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Lesson Plan #: AELP-GLG0054
Submitted by: Karin Buchko
Email: kbuchko@hotmail.com
School/University/Affiliation: University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
Date: February 20, 2000


Grade Level(s): 3, 4

Subject(s):

  • Science/Geology

Duration: 45 minutes Description: The students will be able to observe the reaction from the vinegar mixture as it builds up in the volcano until it emerges from the top and spills over the sides.

Goals:   Students will engage in lab experiments to identify the properties of volcano reactions.

Objectives: Students will:

  • observe the reaction from the vinegar mixture as it builds up in the volcano until it emerges from the top and spills over the sides.
  • follow the direction of the lava flow.
  • label and identify volcano, lava, and magma.
  • Materials:

    • Books: Disasters Volcanoes, Volcanoes, Discover Volcanoes,
    • plaster
    • wire mesh
    • water
    • plastic bottles
    • food coloring
    • baking soda
    • vinegar
    • ice cream cones
    • icing
    • sugar drops
    • utensils to apply icing
    • napkins

    Procedure: Lesson Introduction:

    Ask the students if they have ever seen a live volcano.
    Ask the students to look at the vocabulary words listed on the Word Bank.
    State that, Today we will be observing the reactions of a simulated volcano. Introduce the book, Volcanoes.
    Allow the students to view the additional books on volcanoes during the hands-on activity time.
    I will have a pre-constructed volcano prepared for the class demonstration made out of plaster, wire mesh, and plastic soda bottle. The method that I choose to make my volcano erupt is by mixing vinegar, baking soda, and food coloring to simulate a volcanic reaction.

    Lesson Focus:

    The students will be asked to place the words from the Word Bank to the volcano diagram.
    The students will recognize the trouble source of volcanoes that lies about 80 km (50 miles) underground.
    Under excessive heat and pressure parts start to melt and form magma. Volcanoes are less dense then there surrounding rock, gobs of magma tend to rise.
    The plates collect in a shallow holding tank, or magma chamber, under the volcano. The magma starts to bubble because of the dissolved gasses are packed tightly together. But with too little stretching room, the magma forces its way up to the surface, crackling the rock around it.
    The students will be reminded: Gases power the eruption. The magma collected in a lava dome at the mountaintop. Powered by gases under pressure, huge chunks of the lava flow down the mountain side.

    Hands-On Activity:

    The students will be given materials to construct their own volcano.
    The students will be asked to make an entry in their Science Journals answering the following questions:
    What do I already know? What have I learned so far? What do I still want to investigate?

    Closure:

    The students will be asked to show the Bank Words on their own volcanoes.
    The students will be asked if there are any questions.
    Students would be praised for working cooperatively together to construct the volcanoes.
    The students will be asked to display their own created volcano.

    Extension/Enrichment:

    The students will be able to construct their own volcano.
    The students will be able to use the World Wide Web to go on a Virtual Reality Field Trip.

    Assessment:

    The students will make predictions and discuss the expected outcome.
    Students will be evaluated on their predictions and answers on how volcanoes function.
    The students will be evaluated on their Science Journal entry.

    Useful Internet Resources:

    Bibliography

    Hooker, Merrilee. (1993). Volcanoes Disasters. Vero Beach, Florida: The Rourke Corporation.
    Murray, Peter. (1996). Volcanoes. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The Child’s World, Inc.
    Writer, Christopher. (1992). Discover Volcanoes. Lincolnwood, Illinois: Publications International, Ltd.

    Volcano Field Trip
    http://www.field-trips.org/sci/volcano/index.htm

    Volcano World
    http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/