Instructor’s Guide

Volcano Unit Study

by the BookShark Team

V
Unit Study
BookShark™ Science “Volcano Unit Study” Instructor’s Guide

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 Volcano Unit Study
Schedule and Notes

DISCLAIMER
BookShark Science and History curriculum is based on a mix of non-fiction and biographies. For this particular unit study we use How
Hot Is Lava?: And Other Questions About Volcanoes by Kelly Smith for the reading assignments.

This complete unit study is a sample that reflects typical elements you will find in BookShark History, Science, and/or Language Arts
Instructor Guides: reading assignments, hands-on experiments, activity sheets, vocabulary words, and discussion questions, etc. In His-
tory, you will typically have a scheduled reading assignment followed by discussion questions and vocabulary words. In Science, you
will typically have a reading assignment followed by activity sheet questions and a weekly science lab. In Language Arts, you may have
copywork, dictation, mechanics, phonics, and/or writing practice, depending on the age of the student.

Please download free samples of the first three weeks of all BookShark Instructor’s Guides (all subjects and levels) from [Link]/
instructors-guide-samples to see exactly how the curriculum is designed.
 Understanding the Structure of This Guide

Introduction Map Activities

This 2-week unit study provides a schedule, notes, and BookShark's History Guides also include Map Activities.
map for the book, How Hot Is Lava? And Other Questions BookShark’s geography program weaves assignments
About Volcanoes by Kelly Smith. throughout the year from every appropriate book. It dem-
Though the unit study is designed to resemble our Sci- onstrates to your children the importance of map skills
ence guides, it also includes Activity Sheets that were while enhancing the learning adventure.
added for fun more than academics and contains ele- Completing map assignments provides geographical
ments similar to our Language Arts and History guides. context to the stories your children are reading while
BookShark's Instructor's Guides include a 36-week, expanding their geography knowledge. We provide the
4-day Schedule and Notes. The History programs include  symbol on the Schedule page to alert you that a map
History, Geography, Timelines, Read-Alouds, and Readers. assignment is included in that day’s notes.
BookShark’s literature-based approach enables you to For this unit study, we provide a mapping activity sheet
teach through reading and discussion. We do not assign

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in Week 1. When using a full BookShark curriculum, we
activity sheets or tests as we believe discussion is the most recommend using BookShark's Markable Wall Map when
effective way to retain and understand the knowledge completing Map Activities.
gained from books.
You can get one here:
BookShark's Language Arts and Science guides include
Activity Sheets. Though they are engaging, they are [Link]
designed for academic purposes and are used to enforce
concepts in addition to discussion.
Depending on your students' age and/or reading level
you can choose to use the How Hot Is Lava? And Other
Questions About Volcanoes book as a Read-Aloud or
Reader. Many older students will be able to read this book
on their own. However, students enjoy being read aloud
to even through their tween years, so feel free to use the
book as a Read-Aloud if you would like to join your stu-
dent in learning about volcanoes. For parents who are not
familiar with Read-Alouds, the benefits include...

• Introducing your children to great literature beyond

their personal reading capacity.
• Developing a life-long love of reading: when you
read great literature to your children, it creates a
thirst to read. They’ll begin to think, “I love books!
One day I’m going to read books like this!”
• Expanding your children’s vocabulary.
• Building important listening skills—including the
ability to visualize the meaning of spoken words.
• Developing an ear for good oral reading.
• Developing oral reading skills: having heard quality
oral reading done by you, your children will imitate
you.
• Giving you and your children memorable and en-
joyable times together.
 Week 1 Schedule Volcano Unit Study

Date: Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4

Read-Aloud or Reader
How Hot is Lava? And Other pp. 6–7,
pp. 10–11 pp. 8–9 pp. 12–13
Questions About Volcanoes 14–15

