Have students build a wave tank that is six feet long, two feet wide and seven inches deep. Use springs and a paddle to create a wavemaker. Place this wavemaker on one side of the tank and sand on the other side. Place ten wooden pegs half an inch into the sand. Create waves and calculate how many fall. Now, put a shallow water structure 36 inches from the shore and calculate how many pegs fall this time.
You could have students create a depiction of large waves with cardboard or on a computer. The impact is what's really important. Therefore, fill a bowl up with water and drop a rock into it. Demonstrate how much of a ripple effect a small rock creates. Keep filling up bigger bowls of water and drop bigger rocks into it, to demonstrate how much more damage a tsunami can cause by gaining more momentum.
Assign students an investigative report, so that they can learn more about tsunamis. Assign them topics such as the development of tsunamis, the origin of the term "tsunami," the size and speed of tsunamis and what happens when a tsunami reaches the coast. Each student could have a separate one of these topics, or each student could work on all topics. Students must present the information to the class and include charts about the deadliest and fastest tsunamis.
Tsunamis present very serious dangers to all involved. Have students participate in this project either by themselves or as a supplement to another one. Show videos about the dangers of tsunamis and provide some safety tips to remember during such an event. Require students to create pamphlets, brochures or some other type of media that discusses the ways in which others can remain safe. Have them share their presentations with the rest of the school community.