Famous Eruptions & Pangaea

CONCEPTUAL

Science›Volcanoes & Earthquakes|Ages 9—11|ID: mt_rML9unnd9x

Know about famous eruptions and their global effects: Mount St Helens (1980), Eyjafjallajökull (2010), and how large eruptions can affect weather and climate worldwide; understand that continents were once joined (Pangaea) and have slowly drifted apart

Mastery Evidence

Describe at least one famous volcanic eruption and its key effects
Explain how volcanic ash and gases in the atmosphere can cool global temperatures
State that continents were once joined in a supercontinent and have slowly moved apart over millions of years

Assessment Prompt

“Can [child] tell you about a famous volcanic eruption like Mount St Helens and explain how a really big eruption can send so much ash into the sky that it affects weather around the whole world?”

Prerequisites4

Plate Boundaries
hardAges 9—11
Eruption Types & Volcano Shape
softAges 9—11
Pompeii & Vesuvius
hardAges 7—9
Tectonic Plates
softAges 9—11

Show full prerequisite tree

Plate Boundaries hard
Understanding global effects requires knowing plate tectonics mechanism
- Why Earthquakes Happen hard
  Plate boundaries as earthquake cause builds on simpler causal model
  - What Is an Earthquake hard
    Understanding earthquake causes builds on knowing what an earthquake is
- Tectonic Plates hard
  Plate boundary mechanisms require knowing what tectonic plates are
  - Ring of Fire hard
    Plate concept explains the patterns of where earthquakes/volcanoes occur
    - Fast & Slow Earth Changes soft
      Pattern mapping benefits from knowing Earth's surface changes
      - What Is an Earthquake soft
        Quick/slow changes concept benefits from earthquake as example of quick change
      - What Is a Volcano soft
        Quick/slow changes concept benefits from volcano as example of quick change
    - What Is an Earthquake hard
      Mapping earthquake patterns requires knowing what earthquakes are
    - Shapes of land and water soft
      Mapping volcano/earthquake patterns benefits from knowing about landforms like mountains and valleys
      - Seasonal changes soft
        Seasonal observation supports understanding land and water features
        
        Days, Weeks, Months & Years soft
        Observing and describing seasonal changes requires basic date and time vocabulary (months, seasons, year)
        
        Ordering Events in Time hard
        Understanding days/months/years builds on sequencing events chronologically
    - Why Earthquakes Happen soft
      Mapping patterns benefits from understanding earthquake causes
      - What Is an Earthquake hard
        Understanding earthquake causes builds on knowing what an earthquake is
    - What Is a Volcano hard
      Mapping volcano patterns requires knowing what volcanoes are
  - Finding patterns in data soft
    Tectonic plates concept benefits from prior map-reading of Earth's features
    - Rock layers and Earth's history soft
      Interpreting maps of Earth surface features is enriched by understanding cross-section views of geological strata and layers
      - 3-D shapes (age 9+) soft
        Interpreting cross-section diagrams of Earth builds on the skill of identifying 3-D shapes from 2-D representations
        
        2-D shapes (age 7+) hard
        Y3 drawing 2D and making 3D shapes is prerequisite to identifying 3D from 2D representations
        
        Edges, vertices, and faces hard
        Making/describing 3-D shapes requires knowing their properties (edges, vertices, faces)
        
        3-D shapes hard
        Describing 3-D properties (edges, vertices, faces) requires knowing the shapes first
        
        Nets of 3-D Shapes soft
        Counting edges, vertices, and faces is reinforced by analysing nets where each face is visible as a separate 2-D shape
        
        3-D shapes (age 5+) hard
        Formal property description extends informal analysis of shapes
        
        2-D shapes hard
        Analysing and comparing shapes requires being able to name them first
        
        3-D shapes hard
        Analysing 3-D shapes requires recognising and naming them
        
        2-D shapes (age 6+) hard
        Drawing 2-D shapes requires knowing their properties
        
        Angles in triangles (age 6+) soft
        Understanding defining attributes supports describing shape properties formally
        
        2-D shapes hard
        Distinguishing defining vs non-defining attributes requires knowing common 2-D shape names first
        
        3-D shapes (age 5+) hard
        Identifying defining attributes builds on informal analysis and comparison of shapes
        