Activity Sheets
Label the Volcano Volcano Famous Volcano
Dictation
& Label the Layers Crossword Map
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Optional Activity
Molten Lava
Edible Plate Explore Volcanic
Earth is Like... Cupcakes &
Tectonics Activity Near Me
Volcano Video
Other Notes

conduit: tube-like space connecting a magma chamber to

Day 1 the surface. [p. 15]
Read-Aloud or Reader vent: an opening in a volcano which allows gas, lava, and
ash to escape. [p. 15]
How Hot is Lava? ... | pp. 6–7, 14–15 side vent: smaller, non-central conduit which allows
Vocabulary magma to escape. [p. 15]
volcano: crack in the Earth that allows melted rock to crater: bowl-shaped opening in a volcano. [p. 15]
escape. [p. 7]
lava lake: a pool of lava in a crater. [p. 15]
crust: thin, rocky, outer layer of Earth. [p. 7]
lava: melted rock above the Earth's surface. [p. 15]
mantle: thick layer of rock and melted rock between
fumes: strong-smelling gases. [p. 15]
Earth’s core and crust. [p. 7]
outer core: liquid metal layer around the inner core. [p. 7] To Discuss After You Read
Q: What are the four layers of the Earth?
inner core: hot, solid metal center of Earth. [p. 7]
A: the crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core
tectonic plates: sections of the crust that float on the
Q: Are all volcanoes shaped like mountains? Why?
mantle. [p. 7]
A: no; any crack in the Earth's crust can be a volcano. Some
magma chamber: space underground where melted rock volcanoes are flat or are gentle hills. After erupting, cooled
collects. [p. 15] lava often forms the shape of a mountain but not always
magma: melted rock below the Earth's surface. [p. 15]

N Special Note to Mom or Dad   Map Point  

Volcano Unit Study | Week 1 | 1

 Notes
Week 1

Q: How can Earth's mantle rise up through the crust? hot spot: a place where magma rises up through the
A: molten rock called magma rises up from the mantle to the middle of a tectonic plate.
crust through cracks in the tectonic plates
To Discuss After You Read
Q: Does lava only come out from the top of volcanoes? Q: How much does a tectonic plate move in one year?
A: no; side vents or smaller non-central conduits carry A: tectonic plates move about 2 inches (5 cm) per year
magma out of the sides of some volcanoes
Q: What's the difference between a convergent and diver-
Activity Sheets gent boundary?
A: in convergent boundaries, plates are pushed against each
Label the Volcano & Label the Layers other while divergent boundaries are a place where plates
spread apart from each other
Complete the "Label the Volcano" and "Label the Layers"

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Q: How did many of the Hawaiian Islands form if they are
activities found on the Week 1 Activity Sheet.
not at the edge of a tectonic plate?
A: there is a hot spot under Hawaii where extra heat melts
Optional Activity through the center of the plate and creates a volcano;
when the plate moves, the island moves with it but the hot
Earth is Like... spot remains still and creates a new volcanic island
In some ways, Earth is like an apple. The thin skin of an
apple represents how thin the crust is in relationship to Activity Sheets
the rest of Earth. Another model is a melted Peanut M&M®,
with the hard shell, creamy chocolate layer, and hard pea- Volcano Crossword
nut representing the crust, mantle, and core. Have your children complete the "Volcano Crossword"
While neither example is perfect, both demonstrate on the Week 1 Activity Sheet.
some of the characteristics of Earth. Can you think of
another food or everyday object that can explain Earth’s Answers
layers? Across
Gather a few everyday objects from around the house 1. divergent 4. tectonic 6. conduit 9. mantle
and discuss how they could demonstrate the characteris- plates
tics of the layers of Earth. Some ideas include a basketball 12. molten 14. convergent 15. hot spot 16. outer
(the right shape, wrong inside), or an egg (has layers, but core
the yolk representing the core isn't solid).
Down
2. inner core 3. magma 5. side vent 7. crater
Day 2 chamber
8. fumes 10. subduction 11. volcano 13. crust
Read-Aloud or Reader
Optional Activity
How Hot is Lava? ... | pp. 10–11
Edible Plate Tectonics
Vocabulary
Explanation
molten: melted.
Your student has learned that Earth's crust sits on top
convergent boundary: a place where two tectonic plates of its mantle, which is not solid. Tectonic plates can crash
meet and push against each other. into each other (at a convergent boundary) or move apart
subduction: when one tectonic plate is pushed under from other (at a divergent boundary), but either can lead
another at a convergent boundary. to volcanoes when the magma rises above the crust.
divergent boundary: place where two tectonic plates This activity gives students the opportunity to experi-
spread out, moving away from each other. ence plate tectonics, or the moving of pieces of Earth's
crust.

