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Inside the Crater

Science lessons will heat up as students learn about and create a replica of a volcano out of Model Magic.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

  • Cardboard or Foam Core

Steps

  • Step 1

    A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planet that allows lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. Earth is not the only planet with volcanoes; other planets and moons have them as well. In fact, the largest one is on Mars. Have students learn about where volcanoes are found. Are there volcanoes underwater or under ice caps? What are tectonic plates? What temperature can lava reach? How many active volcanoes are there on Earth?

  • Step 2

    Have students look at images of some of the world's volcanoes, both when dormant and when erupting, such as Mt. Etna, Mt. Vesuvius, Mt. St. Helens, Beerenberg (a glacier-covered volcano in Norway), or others. Have them note the features around it and the changes that occur when it erupts.

  • Step 3

    Ask students to create a volcano out of Model Magic. Then paint the features. They can create a setting for it such as an island or ocean out of Model Magic as well and also by painting a piece of poster board or recycled cardboard.

  • Step 4

    Have students present their creations and discuss some of the facts they learned about volcanoes.

  • Step 6

Standards

SCI: Ask questions about the features of phenomena observed and conclusions drawn from investigations or models.

SCI: Design pictorial or graphic representations/models that are useful in communicating ideas.

Adaptations

Have students learn about the ancient city of Pompeii, which was destroyed by an eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 C.E. Ask them to investigate how the city stayed buried for centuries until it was unearthed in the 1700s.

Have students investigate some of the benefits volcanos offer. For example, geothermal energy can be harnessed from the underground steam and this in turn can be converted into electricity for domestic and industrial use. Also, volcanic areas contain some of the most mineral-rich and nutrient-rich soils, which are ideal for farming.