Where Science

Meets Adventure
D i s c u s s i o n a n d a c t i v i t y G u i d e

Eruption! Volcanoes and the Science of Saving Lives

By Elizabeth Rusch Photographs by Tom Uhlman

About the Series

Eruption! Volcanoes and the Science of Saving Lives is part of the award-winning Sci-
entists in the Field series, which began in 1999. This distinguished and innovative series
examines the work of real-life scientists doing actual research. Young readers discover
what it is like to be a working scientist, investigate an intriguing research project in action,
and gain a wealth of knowledge about fascinating scientific topics. Outstanding writing
and stellar photography are features of every book in the series. Reading levels vary, but
the books will interest a wide range of readers.

About the Book

Humans have lived next to volcanoes for thousands of years despite the fact
that when volcanoes erupt, humans suffer. Scientists studying volcanoes have
learned a great deal about them, especially the many detectable warning signs
leading up an eruption. A group of scientists banded together to form the
first and only international volcano crises team, the Volcano Disaster Assis-
tance Program or VDAP, hoping to predict eruptions and save lives. Eruption!
chronicles the work of an early member of the VDAP team, Andy Lockhart,
and the efforts of the team to accurately forecast eruptions and the many prob-
lems involved.

About the Author

Eruption! Volcanoes and the
Science of Saving Lives Elizabeth Rusch has written about robots, crayons, exploding volcanoes, musi-
cians and inventors—anything that catches her interest! She didn’t always write
By Elizabeth Rusch
for kids, she started her career by writing about kids for Teacher magazine,
Photographs by Tom Uhlman an award-winning magazine for teachers. Her books for children, including
The Mighty Mars Rovers, another Scientists in the Field book, have won many
awards, including an Orbis Pictus Honor and an NSTA Outstanding Trade
Book designation. She lives in Oregon, where there are lots of volcanoes!

About the Photographer

Tom Uhlman has taken the photographs for many books, including ones about
the Underground Railroad and our solar system, but he especially loves to pho-
tograph nature. He has worked on two other Scientists in the Field books, The
Bat Scientist and Emi and the Rhino Scientist, both with his wife, the author
Mary Kay Carson. He lives with Mary Kay in Cincinnati with their dog, Ruby.

Pre-Reading Activity

Pass out samples of igneous rocks (granite, quartz, feldspar, mica, obsidian),
sedimentary rocks (shale, sandstone), and metamorphic rocks (marble, quartz-

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers

Visit www.sciencemeetsadventure.com for authors’ Adventure Notes, teacher resources, videos, and more!
 D i s c u s s i o n a n d a c t i v i t y G u i d e
Eruption! Volcanoes and the Science of Saving Lives
By Elizabeth Rusch Photographs by Tom Uhlman

ite, slate). Review the way these rocks are formed. Pass out cano damage have federal standards in place that determine
some local rocks and try to place them in the correct cat- where buildings should be placed and how they should be
egory. constructed? Is there a limit to how many times our govern-
If you can obtain some pumice stones, have students predict ment should rebuild and repair damage caused by natural
whether or not rocks float or sink (which should have most disasters?
students rolling their eyes at the question—of course they
sink). Fill a container with water. Drop in several of the lo- Why are the volcanoes in some areas more dangerous than
cal rocks and any quartz or granite or sandstone and watch those in other areas?
them sink. Then drop in the pumice stone. Why does the
pumice stone float? Many towns around the world are close to volcanoes. When
a volcano is dormant, it is easy to forget how dangerous it
Take a look at the long-range weather forecasts from is. The city of Armero was forty-five miles from Nevado del
Farmer’s Almanac and other sources. Would anyone use Ruiz and when it erupted in 1985, and the surging volca-
these predictions for planning purposes? Now look at short- nic mudflows killed 23,000 people. Mt. Vesuvius is five km
term weather predictions (forty-eight hours or less). How from the town of Pompeii, and the eruption in 79 AD killed
accurate are these and what value do they have for plan- 16,000 people. Use a local map and locate places that are 50
ning purposes? Discuss how difficult it can be to predict the miles from your school and places that are 3 miles away. If
weather, even if you are a trained meteorologist. Discuss the one of those locations were a volcano, would you be con-
challenges scientists might likewise face in predicting volca- cerned?
nic eruptions.
Pyroclastic flows can travel 100 miles per hour and volcanic
Discussion Questions mudflows or lahars can travel 50 miles per hour. If a volcano
was 5 miles away how quickly would a pyroclastic flow or a
Yogyakarta is a city of up to 500,000 people, which is lahar reach your town following an eruption? How fast can
about the same range of population as Long Beach, Atlanta, a person travel on foot? How much time would it take to get
Miami, or New Orleans. What would be the financial and everyone in your neighborhood and your town to safety?
social ramifications of ordering cities of this size to evacuate?
Keep in mind Andy Lockhart’s quote on page 9: “‘Evacu- Applying and Extending Our Knowledge
ations hold their own dangers,’ Andy explained. ‘Very old
people, very young babies, and very sick people can suffer On page 14 the volcanoes on Hawaii are described as ones
and even die from the stress of an evacuation.’” that would produce “slowly bubbling lava.” Other volca-
noes, however, produce “pyroclastic flows” of incredible
Lockhart’s team also worries about the impact of making a destructive power. While there are many excellent books and
mistake: “Andy and his colleagues knew that most people online resources for understanding the geology behind this
are only willing to be evacuated once. If nothing happens, book, a great source for activities is the book by Matthys
locals might ignore future warnings.” (p. 9) Given tight bud- Levy and Mario Salvadori, Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and
gets and the difficulty of the task, does it make more sense to Tsunamis: Projects and Principles for Beginning Geologists
fund aid after a disaster or fund disaster prevention? Why is (an excellent complement to Eruption!). Many of the activi-
it easier to fund disaster aid than disaster prevention? ties below are also found in Levy and Salvadori’s book.