2 | Week 1 | Volcano Unit Study

 Volcano Unit Study Notes
Week 1

Materials Needed:

• graham crackers (to represent the tectonic plates)

• whipped cream, pudding or other soft food (to
represent the magma under Earth's crust)
• a plate for each child
• (optional) food coloring to make the magma
orange

Divergent Boundary Procedure:

Representation of subduction created at a convergent boundary.
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1. Cover the bottom of a small plate with about an inch of

whipped cream or pudding. This represents the hot
magma in the mantle.
Optional: There is an additional type of boundary not
2. Give each child two pieces of graham cracker. These mentioned in the text called a transform boundary. In this
represent the tectonic plates of Earth's crust. boundary, the plates grind past each other as they slide by
3. Lay the two pieces of graham cracker next to each other each other in opposite directions.
on top of the mantle. Now the mantle is covered by
Reflection Questions
the crust.
Q: What did you notice during this activity?
4. Gently push down on the crackers while pulling them A: answers will vary
apart.
Q: Did magma rise up between your tectonic plates?
5. Ask your students to name this type of boundary. A: answers will vary
(Divergent)
Q: How is the pudding like magma? How is it different?
A: both are thick, semi-solid liquids. Magma cools to rock,
while pudding does not. Magma is very hot
Q: How is the graham cracker like Earth's crust? How is it
different?
A: both are solid. Crackers are easily broken unlike the crust

Day 3
Read-Aloud or Reader
How Hot is Lava? ... | pp. 8–9
Vocabulary
Divergent boundary modeled with butterscotch pudding and
graham crackers. obsidian: black, shiny, glass made from lava that cooled
very quickly.
pumice: rock filled with tiny holes made from cooled lava
Convergent Boundary Procedure: with many gas bubbles.
1. Repeat steps 1–3 from the Divergent Procedure. basalt: most common rock formed from cooled lava; used
2. Gently push down on the crackers while pusing them in making pavement.
into one another.
3. Ask your students to name this type of boundary.
(Convergent)

Volcano Unit Study | Week 1 | 3

 Notes
Week 1

To Discuss After You Read

Q:
Optional Activity
What is the difference between magma and lava?
A: magma is the term for molten rock beneath the Earth's Molten Lava Cupcakes
crust; lava is the term for molten rock that is above the
Earth's crust Ingredients:
Q: • cocoa powder (for dusting the pan)
What are the three main types of lava? • 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (from a high-quality
A: pahoehoe, a'a, and blocky lava baking bar)
Q: • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (plus some extra butter for the
How hot can lava actually get? pan)
A: temperatures of lava can reach as high as 2,200° Fahren- • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
heit (or 1,204° Celsius) • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

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Q: What are some of the types of volcanic rock formed by • 2 large eggs
cooled lava? • 2 large eggs yolks
A: cooled lava can be shiny like glass (obsidian), full of small
holes like a sponge (pumice), or durable enough to be
used for making roads (basalt)
Q: Look at the picture on page 9. The hottest lava is bright
orange. As lava cools it turns red, then red-brown, and
finally black. Point out the hottest area in the photo.
Can you see how the color changes as it cools? Why
does it look like there is red peeking out from under-
neath the black lava?
A: as soon as the air touches the lava, it begins to cool. That
means that the surface cools faster than the lower layers
of lava

Activity Sheets
Dictation Instructions:

This Unit Study was designed for ages 8–13, so we have 1. Preheat oven to 425°.
provided dictation passages as you would find in our 2. Rub butter into 8 cups on a muffin tin. (Or you can use
Language Arts programs for Levels D through G. Weekly a non-stick spray). Dust with cocoa powder. This step is
dictation passages train students to recall spelling, gram- important for easily removing the cupcakes.
mar, capitalization and punctuation skills.
3. Chop the chocolate into the size of chocolate chips.
Study the dictation passage below with your students.
Note any words, capitalization, or matters of punctuation 4. Place the butter and chocolate in a microwaveable
that require special attention. Then, read the dictation out bowl.
loud as your students write it down (on a separate sheet of 5. Microwave for 10 seconds, then stir. Repeat until choco-
paper). late is all melted.
In its simplest form, a volcano is a crack in the 6. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 whole eggs and 2
top layer of our planet that's so deep that melted additional yolks.
rock from below can squeeze its way to the
surface.1 7. In another bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.
8. Once the chocolate/butter mixture is completely liquid,
gently mix in the eggs and dry ingredients. The batter
will be thick.
9. Scoop batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each
one about ¾ of the way full. (Depending on the preci-
1. Smith, Kelly. How Hot is Lava? And Other Questions About Volcanoes sion of the measurements, you may need 6 or more
New York: Sterling Children's Books, 2016, p. 7. muffin cups to use up all the batter.)
4 | Week 1 | Volcano Unit Study
 Volcano Unit Study Notes
Week 1

