1. Tsunami Activity Notes – Background Information
Video – The Making of a Tsunami
Article – Surviving the Tsunami
National Geographic – Unforgettable Pictures
Video – The Wave That Shook The World

2. Background Information
A tsunami (pronounced sue-nahm-ee) is a series of huge waves that can cause great devastation and loss of life when they strike a coast.
Tsunamis are caused by an underwater earthquake, a volcanic eruption, a submarine rockslide, or, more rarely, by an asteroid or meteoroid crashing into in the water from space.

3. Background Information
Most tsunamis are caused by underwater earthquakes, but not all underwater earthquakes cause tsunamis - an earthquake has to be over about magnitude 6.75 on the Richter scale for it to cause a tsunami.
About 90 percent of all tsunamis occur in the Pacific Ocean.

4. Background Information
Many tsunamis could be detected before they hit land, and the loss of life could be minimized, with the use of modern technology
including seismographs (which detect earthquakes)
computerized offshore buoys that can measure changes in wave height
a system of sirens on the beach to alert people of potential tsunami danger.

5. Background Information
If you see the water recede quickly and unexpectedly from a beach (this is called drawback), run toward higher ground or inland -- there may be a tsunami coming.
Also, if you are on the coast and there is an earthquake, it may have caused a tsunami, so run toward higher ground or inland.

6. Background Information
The word tsunami comes from the Japanese word meaning "harbor wave."
Tsunamis are sometimes incorrectly called "tidal waves" -- tsunamis are not caused by the tides (tides are caused by the gravitational force of the moon on the sea).
Regular waves are caused by the wind.

7. Background Information
The Speed of a Tsunami:
A tsunami can travel at well over 970 km/hr (600 mph) in the open ocean - as fast as a jet flies.
It can take only a few hours for a tsunami to travel across an entire ocean. A regular wave (generated by the wind) travels at up to about 90 km/hr.

8. Video – The Making of a Tsunami
Watch the following video and answer the questions on your sheet. The Making of a Tsunami

9. Article – Surviving the Tsunami
Lauren Tarshis describes in this article the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan last March as one of the most challenging she’s ever written. After countless hours of research, the compelling and heartfelt story she wanted to tell continued to elude her. Her breakthrough came when she found an obscure article from the Japan Times about a group of middle school students credited with saving the lives of hundreds of other students and teachers. Lauren contacted the article’s author, Setsuko Kamiya, who agreed to re-interview the students and their teacher. With Setsuko’s help, Lauren was able to craft this incredible narrative for you. *Read the article and answer the questions*

10. National Geographic – Unforgettable Pictures
You will be shown a series of pictures. Look at the pictures and answer the questions on your sheet after you have seen ALL the pictures.

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National Geographic – Unforgettable Pictures

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National Geographic – Unforgettable Pictures

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National Geographic – Unforgettable Pictures

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National Geographic – Unforgettable Pictures

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National Geographic – Unforgettable Pictures

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National Geographic – Unforgettable Pictures

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National Geographic – Unforgettable Pictures

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National Geographic – Unforgettable Pictures

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National Geographic – Unforgettable Pictures

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National Geographic – Unforgettable Pictures

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National Geographic – Unforgettable Pictures

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National Geographic – Unforgettable Pictures

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National Geographic – Unforgettable Pictures

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National Geographic – Unforgettable Pictures

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National Geographic – Unforgettable Pictures

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National Geographic – Unforgettable Pictures

27. Video – The Wave That Shook The World
Watch the NOVA video and answer the questions on your sheet. The video is approximately 50 minutes long. The Wave That Shook the World