Tsunami – Edexcel IAL Geography

A fully editable, ready-to-teach lesson on Tsunami for Edexcel International A Level (IAL) Geography, Unit 1: Global Challenges – World at Risk.

Lesson aim: To explain how tsunamis form and why their impacts vary.

Learning outcomes

• To explain the causes of tsunamis
• To explain how tsunamis change as they approach the coast
• To evaluate the factors that affect tsunami impacts

Specification: Global hazards — key idea 1 (tsunami)

What’s included

• Editable PowerPoint lesson (13 slides)
• Word worksheet: The formula
• Teacher notes and suggested answers in the speaker notes

Lesson overview

• Starter: The stars show the sources of some of the most destructive tsunamis in history.
• What is a tsunami?
• How a tsunami forms and travels
• Why do tsunamis travel so fast?
• Features of a tsunami
• Major tsunamis compared
• What affects the impact of a tsunami?
• Why did the 2004 tsunami kill around 300 people in Somalia – over 4,500 km from the earthquake?
• Tsunami travel times
• Homework task
• Exam practice: Explain why tsunamis can cause large numbers of deaths far from their source. (4)

This lesson is part of my complete Edexcel IAL Geography World at Risk unit, which is also available in my shop if you would like every lesson in the topic.

Want a free sample? Visit The Geography Teacher website.