10. Bake for about 8 minutes. The sides will look firm, but Q: Explain why it can be a challenge to identify a volcano
the top will still look soggy. (Cooking until a cupcake is as either dormant or extinct.
typically "done" will solidify the lava.) A: it can be difficult to predict when volcanic activity might
11. Cool for about a minute, then use a spoon to loosen start back up again. It's possible that an extinct volcano
the sides of the cakes. could erupt again, but scientists have to be confident
that is will not in order to classify it as extinct (instead of
12. Invert the pan on a plate or platter. dormant).
13. Serve immediately. Q: What horseshoe-shaped region in the Pacific Ocean in-
While enjoying your lava cupcakes, be sure to discuss cludes 452 volcanoes (and 90% of Earth's earthquakes)?
how they could be called magma cakes until the lava actu- Why does this region have so much tectonic activity?
A: the Ring of Fire; it is located along the edges of a tectonic
ally comes out of the cake and has contact with the air.
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plate in the Pacific Ocean

Videos to Watch Activity Sheets

Video playlist: [Link] Famous Volcano Map
playlist?list=PLfKqQ2GauwxIMT-5jZ-LNlDSauEGm514a
Have your children complete the "Famous Volcano Map"
• Volcanoes 101 by National Geographic found on the Week 1 Activity Sheet.

Optional Activity
Day 4 Explore Volcanic Activity Near Me
Read-Aloud or Reader Visit the website [Link]
[Link]
How Hot is Lava? ... | pp. 12–13 Find the volcano nearest to where you live. Use the
Vocabulary
interactive map to switch to satellite view or plate view,
and explore recent volcanic activity.
active volcano: one that has erupted in recorded history
or shows signs of erupting soon. Use the + and – buttons to zoom in and explore
different volcanoes on Earth. What do you notice?
dormant volcano: one that shows no sign of erupting.
extinct volcano: one that scienctists think will never To Discuss After You Read
erupt again. Q: What do the different colored symbols on the map
mean?
To Discuss After You Read A: unrest warning/minor activity eruption
Q: On average, how many volcanoes erupt each year?
Q: Where is the Ring of Fire? Mark it on the map with a red
A: between 50 and 60
marker.
Q: What's the difference between active, dormant, and A: the Ring of Fire is the horseshoe-shaped concentration of
extinct volcanoes? volcanoes around the Pacific Plate in the Pacific Ocean n
A: active volcanoes have erupted, show signs of erupting, or
are currently erupting; dormant volcanoes show no sign
of erupting but they could erupt in the future; scientists
must think that a volcano won't ever erupt again in order
for it to be extinct

Volcano Unit Study | Week 1 | 5

This page intentionally left blank.
 Week 1 Activity Sheet
Label the Volcano
Identify the five parts of a volcano listed below by drawing an arrow to its location. (p. 14)

Summit crater
Flank crater

Conduit
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Side vent

Magma chamber

Label the Layers

Label each of the four layers of the Earth. Then describe each one either on a separate piece of
paper or by discussing it with a parent. (p. 7)

Volcano Unit Study | Week 1 Activity Sheet 1

 Week 1 Activity Sheet
Volcano Crossword
Name: _________________________________________________

Volcano Crossword

1 2

4 5

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6

8 9 10 11

12

13

14

15

16

Across: Down:
1. plates moving away from each other 2. solid metal center of Earth
4. slabs of crust that float on the mantle 3. where melted rock collects underground
6. pipe that allows magma to escape up/out 5. smaller, non-central conduit
9. Earth's layer of melted rock under the crust 7. bowl-shaped opening in a volcano
12. another word for melted 8. strong-smelling gases
14. plates pushing against each other 10. when one plate is pushed under another
15. a place where magma rises up in the 11. crack in the Earth that spews melted rock
middle of a tectonic plate 13. thin, rocky, outer layer of Earth
16. liquid metal layer around the inner core

Created using the Crossword Puzzle Generator on

Super Teacher Worksheets ([Link])
2 Week 1 Activity Sheet | Volcano Unit Study
 Week 1 Activity Sheet
Dictation1
Read through the dictation passage. Note any words, capitalizations, or matters of punctuation that
require special attention. Then, listen to Mom or Dad read the passage above aloud while you record
it on a separate sheet of paper.

