CU 2.09Volcanoes

1. 1

   Show the photographs of real volcanoes. Say: 'Deep inside the earth, some rock is so hot it melts.'

2. 2

   Show the cut-away model. Point to the magma chamber, the vent, the crater, and the lava, naming each.

3. 3

   Say: 'Underground, melted rock is called magma. When it comes out, we call it lava.'

4. 4

   Give a three-period lesson and match the three-part cards.

5. 5

   On another day, put on goggles with the child. Show the sand mound with the cup at the top: 'This is a model, not real lava.'

6. 6

   Spoon two teaspoons of baking soda into the cup.

7. 7

   Invite the child to pour the vinegar slowly into the cup. Watch the foam rise and run down the sides.

8. 8

   Wipe up together and say: 'The bubbles pushed up and out, like gas pushes magma up the vent.'

What catches the child’s eye

• Red foam bubbling up out of the crater and rolling down the slopes
• A piece of pumice floating on water although it is a rock

Extensions, easiest to hardest

1. Label the parts of the volcano on a blank drawing
2. Find volcanoes on the world map, such as in Hawaii and around the Pacific Ocean
3. Compare a lava rock (pumice or basalt) with other rocks; pumice floats
4. Repeat the eruption with more or less baking soda and compare