Yvonne Norman
G 355 – Lesson Plan
Professor Barbara Shaw
23 May 2009
Tsunami
Description: This unit is designed for sixth graders. Students will participate in various activities
to learn about tsunami waves. They will take notes in their lab books as they learn new
information. Students will make posters to show what they have learned. This unit on tsunamis
will take all week – 5 class periods. Two parent helpers will be needed on the first day. The first
day is best spent outside where the kids can run and make a mess.
Day one:
We will rotate through these stations:
 Are you faster than a tsunami?
 Waves: wind or earth movement?
 Meteor, Calving Iceberg or Volcano flow, Earthquake – can you recreate the tsunami
from each of these?
Day two: Power point presentation and experimenting with Slinkys to see waves travel.
Day three:
 Legends (Beginning on page 38 of “Tsunami Curriculum K-6”.
http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/TERK/tsunami_ready_educationcd/start_here.html#cur )
 Questions?
 Begin work on posters – students will take them home to work on as well.
Day four: Protect the town from a tsunami! On this day the students will work in teams of 4 to
design and build a structure that could protect a town from a tsunami. They will test their
structures in the child size swimming pool I will bring in. At one side of the pool will be a sandy
beach with houses on it, a dock, a boat, etc. (whatever the kids want). I will have available some
wood, nails, small Ziploc bags, sand, waterproof clay, bricks, rocks, wood, etc. At the other end
of the pool will be the tsunami simulator (A piece of tile at the bottom that you lift up by a string,
or any other contraption you want to build). This will displace water from below and create a
non-crested wave – a tsunami wave. (see page 21 of “Tsunami Curriculum K-6”. This is where I
got the above idea.
http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/TERK/tsunami_ready_educationcd/start_here.html#cur )
The testing of wave stopping/slowing structures will probably continue into the next day. Be
flexible.
Day five: If needed, finish testing the students’ structures. Students will display their posters in
the classroom and spend some time looking at them. At the end of class they will take the “test”.
Note: This could also be used in any of the k-12 school grades with only a little adjustment.
This unit will offer students opportunities to:
 Think critically as they design and invent devices to stop a wave
 Work in a group
 Record and analyze data
 Create a data chart
 Practice creative writing (the legend)
 Practice their drawing skills
 Learn about safety concerns surrounding tsunamis
 Experiment with the causes of a tsunami
 Explore causes of ocean waves
 Share what they have learned
Grade level(s) & benchmark(s) addressed:
It is essential that these standards be addressed in contexts that promote scientific inquiry, use of
evidence, critical thinking, making connections, and communication.
Grade 4:
4.1 Structure and Function: Living and non-living things can be classified by their
characteristics and properties.
4.1P.1 (In part) Describe the properties of forms of energy and how objects vary in the extent to which
they absorb, reflect, and conduct energy.
4.3 Scientific Inquiry: Scientific inquiry is a process of investigation through questioning,
collecting, describing, and examining evidence to explain natural phenomena and
artifacts.
4.3S.1 Based on observations identify testable questions, design a scientific investigation, and collect
and record data consistent with a planned scientific investigation.
4.3S.2 Summarize the results from a scientific investigation and use the results to respond to the
question being tested.
4.3S.3 Explain that scientific claims about the natural world use evidence that can be confirmed and
support a logical argument.
4.4 Engineering Design: Engineering design is a process of using science principles to solve
problems generated by needs and aspirations.
4.4D.1 Identify a problem that can be addressed through engineering design using science principles.
4.4D.2 Design, construct, and test a prototype of a possible solution to a problem using appropriate tools,
materials, and resources.
4.4D.3 Explain how the solution to one problem may create other problems.
Grade 5:
5.2 Interaction and Change: Force, energy, matter, and organisms interact within living and
non-living systems.
5.2P.1 (in part) Describe how friction, gravity, and magnetic forces affect objects on or near Earth.
5.3 Scientific Inquiry: Scientific inquiry is a process of investigation based on science
principles and questioning, collecting, describing, and examining evidence to explain
natural phenomena and artifacts.
5.3S.1 Based on observations and science principles, identify questions that can be tested, design an
experiment or investigation, and identify appropriate tools. Collect and record multiple
observations while conducting investigations or experiments to test a scientific question or
hypothesis.
5.3S.2 Identify patterns in data that support a reasonable explanation for the results of an investigation or
experiment and communicate findings using graphs, charts, maps, models, and oral and written
reports.
5.3S.3 Explain the reasons why similar investigations may have different results.
5.4 Engineering Design: Engineering design is a process of using science principles to make
modifications in the world to meet human needs and aspirations.
5.4D.1 Using science principles describe a solution to a need or problem given criteria and constraints.
5.4D.2 Design and build a prototype of a proposed engineering solution and identify factors such as cost,
safety, appearance, environmental impact, and what will happen if the solution fails.
5.4D.3 Explain that inventions may lead to other inventions and once an invention exists, people may
think of novel ways of using it.
Grade 6:
6.1 Structure and Function: Living and non-living systems are organized groups of related
parts that function together and have characteristics and properties.
6.1P.2 (in part) Compare and contrast the characteristic properties of forms of energy.
6.1E.1 (in part) Describe and compare the properties and composition of the layers of Earth.
6.2 Interaction and Change: The related parts within a system interact and change.
6.2P.1 Describe and compare types and properties of waves and explain how they interact with matter.
6.3 Scientific Inquiry: Scientific inquiry is the investigation of the natural world based on
observation and science principles that includes proposing questions or hypotheses,
and developing procedures for questioning, collecting, analyzing, and interpreting
accurate and relevant data to produce justifiable evidence-based explanations.
6.3S.1 Based on observation and science principles propose questions or hypotheses that can be
examined through scientific investigation. Design and conduct an investigation that uses
appropriate tools and techniques to collect relevant data.
6.3S.2 Organize and display relevant data, construct an evidence-based explanation of the results of an
investigation, and communicate the conclusions.
6.3S.3 Explain why if more than one variable changes at the same time in an investigation, the outcome
of the investigation may not be clearly attributable to any one variable.
6.4 Engineering Design: Engineering design is a process of identifying needs, defining
problems, developing solutions, and evaluating proposed solutions.
6.4D.1 Define a problem that addresses a need and identify science principles that may be related to
possible solutions.
6.4D.2 Design, construct, and test a possible solution to a defined problem using appropriate tools and
materials. Evaluate proposed engineering design solutions to the defined problem.
6.4D.3 Describe examples of how engineers have created inventions that address human needs and
aspirations.
P=Physical science; L=Life science; E=Earth and Space science; S=Scientific inquiry; D=Design (engineering)
Adopted by Oregon State Board of Education February 20, 2009
Materials and Costs:
List the equipment and non-consumable materials, and estimated cost of each:
 Rocks - $3.97 at Home Depot for a big bag, or free if you have some in your yard or want
to collect while hiking, at the beach, etc.
 2 Plastic boxes - $5.00 on sale just about anywhere – total $10.00
 Bricks – 40 cents each at Home Depot – (I bought 7) – total $2.80
 Sand - $3.99 for a big bag at Home Depot, or free from the beach or river
 A ceramic tile – About $2.00 or some wood and hinges – About $4.00 (at Home Depot)