In its simplest form, a volcano is a crack in the top layer of

our planet that’s so deep that melted rock from below can
squeeze its way to the top surface.2

Famous Volcano Map

Instructions: Find these famous volcanoes on
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the map on the following two pages using the

latitude and longitude given below. Draw a at
the correct latitude and longitude, and label
with the name of the volcano. We completed the
first one for you.

Mauna Loa 19°N 155°W

Mount Etna 37°N 14°E

Mount Merapi 7°S 110°E

Mount Pelée 14°N 61°W

Mount Sinabung 3°N 98°E

Mount St. Helens 46°N 122°W

Mount Tambora 8°S 118°E

Mount Vesuvius 40°N 14°E

1. Dictation is recommended for ages 8–13.

2 Smith, Kelly. How Hot is Lava? And Other Questions About Volcanoes New York: Sterling Children’s Books, 2016, p. 7.

Volcano Unit Study | Week 1 Activity Sheet 3

 Week 1 Activity Sheet
Famous Volcano Map

W W W W W W W W W W W

4 Week 1 Activity Sheet | Volcano Unit Study

 Week 1 Activity Sheet

E E E E E E E E E E E E

Volcano Unit Study | Week 1 Activity Sheet 5

This page intentionally left blank.
 Week 2 Schedule Volcano Unit Study

Date: Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4

Read-Aloud or Reader
How Hot is Lava? And Other
pp. 16–17 pp. 4–5, 20–21 pp. 23–27 pp. 18–19, 28–29
Questions About Volcanoes

Activity Sheets
Volcanic Volcano Picture The Volcanologist's
Types of Volcanoes
Explosivity Index Study Backpack
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Optional Activity
Model the Types/
Write a Myth Videos to Watch Demonstrations
Volcanic Poetry

Other Notes

shield volcano: volcano with low, wide slopes, shaped

Day 1 like a shield.

Read-Aloud or Reader cinder cone volcano: shorter, steep, sloping volcano.

composite volcano: towering, steep volcano formed by

How Hot is Lava? ... | pp. 16–17
many layers of lava, ash, and rock; also known as
Vocabulary stratovolcano.
Hawaiian eruption: produces gentle spurts of thin lava. caldera volcano: volcano with collapsed peak, forming a
Strombolian eruption: produces mild bursts of lava and huge bowl-like crater.
sometimes ash and rock.
To Discuss After You Read
Vulcanian eruption: explosive blast of lava, ash and rock. Q: What are the five types of volcanic eruptions?
A: Hawaiian, Strombolian, Vulcanian, Peléan, and Plinian
Peléan eruption: blast of lava, ash, and rock that can also
result in pyroclastic flows. Q: What makes Plinian eruptions the largest and most
Plinian eruption: the most destructive of all eruptions, a violent of all eruptions?
A: they release everything in one big eruption
powerful explosion that releases all lava, ash, and rock at
once and can also result in pryoclastic flows. Q: What are some possible shapes of volcanoes?
A: flat cracks (fissures), low slopes (shield), steep cone-
pyroclastic flows: avalanche-like, fast-moving rivers of
gas, lava, ash and rock. shaped hills (cinder cone), steep layers (composite), or
crater-topped mountains (caldera)
fissure: long narrow crack

N Special Note to Mom or Dad   Map Point  

Volcano Unit Study | Week 2 | 7

 Notes
Week 2

Q: Why are there so many different volcano shapes?

A: different conditions during an eruption such as heat, lava
Day 2
texture, power of blasts, and more create different features
Read-Aloud or Reader
Activity Sheets
How Hot is Lava? ... | pp. 4–5, 20–21
Types of Volcanoes Vocabulary
Complete "Types of Volcanoes," Parts 1 and 2 found Volcanic Explosivity Index: scale used by scientists to
on the Week 2 Activity Sheet. You may wish to look up measure eruptions, with 0 being the mildest and 8 the
pictures of each type of volcano on the internet with your strongest. [p. 20]
student.
typhoon: a tropical cyclone (hurricane) that occurs in the

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Answers Indian and Pacific Oceans. [p. 20]

