Curated OER
The Volcano Factory
Students examine the process of tectonic plates and why the Mariana Arc is active with volcanoes. They create a model of the Mariana Arc out of clay.
Science Matters
Ring of Fire
Over a period of 35 years, earthquakes and volcanoes combined only accounted for 1.5 percent of the deaths from natural disasters in the United States. The 15th lesson in a 20-part series connects the locations of earthquakes and...
NOAA
A Moving Crust
Young scientists piece together the geological puzzle that is the earth in the third and final lesson of this earth science series. With the help of numerous multimedia resources and a series of engaging hands-on activities, students...
Curated OER
The Sleeping Mountain
Students conduct research on the activity of Mammoth Mountain, a volcano in California. They role-play as townspeople whose lives and livelihoods are endangered by an active volcano that may or may not erupt in the near future. They...
Curated OER
A Site to See
Learners identify the risks and benefits of living next to a volcano. After reading an article, they discuss the behaviors of an active volcano. Using the Internet, they work together to research volcano-monitoring techniques and create...
Curated OER
Tectonic Plates, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes
Challenge geography classes to locate the major volcanoes and earthquake faults on a world map. In groups, they identify the pattern made and examine the relationship between the locations of the faults and volcanoes and tectonic plates....
Curated OER
Lesson 4: Fire, Rock, and Water
You can demonstrate the destructive force of volcanic mudflows to your early earth scientists using this lesson plan. Messy, but memorable, the two demonstrations require some preparation. Use one or both! Included is a link to activity...
Curated OER
Rock My World
Students conduct a hands-on experiment designed to demonstrate how continents and oceans formed and why the manner of formation is relevant to a study of volcanoes.
Curated OER
There's a Volcano in my Backyard!
Students study Mount Ranier and its activity as a volcano. In this investigative instructional activity students locate cities around Mount Ranier and complete an activity.
Curated OER
How Volcanoes Grow
Students study volcanoes including rock fragments, ash, aerosols and gases. In this volcano lesson students divide into groups and build models of the three major types of volcanoes.
Curated OER
Using MY NASA DATA to Determine Volcanic Activity
Students explore how aerosols are used in science to indicate volcanic activity and how biomass burning affects global aerosol activity. Students access data and import into MS Excel using graphical data to make inferences and draw...
Ocean Explorer
The Volcano Factory
The tectonic processes that have resulted in the formation of the Marianas Arc, and the Marianas Trench are explored. Groups of pupils access websites that give them a wealth of information about these formations. Each group must prepare...
Curated OER
Treasure Hunting for Volcanoes
In this volcano instructional activity, students use an on line source to answer fifteen fill in the blank questions about volcanoes around the world.
Curated OER
Volcano Spreadsheet and Graph
Fourth graders use data from volcanoes to organize a spreadsheet and make a graph.
Curated OER
Volcanoes
Students explore the formation of volcanoes. In this earth science lesson plan, students build their own volcanoes in the lab using different materials. They identify the different types of volcanoes.
Curated OER
Volcanoes:How Safe Are They?
Young scholars explore volcanoes, locate them on maps, record general information about volcanoes, and organize information on a fact sheet.
Curated OER
Earthquakes & Volcanoes
In this earthquake and volcano worksheet, students use the Internet site given to complete each of the questions. They identify and describe various major earthquakes that have occurred in the US. Then they describe where molten rock...
Curated OER
Volcanoes: How Safe Are They?
Young scholars explore the most dangerous volcanoes on Earth, plot their locations, and research different volcanic hazards.
Curated OER
It's Going to Blow Up!
Get your ocean explorers online, reading articles about submarine volcanoes. They answer a series of questions and take a geometery challenge in which they calculate how much of a volcano has been blown away. Make sure to explore several...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics: Fifth Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Fifth graders continue their investigation of the plate tectonics cycle with an exploration of the movement of Earth's crust. During the lab, young geologists conduct an experiment to discover the result of different types of stress...
It's About Time
Volcanic Landforms
Did you know the word volcano comes from the name of the Roman god of fire, Vulcan? During this activity, scholars make a topographic map, interpret topographic maps, and infer how lava will flow based on their analysis.
NOAA
Mapping the Deep-Ocean Floor
How do you create a map of the ocean floor without getting wet? Middle school oceanographers discover the process of bathymetric mapping in the third installment in a five-part series of lessons designed for seventh and eighth graders....
Curated OER
Exploring Alaska's Seamounts - Volcanoes, Plates, and Chains
Students examine the formation of seamounts in the Gulf of Alaska. In this seamount lesson plan, student focus on how the Axial-Cobb-Eikelberg-Patton chain was formed. They learn the associated vocabulary, and watch a teacher...
Curated OER
Volcano Lesson Plans
Volcano and earthquake lessons can provide a great way to link science instruction to current events.