Education

Students are introduced to the study of geology. They will learn about what is hidden beneath the surface of the Earth and how the geology of the Earth gives shape to the landscape. They will learn about the theory of plate tectonics and how the movement of these plates affects the world around us.

This lesson introduces students to hot spot theory and how it relates to plate tectonics. It also compares and contrasts composite and shield volcanoes and introduces students to the theory behind the formation of the Hawaiian Islands. Students will learn how to classify Hawaiian volcanoes according to their activity and location as active, dormant and extinct.

This lesson begins with the video (or graphic novel) “Pele Searches for a Home”. Students will compare Pele’s journey through the islands depicted in this Hawaiian legend with the scientific geologic theory of the creation of the Hawaiian Islands.

Native species are those that reached the islands without the help of people. Many of our native plants and animals occur nowhere else in the world! In this activity, students learn how the different characters (species) in the story could reach the isolated Hawaiian Islands. The class is divided into the different ways that species arrived (4 groups): fly, swim, ride on the wind, and waves. As the story is read, students try to figure out how each new plant or animal reached the island.