1. cinder cone lahar: giant mudslide made of volcanic debris and water.
2. caldera [p. 20]
3. shield
To Discuss After You Read
4. composite
Q: What made the eruption of Mount Vesuvius so deadly?
5. fissure
A: two days of falling rock and ash combined with earth-
Optional Activity quakes, collapsing buildings, and toxic gases
Q: Why were Vesuvius and Herculaneum so well-preserved
Model the Types after such a long time?
A: being completely buried by ash and rock meant that they
Demonstrate the five types of volcanoes using play-
dough, LEGO, or other materials: were away from air and moisture, preventing decay or
movement
• fissure
Q: Find the locations of the three eruptions listed on p. 20 on
• shield
• cinder cone a map or globe. What do you notice?
A: they are all in the Pacific Ocean, and they are all on islands
• composite
• caldera
Activity Sheets
Volcanic Poetry
Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI)
Write a volcano-themed poem. Here are a few types of
poetry you want to try: Complete "Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI)" on the Week
2 Activity Sheet.
Haiku—Japanese 3-lined poem. Line 1 has 5 syllables, line
2 has 7 syllables, and the last line has 5 syllables. Answers

Acrostic—Spells out a word with the first letter of each 1. Mount St. Helens in 1980 (5)
line of the poem. 2. Tambora in 1815 (7)
3. Kilauea in 1977 (0)
Limerick—Follows an AABBA rhyme pattern. All A lines 4. Sinabung in 2010 (2)
contain 9 syllables and B lines contain 6 syllables. Lim- 5. Pinatubo in 1991 (6)
ericks are often humourous and sometimes begins with
"There once was a ..." Optional Activity
Write a Myth
Ancient cultures told stories to explain natural phenom-
ena. In Roman mythology, the blacksmith god Volcan was
thought to be responsible for volcanoes. According to the
myth, when Vulcan got very busy in his forge under the
earth, extra heat and melted rock would spew out.

8 | Week 2 | Volcano Unit Study

 Volcano Unit Study Notes
Week 2

Although today we know scientific reasons why volca-

noes exist, can you come up with a story to explain why Day 4
volcanoes erupt? What might get angry or hot enough to
spew ash, rock, and lava? Read-Aloud or Reader
How Hot is Lava? ... | pp. 18–19, 28–29
Day 3 Vocabulary
volcanologist: scientist who studies volcanoes.
Read-Aloud or Reader
monitor: observe and study.
How Hot is Lava? ... | pp. 24–27 seismometer: instrument that detects ground motion.
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Vocabulary tilt: slight change in the surface slope of a volcano.

unmanned: without a crew or pilot onboard. [p. 27]
bulge: swelling on the surface of a volcano
To Discuss After You Read evacuate: to leave an area, usually due to danger
Q: Where is the largest volcano on Earth?
A: the Pacific Ocean, it's called Tamu Massif To Discuss After You Read
Q: What causes the most destruction to life in an erup-
Q: The largest volcano on Earth, Tamu Massif, is located
tion?
underwater. Scientists estimate that more than 70% of A: toxic gas and pyroclastic flows
volcanic eruptions happen underwater and are respon-
sible for forming new sea floor. How would volcanoes Q: Why is lava less threatening than pyroclastic flows?
form new sea floor? A: lava moves much slower, and a pyroclastic flow buries or
A: during an eruption, lava escapes and then cools to form destroys everything it touches
new underwater mountains and other rock formations Q: What are some signs that a volcano might erupt?
Q: Where is the largest volcano in our solar system? A: an increase in earthquakes, bulges or tilts around a vol-
A: Mars (Olympus Mons) cano, or an increase in released gases
Q: Have you ever considered that there might be volca- Q: What are some dangers that volcanologists face?
noes on other planets? Why or why not? A: volcanologists get close to volcanoes and can potentially
A: answers will vary come in contact with toxic gases, hot temperature and
flying rocks
Activity Sheets
Videos to Watch
Volcano Picture Study Video playlist: [Link]
Complete "Volcano Picture Study" on the Week 2 playlist?list=PLfKqQ2GauwxIMT-5jZ-LNlDSauEGm514a
Activity Sheet.
• Pyroclastic flows: The secret of their deadly speed
Optional Activity • This Volcano Simulation Helps Scientists Prepare For
The Real Thing
Videos to Watch
Video playlist: [Link] Activity Sheets
playlist?list=PLfKqQ2GauwxIMT-5jZ-LNlDSauEGm514a
The Volcanologist's Backpack
• Undersea Volcano Eruptions Caught on Video
Have your children complete "The Volcanologist's Back-
pack" on the Week 2 Activity Sheet.

