Tsunamis and Earthquakes for Kids
View from NASA satellite on 3/5/11 An earthquake with a magnitude of 8.9 on the Richter Scale shook Japan on March 11, 2011 . The earthquake then triggered a 23 foot wave tsunami that caused massive destruction. Watching the videos of water sweeping cars and homes away, people scrambling to take cover under desks, people running in the streets trying to avoid falling bricks and many other images were disturbing to me. I couldn’t help but think about my students who might also be seeing this on their televisions. Naturally, children are curious, fascinated and maybe fearful of earthquakes and tsunamis. It might be helpful for them to have some information about these topics. Richter Scale – Learn how to read the Richter Scale by Scholastic. Tsunami – Watch this video designed for kids by the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). It describes what a Tsunami is and what do to if one occurs in your area. Or watch...