Metal Slinkys - $2.99 each at Target (I bought 9) – total $27.
Child size pool - $15.00 on sale at Fred Meyer
Lacrosse ball to simulate meteor – brought one from home
Estimated total, one-time, start-up cost: $65.00
List the consumable supplies and estimated cost for presenting to a class of 30 students:
 Modeling clay - $3.99 at Michael’s
 Poster board – A pack of 10 is less than $5.00 at Office Depot
 Kids can use their own markers and glue
Estimated total cost each year: $20.00
Time:
Initial prep time: 4 hours to do the shopping and put together the boxes.
Preparation time: 20 minutes each class
Instruction/Activity time: 40 minutes each class
Clean-up time: 10 minutes each class - with the kids’ help
Assessment - How will I evaluate the kid’s understanding, as well as my teaching?
I will evaluate their wave slowing/stopping inventions and also will evaluate their posters based
on the following criteria:
Tsunami Poster Criteria
Your poster can be designed in any fashion and any size. It can be made by hand or on the computer.
Refer to the notes in your lab book. Include the following when making your poster:

Safety tips – what to do before, during, and after a tsunami.

Tell about 3 events that could cause a tsunami.

Explain the characteristics of a tsunami wave.

How is a tsunami wave different than a wind driven wave?

A legend about tsunamis (one you learned in class or your own). Make sure you title it as a
legend to not confuse people with the facts on your poster.

At least one picture or diagram that you have drawn.

