An angry sea

Lesson 4 – 20 minutes

Learning outcomes

• Identify surging, spilling and plunging wave
• Recognise the dangers swimmers can be exposed to with a changing tide

Preparation

WORKSHEET: WAVES

• Pens
• Pencils
• Pictures
• Photos of waves
  

Discuss

• Ensure each participant has the Waves Worksheet or use other pictures/photos to explain the difference between the following wave types:
  • Surging – never break but can knock you over and drag you into deep water.
  • Spilling – usually has less force and is good for body surfing.
  • Plunging – a larger wave that can dump you onto the bottom with great force.
• Ask participants to identify which wave is safe and which would be dangerous and why.
  Safe – spilling waves, they are more gentle and less powerful.
  Dangerous – plunging waves, they can dump on you and cause neck injuries.
• Explain how tides work (i.e. tides are on a 6-hour high/low pattern caused by the moon’s gravitational pull).
• Explain how tides can have associated dangers (i.e. low tide can expose rocks, sandbars etc that cause different water current patterns)

Activity 1

• Go for a walk along the beach, looking at and discussing the wave types or other potential dangers in the area.

*AGE MANAGER TIPS

Ask parents/helpers to assist in group management.

NOTE: Needs to be taught over more than one lesson so you can identify different wave types with different conditions – can be delivered in the following lessons as a quick 5 minute activity.