Teachers TryScience

Lesson Procedure: 

1. Students will come to class with their “observer’s notebook” and read the teaching point of the lesson:  What are the Effects of a Volcanic Eruption?
2. Students are introduced to the learning vocabulary of the lesson and place these into their Science Glossary notebook or what other resources you are utilizing.  
3. Students will then disperse into their Science groups and read the Science Expectations Chart which should be located in the center of the room.
4. Students in each group will choose their group roles and identify group norms (cooperative learning group roles:  Leader, Time Keeper, Recorder, Recorder, and/or Material Manager). 
5. Have students inform you of their roles within the Science groups.  Students should now read the procedure of the inquiry activity. 
6. Once students have read and discussed the inquiry activity.  Teacher should circulate between groups and clarify any questions that students may have.  (Teacher can utilize the procedure checklist
7. Once all questions have been clarified the Teacher is now able to let the groups begin their Science Inquiry.  Students begin their Science Inquiry.  Teacher should circulate the room focusing on two questions:  What is causing the soil to move or change?  Do you think this is a positive or negative effect? *To modify this lesson for lower level students: Have these questions printed individually for students.
8. As the students continue to work on their model of a volcano eruption the Teacher can circulate and tell students that a model utilizes materials that represent similar properties and densities and movement of an actual volcano.  The teacher can do this in two ways:  you can tell the students directly the following:  The maple syrup and water represent Earth layers and the corn oil represents the magma or you can ask the students what they think each of the items represent within the Earth.
9. As students continue to work on their inquiry focus.  T (Teacher)  will ask students to label, draw, and/or write their observations within their observer’s notebook. Students will be very excited during this time as volcanoes start the eruption process.  Please encourage students to observe other groups models.  Some groups may not get the volcano to erupt forcefully, please keep directing them to modify the items to get the lava to flow within the model.
10. As the volcanoes begin to flow have students focus on the direction of the lava and pose these two questions for them to consider:  Did you observe clear paths in the lava flow?  Did the lava flow in the areas of least resistance?
11. Class will then discuss their observations as a whole and the Teacher then introduces the literacy component of the lesson.
12. Literacy Focus (Cause and Effect):  What would be the cause of a volcanic eruption?  T waits for responses from the students (students should be able to speak about the plates underneath the Earth’s crust that would cause the volcano to erupt.  Please direct students to use the introduced vocabulary in their discussions and responses.) 
13. T will then ask:  What would be the effects of such an eruption to people, homes, and communities? T will create a large Cause and Effect graphic organizer for modeling purposes as the students will continue to utilize a cause and effect graphic organizer during their work in this chapter of study.   (I expect no positive effects)

T ends this segment by asking students if they think that a volcano eruption would cause any positive effects. (You can also ask students to discuss this in group so that you can gauge if the students believe there are any positive effects

1. T will then give students various articles for the students to identify positive effects of a volcano.  (Articles are differentiated based on reading levels).  Students in group will create their own cause and effect chart that identifies causes and positive effects of volcano eruptions.  T should circulate the room and clarify any misconceptions that students may have.

Science Experiment Procedure:

• Cover your workspace with newspaper, and place the pie pan on the paper.
  • Put on safety goggles and the plastic gloves.
• Fill the film canister halfway with antacid
• Add some potting soil to the canister.  Put the lid on, and shake the canister.
• Open the canister, and add 10 drops of food coloring to the mixture.
• Put the canister in the center of the pan.  Add several handfuls of clean potting soil to the pan.  Heap the soil against the canister to model the sides of a volcano.
• Add some maple syrup to the canister.  Observe what happens.  It may take a few moments for the “lava” to start flowing.

Students should focus on these questions as they conduct this experiment:

Draw Conclusions:

• Did you observe clear paths in the lava flow?  Explain
• Inquiry Skill:  Scientists use models to help them understand the dangers of certain natural processes.  How might your model help communicate the potential danger of living near volcanoes?

Differentiated Activities:

Extension Activity:  Students will apply the information gathered in their graphic organizers during their Writer’s Workshop to write a Cause and Effect Paragraph.