Volcano Explorer!

The website I have chosen to speak about today is called Volcano Explorer!

This interactive website can be connected to the Evergreen Curriculum in Grade 6 Science - Core Unit: Earthquakes & Volcanoes.

This site explores many concepts surrounding the formation, classification, causes, effects, plate tectonics, etc. about volcanoes.

Students get to explore and discover on their own this information pertaining to volcanoes as well as getting a virtual visual of what is being talked about, where it may be located and what it might look like. It's a great site for them to actually see what's going on. They also get a chance to "create their own volcano" and determining the type it will become.

So, in light of the last activity, my assignment for the students would be not only to look through all the information presented on the background of types, etc., but to hypothesize why their volcano turned out to be the type it was (strato, for example). Was it due to the amount of gas built up underneath the crust, or did it perhaps have something to do with where it was located on the ring of fire? It is up to them to produce a theory as to how and why these formations occur.

As well, students could also be asked to look up the particular volcano that is mentioned as an example after they've "created" on and find more information and pictures on it to produce a sort of mini-report.

I feel that this website is beneficial for students because it is very visual and allows students to play around with different information and features. It includes a lot of the concepts they have to know as well but makes it more fun for them to find out.