**Sue Na Meter**

Joyce E. Patterson Stark

Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Office of Education and Sustainable Development

Herbert Hoover Building Room 6863

14^th^ and Constitution Avenue NW

Washington, D.C. 20230

<Joyce.Stark@noaa.gov>

Inquiry involves teaching that incorporates discovery. It will take
longer and the teacher may require more in depth knowledge before doing
the activity.

**Lesson Objective**

Using a constructivist approach, students will make a simulated
tsunameter to understand the difference between low and high tides and a
tsunami waves.

Sue Na Meter should be compared to the students' first, middle and last
names in order to help with pronunciation but also make a word
association to remember the concept.

**Teacher Preparation**

This inquiry activity could be used from grades 3-8 with some
modifications for the middle school students. Teachers may just want the
younger students to cut and fold the parts to make the meter. Middle
school students may want to measure the dimensions of the pieces in
centimeters to practice math skills. The model may be constructed from
any type of paper. Construction paper is a little heavier and better
supports the wave construction. Depending on the grade level, amount of
class time or student abilities you may want to cut out the major pieces
for them. This activity will take more than one 44 minute class period.
A block of time would be the most effective.

Generate a discussion with your students by using some sample questions.
They can record some questions in their journals. After brainstorming
with these sample questions, ask them to write or draw a picture in
their journal as to what they think a tsunami (soo-nah-mee) is. Do the
activity first. Don't share the background with the students yet. You
want to see what they already know, build on that knowledge by allowing
them to discover this experience themselves and then discuss the
background. Teachers will be able to observe any misconceptions as the
students make and use their Su Na Meter.

**Teacher Background**

This information is to prepare the teacher to do the inquiry lesson and
then can be used for discussion after the construction of the Sue Na
Meter. These words will be needed to label the meter and understand how
it operates.

[Crest]{.underline} - top of the wave (peak).

> [Trough]{.underline} -- lowest point between waves (bottom). For every
> crest there is a trough. If the trough appears first on the shore, the
> sea recedes before the crest of the wave arrives on land. Sometimes
> this is referred to as a negative wave.

[Surge]{.underline} -- a large wave. Water builds up and this wave
rushes on shore.

> [Tsunami]{.underline} -- a series of waves that have long wavelengths
> and periods. They are generated in a body of water by an impulsive
> disturbance (such as an earthquake) and then that water is displaced.

[Period]{.underline} - time between two successive waves.

> [Wavelength]{.underline} - distance between crest of one wave to the
> crest of another wave.

[Wave train -]{.underline} a series of 7 -10 long waves that could be
5-90 minutes apart.

In the deep ocean, waves can travel 500 mph or more (as fast as a
commercial jet liner) but the crest of the wave may only be about 15-20
inches high. Waves slow down as they approach the shore, but the height
of the wave increases sometimes up to 100 feet.

The Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory conducts tsunami research.
The National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program's
*Tsunamis:FrequentlyAsked Questions* will give additional background
information.

<http://www.pmel.noaa.gov.gov/tsunami-hazard/tsunami_faqs.htm>

**Inquiry- Generating Questions**

These are examples of some questions to ask your class before
constructing the tsunameter.

1\. How many have actually visited a beach?

2\. Have you gone beachcombing?

3\. What types of organisms have you found on the beach?

4\. How did they get there?

5\. Are their any buildings on the beach?

6\. If you have been on a beach for a long time, have you noticed a
difference in the water levels?

Ask the students to describe a beach (include a diagrams) in their
journal.

Ask the students if they have heard of a tsunami. If they know, have
them describe it in their journals.

**Student Procedures**

1\. Fold a piece of paper (8.5" X 10 ") in half using a hot dog fold.

2\. Cut along the fold.

3\. Lay the one half aside.

4\. Take the other piece and divide into 3 pieces using a hot dog fold.
Each of the three pieces should be 1 3/8" wide (3.6cm) and 10" long
(28cm).

5\. Cut along the folds to get three separate pieces (3.6 cm X 28 cm).

6\. Place the piece that was set aside in front of you on the table.

7\. From the left hand side measure in 10 cm and draw a dotted line (use
pencil) along the width of the paper. Label this dotted line
**shoreline**.

8\. On the dotted line, darken the line (between 4-7.5 cm) and then cut
a slit along this darkened section of the line. Cut another opening of
the same length, 1 cm to the left of this slit.

9\. Insert one of the long strips into one slot and then through the
other. Pull it through the slots and until it covers the length of the
other paper.

