|
Volcanoes pose dangers besides eruptions
August 9, 2001
Web posted at: 6:04 PM EDT (2204 GMT)
Overview: Can a volcano still be dangerous if it does not erupt? Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines is. Discover the many dangers, besides eruption, that may occur from volcanoes. Have students investigate these and challenge them to make predictions about how volcanoes may affect global climate changes.
Curriculum connections: Science-geology
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Explain potentially dangerous geological conditions at Mount Pinatubo.
- Predict how the effects of volcanoes affect global climate.
Standards
National Science Education Standards
Earth and space science, Content standard D, grades nine-12
High school students should know that interactions among the solid earth, the oceans, the atmosphere and organisms have resulted in the ongoing evolution of the earth system. We can observe some changes such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions on a human time scale, but many processes such as mountain building and plate movements take place over hundreds of millions of years.
|
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Materials
CNNfyi.com article, " Volcano menaces with fire and water"
Internet access
Earth science textbook
Suggested time
Article and questions only: 30 minutes
Full lesson plan: Two to three classroom periods
Procedure
1. As students enter the classroom, ask them to create a list of possible effects from a volcano on the surrounding area and its environment. Invite students to share their answers and create a list of these on the board. Then ask: Which do you think is the most dangerous to surrounding residents? Explain.
2. Have students read the CNNfyi.com article, "Volcano menaces with fire and water"and ask the following:
- What is happening in the crater of Mount Pinatubo? What is a crater lake? What are officials recommending? How will the local residents help? Do you agree or disagree with getting help from the local residents? Explain. How much water will be released?
- What happened when the crater lake of the Casita volcano in Nicaragua breached in 1998? What could happen if Pinatubo's crater wall collapses? What are some similarities and differences between Mount Pinatubo and the Casita volcano?
3. Inform students that craters and calderas are natural places for lakes to form, because they are closed depressions that collect rainfall and snowmelt. Have students investigate how crater lakes are formed and methods that could damage them.
4. Pair students. Assign each pair to research how the results of Mount Pinatubo's eruption in 1991 affected the area and the environment: lava, gasses, dust and ash in the atmosphere; and lava, ash and mud flows or sulfur dioxide released into the atmosphere. Have students share their findings. Then ask: Which do you think caused the most short-term damage? Explain. What do you think caused the most long-term damage? Discuss.
Assessment
Point out to students that using data collected from the eruptions of Mount Pinatubo and other volcanoes, scientists are developing computer models that may help them better understand and predict global climate changes. Direct students to select one of the eruption results and write an essay predicting how it may affect global climate changes.
Challenge
The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo had local and widespread effects. Examine how this eruption changed nearby ecosystems and find out which effects are still noticeable today.
RELATED STORIES:
|
|
RELATED SITES:
|
|
