New
New
Year 4

Living near volcanoes

I can describe and explain the impact of volcanic eruptions on people and understand why some people choose to live near volcanoes.

New
New
Year 4

Living near volcanoes

I can describe and explain the impact of volcanic eruptions on people and understand why some people choose to live near volcanoes.

warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. One in twenty of the world’s population live close to an active volcano.
  2. Advantages include the cultivation of fertile soils, income from tourism, mineral extraction and geothermal energy.
  3. Disadvantages include the danger posed to people and communities from the eruption of lava, poisonous gases and ash.

Keywords

  • Minerals - Minerals are chemical substances that are formed naturally and are found in the ground or in rocks.

  • Geothermal energy - Geothermal energy comes from heat contained within Earth's crust.

  • Lahar - A lahar is a mudflow formed when volcanic ash mixes with water (rain or melted glacier ice).

Common misconception

It is difficult for pupils to appreciate that decisions people make are not always freely chosen.

To ensure pupils appreciate the significance of socio-economic factors (including income) that can limit people's choices.

Ask the children if they think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and why.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
What is a volcano?
A mountain with steep sides
Correct answer: A crack or opening in Earth's surface from where lava can be emitted
A sudden trembling of the ground
A gigantic wave caused by an earthquake
Q2.
Huge pieces of Earth's crust, shown on this map, are called...
An image in a quiz
continents
countries
land and sea
Correct answer: tectonic plates
Q3.
True or False: all volcanoes are dangerous
True
Correct answer: False
Q4.
The red highlighted horse-shoe shaped line on this map is home to 75% of Earth's volcanoes. What is it called?
An image in a quiz
The ring of volcanoes
Correct answer: The ring of fire
The ring of lava
The ring of eruptions
Q5.
Volcanoes are formed when two tectonic plates come towards one another. What is the geographical term for this?
Correct answer: converge
contain
complex
contract
Q6.
When a volcano explodes, the geographical name for this is a volcanic...
Correct Answer: eruption, erupt
Q4 "The locations and motions of tectonic plates as well as the Ring of Fire and volcanoes" by Astroskiandhike licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

6 Questions

Q1.
How many people live very close to an active volcano?
1 in 5 people
1 in 10 people
Correct answer: 1 in 20 people
1 in 25 people
Q2.
Volcanic ash is....
soft and fluffy
Correct answer: a hard abrasive mix of rock, minerals and glass
light and soft
Q3.
A mudflow formed when volcanic ash mixes with water (rain or melted glacier ice) is called...
meltwater
Correct answer: lahar
magma
lava
Q4.
What temperature can lava reach up to?
800 degrees celsius
1000 degrees celsius
Correct answer: 1200 degrees celsius
1400 degrees celsius
Q5.
Graphite is a solid, black rock found in volcanoes. When volcanoes erupt, graphite crystallises under the extreme heat and pressure inside volcanic vents. This changes graphite into....
Correct answer: diamonds
pearls
coal
carbon
Q6.
Match the advantage to the correct statement.
Correct Answer:Farming,volcanic soils are very fertile which helps crops grow.

volcanic soils are very fertile which helps crops grow.

Correct Answer:Tourism,millions of people visit volcanoes each year. This generates income.

millions of people visit volcanoes each year. This generates income.

Correct Answer:Geothermal energy,this can be transferred into electricity.

this can be transferred into electricity.