Satellites provide information about sulfur dioxide emis- •  uild a mound of sand to resemble a mountain. Place
B
sions, temperature, location of ash clouds, direction of wind, a film canister inside the mound so that the opening of
the amount of gasses, and more. Communication technol- the container is level with the top of the “mountain,”
ogy allows immediate release of information to concerned forming a “crater.” In the container place about a half-
parties. Have we made enough advances in technology to teaspoon of baking soda, some liquid soap, and (make
change laws concerning hurricane, earthquake, volcano, or sure to add this last) red wine vinegar. Students should
other weather-related evacuation procedures? Should people be able to see “slowly bubbling lava” flow down the side
be legally required to evacuate? Should places prone to vol- of the mountain.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers

Visit www.sciencemeetsadventure.com for authors’ Adventure Notes, teacher resources, videos, and more!
 D i s c u s s i o n a n d a c t i v i t y G u i d e
Eruption! Volcanoes and the Science of Saving Lives
By Elizabeth Rusch Photographs by Tom Uhlman

•  o demonstrate more of a “pyroclastic flow,” repeat the

T Common Core Connections
above procedure, but this time quickly cap the film can-
ister and have ready some sand to quickly pour over the RH.6-8.7. Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs,
lid (it only takes seconds for the lid to blow off). photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and
digital texts.
You may wish to do this as a demonstration, and please
RI.6.7. Integrate information presented in different media or for-
make sure that you demonstrate proper safety steps by mats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a
wearing safety glasses and a lab coat (this experiment coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
can be messy). We recommend practicing this experi- W.6.7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question, draw-
ment without students several times to ascertain how ing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.
much baking soda and red wine vinegar to use for the
safest and most effective demonstration. According to the text, earthquakes function as one of the
earliest clues that a volcano is getting ready to erupt. Since
•  smoking volcano can be demonstrated by making a
A volcanoes tend to be located around the edges of tectonic
hole at the bottom of the mountain and inserting an air plates, it’s useful to learn about how the plates grind up
tube up to the top. The smoke can come from dry ice or against each other. To better understand these plates, try this
burning kindling over moist paper. Please observe care- demonstration from the Levy and Salvadori book, men-
ful safety procedures for using dry ice or for building a tioned above:
fire. This activity may best be suited for doing outside
the classroom. •  ower an egg into boiling water, turn the heat down,
L
and keep it in the water for about 7 to 9 minutes. Put it
•  nd don’t forget that the way in which gasses contribute
A under cool water. The egg should NOT be hardboiled.
to volcanoes can be very easily demonstrated by simply Gently tap the egg against a flat counter, creating various
shaking a carbonated beverage that is tightly capped and “plates” on your egg planet. You should have a variety
then by slowly unscrewing the cap. Most of us will not of plates that have a variety of sizes. Now squeeze the
need the reminder that this can be very messy! egg between two fingers and observe what happens to
the various plates.
Common Core Connections
Common Core Connections
RST.6-8.3. Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying
out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical RST.6-8.3. Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying
tasks. out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical
tasks.
W.6.7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question, draw-
ing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate. W.6.7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question, draw-
ing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.
There are several different types of volcanoes.

•  ave students research the different types of volcanoes

H There are many online sources describing volcano-warning
and build or draw them. systems. Basically these warning systems state that the vol-
canic risk is normal, slightly dangerous, more dangerous, or
•  ave students show online pictures or videos of the vari-
H very dangerous. The systems are color coded from green to
ous types of volcanoes, including any videos showing yellow to orange and up to red. But how does this warning
eruptions. system get tied to the level of danger involved with a poten-
tial eruption?
•  istribute map templates of the world and have students
D
locate active volcanoes. Students should annotate the •  ave students investigate the USGS interactive volcano
H
map to indicate the type of volcano, dates of its most re- map (volcanoes.usgs.gov) and examine which volcanoes
cent eruption, and predictions of when it will erupt next. have higher warning colors. Then have students go to
www.volcano.si.edu and research what is happening at

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers

Visit www.sciencemeetsadventure.com for authors’ Adventure Notes, teacher resources, videos, and more!
 D i s c u s s i o n a n d a c t i v i t y G u i d e
Eruption! Volcanoes and the Science of Saving Lives
By Elizabeth Rusch Photographs by Tom Uhlman

the volcanoes with elevated warning colors. ing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.
• What is the volcano physically doing that causes the
color categories to change? On page 17 in the sidebar, “Sniffing Out the Gas,” we learn
that geologists search for at least three kinds of gases: carbon
Common Core Connection dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and sulfur dioxide. The more gas,
the larger and more explosive the eruption.
RH.6-8.7. Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs,
photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and • Have students make models of each of the different gas
digital texts.
molecules. Create flash cards for each molecule explaining its
RI.6.7. Integrate information presented in different media or for- composition and its dangers (to people). Describe the gas’s
mats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a reactions to water or air or to other gases.
coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
•  esearch how much of these gasses cause scientists to
R
W.6.7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question, draw- elevate the warning system colors.
ing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.
Common Core Connections
GPS devices locate precisely where various features exist on
a volcano, using longitude and latitude lines. These measure- RH.6-8.7. Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs,
ments function as the guides that allow the USGS scientist photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and
Dan Dzurisin to monitor precisely where the ground swell- digital texts.
ings on Mount St. Helens are located.
RI.6.7. Integrate information presented in different media or for-
mats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a
•  ind the longitude and latitude of your school to the
F coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
nearest degree.
W.6.7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question, draw-
•  sing Google Maps, zoom in to the location of your
U ing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.
school. Print out maps for students and have them insert
and label a grid showing the precise location of the
classroom. Chapter 5 is entitled “Volcano Training Camp.” In this
chapter, the point is made that volcanoes do not operate
• I f your classroom has a document camera, use this tool according to a convenient schedule. It is entirely likely that
to share several of the students’ maps to show that each someday many volcanoes could erupt simultaneously.
student should have the exact same coordinates (and to
explain the factors that cause any errors). •  hat makes a good volcanologist in the first place? Go
W
through the book and make a checklist of skills and
• S hare the exact GPS location (which can be found online knowledge one would have to have in order to be on the
through a longitude latitude search: VDAP team.
www.findlatitudeandlongitude.com).
•  ndy says that to be effective, knowledge of the local
A
Common Core Connections area and the local people is essential. Discuss why know-
ing the area and the people would make a local volca-
RH.6-8.7. Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, nologist more effective than one from another country.
photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and
digital texts.
•  hat kinds of information, and from what sources (gov-
W
RI.6.7. Integrate information presented in different media or for- ernment officials or scientists, for instance), will people
mats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a rely on when deciding whether or not to evacuate? Make
coherent understanding of a topic or issue. a chart with these pieces of information and sources, list-
W.6.7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question, draw- ing them from most to least reliable.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers

Visit www.sciencemeetsadventure.com for authors’ Adventure Notes, teacher resources, videos, and more!
 D i s c u s s i o n a n d a c t i v i t y G u i d e
Eruption! Volcanoes and the Science of Saving Lives
By Elizabeth Rusch Photographs by Tom Uhlman

Common Core Connections Guide created by:

Ed Spicer, Curriculum Consultant, and Lynn Rutan, retired
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis middle school librarian, now reviewer and blogger at
of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the Bookends: the Booklist Youth Blog
text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.7 Integrate quantitative or technical

information expressed in words in a text with a version of that in-
formation expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model,
graph, or table).

Other Websites to Explore

U.S. Volcano Disaster Assistance Program

volcanoes.usgs.gov/vdap
(Official site of the U.S. Volcano Disaster Assistance Pro-
gram, which provides information on the program and loca-
tions where the team has provided assistance.)

Smithsonian/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report

www.volcano.si.edu/reports/usgs
(Cooperative project of the Smithsonian and the U.S. Geo-
logical Survey listing volcanic activity during each previous
week.)

U.S. Geological Survey—Volcano Hazards Program

volcanoes.usgs.gov
(Site of the U.S. Geologic Survey that provides information
on volcanic activity in the United States, alerts, maps, and
general information on volcanoes.)

Further Reading

S.V.
“Volcanoes and Earthquakes.” Encyclopedia Britannica,
2011.
Latta, Sara L. Lava Scientist: Careers on the Edge of
Volcanoes. Enslow, 2009.
Levy, Matthys. Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Tsunamis:
Projects and Principals for Beginning Geologists.
Chicago Review Press, 2009.
Prager, Ellen. Earthquakes and Volcanoes. Chelsea House,
2009.
Spilsbury, Louise and Richard Spilsbury. Violent Volcanoes.
Heineman, 2010.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers

Visit www.sciencemeetsadventure.com for authors’ Adventure Notes, teacher resources, videos, and more!