What kid (or adult) is not fascinated by volcanoes? Their destructive power, majestic features, terrifying prospects leave us in awe. But what are they, what kinds are there, and what are their features?
Learn all about volcanoes with the full PDF!
What is a volcano?
Volcanoes are like a planet’s pressure valves that release internal heat. Despite being destructive, they are also necessary to support life on Earth. Volcanic materials break down over time, creating some of the most fertile land on Earth. They provide nutrients necessary for life on Earth. Gold, silver, copper, and other precious metals are also found deep within extinct volcanoes!
So what kinds of volcanoes are there?
Active volcanoes are volcanoes that are erupting! You may think these are the most dangerous, but often these volcanoes are heavily monitored and therefore more predictable.
Hawaii has an active volcano called Kilauea. It has a steady flow of lava that flows into the ocean, slowly growing the island day by day. In fact, Hawaii has a new island forming under the ocean from volcanic activity, but they think it won’t emerge for another 50,000 years. So I guess you shouldn’t plan a vacation there yet.
A dormant volcano is a volcano that is sleeping, and scientists don’t know when it will awaken. These volcanoes still have an underground chamber of magma. Mount Fuji in Japan is a dormant volcano, and so is the African volcano Mount Kilimanjaro, found in Tanzania.
Mount St. Helens was a dormant volcano until one day, in 1980, she woke from her slumber in a disastrous eruption, annihilating 200 homes, 15 miles of railways, and 47 bridges. The eruption of Mount St. Helens was the most devastating in U.S. history!
Extinct volcanoes erupted in the past, but haven't erupted for thousands of years. These volcanoes no longer have a supply of magma beneath them; therefore, they no longer pose a threat of future eruption. Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh, Scotland is an extinct volcano. Olympus Mons is also an extinct volcano, but it is on Mars! These volcanoes erupted in the distant past, but now, like dead volcanoes, they sit around like any other mountain.
Intermittent volcanoes erupt periodically. When not actively erupting, these volcanoes maintain a supply of magma below. Mount Etna in Italy is an intermittent volcano that erupts several times a year, sometimes with lava flow, other times with ash and rocks.
Want to learn all about volcanoes?
The full Volcano PDF includes 3 lessons, helpful illustrations, coloring pages, volcano craft, writing prompt, and fun quizzes to help kids remember all they learned! Students will learn about the 6 Volcano types, the 4 kinds of volcanoes, and the parts of a volcano.