Intel® Teach Program

Essentials Course

Volcano Unit Plan

Unit Author
First and Last Name ED 126.1 F34 Group 5 (Sialongo M., Ybanez JD.,Taladua JM)
School District
School Name Mindanao State University-Iligan State University
School City, State Iligan City, Republic of the Philippines
Unit Overview
Unit Title
Volcanoes; a mountain with hiccups.
Unit Summary
Students investigate the processes that create volcanoes, the factors that influences different
eruptions, and the threats a volcano poses to their surrounding communities. They will use the
knowledge they have learned to identify physical features and eruption types of several actual
volcanic episodes.
Subject Area
General Science
Grade Level
Grade 7
Approximate Time Needed
7 days
Unit Foundation
Targeted Content Standards and Benchmarks
1. Knows the processes that shape patterns on Earth’s surface.
2. Knows the major processes that shape patterns in the physical environment (e.g.., volcanic
activity and earthquake zones)
3. Knows the consequences of a specific physical processes operating on Earth’s surface (e.g..,
Volcanic eruptions and plate tectonic movements)
4. Knows how land forms are created through a combination of constructive and destructive
forces such as tectonic forces.
5. Describe how the movement of the Earth’s crustal plates changes the earth’s surface (e.g.,
formation of mountains and ocean basins) and trenches.
(e.g., volcanic eruptions and earthquakes)
Student Objectives/Learning Outcomes

At the end of this activity, the students will be able to:

1. Understand that volcanoes have been built up by eruptions.

2. Locate and identify all the volcanoes of the world.

3. Assess existing knowledge through the use of graphical model that shows the location of

all the volcanoes of the world.

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4. Figure out the difference between magma and lava.

5. Make info graphic materials (e.g.., newsletters, and brochures) that show the hazards of

a volcanic eruption.

Curriculum-Framing Questions
Essential
Can eruptions create global cooling?
Question
What causes volcanic eruption?
Unit
How do hotspot volcanoes form?
Questions
How long do eruptions last?
What are the two types of volcanic eruptions?
Content
Questions What factors determine the viscosity of magma?
Where are most of Earth's volcanoes found?
Assessment Plan
Assessment Timeline

assessment

Assessment Summary
This unit aims to promote student’s conceptual understanding about Volcanoes.
First, prior knowledge of the student about volcanoes and its related topics-plate
tectonics and rocks and minerals, is needed. Through the use of brainstorming,
student’s conceptual understanding of volcanoes would be enhanced; cooperative
sharing of ideas would also be developed. Students will be allowed to explore the
different volcanic formations of the world through the use of model or diagram to
show the volcanic activities along plate boundaries of the world. After work has been
done, written activities are given to the student’s to assess learning. Peer feedback
is also considered at the end of the work of each group.
Unit Details
Prerequisite Skills
Computer Skills, Communication Skills,
Instructional Procedures

Day 1-2

Understanding Volcanoes

Before beginning the media-based activities, divide the class into small groups (3-5 students each)

and distribute a copy of the World Map Without Volcanoes PDF Image to each group. (If copies

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cannot be made, use a map in a textbook or one in the classroom and distribute removable dot

stickers.) Mention that Hawai'i is one place that is well known for its volcanoes. Now ask the groups

to list as many other states and countries as they can that have volcanoes. You may want to suggest

that they think about major eruptions that have appeared in the news recently, or famous ones that

have happened in history (e.g., Vesuvius and Krakatau). Next, have them mark the locations of the

volcanoes on their maps. Before moving on, ask the students the following:

a. Do you see any patterns?

b. Can you think of any possible explanations for the patterns you see?

2. Now hand out copies of the World Map With Volcanoes PDF Image marked and have the groups

look at both maps. Ask about the distribution of volcanoes, and have students hypothesize why they

are where they are and why certain areas are more active than others. If there is time, have the

groups share their lists and other findings with the class.

3. Ask students to explore the Volcanism  HTML Interactive and record in their notebooks answers to

the questions below. Students will use the recorded information in the case study activity that

concludes the lesson plan. As an optional activity, have the students check out the Mountain Maker,

Earth Shaker Flash Interactive to review the basics of plate tectonics.

a. How do volcanoes form?

b. What are the four primary types of volcanoes? Name and describe each type in detail.

Encourage students to sketch the shape of each type and note its plate tectonic setting (i.e.,

over hot spots, spreading centers, or subduction zones).

c. Where do volcanoes form?

d. Rocks are classified by what they are made of and how they form. Igneous rocks always begin

as magma. What are the two main types of igneous rocks, and what is the main difference

between them? How does each type form into solid rock?