        2-D shapes hard
        Analysing and comparing shapes requires being able to name them first
        
        3-D shapes hard
        Analysing 3-D shapes requires recognising and naming them
        
        2-D shapes hard
        Describing properties of 2-D shapes (sides, symmetry) requires knowing the shapes first
        
        3-D shapes (age 5+) hard
        Formal property description extends informal analysis of sides and vertices
        
        2-D shapes hard
        Analysing and comparing shapes requires being able to name them first
        
        3-D shapes hard
        Analysing 3-D shapes requires recognising and naming them
        
        Nets of 3-D Shapes soft
        Drawing 2-D shapes and making 3-D shapes from materials is supported by being able to sketch and interpret nets
        
        Nets of 3-D Shapes hard
        Identifying 3-D shapes from 2-D representations requires understanding the relationship between a net and its solid
    - Types of rocks hard
      Interpreting patterns of Earth's geological features requires rock type and erosion vocabulary
    - Shapes of land and water hard
      Must model landforms and water bodies before analysing map patterns of Earth's features
      - Seasonal changes soft
        Seasonal observation supports understanding land and water features
        
        Days, Weeks, Months & Years soft
        Observing and describing seasonal changes requires basic date and time vocabulary (months, seasons, year)
        
        Ordering Events in Time hard
        Understanding days/months/years builds on sequencing events chronologically
    - Erosion and weathering soft
      Understanding weathering/erosion helps explain patterns in Earth's features
      - Types of rocks hard
        Measuring weathering and erosion rates requires 'weathering', 'erosion', and 'deposition' vocabulary
      - Preventing Erosion hard
        Must understand erosion prevention before measuring weathering/erosion effects systematically
        
        Shapes of land and water hard
        Must know about landforms before designing solutions to prevent wind/water erosion
        
        Seasonal changes soft
        Seasonal observation supports understanding land and water features
        
        Days, Weeks, Months & Years soft
        Observing and describing seasonal changes requires basic date and time vocabulary (months, seasons, year)
        
        Ordering Events in Time hard
        Understanding days/months/years builds on sequencing events chronologically
      - Properties of materials soft
        Rock properties knowledge supports understanding how weathering breaks down different rocks
        
        Grouping Materials soft
        Grouping materials by properties supports grouping rocks by properties
        
        Describing Material Properties hard
        Must describe properties before using them to group materials
        
        States of Matter Vocabulary soft
        Describing physical properties of materials uses solid/liquid/gas vocabulary introduced in the states of matter LANGUAGE node
        
        Naming Everyday Materials hard
        Must name materials before describing their properties
        
        Objects vs Materials hard
        Must distinguish objects from materials before naming specific materials
  - Earth's Layers hard
    Tectonic plates are pieces of the crust (requires knowing Earth has layers)
    - What Is a Volcano hard
      Understanding layers requires knowing what a volcano is (motivation for internal structure)
    - Earth Is Made of Rock hard
      Earth's layers builds on knowing Earth is made of rock
Eruption Types & Volcano Shape soft
Famous eruptions benefit from understanding eruption types
- Active, Dormant & Extinct hard
  Eruption types build on volcano classification
  - Power of Eruptions soft
    Classification benefits from understanding eruptions vary in power
    - What Is a Volcano soft
      Appreciating eruption power benefits from knowing what a volcano is
  - What Is a Volcano hard
    Classifying volcanoes requires knowing what a volcano is
- Plate Boundaries soft
  Eruption types benefit from plate boundary context
  - Why Earthquakes Happen hard
    Plate boundaries as earthquake cause builds on simpler causal model
    - What Is an Earthquake hard
      Understanding earthquake causes builds on knowing what an earthquake is
  - Tectonic Plates hard
    Plate boundary mechanisms require knowing what tectonic plates are
    - Ring of Fire hard
      Plate concept explains the patterns of where earthquakes/volcanoes occur
      - Fast & Slow Earth Changes soft
        Pattern mapping benefits from knowing Earth's surface changes
        
        What Is an Earthquake soft
        Quick/slow changes concept benefits from earthquake as example of quick change
        
