Overview In this unit, the children will learn about earthquakes and volcanoes. They will extend their Geographical Locational Knowledge through locating some of the world’s volcanoes and earthquake-prone areas. Geographical and Fieldwork Skills will be explored through using maps. Physical Geography knowledge: will be extended by exploring how, why and where volcanoes and earthquakes occur.

Geography: Year 4 – Volcanoes and Earthquakes.

Fulwell Junior School Curriculum

Your Possible Activities:

● Label the volcano diagram and see if you can discover some video footage of a volcano erupting. Check out BBC Bitesize, Volcanoes.

● See if you can discover anything about an active, dormant or extinct volcano. Where is it? Does anyone live near it? When did it last erupt?

● Think about why people might choose to live near a volcano. Are there any advantages? Would you like to live near a volcano?

● Can you find out about a famous earthquake? Where did it happen? When was it? What damage did it cause? Can you find the location of the place on the map? (the map on the next page where the tectonic plates have been outlined).

● Your research can be on a laptop or on paper – it could be a mind-map, illustrations or lists.

CHALLENGE: Could you make a volcano model? Could you design a way of explaining how earthquakes occur, using slices of bread?

Possible Cross Curricular links:

Art: look at paintings e.g. Turner and the Quechuan artists of Tigua, Ecuador; create your own version.

Science : think about change of state – melting and solidification of rock (lava, magma).

Key Vocabulary:Earthquake

Volcano

Tectonic plate

Crust

Mantle

Core

Crater

Cone

Vent

Lava

Pressure

Active

Dormant

Extinct

Learning Objectives Overview

To know what earthquakes are and how they are caused.

To know what volcanoes are and what happens when they erupt.

To understand that volcanoes can be active, dormant and extinct.

To identify the location of some volcanoes and earthquakes.

Fulwell Junior School Curriculum

Your Possible Activities:

● Label the volcano diagram and see if you can discover some video footage of a volcano erupting. Check out BBC Bitesize, Volcanoes.

● See if you can discover anything about an active, dormant or extinct volcano. Where is it? Does anyone live near it? When did it last erupt?

● Think about why people might choose to live near a volcano. Are there any advantages? Would you like to live near a volcano?

● Can you find out about a famous earthquake? Where did it happen? When was it? What damage did it cause? Can you find the location of the place on the map? (the map on the next page where the tectonic plates have been outlined).

● Your research can be on a laptop or on paper – it could be a mind-map, illustrations or lists.

CHALLENGE: Could you make a volcano model? Could you design a way of explaining how earthquakes occur, using slices of bread?

Possible Cross Curricular links:

Art: look at paintings e.g. Turner and the Quechuan artists of Tigua, Ecuador; create your own version.

Science : think about change of state – melting and solidification of rock (lava, magma).

Useful information that can help with exploring and explaining the diagram below.

The rigid outermost shell of the Earth (called the ‘crust’ and ‘upper mantle’) is broken up into seven or eight major interlocking ‘tectonic plates’, and numerous smaller plates. An egg with a cracked shell is a useful analogy to share with children. It gives them an idea of the structure of the Earth, and helps them to understand earthquakes and volcanoes. With the cracked shell representing the thin crust and upper mantle, the white represents the hot magma of the semi-molten lower mantle, and the yolk represents the extremely hot core. The tectonic plates move (a few centimetres a year) towards, away from, or sliding past, each other. This results in volcanoes and earthquakes at their boundaries – the cracks in the egg’s shell.

Can you use the information in the box to

help you label the volcano diagram?