10\. Using dotted lines outline this strip on the white paper. Remove
the strip and there should be an outline of dotted lines marking the
position of the strip. This area to the right of the shoreline will
represent a strip of beach. Design what you would like to see on this
strip of beach and color the beach light brown.

11\. Color this strip blue or you could have used blue construction
paper. Draw 10 small waves across the top of this strip. The crests
should only be 0.3 cm high

12\. Insert the blue strip through the slots until it is even with the
dotted shoreline. This is **low tide.**

13**.** Move the wave forward 1 cm from the slot. then continue to move
the blue strip of waves forward until you reach 7 cm. This is **high
tide**.

IQ (Inquiry Question)

What is happening to the beach as low tide changes to high tide? Write
this in your journal.

14\. Now pull the wave back through the slots until the blue strip
returns to low tide. Continue pulling the strip until the entire length
has passed through the slots.

IQ

What will happen to your beach if all the water follows that wave out to
sea?

There are numerous sea shells now visible on the beach

Should you walk out further than the dotted shoreline?

Does this seem unusual that the water just suddenly left the beach?

Teacher note: Discuss at this point that this receding wave is a sign
that a disturbance, such as an earthquake, had occurred and a tsunami
may be arriving. Everyone should leave the beach immediately and move to
higher ground as far from the beach as possible.

15\. Tape the ends of the other two strips together to make a longer
wave strip. Color the strips blue or use colored paper. Draw three long
waves along this strip. One wave crest should be at the right edge of
the strip and one at the left edge of the ocean strip and one will be in
the middle. The height of the crest should be 4.5 cm and the distance
between each wave should be 7.5 cm. The trough width (bottom) will be
only 1 cm (very thin) from the lower edge of the wave strip.

16\. Insert the edge of the large wave (surge) into the slot and put it
through to the other side of the paper. The large surge wave will cover
the width of the beach as the strip is moved. When this wave surge
reaches the end of the paper, the thin trough will be lying along the
strip that was the beach.

IQ

What has this leading wave (surge) done to the beach?

What could this wave do to people if they were still on the beach?

Is the tsunami over?

17\. Pull the wave strip until another wave surge travels across the
beach.

IQ

Is there just one tsunami wave?

Which are larger? : Waves from tidal changes or tsunami waves?

Teacher Note: Discuss the speed of waves, wave train and time between
waves. Emphasize move to higher ground. Don't forget to inform others on
the beach.

Is it safe to return to the beach?

18\. Pull the tsunami wave strip until another wave surge travels across
the beach.

19\. How many waves were in that wave train?

20\. What is the difference between low/high waves and tsunami waves?

21\. Why are tsunami waves dangerous?

22\. Draw a tsunami wave and label the parts.

23\. Write in your journal, what you should do when you see water
suddenly receding from the beach. Explain why.

Teacher Note: Review evacuation procedures and the importance of moving
to higher ground. Review the words that are needed to label the tsunami
wave. The students should have tried first to label the wave. Practice
again using the low/high tide waves and tsunami waves.

**Assessment**

A three point rubric will be used to evaluate the students' work during
the lesson.

3 points Students have constructed the Su Na Meter and can demonstrate
low and high tides and tsunami waves. They have written in their
journals explaining what to do if they are on a beach and see the ocean
receding (leaving) suddenly. They should be able to explain why. Give
them two tsunami logos to be glued or taped into their journals.

2 points Students have constructed the Su Na Meter and can demonstrate
low and high tides and tsunamis waves but they have not written a
response to what they should do if they see wave receding and why.

1 point Students have only partially completed the Su Na Meter and did
not write at all in their journals.

> The students who received three points, will receive two tsunami logos
> to glue or tape in their journals. If the students only received 1 or
> 2 points then have them finish their work and then give them only one
> of the logos for their journal. Go to the following website of the
> International Tsunami Information Center. Click on Photo Gallery and
> the logos can be downloaded. <http://www.prh.noaa.gov/itic>

**National Science Educations Standards**

Grades K-4

Content Standard A Abilities to do scientific inquiry

Understanding scientific inquiry

Content Standard B Position and motion of objects

Content Standard D Properties of Earth materials

Content Standard F Changes in environments

Grades 5-8

Content Standard A Abilities to do scientific inquiry

Understanding scientific inquiry

Content Standard B Motion and forces

Transfer of energy

Content Standard D Structure of Earth system

Earth's history

Content Standard F Natural hazards

Risks and benefits

Content Standard G Nature of science