Make at least one chart representing data you collected while learning about tsunamis.
I will also have them take the following “test” (more of a review) on day five. It is nice to
sometimes have a test that is a “gimme”. Kids need breaks too! :
www.tsunami.noaa.gov/pdfs/Tsunami-Trivia.pdf
Background: The basics of tsunamis:
The below information is found at:
http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/tsunami/tsunamis101.asp
Tsunamis 101
Say tsunami and up pops a mental image of a single, giant wave rising out of the
ocean to swallow cities whole. In reality, tsunamis (meaning 'harbour wave' in
Japanese) are a series of waves that start small and grow as they approach land.
They are the result of oceans attempting to smooth out their surface after a
disturbance.
Tsunamis are triggered by any phenomenon that causes a large part of the water’s
surface to rise or drop relative to normal sea level. These events are usually the
result of earthquakes occurring along undersea fault lines, the cracks in the earth’s
crust between tectonic plates. When these plates collide or grind against each other,
they can elevate, lower, or tilt major sections of the ocean floor, suddenly offsetting
the level of water at the surface. The displaced water then rushes to level out,
causing a tsunami. The waves travel outward in all directions from the place where
the earthquake occurred, just like the ripples created when a stone is thrown into a
lake.
Tsunamis can also be caused by undersea volcanic eruptions, landslides, or
explosions on the surface, such as the 1917 Halifax harbour explosion that sent 10metre-high waves crashing into the city. It has also been suggested that asteroids or
other extraterrestrial bodies could cause tsunamis if they plummet into large bodies
of water, but there have been no examples of this in recent history.
A popular misconception is that tsunamis are monstrous waves that scour the ocean
destroying everything in their path. The displacements caused by earthquakes and
other cataclysms move huge masses of water, but they do not dramatically shift the
surface level. Tsunami waves travelling in the open ocean can travel hundreds of
kilometres per hour, but they are usually less than one metre high and their crests
can be up to a hundred kilometres apart. They can be virtually invisible from the air
and, for ships, be indistinguishable from the normal movement of the ocean. It is
when these waves make landfall that they achieve their destructive potential. There
are stories of fishermen who had no idea that a tsunami had struck their villages
because they were too far out in the ocean to see or feel any waves at all.
As the ocean becomes shallower near the coast, tsunami waves slow down,
compressing and directing their energy and volume upward, some rising to
amplitudes of over 50 metres and annihilating whatever they encounter. Depending
on the depth and slope of the coastline, it is also possible for the tsunami waves to
wash over the shore like a flood or rapid current, as they did in the widely televised
video footage taken in Thailand during the recent disaster in Southeast Asia.
Generally, coasts and islands with steep fringes or surrounded by barrier reefs are
safer than those with gradually rising fringes or those that are exposed to open
ocean. This is because reefs can absorb much of the oncoming waves’ impact and
deep coastlines do not allow tsunamis to slow down and grow into deadly towers of
water.
Jan Dutkiewicz
Safety:
 When in coastal areas, stay alert for tsunami warnings.
 Plan an evacuation route that leads to higher ground.
 Know the warning signs of a tsunami: rapidly rising or falling coastal waters
and rumblings of an offshore earthquake.
 Never stay near shore to watch a tsunami come in.
 A tsunami is a series of waves. Do not return to an affected coastal area until authorities
say it is safe.
Here is the information to have posted at each station on the first day:

Are you faster than a tsunami?
Have a partner time you as you run one time around the track. Calculate how many miles
per hour you ran. Write this in your lab book and tomorrow you will see how fast you run
compared to a tsunami wave.

Waves: wind or earth movement?
Blow on the water from the edge of the tank – what happens?
Lift up the string – what happens?
Which represents the wind?
Which represents water being displaced from under the ocean?
Hypothesize what may have happened to displace water under the ocean.
Write your findings and your hypothesis in your lab book.

Meteor, Calving Iceberg, Volcanic Flow, Earthquake – can you recreate the tsunami from
each of these?
Drop a ball into the water. Hold a brick on the edge of the tank and let it fall into the
water. Dump in some sand. Bang on the table in various places around the tank. Can you
see how each of these causes water to move? Record your results in your lab book.
This entire lesson plan, including the power point for day two, can be found at:
http://www.sciencea2z.com/z_etomite/index.php?id=82 Look for the lab titled “Tsunami”.
Detailed information about tsunamis can be found at the websites below.
Additional Resources:
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/dynamicearth/ (lesson idea for
studying waves in a box)
http://www.ess.washington.edu/tsunami/images/tsulg.jpg (diagram of wind and tsunami waves)
http://cache.eb.com/new-multimedia/bigimages/equake010.jpg (diagram of earthquake under
water)
http://www.tsunami.noaa.gov/kids.html (lesson ideas, activities and links)
http://nctr.pmel.noaa.gov/indo_1204.html (scientific animation links)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzR0Rt3i4kc (animation with crabs and singing)
http://ioc3.unesco.org/itic/files/tsunami_glossary_small.pdf (glossary of tsunami terms)
http://tsunami2009.blogspot.com/ (credit for title photo)
http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/TERK/tsunami_ready_educationcd/start_here.html#cur (resources
and curriculum)
http://www.cassingham.com/tsunami2.html (information on size and speed of tsunamis)
http://www.tsunami.org/faq.html (This site from the Pacific Tsunami Museum is rich in
information.)
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/savageseas/multimedia/wavemachine.html [wave simulator – kids can
choose wind speed, fetch (nautical miles), and duration (how long the wind has been blowing in
that direction). This is an extension if you want to also talk about normal waves]
http://teachengineering.org/index.php (has other ideas for making a tsunami in a box, and
associated activities)