Create your own tsunami - Investigation instructions

In this engaging and hands-on investigation, students are tasked with recreating a tsunami to better understand its dynamics and impact. The activity is designed for groups of four, encouraging teamwork and collaboration. Students will need to first gather all necessary resources, which should include materials to simulate land and water, as well as items to represent vegetation. Following the inspiration from an online video, the group will then create a model that mimics the formation of a tsunami.

Once the basic setup is complete, the students are instructed to introduce vegetation into their model to observe how a tsunami affects natural landscapes. Documenting the process is crucial, so students must take photographs throughout the experiment to capture each stage of their tsunami creation. The final step involves writing a detailed report that includes the methods used, observations made, and the photographs taken during the investigation. This report will serve as a reflection of their understanding of the phenomenon and the factors that contribute to the occurrence of natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes.