Lesson 1: Introductions
Lesson Description: Today I am going to introduce the students to some volcano information by
showing them a Bill Nye the Science Guy video and then allow them some time to work on some
work that is due very shortly.
Sub Driving Question: What is a volcano and what are some of the things I do not know about
them?
Objective: Students will get an overview of what a volcano is and what types there are.
Standards:
No specific standard. Touches on several. Mostly focused on exposing the students to material
for the first time
Materials:
 Paper
 Writing utensil
 Teacher-Bill Nye movie
Instructional Sequence:
2-4 mins: Introduction/puzzles (bell ringer)
30 mins: Bill Nye
5 mins: discuss movie
What surprised students? What did you learn? What did you already learn?
30 mins: work on Current Events or Vocabulary
Assessment:
The assessment for this lesson would be the discussion with the students.
Reflection:
I find it amusing how the students say that they hate Bill Nye, but I can tell that most of them
love him. I even told them that I love Bill Nye!
Lesson 2
Lesson Description: Today for my regular education class we are going to take notes off of a
PowerPoint presentation that I have made and then we are going to get started on an online
activity.
Sub-Driving Questions: Why do volcanoes erupt explosively and how are they characterized?
Objective: Students will be able to (SWBAT) understand what causes a volcano to erupt
explosively and what types of volcanoes there are.
Standards:
E3.4d: Explain how the chemical composition of magmas relates to plate tectonics and affects
the geometry, structure, and explosivity of volcanoes.
Materials:
 Paper
 Handout—following the lesson
 Pencil
 Computers
 Teacher-needs PowerPoint
Instructional Sequence:
For my regular students:
2-4 mins: Introductions/bell ringer
30-40 mins: Notes on volcanoes—PowerPoint following this lesson
30 mins: Explain and demonstrate volcano explorer assignment
1 min: assign p330 q. 1-9 in Holt Earth Science Text book
For my basic students:
2-4 mins: intro/bell ringer
50-60 mins: Notes on volcanoes
5-10 mins: Start Volcano Explorer as a group
The reason I did notes much longer with my basic students is because they asked phenomenal
questions and actually discussed with me as we went through lectures.
Assessment:
The volcano explorer is going to be the assessment for this lesson to let me know whether the
students understand explosivity and volcano types.
Reflection: The students loved the interactive website. It even makes explosive noises during the
highly explosive volcanoes. I was honored also when the other Earth science teacher at Jackson
Northwest adopted my activity in his repertoire.
Early Release Day: shorter classes
Lesson 3:
Lesson description:
Today we are going to finish the volcano explorer activity and get started on another online
activity.
Sub-Driving Questions:
Can I distinguish between the basic volcano types based on pictures?
Objective: SWBAT understand how they can apply the knowledge to real life volcanoes.
Standards:
E3.4d: Explain how the chemical composition of magmas relates to plate tectonics and affects
the geometry, structure, and explosivity of volcanoes.
Materials:
 Paper
 Handout—following the lesson
 Pencil
 Computers
Instructional Sequence:
2-4 mins: Intro/ bell ringer
15-20 mins: Finish Volcano Explorer assignment
5 mins: Assign and explain volcano picture assignment
Students need to find 5 pictures of volcanoes and answer three questions
1) What is the name of volcano?
2) Where is it in the world?
3) What type of volcano does it look like?
**Basic students did 3 pictures
30 mins: allow to work on volcano pictures and turn in
Assessment: The assessment for this hour is going to be the volcano picture assignment and
volcano explorer assignment. I will be able to judge whether they are getting things by how they
did on them.
Reflection: The volcano picture assignment was harder for students than I anticipated so I ended
up giving students who were working hard, but didn’t finish an extension into the next day to
finish.
Lesson 4:
Lesson Description: Today we are going to start applying what we have learned about volcanoes
and putting it into the context of how it affects us as humans.
Sub-Driving Question: What type of effects do volcanoes have on us as humans?
Objective: Students will gain perspective on what kind of damage that volcanoes can cause.
Standard:
E3.4 C Describe the effects of volcanic eruptions on humans.
E3.4 e Explain how volcanoes change the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and other Earth systems.
Materials:
 Writing utensil
 Earth Comm Book Activity—activity following lesson
 Lecture—PowerPoint following lesson
Instructional Sequence:
2-4 mins: Intro/bell ringer
25-30 mins: Lecture powerpoint and video of ash in Alaska from mount redoubt
30 mins: Earth comm activity
Assessment:
The assessment today is going to be the Earth comm. activity which will allow me to tell how
much they understood the effect of volcanic ash on the US.