        What Is a Volcano soft
        Quick/slow changes concept benefits from volcano as example of quick change
      - What Is an Earthquake hard
        Mapping earthquake patterns requires knowing what earthquakes are
      - Shapes of land and water soft
        Mapping volcano/earthquake patterns benefits from knowing about landforms like mountains and valleys
        
        Seasonal changes soft
        Seasonal observation supports understanding land and water features
        
        Days, Weeks, Months & Years soft
        Observing and describing seasonal changes requires basic date and time vocabulary (months, seasons, year)
        
        Ordering Events in Time hard
        Understanding days/months/years builds on sequencing events chronologically
      - Why Earthquakes Happen soft
        Mapping patterns benefits from understanding earthquake causes
        
        What Is an Earthquake hard
        Understanding earthquake causes builds on knowing what an earthquake is
      - What Is a Volcano hard
        Mapping volcano patterns requires knowing what volcanoes are
    - Finding patterns in data soft
      Tectonic plates concept benefits from prior map-reading of Earth's features
      - Rock layers and Earth's history soft
        Interpreting maps of Earth surface features is enriched by understanding cross-section views of geological strata and layers
        
        3-D shapes (age 9+) soft
        Interpreting cross-section diagrams of Earth builds on the skill of identifying 3-D shapes from 2-D representations
        
        2-D shapes (age 7+) hard
        Y3 drawing 2D and making 3D shapes is prerequisite to identifying 3D from 2D representations
        
        Edges, vertices, and faces hard
        Making/describing 3-D shapes requires knowing their properties (edges, vertices, faces)
        
        3-D shapes hard
        Describing 3-D properties (edges, vertices, faces) requires knowing the shapes first
        
        Nets of 3-D Shapes soft
        Counting edges, vertices, and faces is reinforced by analysing nets where each face is visible as a separate 2-D shape
        
        3-D shapes (age 5+) hard
        Formal property description extends informal analysis of shapes
        
        2-D shapes hard
        Analysing and comparing shapes requires being able to name them first
        
        3-D shapes hard
        Analysing 3-D shapes requires recognising and naming them
        
        2-D shapes (age 6+) hard
        Drawing 2-D shapes requires knowing their properties
        
        Angles in triangles (age 6+) soft
        Understanding defining attributes supports describing shape properties formally
        
        2-D shapes hard
        Distinguishing defining vs non-defining attributes requires knowing common 2-D shape names first
        
        3-D shapes (age 5+) hard
        Identifying defining attributes builds on informal analysis and comparison of shapes
        
        2-D shapes hard
        Analysing and comparing shapes requires being able to name them first
        
        3-D shapes hard
        Analysing 3-D shapes requires recognising and naming them
        
        2-D shapes hard
        Describing properties of 2-D shapes (sides, symmetry) requires knowing the shapes first
        
        3-D shapes (age 5+) hard
        Formal property description extends informal analysis of sides and vertices
        
        2-D shapes hard
        Analysing and comparing shapes requires being able to name them first
        
        3-D shapes hard
        Analysing 3-D shapes requires recognising and naming them
        
        Nets of 3-D Shapes soft
        Drawing 2-D shapes and making 3-D shapes from materials is supported by being able to sketch and interpret nets
        
        Nets of 3-D Shapes hard
        Identifying 3-D shapes from 2-D representations requires understanding the relationship between a net and its solid
      - Types of rocks hard
        Interpreting patterns of Earth's geological features requires rock type and erosion vocabulary
      - Shapes of land and water hard
        Must model landforms and water bodies before analysing map patterns of Earth's features
        
        Seasonal changes soft
        Seasonal observation supports understanding land and water features
        
        Days, Weeks, Months & Years soft
        Observing and describing seasonal changes requires basic date and time vocabulary (months, seasons, year)
        
        Ordering Events in Time hard
        Understanding days/months/years builds on sequencing events chronologically
      - Erosion and weathering soft
        Understanding weathering/erosion helps explain patterns in Earth's features
        
        Types of rocks hard
        Measuring weathering and erosion rates requires 'weathering', 'erosion', and 'deposition' vocabulary
        
        Preventing Erosion hard
        Must understand erosion prevention before measuring weathering/erosion effects systematically
        
        Shapes of land and water hard
        Must know about landforms before designing solutions to prevent wind/water erosion
        
