How does the depth of an ocean affect the speed of a tsunami's waves? Use Jell-o, graham crackers, and marshmallows to model the effects of an underwater earthquake and its resulting tsunami. The lesson includes hands-on activities, online portals, and group discussion for kids to truly grasp the concept of plate tectonics in several days of group experiments.

Concepts

tsunamis, natural disasters, climates, force, motion, the earth's layers, ocean currents, plate tectonics, speed

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Use with your unit on natural disasters or plate tectonics
• Have kids come up with their own models for earthquakes or tsunamis

Pros

• Provides both formative and summative assessments
• Creative and engaging for all levels of science learners
• Includes links to literature connections, extensions for engineering, resources for investigating and researching tsunamis, and 12 pages of printable lab sheets

Cons

• None