Summary
Tsunamis can be pretty powerful—and pretty scary. Here's how they work: Underwater earthquakes, landslides, and other disturbances send a swell of water toward the surface. When that collapses, the displaced water can travel huge distances—without even making a ripple on the ocean surface. But when it nears shore, the waves pile up in the shallows, creating walls of water that can devastate coastal towns. But don't worry if you're headed to the beach—coastal areas have emergency warning systems, which'll give you plenty of time to get to higher ground! Press "play" to discover the inner workings of these ocean beasts.
Viewer safety
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
A few questions to talk through after watching Tsunami:
- What is one new thing you learned about tsunami?
- Can you explain it to a partner in your own words?
- Where might you see this in the real world?
- What is one question you still have?
Quick work-a-long
Try it:
- Write one sentence explaining tsunami.
- Draw or give one example of your own.