Volcano Lesson
A Messy Classroom offers free reading and educational resources for homeschooling parents and teachers. Educators and learners will enjoy our books, videos, songs, worksheets, crafts, and other activities. We believe in hands-on learning and full-body engagement. We encourage pre-k and elementary kids to be loud, messy and make mistakes in all the subjects through fun, project-based learning. Resources are easily compatible with Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio Emilia, and any other Piagetian program. All that we ask is that you do not share the PDFs and instead share the link to the website for people to download resources themselves. This helps keep the website running and new resources being created.
Volcano Worksheets
Below are free downloadable documents to help your student or child learn more about volcanoes.
First, there is a simple text about volcanic eruptions. This short passage outlines the parts of the volcano as well as a simplified explanation as to why volcanoes erupt. This text is a good read for a well-read kindergarten student or a first grader. If your student is not able to read it on their own, it can make for a fun reading activity to do together.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
After your student has read about volcano eruptions, they can complete the sequencing worksheet to help with putting events in order. It is a simple worksheet where students can cut and paste the photos of a volcanic eruption to match the sequential description. This also helps to reword the information they were given in the reading so they can encounter it in multiple situations.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
If your learner is a writer, there is also a nice writing worksheet for them. This was left without a prompt so that it can more easily fit a variety of lesson focuses, learning levels, and ages. Some possible prompts for your young writer are:
​
1. You discovered a new volcano! Name the volcano. Explain where the volcano is and some of its features.
​
2. Reread about volcanic eruptions. Explain how a volcano erupts in your own words. Use the correct names for parts of the volcano in your writing.
​
3. Color the picture of the volcano. Explain why you chose those colors.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Finally, there is a worksheet where a student can show what they learned about the parts of a volcano. This worksheet includes the key vocabulary words: ash cloud, crater, magma, lava, and vent.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
This paper-mâché volcano is simple to make. I was able to make it with a four-year-old, so kids of all ages can enjoy the creation and destruction of this craft. For more steps on how to make this, watch the how-to video or read my in-depth blog post outlining the details.
Paper-Mâché Volcano
Paper-Mâché Volcano How-To Video
Get Messy!
Incorporate some hands-on learning with more volcano-related activities. Dress your learner up as an explorer and make a volcano fort in the house, or better yet go outside and see if you can spot any volcanoes erupting. You can make the lava experience more tactical with some cool lava putty. Help your learner visualize the liquid mantle better with a wooden Montessori model of the layers of the Earth. Have fun learning!
