Jordan Haddock
Marissa Kroeger
April Pickens
Volcanoes and Plate Tectonics
Overview of Lesson
Description of Learners
and Lesson Content
Learning Objectives
Standards
Required Materials
Students will learn about lava and the effects it has on
surrounding areas. Students will create and observe the flow of
lava in a real life fabrication.
Description of Learners:
 6th Grade at-risk students
 11-12 years old
 Large group of students
Learning Environment:
 Computer Lab in Stanley Coulter
 Memorial Park
Learning Goals:
 Learning about lava
 The effects of volcanoes/lava
Lesson Content:
 Giving students about 5 minutes to look up everything they
can about volcanoes
 Discussion about plate tectonics
 Discussions about lava flow
 Discussions about effects of lava
 Show video of how to build volcanoes
 Students will build the explosion for the volcano
 Given a computer with Internet, students will be able to
research on volcanoes within 5 minutes.
 Given the appropriate materials and ingredients, students
will be able to construct an eruption that will accurately
portray a real life volcano eruption.
 Given the opportunity to discuss and construct plate
tectonics and volcano eruptions, students will be able to
explain and write the process of tectonic and volcano
eruptions without any grammatical errors.
th
6 Grade Science Content
Plate Tectonics and Earth’s Structure
1.a. The fit of the continents, location of earthquakes,
volcanoes, and midocean ridges, and the distribution of
fossils, rock types, and ancient climatic zones provide
evidence for plate tectonics.
1.e. Major geologic events, such as earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, and mountain building result from plate motions.
 Computers
 An overhead
 Internet
Procedures
Assessment
Jordan Haddock
Marissa Kroeger
April Pickens
 5 paper mache volcanoes- already made
 Vinegar
 Baking Soda
 Dish soap
 Food coloring
 5 print outs of directions to add volcano ingredients
1. Students will sit at a computer that is already on and is
already logged in.
2. Students will be asked to search the Internet and learn
everything they can about volcanoes in 5 minutes.
3. Students will be asked to share what they learned about
volcanoes.
4. Pass out handout and have a class discussion on plate
tectonics.
 What plate tectonics are
 How they are associated with volcanoes
5. Class will have a discussion on lava flow.
 How the rate destroys areas
 The effects of lava
6. Class discussion about the volcano eruption in the village
of Pahoa.
 Watch the video link:
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/28/us/hawaiivolcano/index.html
 Discussion about the video
7. Show the video of how to build and create the explosion
of a model volcano.
8. Pass out the handouts of instructions on how to create the
explosion.
9. Take the students outside and break them into 5 groups.
10. Give each group a paper mache volcano along with the
ingredients for the explosion.
11. Allow the students time to create and observe the
explosion.
12. Take the students back inside and pass out the informal
assessment worksheet.
Informal Assessment
 Three short answer questions
1. How did you make the volcano explode?
2. What is one thing you learned about plate tectonics?
3. What about you learned about Pahoa? What would you do
if you had the opportunity to help the people in Pahoa?
References and Reference
Material
Jordan Haddock
Marissa Kroeger
April Pickens
Smith, K. A., Douglas, T. C., & Cox, M. F. (2009). Supportive
teaching and learning strategies in STEM education. New
Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2009(117), 19-32.
Fulton, K., & Britton, T. (2011). STEM Teachers in Professional
Learning Communities: From Good Teachers to Great
Teaching. National Commission on Teaching and
America's Future.
Jordan Haddock
Marissa Kroeger
April Pickens
Reference Summaries:
Smith, K. A., Douglas, T. C., & Cox, M. F. (2009). Supportive teaching and learning
strategies in STEM education. New Directions for Teaching and Learning,
2009(117), 19-32.
This article talks about the difficulties and problems found in the STEM system of
teaching and it discusses the ways to improve learning and lessons for students in
order for STEM to be more affective. It addresses the question of whether or not the
learning environment can be changed and improved upon to therefore improve
STEM education and the answer they provide is yes. They talk about the fact that
there is not enough of a focus on this topic to be able to find a fool proof solution, so
they then provide their ideas for solutions. They say the solution is to design the
learning environments based on two things: the How People Learn Framework and
the Backward Design Approach. They discuss the different lenses of the How People
Learn Framework and the fact that many STEM learning environments only include
one or two, while the ideal environment should have all four present and in balance.
This will promote and create the most effective learning environment. In the
Backward Design Approach, there are three steps. The first is determining end goals
and desired outcomes. Then, step 2 is assessing the students by providing them
content-focused questions that will determine whether or not they have met your
learning goals. The final step is planning instruction that will promote engagement
and effective learning. The authors believe that by focusing the design of the STEM
learning environment on these two things, teachers will be able to most effectively
teach their students. This helped our lesson planning because we could use the How
People Learn Framework to make the best hypothetical learning environment and
we could use the Backward Design Approach while planning our lesson plan.
Fulton, K., & Britton, T. (2011). STEM Teachers in Professional Learning Communities:
From Good Teachers to Great Teaching. National Commission on Teaching and
America's Future.
This article discusses the effectiveness of academic achievement when students are
teamed up with people in learning communities. Reports have shown that teachers
who work with good communities remain in the teaching profession much longer
than those teachers that do not work with good communities. It discusses the need
for teachers to constantly be developing their knowledge across all subject areas.
The article also discusses the impact of learning in STEM areas in relation to teacher
practices. This article helped with the development of the lesson plan because we
are developing the lesson plan from the teacher perspective. We need to know what
an impact a good community can have on us as we prepare to teach with the CMFK.
Jordan Haddock
Marissa Kroeger
April Pickens
Image of what the paper mache volcano eruption
would look like.
Retrieved from:
http://www.stormthecastle.com/how-to-makea/images/make-a-volcano-pictures/kennys-doughvolcano-thumb.jpg
Jordan Haddock
Marissa Kroeger
April Pickens
Plate Tectonics:
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Scientists known as oceanographers have been able to measure and map
out the ocean floor. What these scientists have discovered has helped
explain how it is that continents are able to move around on the Earth’s
crust!
The Earth's crust is made up of huge slabs called plates, which fit together
like a jigsaw puzzle. These plates sometimes move. The friction causes
earthquakes and volcanic eruptions near the edges of the plates. The
theory that explains this process is called plate tectonics.
Basically, it says that continents are drifting from place to place, breaking
apart, colliding, and grinding against each other.
The plate tectonic theory is composed of several large, thin, relatively rigid
plates that move relative to one another. The plates are all moving in
different directions and at different speeds.
Earth’s plates move extremely slowly- only about TEN CENTIMETERS per
year!!
1. What is the Earth’s crust made out of? _________________________
2. What causes volcanoes to explode? ___________________________
3. Do plates move slowly or quickly? ______________________ How fast do they
move? __________________________
Jordan Haddock
Marissa Kroeger
April Pickens
Volcano activity
Stand back! Remember what happens when
plates grind and bump into each other? Well, we’re about
to find out!
1. Measure and pour two (2) tablespoons of baking soda into your
volcano base.
2. Measure one (1) ounce of vinegar in a little cup and set aside.
3. Pour one (1) teaspoon of liquid hand dish soap into the volcano.
4. Add five drops of red and yellow food coloring to the vinegar; shake
well!
5. Carefully pour the vinegar into the volcano, and watch what
happens!