We formulate, implement, and illustratively apply a model specifically designed to assist graduate-level education and exploratory research on the hydrodynamics and numerics of shallow water circulation. RITAl aver and zdal Analysis, 1-D version) uses a flexible finite element wave equation formulation to solve for the one dimensional shallow water equations. The model allows great flexibility in the choice (a) of the time-discretization scheme, including the ability to handle each physical process differently, and (b) of strategies for the treatment of non-linear terms.