On March 11, 2011 a massive earthquake occurred near the northeastern coast of Japan, creating enormous tsunami waves that left a path of destruction that has affected millions. Thousands are confirmed dead, injured, or missing and millions are without water, electricity, or transportation.

In the wake of this terrible disaster, as people all over the world reach out to help, teachers can use this as a teaching opportunity. Students can study tsunamis, earthquakes, and other natural disasters, learn about how to get involved, follow the story and create timelines of events, map the destruction, and study the economic impact of this disaster on Japan and countries around the world. Here is a list of Web sites dedicated to providing teacher resources related to the disaster in Japan.

New York Times
20 Ways to Teach About the Disaster in Japan Across Curriculum
This article provides practical ideas as well as online resources to use to teach students about many aspects of this disaster.

USGS
U.S. Geological Survey
http://www.usgs.gov/
You will find current and impartial information about the health of our ecosystems and environment, natural disasters, the latest news releases, publications, and a multimedia gallery.

NOAA Education Resources
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
http://www.education.noaa.gov/
You will find videos, photos, lesson plans, real world data, articles, and background information about oceans and coasts, climate, weather and atmosphere, marine life, and freshwater.

FEMA for Kids
Federal Emergency Management Agency
http://www.fema.gov/kids/
Students learn all about natural disasters and how they can become Disaster Action Kids. They can games, read stories, and learn interesting facts about natural disasters throughout history in a fun and interactive way with Herman the spokescrab as their guide.