Lava is hot molten rock.
Volcanoes are created when molten rock is released because of a build-up of pressure from the Earth's shifting tectonic plates. These tectonic plates are part of a theory that the Earth's outermost layer is made up of pieces of a dozen or more solid slabs, called lithospheric plates, or tectonic plates. They are constantly shifting, which causes volcanoes to form. Volcano projects for kids in the fourth grade involve tectonic plate theory, geology, growing volcanoes and building volcano activities.
Tectonic Plates
Tectonic plate theory has been widely used by scientists since the 1960s and has taken over the continental drift theory that was conceived in the late 1500s. To learn about volcanoes, fourth-graders should work on tectonic plate projects. One project is mapping a tennis ball with the Earth's tectonic plates. Students will print out a template from the U.S. Geological Survey's website. They will examine how the tectonic plates become divergent or convergent and how they transform boundaries. The children will color the templates and then cut and glue them into place on the tennis balls.
Geology
Fourth-graders studying volcanoes need to learn about geology, which is the study of rocks. Students should take a field trip to their schoolyard to study the rocks there. The fist step is mapping the space. Provide tape measures, paper and colored pencils. The kids will measure the outside space and map it accurately. Photocopy the maps to save the master copies and take the copies out into the schoolyard. Once a rock is seen, the students will draw it and note on their map where it was found. The rock should be identified and the marked maps will become geological maps of the schoolyard.
Growing Volcanoes
Demonstrate how volcanoes grow with a simple activity. For this project you will need three pie plates, a measuring cup, cat litter and chilled molasses. Explain that three types of materials that erupt from volcanoes are lava, tephra and cinders. Pour cat litter into a pie plate to demonstrate tephra and pour chilled molasses into pie plate to demonstrate lava. One the third plate, layer the cat litter and molasses to demonstrate how volcanoes are shaped with lava and tephra.
Building Volcano
The fourth-graders should build their own volcanoes with modeling clay and an empty glass bottle. Glue the glass bottle onto an aluminum pie pan. Form the volcano around the bottle with the clay, leaving the top of the bottle free. Decorate the clay volcano with twigs, sand and leaves. To erupt the project, use a funnel to pour in 3 tbsp. of baking soda, a few drops of red food coloring, a drop of detergent, 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of vinegar. Remove the funnel quickly to watch the eruption.
Tags: tectonic plates, chilled molasses, fourth-graders should, glass bottle, into plate
