Description: A tsunami is a series of water waves generated by a disturbance in the ocean. (The term "tidal wave" is sometimes also used to describe a tsunami but is misleading because these wave are independent of tides.) Such disturbances are caused by earthquakes (90%), landslides, volcanic eruptions, explosions, and impacts including blocks of ice falling from icebergs and asteroids. Compared to other water waves, tsunamis have long wavelengths and long periods. This gives tsunamis waves greater amplitude and energy than other water waves. The objectives of these activities are for the students to:

• Understand how tsunamis are generated and the various sources that create them
   

• Understand the physics of tsunamis waves and their associated energy
   

• Use data to predict tsunami arrivals and create a tsunamis hazard map

Number of Activities: 3
Age-appropriate for: 9th-12th grade
Supplies Needed: calculator, computer, internet access

(Module last revised June, 2005.)

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Module Overview and
Learning Activities

Examples of Calculations
Exercise 2
Exercise 3

Handouts for Students
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3

Supplemental Material

Powerpoint Presentation

Description: Students will use modern geophysical data sets from UTIG to infer the presence of the Chicxulub impact crater on Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. Students will plot a contour map of Earth's gravitational field strength and interpret a reflection seismic profile. Through these activities, students will learn:

• How these independent lines of evidence all contribute to the validity and acceptance of the K/T Extinction/Asteroid theory.
   

• How to use contour maps effectively.
   

• The distinction between scientific description and scientific interpretation.

Number of Activities: 2
Age-appropriate for: 10th-12th grade
Supplies Needed: colored pencils, calculator, computer, internet access

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Module Overview (228KB)

Exercise 1:
Locating an impact crater with gravity measurements

Exercise 2:
Studying the Chicxulub crater with seismic data

Gravity Data

Supplemental Material

Chicxulub Power Point file

Answer Key

Description: Students will learn about earthquakes by doing an assortment of activities.
This module under construction.

Number of Activities: 2
Age-appropriate for: 10th-12th grade
Supplies Needed: paper, pencil, calculator, computer, internet access

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Module Overview

Learning Activities

Answer Keys

Walk-Run Activity

Appendix

Description: Students will use Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) surveys to characterize the capitol city of Honduras - Tegucigalpa. These data sets provide digital elevation maps which can be artificially flooded to simulate real-life disaster management scenarios for an urban setting. The data have been provided by the Bureau of Economic Geology. Students will learn:

• To associate flooding and landslides with Hurricanes.
   

• To become familiar with Geological Information System (GIS) software packages.
   

• To relate model predictions to real-life scenarios.

Number of Activities: 2
Age-appropriate for: 10th-12th grade
Supplies Needed: paper, pencil, calculator, computer, internet access

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Module Overview

Exercise 1:
Weather Tracking

Exercise 2:
Flood Prediction

Supplemental Material

LIDAR Powerpoint

Answer Key

Description: Students will explore the concept of plate tectonics in order to develop an understanding of the theory’s relevance to our modern understanding of the geosciences. Students are expected to:

• Understand how continental drift, earthquake/volcanic activity, crustal generation/subduction, sea-floor spreading, and mantle hotspots are explained in plate tectonic theory.
   

• Carry out a plate tectonics simulation in small groups. Students will find non-unique solutions to the challenge of paleo-plate reconstruction.
   

• Use a computer simulation to track historical earthquakes and volcanoes.

Number of Activities: 3
Age-appropriate for: 8th-12th grade
Supplies Needed: scissors, colored sticky dots, computer, PowerPoint software

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Module Overview

Exercise 1:
PowerPoint Presentations

Exercise 2:
Plate Tectonics Game

Exercise 3:
Earthquake Tracking Simulation

Answer Key

Description: The coastal zone is constantly changing. Wind, waves, tide, and currents are processes that have a daily affect on the beach and shoreline. Storms can have a dramatic and instantaneous effect on the coast that may take years to recover from. An understanding of the changes to the beach and shoreline gives insight to the processes that form them.

• Plot topographic profiles from XZ (horizontal and vertical) data, to recognize the significant features of the beach, and to gain understanding of how a beach may change through time
   

• Discover coastal processes, beach morphology, and shoreline change along the Texas coast through analysis of data collected by high school students involved in the Texas High School Coastal Monitoring Program
   

• Learn basic terminology used in reference to periodic waves and to understand how wind energy is transferred into wave energy. This activity also introduces the effects of water depth on waves

Number of Activities: 4
Age-appropriate for: 8th-12th grade
Supplies Needed: scissors, colored sticky dots, computer, PowerPoint software

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Module Overview and Activities

Worksheet 1

Worksheet 2

Worksheet 3

Supplement #1 Powerpoint Supplement #2 (Student)

Supplement #2 (Teacher)

Wave Diagram

Data Sheet