Name___________________________
Date: _____________
Period: ____
DANTE’S PEAK SUMMARY
Attention student volcanologists! The movie, Dante’s Peak, dramatizes some real-world
concerns faced by communities located near an active volcano in Washington. The
movie portrays the roles of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists and local public
officials during the re-awakening and eruption of this fictional volcano. Can you guess
what volcano this is supposed to be?
Assignment: Your job is to write a 1½ -2 page essay with at least 4 quality paragraphs
that points out the scientifically related plot elements that you think are accurate and
realistic, and those where the writers stretched things a bit to make the movie more
exciting. You will be assessed by the following rubric. Please review it before you write
your essay!
Summary of
Plot
Scientific
Review
Format
Vocabulary
10 points
Mentions major
characters and plot
events. Includes an
overall rating of
movie
8 points
Includes some
important
elements of plot
and characters.
Includes an
overall rating of
the movie.
5 points
Barely
mentions
major plot
elements or
character
references. No
overall movie
rating.
Student
included at
least 1
fact/fiction plot
element.
4-0 points.
No mention
of storyline
or plot
events. Does
not include a
rating.
Cleary discussed a
combination
of 3 realistic/
unrealistic parts from
a scientific point of
view. Student placed
a * on each part.
Essay is 1½ to 2
pages in length.
Includes at least 4
paragraphs with at
least 5 sentences in
each paragraph.
Name, date, and
period are included.
Few grammatical
errors.
Student has included
at least 9 volcano
vocabulary terms and
has circled or
underlined them.
Student
included 2-3
fact/fiction plot
elements, but
may not have
starred them.
Appropriate
length of essay
with some
grammatical
errors and
paragraph
length.
Missing either
name, date, or
period. Less
than 1.5
pages in
length. Some
grammatical
errors.
No name,
date, or
period on
paper. Less
than 1 page
in length.
Many
grammatical
errors.
Student has
included less
than 9 words
but has circled
all of them.
Includes a few
vocabulary
terms but
does not circle
them.
Does not
include any
vocabulary
terms from
the unit.
Student did
not include
any
fact/fiction
plot
elements.
Notes &
Participation
Student included
class notes and
remained quiet
during the movie.
Student
included class
notes, but with
some mistakes
or talking.
Some talking
from the
student, very
little notes
taken.
No notes
taken during
the movie
and student
had to be
reminded not
to talk.
TOTAL: 50 Points
Use this page to write notes during the film. Suggested topics for each paragraph in
your essay are already suggested for you.
Paragraph 1: Introduction to characters, setting/location, and other background
information about the movie.
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Paragraph 2: Warning signs of an eruption. What sort of evidence did the scientists
collect and what signs did the volcano give of its impending eruption? What kind of
concerns did the townspeople have?
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Paragraph 3: What happens during the eruption? How did the people respond? What
sorts of things occurred? What dangers do people face? What mistakes did they make?
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Paragraph 4: Conclusion. How does the story end? What did you learn from the movie?
What sorts of things did the directors exaggerate about the volcano’s eruption?
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Vocabulary Words
Here are some words that might be mentioned in the movie and should be added
somewhere in your essay to describe events.
pyroclastic flow
tephra
fissure
lava/magma
dormant/active
ash
volcanologist
lahar
volcanic bomb