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Teaching Resources for the Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami
March 14, 2011 | Eric BrunsellThe devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan is on the minds of all of us, including our students. The event and aftermath is tragic and the continuing nuclear emergency is a reminder of how fragile society can be. As educators, we can help our students make sense of these events and give them the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of their world.
In their book, Comprehension and Collaboration, Daniels and Harvey provide a comprehensive vision of what inquiry can look like in the classroom. They describe the following components that can easily be used to bring the Japanese earthquake into your classroom.
Immerse: Invite Curiosity and Wonder
Introduce the topic by asking your students what they already know about the disaster. Follow this by brainstorming a list of "wonderings" that students have. You may want to set the context for the discussion by reading a small excerpt from a news article or by showing a video.
Investigate: Develop Questions, Search for Information, and Discover Answers
Individuals or small groups select and refine a broad question that they find interesting. You should help students with their question so that it provides an opportunity for them to delve into a topic and consider multiple sources of information. Students can use the web, library resources, and other media to search for information.
Coalesce: Synthesize Information and Build Knowledge
Students should identify a small number of "knowledge claims" that they have learned from their research. These claims should be supported by evidence from multiple media sources.
Go Public: Demonstrate Understanding and Share Learning
Students can share their learning in a variety of ways. For example, they can create newspaper articles, videos, audio podcasts, posters, or infographics.
The resources below provide a variety of perspectives on the Japanese earthquake. Some of the resources may not be suitable for all children.
Talking with Kids about Catastrophes
- SFGate: Talking to Kids about the Japanese Earthquake
- WFAA: Talking to Children about the Earthquake in Japan
Plate Tectonics
- USGS: Earthquakes for Kids
- How Stuff Works: Tsunamis
- Universe Today: Pacific Ring of Fire
- CBS News Online: Pacific Ring of Fire (video)
- Yahoo Kids! Plate Tectonics Page
Infographics
Earthquakes & Tsunamis
- Scholastic: Reading the Richter Scale
- CBS News: How Earthquakes are Measured
- U.S. Department of State: U.S. Geologists Explain Science Behind Japanese Earthquakes
- New York Times Interactive: How Shifting Plates Caused the Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan
- BBC: Japan's Earthqauke
- Yahoo! News: Japan Earthquake & Tsunami video collection
- Scientific American: The Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
- Scientific American: How Does an Earthquake Trigger Tsunamis Thousands of Miles Away?
- BBC: Japan Earthquake - Footage of Moment Tsunami hit
- Australian Broadcast Corporation: Japan Earthquake Before and After (images)
- National Geographic: Tsunami Facts in Wake of Japan Earthquake
- National Geographic: Tsunami Waves Hit U.S.
- CBS: Pacific Northwest at risk for quake like Japan's
- NOAA: Tsunami Page
Earthquake and Tsunami Safety
- Public Radio International: Japan's Earthquake Resistant Buildings
- Scientific American: Seconds Before the Big One - Progress in Earthquake Alarms
- MSNBC: How Quake Prediction Works (or not)
- Japan's Earthquake Early Warning system
- NOAA: How Does a Tsunami Warning System Work?
Nuclear Reactors
- How Stuff Works: How Nuclear Power Works
- How a Nuclear Reactor Works (animation)
- New York Times: Radioactive Releases in Japan Could Last Months
- The Guardian's Nuclear Power page
- U.S. Department of Energy: Impact of Radiation on Humans
- CNN Dr. Gupta: Radiation Fears in Sendai
Helping
This post also appears as an NSTABlog.
Comments (6)
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Thank you for the
Thank you for the resources.
I created two PhysicsQuests that are appropriate for 9-12 graders
1. Waves in Nature
http://physicsquest.homestead.com/quest15.html
It is divided into two sections: Earthquakes and Tsunamis.
2. Atomic and Nuclear Physics
http://physicsquest.homestead.com/nuclear.html
This activity explores nuclear fission and fusion.
In both activities the students will answer questions by reading and synthesizing the information given in the links.
Earthquake and tsunami were
Earthquake and tsunami were the reasons for the thousands of lives taken in the country of Japan.
