Volcano Curriculum Materials
Living with a Volcano in Your Backyard, an interdisciplinary middle school curriculum, focuses on the processes, products, and hazards associated with living in the shadow of Mount Rainier, the volcano. The curriculum is divided into three thematic chapters: What the Past Tells Us, Today's Discoveries Unlock the Past, and Don't be Scared- Be Prepared! Living with a Volcano in Your Backyard is part of the partnership between the park and the US Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory. You can browse some of this curriculum's lesson plans below.
The Washington State History Museum offers a Ring of Fire: Volcanoes of Washington State History Box that helps students explore the historic interaction between the people of Washington and their ever-changing volcanic landscape. Find out more from the Washington State History Museum's Education Department.
Webcams: A Window of Weather
At 14,410 feet, Mount Rainier acts as a speed bump for incoming weather, which directly affects the life residing on this iconic mountain as well as those visitors who love to recreate here. Using webcams from Mount Rainier National Park's website as well as data from weather stations, students will gain an understanding of how dynamic the weather at Mount Rainier can be by observing, collection, and analyzing weather data.
Webcams: A Window of Weather Lesson Plan
Mount Rainier Weather Tutorial Powerpoint
District Ranger Report
Weather Report Form
Weather Station Reference: Observations to Record
Browse Our Curriculum Materials
Showing results 1-10 of 13
- Mount Rainier National Park
A String of Volcanoes
- Type: Lesson Plan
- Grade Level: Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subjects: Science
- Tags: mount rainier,Living with a Volcano in Your Backyard,Cascade Volcano Observatory,volcano,Cascade Volcanoes,lesson plan,science lesson plan
Students research information about Cascade volcanoes in Washington, Oregon, and California, then transfer the information onto the appropriate mobile piece before constructing the mobile "A String of Volcanoes".
- Mount Rainier National Park
Soda Bottle Volcano and Mount Rainier
- Type: Lesson Plan
- Grade Level: Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
- Subjects: Science
- Tags: mount rainier,Living with a Volcano in Your Backyard,volcano,lesson plan,science lesson plan,USGS
Students will examine how gases provide for explosive volcanic eruptions by making comparisons to gases in a soda bottle and by conducting a carefully controlled "eruption" of baking soda/vinegar or soda water.
- Mount Rainier National Park
Lahar in a Jar
- Type: Lesson Plan
- Grade Level: Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
- Subjects: Science
- Tags: mount rainier,volcanoes,Cascade Volcano Observatory,USGS,Living with a Volcano in Your Backyard,lahar,geohazards
Explore how small amounts of water can mobilize loose rock to form lahars by making a small lahar within the safety of a beaker or jar and analyzing it using scientific methods.
- Type: Lesson Plan
- Grade Level: Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subjects: Science
- Tags: geology,igneous rocks,sedimentary rocks,metamorphic rocks
Students will be able to identify the major rock formation types in various national parks.
- Mount Rainier National Park
Shoebox Geologist
- Type: Student Activities
- Grade Level: Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
- Subjects: Science
In this activity, students will model depositional processes from volcanically active areas using sediments in a shoebox, interpret geologic events from layers in a classmate's shoebox model and draw a stratigraphic column graphic.
- Mount Rainier National Park
Living with a Volcano in Your Backyard - Teacher Workshop
- Type: Teacher Workshops & Other Programs
- Grade Level: Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
- Subjects: Science
- Mount Rainier National Park
Magma Mash
- Type: Student Activities
- Grade Level: Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
- Subjects: Science
This activity illustrates how the sizes of mineral grains increase with cooling time. Students role play as minerals that have already formed from elements, and now move within a magma chamber. They “search” for like minerals during short, medium, and long “cooling periods.” Students will also examine similarities and differences in samples or photos of an extrusive rock (andesite) and an intrusive rock (granodiorite), two rock types commonly found at Mount Rainier.
- Mount Rainier National Park
Volcano Fan Club
- Type: Science Labs
- Grade Level: Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
- Subjects: Science
Students simulate tephra transport by placing ingredients in front of running fan, and mapping the resultant layers.
- Mount Rainier National Park
Earth Blocks
- Type: Student Activities
- Grade Level: High School: Ninth Grade through Twelfth Grade
- Subjects: Science
This activity provides a glimpse into the methods used by geologists as they study the rocky layers at Mount Rainier. Students manipulate "Earth Blocks" into the likely sequences observed at Mount Rainier, and practice their logic skills as they employ the Law of Superposition.
- Mount Rainier National Park
Flood, Fire, and Fury!
- Type: Student Activities
- Grade Level: Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
- Subjects: Social Studies
This activity provides information about how some of the earliest human inhabitants in the Pacific Northwest witnessed geologic activity at Mount Rainier. Native Americans used oral, rather than written, communication to pass down historical information, heritage, and traditions.