Volcano Unit Study | Week 2 | 9

 Notes
Week 2

Answers 2. Prepare the experiment area. Find a flat surface

outdoors that won’t be ruined by getting covered
1. Satellite images: Comparing satellite images of a vol-
with sticky soda. Like a real volcanic eruption, the by-
cano over time can show changes in a volcano.
products of this demonstration will spread. Open the
2. Seismometer: Detecting changes in the movement of soda bottle and set it on the prepared surface.
the ground can indicate possible future volcanic activity.
3. Load the funnel. Using the notecard as a temporary
3. Spade, pick, or hammer: Collecting samples of the rock bottom of the tube, load about eight Mentos into
(or cooled lava) can help scientists understand the kind of your construction paper tube. Being sure to wear gog-
lava and therefore the sort of eruption that happened. gles, set the tube on top of the bottle, with the note-
4. Gas mask: Protects scientists from a volcano releasing- card blocking the candies from entering the bottle.
toxic gases.

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4. Release the Mentos. Quickly slide the notecard out
5. Sample bags: Used to collect specimens of rock or ash while the tube remains in place above the opening of
for further evaluation. the soda bottle, and step back quickly. This will release
6. Thermometer and temperature guns: The surface the Mentos into the soda. The reaction will begin as
temperature may change before an eruption. soon as the first Mento hits the liquid, so make sure to
move out of the way quickly!
7. Heat resistant suit or gloves: Important for keeping
scientists safe during data collection in high-heat areas.
8. Drone: Can collect images that may not be possible via
satellite or on foot.

Optional Activity
Demonstration #1
Mentos + Diet Soda: Powerful Gas in Action
Materials
• pack of Mentos (8 candies are in one pack)
• 2-liter bottle of diet cola
• index card
• construction paper
• tape
Read through all directions before beginning the experi-
ment. Safety goggles are recommended.
Carbonated beverages, such as diet soda, contain the
gas carbon dioxide under pressure. What might happen if
that gas is released rapidly? Tell an adult your hypothesis.
Procedure:
1. Create a tube. As soon as one candy hits the soda, the
reaction will begin. The goal of the tube is to quickly
release multiple candies into the soda. Use the construc-
tion paper and tape to make a tube wide enough to hold
the Mentos, slightly smaller than the size of the opening
of the soda bottle.

10 | Week 2 | Volcano Unit Study

 Volcano Unit Study Notes
Week 2

Reflection Questions Procedure:

1. Describe what you saw during the demonstration. 1. Scoop 3 tablespoons of baking soda into the bottom
What happened? of the empty soda bottle.
2. Look back at your hypothesis, what you thought 2. Add in about 3/4 cup warm water and shake to dis-
would happen. Were you correct? solve the baking soda.
3. How is this similar to and different from a volcanic 3. Add in a small squirt of liquid dish soap. The bubbles
eruption? created by the dish soap cause the lava to be foamy.
4. Prepare the experiment area. Since the materials
Explanation: involved can cause stains, choose an area that is easy-
to-clean. (Optional: Use the playdough, sand, or mud
While volcanic eruptions don’t happen because of minty
to form a volcano shape around the bottle.)
candy and soda, they do happen because of a powerful
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5. Quickly squirt into the bottle enough ketchup to

buildup of gas, just like in this demonstration. As magma
almost fill it.
moves up toward the Earth’s crust, the gases expand, which
increases the pressure. When trapped gas is released, it’s
Reflection Questions
explosive!
1. Describe what you saw during the demonstration.
Watch two more videos from the playlist to see what What happened?
happens with different candies and different sodas: 2. How is this similar to and different from a volcanic
Video playlist: [Link] eruption?
playlist?list=PLfKqQ2GauwxIMT-5jZ-LNlDSauEGm514a 3. If you were a volcanologist, how would you go about
classifying the explosivity of the two eruptions?
• Why Mentos and Soda React
Explanation:
• Soda and Mentos Experiment
Like the traditional vinegar + baking soda experiment,
this is a result of a chemical reaction that results in the
release of carbon dioxide. It’s a much slower, steadier
Demonstration #2 eruption than that of the Mentos + diet soda reaction. n
Ketchup + Baking Soda: Bubbly Lava

Materials
• 12 oz ketchup
• 3 tbsp baking soda
• liquid dish soap
• warm water
• empty 16 oz plastic bottle
• playdough, sand, or mud (optional)

Volcano Unit Study | Week 2 | 11

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 Week 2 Activity Sheet
Types of Volcanoes, Part 1

Instructions: Label the five types of volcanoes—caldera, composite, cinder cone, fissure, and
shield. (p. 17)
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1. 2. 3.