On March 11, the nation of Japan was devastated by an earthquake and tsunami. During these events, the Fukushima nuclear energy building was destroyed, which led to two separate explosions.
I read this here: Fukushima reactor explosion could mean end of nuclear power Three of the 6 reactors at the Fukushima building were destroyed, 2 of which suffered explosions as a result. Analysts fear that the incident signals a possible conclusion of the nuclear power industry.
By this, I know that many people were traumatized by the said force of nature. I can imagine and hear the cry of many people there and it sounds pitiful for them. If someone could rescue them but by the fact that we cannot control the nature from being destructive in a sense that there could be next properties will be annihilated. I hope they could find peace.
Ryan, If this is your
Ryan,
If this is your students first time doing an inquiry / research project, you should have them work in small groups. Start by brainstorming questions, but help them select one that is constrained. Provide them with specific resources in order to help them initially find information. Then, give them a specific format for summarizing what they have learned -- they should use specific evidence from their research to support any claims that they make about their question.
In addition, as they select an article or online resource to read / view, they should make sure they keep their question in mind as they read.
Initially, it is also helpful to model this process with students. It can often be overwhelming the first time, but as they have more experience, they become more adept at the process.
I don't want to sound like an advertiser, but the book that I reference at the beginning provides a lot of resources for inquiry skill development (in literacy) and a variety of inquiry models (from very short to long projects).
"Tsunami Wave Physics" Google Search Results
Dear Colleagues,
Just in case the Google Docs link does NOT work for some computer users
(I just tried to copy it at an online yahoo group and received a screen message: "Permission Denied"...)
Do a Google Search for "Tsunami Wave Physics" and look for the first page listing that reveals it is a PowerPoint Presentation (PPT):
here enclosed...
Google Search Result:
[PPT] Physics of Tsunami - 2 visits - 6:41pmFile Format: Microsoft Powerpoint - "Quick View" (this is the Google docs link!!!)
Physics of Tsunami. By: Febdian Rusydi. Aree Witolear ... Unlike a normal wave, energy of a tsunami moves through the water, not on top of it. Velocity: ...
www.witoelar.com/aree/pop/Physics_of_Tsunami.ppt
Hope this is helpful...
Allen Berg
An Excellent PowerPoint Presentation about Tsunami Waves
Dear Colleagues,
I am a Visual Learner so to help Teachers nationwide "learn and teach" about the Tsunami Tragedy in Japan, I found this Excellent PowerPoint Presentation about "The Physics of Tsunami Waves" at Google Docs...
The link has enormous code, but it works! :-)
Make sure you click to the second slide which is the start of the presentation: it has the Title: "Physics of a Tsunami"
And pay particular attention to the "Differences between a regular ocean wave & a tsunami wave"!!! This is critically important.
And a Water Wave does NOT move Mass it moves Energy!!!
That is why a Tsunami Wave can travel at the speed of a jet plane!!!
600mph!!!
The Ocean Water is simply re-adjusting to the Massive shift of the Massive Volume of Water displaced by the under-ocean earthquake
(Techtonic Plates slippage ["subduction"(?)]) and is simply falling down with the force of Gravity...to reach a new 'equilibrium level'...
So it is important to understand and explain to your students that:
The ocean water that "hit" Hawaii and then the Coast of California,
is NOT ocean water that travelled all the way (6,000 miles) from Japan!!!
It is the 'local' ocean water reacting to the Tsunami Energy Wave, that did indeed travel 6,000 miles from Japan! at 600mph!, across the Entire
Pacific Ocean!!!
enuf 4 now...to be continued
Allen Berg
http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:CbuYi54vLMgJ:www.witoelar.com/...
Earthquake
The tragedy of the Japan earthquake is on the mind of not only adults but also our students. I have found them interested, emotional, and unsure about a lot of the things that are occuring as a result of the disaster. It has posed so many questions I have found it difficult to move on and even answer all the questions. I found these sites to be very useful to give myself some good background but I am afraid I am going to get hung up answering all their questions. I am planning on spending the next week trying to link things together but I am questioning my assessment practices. I am going to try one of the formative assessments above but am nervous about their research skills. Any ideas how I could keep this basic for 4th graders so they can do a nice job?