        Seasonal changes soft
        Seasonal observation supports understanding land and water features
        
        Days, Weeks, Months & Years soft
        Observing and describing seasonal changes requires basic date and time vocabulary (months, seasons, year)
        
        Ordering Events in Time hard
        Understanding days/months/years builds on sequencing events chronologically
        
        Properties of materials soft
        Rock properties knowledge supports understanding how weathering breaks down different rocks
        
        Grouping Materials soft
        Grouping materials by properties supports grouping rocks by properties
        
        Describing Material Properties hard
        Must describe properties before using them to group materials
        
        States of Matter Vocabulary soft
        Describing physical properties of materials uses solid/liquid/gas vocabulary introduced in the states of matter LANGUAGE node
        
        Naming Everyday Materials hard
        Must name materials before describing their properties
        
        Objects vs Materials hard
        Must distinguish objects from materials before naming specific materials
    - Earth's Layers hard
      Tectonic plates are pieces of the crust (requires knowing Earth has layers)
      - What Is a Volcano hard
        Understanding layers requires knowing what a volcano is (motivation for internal structure)
      - Earth Is Made of Rock hard
        Earth's layers builds on knowing Earth is made of rock
- Inside a Volcano hard
  Eruption types depend on understanding magma and internal volcano structure
  - Earth's Layers hard
    Magma chamber concept requires knowing Earth has hot interior layers
    - What Is a Volcano hard
      Understanding layers requires knowing what a volcano is (motivation for internal structure)
    - Earth Is Made of Rock hard
      Earth's layers builds on knowing Earth is made of rock
  - What Is a Volcano hard
    Internal volcano structure builds on basic volcano knowledge
Pompeii & Vesuvius hard
Famous eruptions builds on Pompeii as first historical eruption case study
- Power of Eruptions hard
  Understanding Pompeii's destruction requires knowing eruptions are powerful
  - What Is a Volcano soft
    Appreciating eruption power benefits from knowing what a volcano is
- Inside a Volcano soft
  Pompeii story is enriched by understanding volcano internal structure
  - Earth's Layers hard
    Magma chamber concept requires knowing Earth has hot interior layers
    - What Is a Volcano hard
      Understanding layers requires knowing what a volcano is (motivation for internal structure)
    - Earth Is Made of Rock hard
      Earth's layers builds on knowing Earth is made of rock
  - What Is a Volcano hard
    Internal volcano structure builds on basic volcano knowledge
- What Is a Volcano hard
  Pompeii story requires understanding what a volcano is and what eruptions do
Tectonic Plates soft
Continental drift (Pangaea) builds on plate concept
- Ring of Fire hard
  Plate concept explains the patterns of where earthquakes/volcanoes occur
  - Fast & Slow Earth Changes soft
    Pattern mapping benefits from knowing Earth's surface changes
    - What Is an Earthquake soft
      Quick/slow changes concept benefits from earthquake as example of quick change
    - What Is a Volcano soft
      Quick/slow changes concept benefits from volcano as example of quick change
  - What Is an Earthquake hard
    Mapping earthquake patterns requires knowing what earthquakes are
  - Shapes of land and water soft
    Mapping volcano/earthquake patterns benefits from knowing about landforms like mountains and valleys
    - Seasonal changes soft
      Seasonal observation supports understanding land and water features
      - Days, Weeks, Months & Years soft
        Observing and describing seasonal changes requires basic date and time vocabulary (months, seasons, year)
        
        Ordering Events in Time hard
        Understanding days/months/years builds on sequencing events chronologically
  - Why Earthquakes Happen soft
    Mapping patterns benefits from understanding earthquake causes
    - What Is an Earthquake hard
      Understanding earthquake causes builds on knowing what an earthquake is
  - What Is a Volcano hard
    Mapping volcano patterns requires knowing what volcanoes are
- Finding patterns in data soft
  Tectonic plates concept benefits from prior map-reading of Earth's features
  - Rock layers and Earth's history soft
    Interpreting maps of Earth surface features is enriched by understanding cross-section views of geological strata and layers
    - 3-D shapes (age 9+) soft
      Interpreting cross-section diagrams of Earth builds on the skill of identifying 3-D shapes from 2-D representations
      - 2-D shapes (age 7+) hard
        Y3 drawing 2D and making 3D shapes is prerequisite to identifying 3D from 2D representations
        