4. 5.

Volcano Unit Study | Week 2 Activity Sheet 7

 Week 2 Activity Sheet
Types of Volcanoes, Part 2

Instructions: Draw the five types of volcanoes.

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1. Caldera volcano 2. Composite volcano 3. Cinder cone volcano

4. Fissure volcano 5. Shield volcano

8 Week 2 Activity Sheet | Volcano Unit Study

 Week 2 Activity Sheet
Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI)

Classifying volcanic eruptions can be challenging because it is difficult to measure the large
amounts of rock and ash expelled by a volcano. In looking at historical eruptions, sometimes
scientists make their best guesses since data is missing.

If you were a volcanologist, use the simplified version of the VEI chart below to assign a number to
each eruption.

1. Mount St. Helen’s in 1980

Data: 1 km3 of material, Plinian
Volume of Height of
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VEI: _____________ VEI Type Erupted Eruption

Material Column
Minimal
2. Tambora in 1815 0 Hawaiian
less than .01 m3
up to 100 m
Data: 100 km3 of material, Plinian
Hawaiian/ Significant
VEI: _____________ 1 Strombolian more than .01 m3
100 m to 1 km

Strombolian/ Considerable
2 Vulcanian more than 1 m3
1 to 5 km
3. Kilauea in 1977
Data: minimal erupted material, Substantial
Hawaiian 3 Vulcanian
more than 10 m3
3 to 15 km

VEI: _____________ Vulcanian/ Massive

4 Peléan more than 100 m3
10+ km

4. Sinabung in 2010 Enormous

5 Plinian 10+ km
Data: eruption column was 3 km high more than 1 km3

VEI: _____________ Immense

6 Plinian
more than 10 km3
20+ km

5. Pinatubo in 1991 Extensive

7 Plinian
more than 100 km3
20+ km
Data: 4 km3 of erupted material, 40 km
ash column, Plinian
Colossal
8 Plinian
> 1000 km3
20+ km
VEI: _____________

Volcano Unit Study | Week 2 Activity Sheet 9

 Week 2 Activity Sheet
Volcano Picture Study

The Eruption of the Soufriere Mountains in the Island of St. Vincent, 30th April 1812 by William Turner

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DIRECTIONS:

Find a larger version of this painting online so you can see greater detail. Then look at it for at least
45–90 seconds, absorbing all you see. Then discuss your answers to these questions. Feel free to
skip around and omit questions. The point is to experience and think about the art, not to answer
these questions in sequential order. Let your conversation flow naturally.

1. What is happening in this work of art? Describe everything you see as if you are telling someone
who really wants to see it but can’t.
2. Does this art remind you of anything?
3. What interests you most about this work of art? What are your favorite parts?
4. Do you have any questions as you look at it? Is there anything you don’t understand about it?
5. What do you think is the most important part of this picture? Explain why.
6. How do you think the artist made this work?
7. Does the art make you feel any certain way?
8. What title would you give to this work of art? Why?

10 Week 2 Activity Sheet | Volcano Unit Study

 Week 2 Activity Sheet
The Volcanologist’s Backpack

Volcanologists’ tools help them collect the data they need to answer tough questions:

• How close can people build houses next to a certain volcano?

• When should people living near a volcano evacuate?
• When is it safe to return after an eruption?
• How likely is it for a certain volcano to erupt again?
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Discuss the usefulness of these items to

a volcanologist:

1. Satellite images

2. Seismometer

3. Spade, pick, or hammer

4. Gas mask

5. Sample bags

6. Thermometer and temperature guns

7. Heat resistant suit or gloves

8. Drone

Volcano Unit Study | Week 2 Activity Sheet 11

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 Bibliography for Further Learning

Videos to Watch

Science Trek: Volcanoes [Link]

From BookShark's Level 2 Readers

Hill of Fire by Thomas P Lewis

Other Resources

Eyewitness Books Volcano & Earthquake by Susanna Van Rose

National Geographic Kids Absolute Expert Volcanoes by Lela Nargi
Volcano Rising by Elizabeth Pusch

Works Cited
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Smith, Kelly. How Hot is Lava? And Other Questions About Volcanoes New York: Sterling Children's Books, 2016.

Volcano Unit Study | Bibliography | 19

 Volcano
Unit Study