On December 26th, 2004, an earthquake off the coast of Sumatra shook the Indian Ocean, sending a series of destructive tsunamis toward the coasts of 11 countries that border the ocean basin. In this lesson, students will gain understanding about the nature and causes of tsunamis, confronting this tragedy in a productive and practical way. They will observe a demonstration of wave propagation in a ... Full description.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) deals with natural hazards such as hurricanes, floods, national security matters, winter storms, etc. in a non-threatening scientifc and fun manner for children. The site includes animations, videos, games, quizzes and questions areas that address hazardous situations that children may face at any given time. Full description.

The Savage Earth website is the on-line companion to the PBS television series of the same name. This site tells the stories of several great natural disasters, particularly the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D. that destroyed Pompeii and the 1994 earthquake in Kobe, Japan. It contains articles on the earth's crust and plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis. Each article features ... Full description.

This website, based on the NOVA TV program 'The Wave that Shook the World', tells the story of the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean. Features include detailed animations showing how the earthquake generated the tsunami, how it travelled, and what happened when it collided with coastlines; an interactive map showing tsunamis from the past and potential threats in the future; a teachers' guide; and ... Full description.

This site, hosted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is dedicated to helping children understand natural disasters. It covers floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, volcanoes, earthquakes, wildfires, winter storms, and thunderstorms. Information is presented through stories, quizzes, photos, vocabulary, coloring pages, games, puzzles, and homework help. There is also a teacher's ... Full description.

This is a gallery of images produced by the IKONOS satellite. The gallery can be browsed by using a conventional menu, or by the use of an interactive map feature. Site content, which is updated regularly, includes imagery of cities and other manmade features such as buildings, dams, and sports stadiums; land features, islands, and volcanoes; natural disasters (hurricanes, tsunamis, wildfires), and ... Full description.

This site is the homepage of the United States Geological Survey's (USGS) Coastal and Marine Geology Program. Materials available here include links to news articles and publications, topics of study, and regions of study. Search choices include topic, region or content type (research project, educational material, datasets, etc.). Study topics are grouped by coastal issues, marine/deep sea issues, ... Full description.

This video segment, adapted ftom a NOVA broadcast, provides an account of the 1995 avalanche that overran the fishing village of Flateyri, Iceland, killing 20 people. It also points out the unpredictability of such natural disasters and describes some of the Icelandic government's efforts to mitigate the risk. The segment is four minutes seventeen seconds in length. Full description.

This lesson introduces students to a variety of natural hazards, emphasizing that when people understand these threats they are better able to avoid or reduce their potential impacts. First, the class discusses what they know about natural hazards and natural disasters. Then, working in pairs, they research particular hazards; the threats they pose and where and when those threats are most pronounced. ... Full description.

This portal provides access to maps, data, and other information on the distribution and frequency of natural hazards in the United States. The material is arranged into seven categories: earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanoes, and wildfires. There are also links to disaster emergency and relief organizations and to real-time resources such as RSS feeds, advisories, and the ... Full description.