Tennessee Tech University
Lesson Plan
Name: Brittaney Monday and Jill Bryant
Date: 3-20-2013
Lesson Title: Create a Volcano
Grade/Level: 3rd Grade
Curriculum Standards
Science
GLE 0307.7.1 Use information and illustrations to identify the earth’s major landforms and
water bodies
SPI 0307.7.1 Classify landforms and bodies of water according to their geological features
and identify them on the map.
3.5.2 Students will use technology tools to process data and report results.
Sub-Objective
GLE 0307.9.1 Design a simple experiment to determine how the physical properties of matter
can change over time and under different conditions.
0307.9.3 Make a prediction and conduct experiments about conditions needed to change the
physical properties of particular substances.
Technology
3.0 Students will use productivity tools
3.1 Students will use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and
promote creativity.
Focus Questions/Big Idea/Goal (List all 3)
How was Hawaii formed?
The big idea is to have students understand that volcanoes create land by the hardening of
lava.
Students will understand the connection between volcanoes and landforms.
Lesson Objective(s)
Students will be able to identify how volcanoes helped to shape the Earth’s landforms.
Students will be able to identify major parts of a volcano.
Vocabulary/ Academic Language
Students will receive a volcano graphic organizer with the opportunities to identify the
vocabulary.
Volcano - a vent in the earth’s crust through which lava, steam, and ashes are expelled,
either continuously or at irregular intervals.
Magma - molten material beneath or within the earth’s crust, from which igneous rock is
formed.
Lava - the molten, fluid rock that issues from a volcano or volcanic vent.
Cone - a solid whose surface is generated by a line passing through a fixed point and a fixed
plane curve not containing the point, consisting of two equal sections joined at a vertex.
Vent - an opening at the earth’s surface from which volcanic material, as lava, steam, or gas
is emitted.
Crater - the cup-shaped depression or cavity on the surface of the earth or other heavenly
body making the orifice of a volcano.
Material/Resources
KWL Chart
Volcano Graphic Organizer
Computer
iPad
Educreations Interactive Whiteboard App
Screen
Projector
Sand
Bottle
Tray
Baking Soda
Vinegar
Food Coloring
Tablespoon Measurer
Assessment/Evaluation
Formative: Students will collect data throughout the volcano experiment process. We will collect
this data through a KWL Chart at the beginning and end of the experiment to gage prior
knowledge, intermediate knowledge, and new knowledge students learned from the lesson.
Summative: Students will take a test identifying parts of a volcano at the end of the unit over
what they have learned. The text will determine whether they have mastered the skill with 90%
accuracy. Students will use the Educreations app to determine mastery of the parts of a volcano
and landforms influenced by volcanic activity.
Instruction
(Include a suggested time for each major activity)
List Questions for higher order thinking These
cannot be answered by yes or no.
(Identify Bloom’s Level of Thinking)
Set/Motivator: (15 minutes)
● Play The Volcano Song from youtube (2x)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNKsGjGFQp
o
● Students will take written notes during video.
● Have students get in groups and discuss what
they have learned from the video.
● Return to whole group discussion.
Teacher will ask:
“How are volcanoes formed?”
“What is magma and where is it located?”
“What is lava and how is it connected to magma?”
Comprehension- Students will
discuss what they learned from the
youtube video.
Instructional Procedures/Learning Tasks: (30
minutes)
● Have students fill in a KWL Chart (5min.)
Students will make a list of things they know
about a volcano, what they want to learn about a
volcano, and what they learned about a volcano.
● Have students fill out the volcano graphic
organizer to see if they know the vocabulary
words.
● Students will engage in whole group discussion
about vocabulary terms. (5 min.) Students will
revise the graphic organizer as needed.
Students with then use reciprocal teaching with
peer groups to quiz each other on the different
parts of the volcano.(5 min.)
● Have students make a volcano (15min.) This will
be done in peer groups of 2 students.
1) Dampen sand.
2) Place a cup or small bottle in a dampened sand
area.
3) Build a mountain of sand around bottle or cup.
4) Place 2 tablespoon of baking soda inside the
"volcano" (bottle).
5) Pour vinegar (dyed red, optional) and watch the
volcano erupt.
● Have students get in groups and talk about what
they just witnessed.
● What caused the volcano to erupt?
Synthesis- Students will set up
everything they need to make the
volcano.
Closure: (15 minutes)
● Have students draw a volcano and label the
Analysis- Students will diagram
different parts of a volcano.
What was the main idea of the
video?
Application- Students will interpret
in groups what they learned from
the video.
What supplies will you need to setup and make a volcano?
Evaluation- Students will justify
why they think the volcano erupted
the way it did.
Why do you think the volcano
erupted?
●
●
different parts of it using Educreations Interactive
Whiteboard App.
○ Magma
○ Lava
○ Crust
○ Core
○ Vent
○ Crater
Have students record what they are thinking
while drawing using the app.
Students will write a reflection in their reflection
log notebook and will be encouraged to think
about how volcanoes impact land formations.
What are the different parts of a
volcano?
Evaluation- Students will describe
what they have learned using the
iPad. They will also describe
different parts of a volcano and what
each part does.
What do you think are the
differences in your drawing of a
volcano and the one you built to
erupt?
Adaptations to Meet Individual Needs: We are meeting several of Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence’s:
● Visual-spatial- we are meeting this by having students work with manipulatives. They are
working with an iPad to draw what goes on inside a volcano.
● Bodily-kinesthetic- we are meeting this by having students make a working volcano. They will
actually get to make and see how a volcano works.
● Interpersonal- we are meeting this by having students work in groups.
● Musical- will be met by use of song.
● Linguistic - needs will be meet by use of graphic organizer to write and read vocabulary words.
We are meeting all the needs of ELL students and students with disabilities by having visual aids and
hands on activities.
Management/Safety Issues: Students will need to wear safety goggles when performing this
experiment because of the chemical reaction with the vinegar and baking soda.
Rationale/Theoretical Reasoning:
 Some common misconceptions students have about volcanoes are that they are only on land,
they are found only in hot climates, and that all volcanoes erupt violently. This applies to our
lesson because we want to teach students that volcanoes are located all over the globe, on
both land and water. They also are located in various types of climates. Also, not all
volcanoes erupt violently, in fact, most volcano eruptions are not violent at all.
http://beyondpenguins.ehe.osu.edu/issue/earths-changing-surface/common-misconceptionsabout-weathering-erosion-volcanoes-and-earthquakes
● Vygotsky’s social learning theory because the student’s are working in groups to learn from
each other. The social leaning theory talks about how students learn better from working with
each other.
●
●
●
John Dewey’s theory informs us that students learn best by doing. The students are making a
volcano and watching it erupt.
Marzano essential 9 learning theory of summarizing and note taking is met during video
presentation. Summarizing and note taking promotes comprehension and has students
analyze what is important and what is not important. It allows students to put what they find
important in their own words. It also provides a set of rules and an outline for the students to
follow.
Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences theory will be used to help differentiate learning in the
classroom. See adaptations and to meet individual needs for the multiple intelligences that are
met.
References: (2013, March 26) Parts of a volcano labeling worksheet. Retrieved from:
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/Volcanoes/extension-activity/67664.html
Pitler, H. Hubbell, E., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works,
2nd Edition. ASCD McREL
sheellap (2013, March 20) The volcano song. Retrieved from:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNKsGjGFQpo
Reflections/Future Modifications: