1. science
2. geology
3. seismology
4. earthquakes

Eruptions!
written by Pam Holden
Teacher
Talk
"Do you know that the deep core of the Earth contains boiling
melted rock called magma? Find out how it sometimes explodes
through the Earth's crust as lava, forming a volcano.
There are several kinds of volcanoes to learn about.
Can you think of anything good about a volcano?”
Key Words
collect Earth island measure power study thrown world
Teaching
Plan
• Use Teacher Talk to stimulate discussion of topic.
Eruptions!
Contents
Page
• Develop research skills based on this subject.
• Refer to Table of Contents to locate subject matter.
• Understand use of quotation marks: “hot spots”
• Identify adverbs and adjectives used to enhance text.
• Read dates written as numbers: 1983 1980
• Research foreign locations referred to in text.
• Use Glossary to clarify terms used in text.
• Refer to Index to locate specific information.
• Promote drama, writing or art as follow-up activities.
Word Count = 839
What is a volcano?
Types of volcanoes
Active volcano sites
Eruptions on land
Volcanologists
Submarine volcanoes
Witness a volcano
Dormant volcanoes
Extinct volcanoes
Looking at volcanoes
Index
2
4-7
8-9
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
First published in 2011 by Red Rocket Readers, an imprint of Flying Start Books Ltd.
88a Hinemoa Street, Birkenhead, Auckland, New Zealand.
story © Pam Holden
ISBN 978-1-877506-72-7
Printed in New Zealand
All photographs supplied by Thinkstock.com
This book is copyright. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without permission in writing
from the publisher.
www.redrocketreaders.com
written by Pam Holden
1
sudden volcanic eruption
A volcano is a mountain that has built up around an opening in
the Earth’s surface. The core of the Earth contains hot melted
rock, called magma, which sometimes bursts through the Earth’s
crust as lava, pouring out of the mountaintop with steaming
mud, gases, smoke and ash. It can happen suddenly as pressure
gradually builds up inside until it explodes, or erupts.
2
3
cone-shaped volcano Mt. Fuji in Japan
• Active or live volcanoes may
erupt suddenly without any
warning.
• Dormant volcanoes, which are
sleeping, show signs of life,
so might erupt again at some
unknown time in the future.
• Extinct volcanoes have stopped
erupting and are dead, so they
are absolutely safe.
Most volcanoes are shaped like cones, but some are wide and
flat, and some are under the sea or on islands. There are three
types of volcanoes: alive, sleeping and dead.
4
5
The Ring of Fire
Active volcanoes are alive and ready to explode at any time.
Whether an eruption is short or long, large or small, fierce or
gentle, noisy or quiet, it can be extremely dangerous! Encircling
the edge of the Pacific Ocean is a huge horseshoe shape called
“The Ring of Fire”. It is the home of more than 75 of the world’s
active and dormant volcanoes. Other places with active volcanoes
are called “hot spots”.
6
7
eruption at Mt Kilauea in Hawaii
Many other
countries have
active volcanoes,
including:
• Japan
• Canada
• Philippines
• Sicily
• Iceland
• Costa Rica
• Nicaragua
• USA
• Indonesia
The most active volcano on Earth is Mount Kilauea in Hawaii,
which has been erupting continuously since 1983. Red-hot
lava pours into the sea constantly, making a spectacular sight,
especially when observed at night from a ship!
8
9
incredible damage
An eruption on land brings great danger to humans and animals.
Boiling lava flowing down a mountainside can reach farms,
towns and forests, destroying lives as well as buildings and
vegetation. Whole towns and villages have been buried in several
parts of the world, like Pompeii in Italy. Volcanic ash floating in
the air is a serious danger to aircraft, as it limits visibility. It can
also be sucked into jet engines, blocking them to a standstill.
10
11
volcanologist
We need special scientists called volcanologists who are trained
to check volcanoes, so that they can warn people whenever there
is likely to be an eruption.
For safety on visits to observe volcanoes, volcanologists wear
protective clothing and work with special equipment to measure
volcanic activity. They collect samples of rock, lava and ash to
study, so that more can be learnt about volcanic action.
12
13
volcanic coastline in Hawaii
When we hear the word submarine, we usually think of a ship
that travels under the water. But there are many submarine
volcanoes that erupt on the sea floor. Boiling magma can push
an underwater mountain’s cone up to the ocean surface, where
it forms a new island. Lava pours into the sea making the water
steam and hiss. The islands of Hawaii were formed from huge
submarine volcanoes about a million years ago The world’s
largest volcano is Mauna Loa, which rises 5 miles (almost 9
kilometres) from the ocean floor in Hawaii.
14
15
erupting volcano
A mountain blowing its top is an amazing sight! If we were
unfortunately close to an erupting volcano, we would see red-hot
lava pouring out of the mountain and streaming quickly down
the mountainside. We would feel enormous heat, hear deafening
roaring noises, and smell the suffocating black smoke of the
burning mountainside. We would be choking on the ash flying
out of the fire as we ran at full speed to save our lives. Even
being a witness to a volcanic eruption from a safe distance must
be a terrifying experience!
16
17
Mt St Helens
crater exploding
A volcano that is not erupting is called dormant, which means
“sleeping”. It may be quiet for many years before awakening with
an eruption that can be gentle or sudden, sometimes exploding
violently without any warning, causing widespread damage and
loss of human lives. Mount St Helens in Washington State, USA,
erupted in 1980 after being dormant for more than 120 years.
18
19
crater lake
20
Many volcanoes are extinct, which means that they are dead.
They have stopped erupting and are safe, with absolutely no
signs of life. Volcanologists’ tests show that they will probably
never erupt again.
There are several useful things about old volcanoes. At the top
of a volcano is a hollow called a crater, which sometimes becomes
a lake or grassy valley. Valuable gems have been found nearby,
and miners have discovered copper, gold and silver there. The old
lava thrown out years before becomes fertile soil for the growth
of new plants for farming. Volcanic rock is useful to construct
buildings, bridges and roads.
21
active volcano
Volcanoes are known to exist on other planets such as Mars and
Venus, as well as on our moon.
Active volcanoes are popular tourist attractions, being visited
at a safe distance by people wanting to see the amazing sight of
lava streaming from an erupting mountain.
With the help of volcanologists checking carefully and giving
warning of trouble, we can learn more about the wonder and
power of volcanoes.
22
23
Index
active
Glossary
6, 8
active
working, moving
dangers
10
crater
a wide hole in the ground
dormant
6, 18
dormant
asleep, resting
erupt
explode, blow its top
extinct
dead, finished erupting
fertile
good for growing crops
lava
hot melted rock erupting
extinct
20
Hawaii
8, 14
lava
2, 10, 14, 16, 20, 22
magma
2, 14
planets
22
magma
hot melted rock inside Earth
submarine
14
submarine
under the sea
volcanologists
24
Page
12-13
volcano
a mountain that erupts
volcanologist
a scientist for volcanoes
witness
person who watches an event
Advanced Fluency 1
Non-Fiction Set A
GUIDED
READING
O
R/R
DRA
INTERVENTION LEVEL
24
ISBN 978-1-877419-31-7
24