Grade Level: Grade 6 - 8

Content Areas: Creative Writing

Literature

Mathematics

Geology

Physical Science

Basic Concepts: Listening skills

Poetry

Creative writing

Igneous rocks

Graphing

Geometry

Scientific Method

Note taking skills

1. To allow students to acquire the necessary background information on volcanoes which they will utilize throughout the remainder of this unit.

2. Students will gain a better understanding of the forces that cause a volcano to explode, as well as the stages of a volcano's life.

3. Students will learn to recognize a variety of igneous rocks created by volcanic activity.

4. Students will incorporate the writing process through the creative writing of volcanic poetry.

Materials: Sand

Red food coloring

Tall thin jars

Vinegar

Baking soda (Sodium bicarbonate)

Dishwashing liquid

20 oz. bottle of soda - new

Paper towels or rags

Metric rulers

Stop watches

Graph paper

Cork or clay

Collection of igneous rocks

Slides - or pictures of volcanoes

Poetry samples

Learning contracts

1. Students will observe one type of explosion.

2. Students will apply knowledge of a common explosion to volcanic activity.

Time Frame: 15 Minutes

Materials: 20 ounce soda bottle - full

Rags or paper towels

1. Ask students to observe as you shake up a soda bottle and then open it. Be sure to plan appropriately for clean-up (doing this activity outside might be a good idea).

2. Ask students to hypothesize why the bottle exploded. The think-pair-share method would work excellently here.

3. Explain that the bottle exploded due to the extreme force placed on the contents inside. This is similar to a volcanic explosion, which erupts when pressure become too great.

ASSESSMENT: 1. Informal Attention Rubric

However, this activity is so brief, that no real assessment is necessary.

1. Students will come to understand how a volcano really works by building their own volcano with every day materials.

2. Students will experiment with variables that can effect lava flow.

3. Students will practice both geometry and algebra as they graph their results.

Time Frame: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Materials: Sand

Red food coloring

Tall thin jars

Vinegar

Baking soda (Sodium bicarbonate)

Dishwashing liquid

Graph paper

Metric rulers

Stop watches

Cork or clay

1. Divide the class into six groups. Review the concepts of diameter and height as they pertain to geometry. Also review accurate methods of recording information. Go outside if weather permits.

2. Explain that each group will be responsible for creating a volcano out of sand that meets specific requirements. Each group will create their volcano three separate times, with varying height, diameter, and amount of ingredients.

3. To make the volcano, build a mountain shape out of damp sand.

4. Next put one teaspoonful of sodium bicarbonate in the jar and add a little warm water. Shake the container until the powder dissolves. Add a few drops of the dishwashing liquid and red food coloring. Cover the jar with cork or clay.

5. Put the jar into the sand.

6. Remove the cork and drip a few drops of vinegar into the jar. The acid in the vinegar will react with the mixture to make fizzy bubbles of gas pour our of your volcano like red "lava."

7. First students will create their volcano with the variable diameter. All teams will watch each volcano "go off," and the creators of the volcano will measure the distance that the lava flows. Record this distance and the time it took to get their.

8. Follow the same procedure with the variable height and variable ingredients.

9. Then go back inside creating a large chart on the chalk board to include all of the groups' results.

10. Students will then graph the results of the three variables on separate graphs, using their classmates' information.

EXTENSION: Students can analyze this information to predict the results of similar occurrences on real volcanoes.

ASSESSMENT: Variable Volcano Rubric

Success within this activity will be measured by the achievement of all three's or above. The students will need to prove their proficiency on a wide range of skills that are covered in this activity.

1. Students will identify various types of igneous rocks through tangible objects.

2. Students will be able to determine the reasoning for a rock's appearance.

Time Frame: 1 Hour

Materials: Collection of igneous rocks

1. Provide students with a box of igneous rocks. Depending on the number or rocks available, students may need to work in pairs.

