunamis in the Indian Ocean.
Website
US Geological Survey

Usgs: Surviving a Tsunami

For Students 9th - 10th
Here's a common sense site about what to do in case you are in the area of a tsunami. This site is very interesting in that it provides lots of pictures of the damage a tsunami can do. Lessons were learned after these particular tsunamis.
Unit Plan
NOAA

Noaa: National Weather Service: Jetstream: Tsunamis

For Students 9th - 10th
Online school for weather presents an abundance of information about tsunamis. Explore how they form, where they occur, how to prepare for one, and how to survive one. A review quiz and lesson plans are included for further enhancement...
Handout
Other

Earthquakes Canada: Tools for Teachers

For Students 9th - 10th
This webpage offers an excellent collection of teaching resources about earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, and much more. An extensive and extremely well-organized list of "frequently asked questions" regarding the topic, and live...
Website
Ready

Ready

For Students 9th - 10th
Explore the Ready website for an overview of how families and businesses can prepare for emergencies, threats, and disasters by building kits, making plans, and staying informed. Find safety information about biological threats,...
Lesson Plan
Teachnology

Teachnology: Guide to Tsunamis

For Teachers 9th - 10th
For any educator preparing a teaching theme/unit on tsunamis, this is the site for you! Links to a myriad of lesson plans, worksheets, interactive sites, teacher resources, and much more are all found on this one site.
Website
NOAA

Noaa: Center for Tsunami Research

For Students 9th - 10th
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's site for tsunami research of improved measurement technology, development and implementation of improved models and improved methods to predict tsunami impacts on the population and...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Survive That Tsunami!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students use a table-top-sized tsunami generator to observe the formation and devastation of a tsunami. They see how a tsunami moves across the ocean and what happens when it reaches the continental shelf. Students make villages of model...
Article
University of Washington

University of Washington: A Survey of Great Tsunamis

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource opens up with a clickable map that will provide information on eight different tsunamis, such as the 1929 Grand Banks tsunami, the 1975 Hawaiian tsunami, and several others. Basic information and the damage caused by each...
Website
PBS

Wnet: Thirteen: Savage Earth Online

For Students 6th - 8th
PBS produced "Savage Earth," a television series about volcanoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis. Contains extensive information with great graphics.
Unit Plan
PBS

Wnet: Thirteen: Savage Earth: Waves of Destruction: Tsunami

For Students 9th - 10th
This series of three articles (links) give basic information, describe the different causes of tsunamis, warning systems, past tsunamis and the evidence and destruction left by these waves. Animations are provided that illustrate...