Useful Websites
http://primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/mountains/volcanoes.htm
Child-friendly description of volcanoes
http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-volcano.htm
Some helpful animations
http://www.kids-fun-science.com/ring-of-fire-volcanoes.html
Ring of fire volcanoes
http://www.volcanolive.com/index.html
News, photographs and webcams
http://www.geography4kids.com/files/earth_volcano.html
Description of different types of volcanoes & lava
http://www.kidscosmos.org/mars/kids/kids_volcanoes_types.php
Types of volcanoes
http://science-at-home.org/more-about-volcanoes/
Interesting facts
http://library.thinkquest.org/17457/volcanoes/erupt.php
Volcanic eruptions
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find_out/guides/tech/volcanoes/ne
wsid_1768000/1768595.stm
Newsround information
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
We refer you to our warning, at the top of the You Will Need document, about links to other websites
Y3 Sc Rocks Session C
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Volcano Facts
Volcanoes are geological landforms (usually mountains) where
gas and molten rock (magma) from the interior of the Earth erupts
through the surface of the planet.
Essentially, volcanoes are like giant natural safety valves, which
release the pressure that builds up inside the Earth.
The Earth’s crust is made up of huge slabs called tectonic plates,
which fit together a bit like a jigsaw. These pieces move, sliding
into each other or apart, and the friction caused by their
movement produces earthquakes and volcanoes.
Inside the Earth there is a load of boiling hot, molten minerals.
The pressure from this boiling mass of minerals builds up, and it
sometimes needs to release itself. The pressure forces up hot gas
and molten rock through cracks or ‘fissures’ in the Earth’s crust
until it erupts through the surface. The points where these
eruptions occur are known as volcanoes.
There are different kinds and shapes of volcano. The archetypal
image is of a cone mountain with the top chopped off and lava
spewing forth from the crater. However, there are many other
types and shapes of volcano, which all differ in the amount, the
regularity, and the type of eruption they produce. These include
shield, cinder cone & composite volcanoes and lava domes.
Volcanoes can occur on land or underwater. There are currently
about 1500 known active volcanoes on Earth, and about 80 or
more which are under the sea. In fact, about 75% of all annual
magma output occurs via underwater volcanoes.
Volcanoes also occur on other planets! Mars, Venus, and even
the Moon all demonstrate or have demonstrated the existence of
volcanic activity.
An active volcano is one that erupts regularly.
A dormant volcano is one in which there is still some activity
deep inside, but which hasn’t erupted in many years.
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
We refer you to our warning, at the top of the You Will Need document, about links to other websites
Y3 Sc Rocks Session C
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An extinct volcano is one that has not erupted for a very long
time and is no longer active.
Magma is the liquid rock inside the volcano. Lava is the liquid
rock once it has broken the surface and is flowing out of a volcano.
Geysers are springs that fountain boiling hot water high into the
air. This water has been heated underground by volcanic activity
until it has become so hot that the pressure sends it gushing
upwards out of the earth.
The word ‘volcano’ comes from ‘Vulcan’, the god of fire in
Roman mythology. The study of volcanoes is known as
volcanology (sometimes spelled vulcanology).
Volcano eruptions are very dangerous and destructive, more
dangerous the bigger the volcano is. However, because lava
deposits are rich in minerals, the soil surrounding volcanoes is
usually very fertile. This is why so many people live close to active
volcanoes despite the danger (about 1 in 10 people live near a
dangerous volcano).
Eruptions can destroy property, bury houses and people in lava
or ash, release poisonous gasses that kill animals, plants and
people, cover everything in dust that causes illnesses like
pneumonia in survivors, and darken skies to such an extent that
severe winds and heavy rains may follow the eruption for months
afterwards.
The biggest volcano on Earth is Mauna Loa in Hawaii. From the
sea floor it is about six miles high (that’s larger than Mount
Everest!). It is a ‘shield’ volcano.
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
We refer you to our warning, at the top of the You Will Need document, about links to other websites
Y3 Sc Rocks Session C
Volcanic Eruptions
It is so hot deep within the Earth that the rocks slowly melt and
become a thick flowing substance called magma. Because magma is
lighter than the solid rock around it (gases), it rises and collects in
magma chambers and the pressure builds up. Eventually some of the
magma pushes through vents and fissures in the Earth's surface.
These may be present from earlier eruptions or are caused by
movements of the plates in the Earth’s crust. Magma that has
erupted is called lava.
Some volcanic eruptions are explosive and others are not. How
explosive an eruption is depends on how runny or sticky the magma
is. If magma is thin and runny, gases can escape easily from it. When
this type of magma erupts, it flows out of the volcano. Lava flows
rarely kill people because they move slowly enough for people to get
out of their way. Lava flows, however, can cause considerable
destruction to buildings in their path. If magma is thick and sticky,
gases cannot escape easily. Pressure builds up until the gases escape
violently and explode. In this type of eruption, the magma blasts into
the air and breaks apart into pieces ranging in size from tiny particles
of ash to house-size boulders.
Ash erupted into the sky falls back to Earth like powdery snow. If
thick enough, blankets of ash can suffocate plants, animals, and
humans. When hot volcanic materials mix with water from streams
or melted snow and ice, mudflows form.
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
We refer you to our warning, at the top of the You Will Need document, about links to other websites
Y3 Sc Rocks Session C
Model Volcano
You will need:
 Baking soda (tablespoon)
 Soap powder/flakes (tablespoon)
 Water (180ml approx.)
 Food colouring – few drops of red or orange (optional)
 Vinegar (45ml approx.)
 Empty plastic drinks bottle or glass jar/beaker (magma chamber)
 Glass stirring rod or long-handled spoon (ensure it fits through the neck
of the bottle – if necessary cut off the neck)
 Waterproof tray or drawer
 Playdough OR
 Newspaper, diluted PVA glue, paints & brushes
Method:
 Build a volcano from playdough or papier mâché around the plastic
drinks bottle or glass jar/beaker (Crumple newspaper into balls to create
most of the ‘volcano’ and then cover with strips of newspaper dipped in
diluted PVA glue) ensuring the ‘vent’ is left clear (*this could be
prepared beforehand)
 When the papier mâché is dry, paint it to represent a mountain/volcano
(if appropriate)
 Place on the waterproof tray
 Add the baking soda, soap powder, water & food colouring to the drinks
bottle and stir well
 Quickly add the vinegar and stand back!
 Watch the volcano ‘erupt’!
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
We refer you to our warning, at the top of the You Will Need document, about links to other websites
Y3 Sc Rocks Session C
Volcanoes for Research
 Eyjafjallajökull
 Vesuvius
 Popocatépetl
 Tongariro
 Krakatau
 Mount Pinatubo
 Mount St Helens
 Mauna Loa
 Mount Etna
 Nevado del Ruiz
 Stromboli
 Thera 1
 Crater Lake
 Lassen Peak
 Mount Fuji
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
We refer you to our warning, at the top of the You Will Need document, about links to other websites
Y3 Sc Rocks Session C