2. In order for students to gain the necessary information regarding the qualities of these types of rocks, provide a definition and description, and ask students to sort their rocks accordingly. For example, by giving the definition of extrusive and intrusive rocks, students will be dividing their pile in half.

3. Rocks will be numbered, and the facilitator should periodically check to ensure that students are on the right track. Peers can assist in teaching this activity once they get the hang of it.

4. Students will be given a sheet (attached) to fill in their observations. They will find the rock number, look on the sheet, and identify its name. After the name, the students will fill in a brief description column, and then determine whether the rock is extrusive or intrusive.

5. Students need to write down the definitions, as well as a visual description of their rock as it is sorted out. However, warn them that appearance can be deceiving.

EXTENSION: Students can go out into the community or their own back yards to find rocks and identify if they are igneous or not, and then break their type down even further until an exact name can be given.

ASSESSMENT: Correct classification of rocks is required for success. An initial percentage of correctly classified rocks (extrusive or intrusive) can be taken near the end of the activity, but peers should help correct their classmates so that ultimately, each group correctly classifies and describes every rock.

1. Students will visually learn about volcanic stages.

2. To creatively assess student understanding of the following concepts.

Time Frame: 30 Minutes

Materials: Slides - these can be gotten from a variety of resources. A few to try:

Dr. Nelson Ham

Pictures from the textbook: Tarbuck, E. J. & Lutgens, F. K. (1996). Earth: An Introduction to physical Geology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

1. Use the pictures from the above textbook or other resources to create slides showing the basic stages of a volcano.

2. Before showing the slides, tell students to pretend they are at the volcano site. While watching the slides, students should jot down notes on what it would be like to experience the explosion. Ask them to pay special attention to the reactions their five senses will feel.

3. Show the slide show. Use the eruption sounds from day 1.

EXTENSION: Facilitate a discussion on what it would really be like to witness a volcanic eruption, using the five senses.

ASSESSMENT: Creation of "My 5 Senses" poem

Use the poetry rubrics to assess this poem, but ensure that proper content from the slide show was incorporated.

1. To encourage students to think creatively while utilizing their knowledge of volcanoes.

2. Students will observe the simplicity of poem writing when a model is provided.

3. Students will participate in the writing process through a Writer's Workshop.

Time Frame: 2 Hours 30 Minutes

Activity is to be completed over the two weeks - introducing a new type of poetry every three days or so.

Materials:

Pencils and paper

1. For each type of poetry, follow the same procedure:

A. Teach format

B. Model an example

C. Students write their own poem

D. Self-edit

E. Peer-edit

F. Conference with teacher

G. Self-edit

H. Publish

2. The types of poetry we have selected include limericks, cinquains, and "My 5 Senses."

3. Each poem should be written using volcano terms and contexts. The five senses poem should pay close attention to the stages of a volcano, since it is the assessment for the slide presentation.

EXTENSION: Continue the procedure with other types of poems and on other subjects. When publishing their poem, students could add it to their poetry book. This book would be kept throughout an entire year, demonstrating the student's progress.

ASSESSMENT: Poetry Rubric

In our classroom, we would require that a student earn all "Very Good" marks on each criteria before publishing their poem. If this is not achieved on the first try, students will go back to the self-editing stage and work through their poem until they can submit it for publishing. This ensures that every student submits high quality poetry that they have taken great pride in.

Time Frame: 15 Minutes

Materials: Typed Learning Contract from previous day

1. Pass out copies of the learning contract

2. Ask for a volunteer to read it out loud.

3. Students sign contracts and then they are collected.

ASSESSMENT: Students can reevaluate their goals and self-assess what they have achieved throughout this curriculum at the conclusion of these two weeks.

Resources for this Lesson

Orndoff, E. (1990). Poetry patterns. Monterey, CA: Evan-Moore Corp.

Tarbuck, E. J. & Lutgens, F. K. (1996). Earth: An Introduction to physical Geology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Dr. Nelson Ham, Professor, St. Norbert College.

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