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4. Next, ask students to check out the Volcanic Eruptions and Hazards HTML Interactive and record

in their notebooks answers to the following questions:

a. Will an effusive eruption have more gas and be more dense (viscous) than an explosive flow, or

will it be less gaseous and less viscous? How does each type of eruption cause damage?

b. Which type of eruption appears to be the more hazardous to humans? Explain your answer.

c. Of the numerous hazards caused by volcanic eruptions, list and describe at least three that

cause damage on a local level, and at least one that has global implications.

5. Now ask the students to look at the dynamic landforms and features in the Anatomy of a

Volcano Flash Interactive and Volcanic Features HTML Interactive . Have them write down the

following vocabulary list of features and describe each one: lava, tephra, lava lake, vent, fissure,

dike, magma, caldera, crater, geyser, spring, `a`a flow, pahoehoe flow, and lava tubes. As an

additional, optional activity, ask students to explore the Virtual Lava Tube Flash Interactive and

address the following questions using the resource:

a. How do lava tubes form, and where are they most likely to be found?

b. What is the difference between how two common cave features -- stalactites and stalagmites --

form in limestone caves and how they form in lava tubes?

c. Besides stalactites and stalagmites, choose three lava tube features that interest you, and

explain how they form.

After all series of interactions, let the students do brainstorming and allow them to ask

questions about what they now understand about volcanoes.

Now, students are expected to have a graphical model of volcanoes all around the world. It is

done with 3-5 students in each group.

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Day 3

Teacher will collect the graphical model made by the students. Them proceed to the topic.

What can we learn from lava and magma?

Volcanoes vary greatly in terms of the composition and temperature of the magma they produce,

and these characteristics affect how they will erupt. Scientists study lava, fresh from Earth's mantle,

to learn more about the inner workings of volcanoes. The Lava Sampling on Kilauea Volcano,

Hawaiʻi QuickTime Video demonstrates the simple, yet risky, technique one researcher uses to access

lava just as it reaches Earth's surface. Show this video to the class, or have them watch it on their

own computers, and ask them to answer the following questions in their notebooks:

a. Why does scientist Michael Garcia refer to the basalt he is walking on as "the youngest real

estate on Earth"?

b. What does viscous mean?

c. For what scientific reason does Dr. Garcia quickly quench the hot lava with water?

d. What has careful study of the composition of the lavas from Kilauea and Mauna Loa revealed

about their origins and relationship?

You can continue this line of volcanic study by showing the Dating Lava Flows on Mauna Loa Volcano,

Hawaiʻi QuickTime Video , which provides further insight into the Hawaiian volcanoes and describes

the effective method one scientist has found of dating prehistoric lava flows.

In this session, experiment will be done by the students. They will do the Cake Batter Lava

experiment to fully understand the concept of lava and magma.

Day 4-5

Case Study: Applying your Knowledge

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7. Mount Pinatubo

Ask the students to view the Mount Pinatubo: Predicting a Volcanic Eruption QuickTime Video and

the Mount Pinatubo: The Aftermath of a Volcanic Eruption QuickTime Video . Using the notes they

have taken during the lesson, have them answer the following questions in their notebooks. Engage

them in a class discussion before proceeding to the next case study.

a. Was the Mount Pinatubo eruption an effusive or explosive eruption?

b. Based on your observations, what type of volcano is Mount Pinatubo? On what evidence do you

base your answer?

c. Over what type of plate boundary is this volcano located? Is this tectonic setting consistent with

your answer to the first question?

d. Because vulcanologists were able to accurately predict the timing of this eruption, the lives of

hundreds of people who evacuated the nearby area were probably saved. What evidence did

the scientists observe that prompted them to call for an evacuation?

8. Tungurahua

Ask the students to think about what might make predicting a volcanic eruption difficult and what

problems might result from inaccurate (false-positive or false-negative) predictions. Have them

record their ideas in their notebooks and then explore the Forecasting Volcanic Eruptions HTML

Interactive . When they're finished, have them consider their previous notebook entries and ask

them to record their answers to the following questions. Engage them in a class discussion before

proceeding to the next case study.

a. What problems did the inaccurate eruption forecast of the Tungurahua volcano cause for the

people of Ecuador and what difficulties might this cause for community officials in the future?

b. What three variables do scientists monitor when attempting to forecast volcanic eruptions?

c. What are some of the hurdles that vulcanologists face when trying to make accurate eruption

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forecasts?