Lesson 5:
Lesson Description: Today we are going to discuss the effects of volcanoes on Hawaiian culture.
Sub Driving Question: How do volcanic eruptions and volcanoes shape other cultures outside
our own?
Standard:
E3.4C: Describe the effects of volcanic eruptions on humans
Materials:
 Writing utensil
 Paper
 Computer
Instructional Sequence:
2 mins-4 mins Intro/
 Let students know that today is to see a different side of volcanoes
 I am not teaching today like usual
o I am not telling the students that these things are true I am just stating some
Hawaiians beliefs
o This is purely an investigation into another culture not me instructing you on what is
right or what is wrong.
15 minutes
Read story of Pele the Volcano Goddess
http://www.sergeking.com/HAM/pele.html
15 mins
YouTube video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9Nfj1iNb7o&feature=related
Discuss what surprises the students
20 mins
 Discuss what students think about the Hawaiian culture and beliefs. Talk about the words
“weird” and “strange” and explain the fact that they are completely subjective terms.
 Are there some legends that we tell that other cultures may find very strange
o Legend of Sleeping bear dunes
 http://www.geo.msu.edu/geogmich/bearlegend.html
o Any others that students know (that are appropriate)
5 mins fun stories from Suellyn
 Native Hawaiians may enter the Volcano national park for free because it is a sacred
space for them
 Part of the native Hawaiian way of offering prayers is to stack rocks, and the rocks can
often be seen in the park and along road sides
15 mins
Have students write 6 sentences about what they learned today about Hawaiian culture and about
other cultures.
**shortened the basic students to 3 sentences
Assessment:
The assessment for this lesson will be the 6 sentences that they write after the lesson.
Reflection:
Some students really fought me on this lesson, but others seemed to get a lot out of it. I would do
the lesson again just for the students that I think got something out of it. It is a good break from
straight science for those that are overwhelmed, but at the same time is very applicable to
science.
Lesson 6:
Lesson Description: Today we are going to discuss the early warning signs of an eruption in
preparation for the “Dante’s Peak” assessment. We are also going to start watching “Dante’s
Peak”
Sub-driving question: How do we measure volcanoes and predict when they will erupt?
Objective: SWBAT understand how we measure volcanoes and predict when they will erupt.
Standard:
E3.4B: Describe how the sizes of earthquakes and volcanoes are measured or characterized.
Materials:
 Writing utensil
 Paper
 Text book—33-36 in chapter review—graphs FOLLOWING
 teacher-Smart board activity
Instructional Sequence:
2-4 mins: Intro/ bell ringer
5 mins: Explain tilt and look at graphs with students
10-15 mins: Have students use graphs to answer questions in the book. Turn in questions.
5 mins: Explain “Dante’s Peak” assignment.
Students need to find 5 real things and 5 fake/Hollywood things about the movie
Then they need to explain why things are realistic or fake—RUBRIC ATTACHED
**Made adjustments for basic students-only needed 3 of each
Assessment:
The assessment for this lesson is going to be the overall “Dante’s Peak” essay that they turn in
when we finish the movie.
Lesson 7
Lesson Description: Today we will be watching “Dante’s Peak” and I will stop it momentarily so
the students can gather their notes. Before the movie starts I am going to explain several things
that are not explained well.
Sub-Driving Question: Can I use what I learned in the unit to discern whether or not events could
actually happen before or during an eruption.
Objective:
SWBAT apply what they have learned during the unit to decide whether a movie is accurately
made or not.
SWBAT defend their position with knowledge that they have gained.
Standard:
All standards from past lesson: E3.4B,C,d,e
Materials:
 Paper
 Writing utensil
 Teacher: “Dante’s Peak”
Instructional Sequence:
2-4 mins: Intro/ bell ringer
5 mins: Lecture/ smartboard notes section
Smart board pictures—ATTACHED
Rest of class—Watch “Dante’s Peak”—stopping when you see fit
Assessment:
The paper will be the assessment for this whole unit and for this particular lesson as well.
Lesson 8
Lesson Description: Today we will finish “Dante’s Peak” and allow the students time to write
their essay.
Sub-Driving question: Can I use what I learned in the unit to discern whether or not events could
actually happen before or during an eruption.
Objective:
SWBAT apply what they have learned during the unit to decide whether a movie is accurately
made or not.
SWBAT defend their position with knowledge that they have gained.
Standard:
All standards from past lesson: E3.4B,C,d,e
Materials:
 Paper
 Writing utensil
 Teacher: “Dante’s Peak”
Instructional Sequence:
2-4 mins: Intro/ bell ringer
Rest of class—Watch “Dante’s Peak”—stopping when you see fit
When you finish allow students to start their essays.