Teaching with Earthquake Videos

One of the most powerful forces the earth unleashes is the energy of strong earthquakes. These events can level cities and shake the entire planet for minutes like a bowl full of jello. Videos of earthquake activity and its consequences are abundant on YouTube and give us an up-close-and-personal viewpoint from the safety of a classroom far removed in space and time from the actual event. These videos are particularly instructive in helping us to understand the origins and effects of these natural events. The video tutorials provided are only a starting point for the exploration of earthquakes and the insights they provide to our dynamic planet.

Check out the videos in the Earthquakes gallery for additional video examples.

Below we present videos and a ready-to-go video tutorial student handout for transforming a passive viewing experience into an active learning one.

Video Tutorial - Tsunami!

Video #1: Tsunami origin

This simulation shows the formation of tsunami waves and their characteristics as they approach land.

Video #2: Dashcam of tsunami

Raw, actual footage from a dashboard camera driving along beach road as the tsunami hit. Can see the wave hitting the windshield and car being carried away in the wave. 東日本大震災　千葉・旭市で車載カメラが津波にとらえる