9. Kilauea

Next, have students view the Plate Tectonics: The Hawaiian Archipelago QuickTime Video and

respond to the following questions. Again, engage them in a class discussion before proceeding to

the next case study.

a. Based on your observations of this video and previous videos you have seen, what type of

volcanoes are Kilauea and the other Hawaiian volcanoes? On what evidence do you base your

answer?

b. Does Hawai'i experience effusive or explosive eruptions?

c. Explain Hawai'i's setting in terms of plate boundaries. What makes it so unusual?

10. Mount St. Helens

Finally, have students view the Mount St. Helens: Before and After Flash Interactive and respond to

the following questions. Discuss their responses.

a. Describe what is happening throughout the eruption. What kind of material is being ejected by

the volcano? Do you see lava? What happens to all of the ash?

b. Based on your observations, what type of volcano produced this eruption? On what evidence do

you base your answer?

c. Based on the before and after images, identify ways in which both the volcano and surrounding

area were changed by the 1980 eruption.

d. Based on the satellite images, how has the affected area changed in the time since the

eruption?

e. What are some similarities and differences in the destruction caused by effusive and explosive

eruptions? What, if anything, was surprising to you about the blowdown, lahar, and pyroclastic

flow images?

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f. What factors play a part in the recovery of vegetation (and wildlife) in areas affected by

volcanic eruptions?

After discussion, students are task to make info graphic materials that shows the after-effect of

volcanic eruptions in the community.

Day 6-7
The students will use these internet resources to create a simple assessment or video-based
assignment with the Lesson Builder tool on PBS LearningMedia.
Accommodations for Differentiated Instruction
 Provide the student with additional templates or scaffolds to ensure project
Special Needs success
Students  Place the student in cooperative groups that will help student achieve goals
 Allow additional time when necessary
 Video and auditory tutorials will aid with differentiated learners

Nonnative  Provide the student with a list of vocabulary and definitions

Speakers  Provide visual and graphic elements to aid content mastery
 Demonstrate the concepts with models, drawings, and diagrams.

 Challenge the student to apply acquired learning to the development of

working models and to the explanation of nature as it relates to
Gifted/Talented mathematics ~ golden grid activity at goldennumber.net/goldengrid.htm
Students
 Encourage students to complete additional components, create Geometers
Sketchpad vignettes for further application

Materials and Resources Required For Unit

Technology – Hardware (Click boxes of all equipment needed)
Camera Laser Disk VCR
Computer(s) Printer Video Camera
Digital Camera Projection System Video Conferencing Equip.
DVD Player Scanner Other          
Internet Connection Television
Technology – Software (Click boxes of all software needed.)
Database/Spreadsheet Image Processing Web Page Development
Desktop Publishing Internet Web Browser Word Processing
E-mail Software Multimedia Other          
Encyclopedia on CD-ROM

Printed Materials Notebook, world Map

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Supplies Computer

Internet Resources
http://d43fweuh3sg51.cloudfront.net/media/assets/wgbh/ess05/
ess05_img_lpaplainmap/ess05_img_lpaplainmap.pdf
http://d43fweuh3sg51.cloudfront.net/media/assets/wgbh/ess05/
ess05_img_lpavolmap/ess05_img_lpavolmap.pdf
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/
ess05.sci.ess.earthsys.volcanintro/volcanism/
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.earthsys.shake/
mountain-maker-earth-shaker/
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/
ess05.sci.ess.earthsys.volcanerupt/volcanic-eruptions-and-hazards/
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/
ess05.sci.ess.earthsys.nyiragongo/anatomy-of-a-volcano/
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/
ess05.sci.ess.earthsys.volcanfeatr/volcanic-features/
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/
ess05.sci.ess.earthsys.lavatube/virtual-lava-tube/
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.earthsys.sample/
lava-sampling-on-kilauea-volcano-hawai699i/
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/
ess05.sci.ess.earthsys.dateflows/dating-lava-flows-on-mauna-loa-volcano-
hawai699i/
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/
ess05.sci.ess.earthsys.pinatubo/mount-pinatubo-predicting-a-volcanic-
eruption/
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.earthsys.lahar/
mount-pinatubo-the-aftermath-of-a-volcanic-eruption/
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/
ess05.sci.ess.earthsys.forecastvol/forecasting-volcanic-eruptions/
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.earthsys.hawaii/
plate-tectonics-the-hawaiian-archipelago/
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.earthsys.helens/
mount-st-helens-before-and-after/

Other Resources laboratory staff and mentors.

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