        Edges, vertices, and faces hard
        Making/describing 3-D shapes requires knowing their properties (edges, vertices, faces)
        
        3-D shapes hard
        Describing 3-D properties (edges, vertices, faces) requires knowing the shapes first
        
        Nets of 3-D Shapes soft
        Counting edges, vertices, and faces is reinforced by analysing nets where each face is visible as a separate 2-D shape
        
        3-D shapes (age 5+) hard
        Formal property description extends informal analysis of shapes
        
        2-D shapes hard
        Analysing and comparing shapes requires being able to name them first
        
        3-D shapes hard
        Analysing 3-D shapes requires recognising and naming them
        
        2-D shapes (age 6+) hard
        Drawing 2-D shapes requires knowing their properties
        
        Angles in triangles (age 6+) soft
        Understanding defining attributes supports describing shape properties formally
        
        2-D shapes hard
        Distinguishing defining vs non-defining attributes requires knowing common 2-D shape names first
        
        3-D shapes (age 5+) hard
        Identifying defining attributes builds on informal analysis and comparison of shapes
        
        2-D shapes hard
        Analysing and comparing shapes requires being able to name them first
        
        3-D shapes hard
        Analysing 3-D shapes requires recognising and naming them
        
        2-D shapes hard
        Describing properties of 2-D shapes (sides, symmetry) requires knowing the shapes first
        
        3-D shapes (age 5+) hard
        Formal property description extends informal analysis of sides and vertices
        
        2-D shapes hard
        Analysing and comparing shapes requires being able to name them first
        
        3-D shapes hard
        Analysing 3-D shapes requires recognising and naming them
        
        Nets of 3-D Shapes soft
        Drawing 2-D shapes and making 3-D shapes from materials is supported by being able to sketch and interpret nets
      - Nets of 3-D Shapes hard
        Identifying 3-D shapes from 2-D representations requires understanding the relationship between a net and its solid
  - Types of rocks hard
    Interpreting patterns of Earth's geological features requires rock type and erosion vocabulary
  - Shapes of land and water hard
    Must model landforms and water bodies before analysing map patterns of Earth's features
    - Seasonal changes soft
      Seasonal observation supports understanding land and water features
      - Days, Weeks, Months & Years soft
        Observing and describing seasonal changes requires basic date and time vocabulary (months, seasons, year)
        
        Ordering Events in Time hard
        Understanding days/months/years builds on sequencing events chronologically
  - Erosion and weathering soft
    Understanding weathering/erosion helps explain patterns in Earth's features
    - Types of rocks hard
      Measuring weathering and erosion rates requires 'weathering', 'erosion', and 'deposition' vocabulary
    - Preventing Erosion hard
      Must understand erosion prevention before measuring weathering/erosion effects systematically
      - Shapes of land and water hard
        Must know about landforms before designing solutions to prevent wind/water erosion
        
        Seasonal changes soft
        Seasonal observation supports understanding land and water features
        
        Days, Weeks, Months & Years soft
        Observing and describing seasonal changes requires basic date and time vocabulary (months, seasons, year)
        
        Ordering Events in Time hard
        Understanding days/months/years builds on sequencing events chronologically
    - Properties of materials soft
      Rock properties knowledge supports understanding how weathering breaks down different rocks
      - Grouping Materials soft
        Grouping materials by properties supports grouping rocks by properties
        
        Describing Material Properties hard
        Must describe properties before using them to group materials
        
        States of Matter Vocabulary soft
        Describing physical properties of materials uses solid/liquid/gas vocabulary introduced in the states of matter LANGUAGE node
        
        Naming Everyday Materials hard
        Must name materials before describing their properties
        
        Objects vs Materials hard
        Must distinguish objects from materials before naming specific materials
- Earth's Layers hard
  Tectonic plates are pieces of the crust (requires knowing Earth has layers)
  - What Is a Volcano hard
    Understanding layers requires knowing what a volcano is (motivation for internal structure)
  - Earth Is Made of Rock hard
    Earth's layers builds on knowing Earth is made of rock

Unlocks2

How Tectonic Plates Move
hardAges 11—12
Earth's atmosphere
softAges 10—11