teaching - Earth Science Teachers' Association

WINTER 2001 ● Issue 35 ● VOLCANOES – BAD AND GOOD?
Published by the Earth Science Teachers
Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines, a volcano dormant for 600 years, erupted on June 12th 1991. Thunderous
explosions, shot out a mushroom of ash estimated by some to be 24km high was heard 80km away. There was
so much ash that it blotted out the sun and made it cold. The volcano made the ground shake (earthquakes)
which also caused damage to buildings. The eruption caused panic among the residents of nearby towns and
cities. Many people left their homes and tried to get away from the eruption. Rocks the size of tennis balls were
thrown up to 50km from the volcano. The ash gradually fell out of the sky. A reporter flying over the area wrote
that the surrounding mountains looked as if snow had fallen on them. The ash fell everywhere- on towns, roads,
cars, fields, and people. In some places it was 35cm deep. The weight of the ash caused many buildings to
collapse, killing more people than the eruption itself. Electricity, water and telephones all failed. People found
it difficult to breathe with all the ash in the air. The air also stank from the sulphur rich gases that had been
thrown out in the eruption. It was like a massive stink bomb had been let off. The ash that fell on them
destroyed many crops growing in the fields. Heavy rain washed much of the ash away and turned it into huge
mudflows. These travelled very quickly down the hillsides and destroyed many bridges , roads and buildings.
Unfortunately many people were swept away and lost their lives.
Discuss with the class the meaning of the words in bold lettering. List the variety of hazards described
in the article.
A class exercise:
Imaginative writing: To write a diary of a person who lives near Mount Pinatubo during the time of its
eruption in 1991.
Encourage the class to write about what it was like during the eruption. They could write about what
they could see, hear, smell and feel.
How did they feel during the eruption?
They could also write about the ways in which the eruption made everyday life difficult and dangerous
for people.
Raising awareness of some of the benefits Associated with Volcanoes
Overleaf is a list of statements that highlight some of the advantages and disadvantages (good and
bad features) of volcanic eruptions. The list includes many features that are not used in any of the
previous suggested resources and activities
Duplicate and enlarge the list, laminate and cut into individual statements. Have spare blank cards
prepared.
Group Exercise: Each group separates the statements into ‘ good’ and ‘bad’.
Alternatively lead a class activity and place ‘good’ and ‘bad’ onto prepared posters of two volcanoes.
As visual aids use a bottled water such as Volvic that comes from a volcanic region. Obtain some
pumice from Boots. In both cases students should be able to suggest additional comments- good and
bad that they have witnessed in the previous activities. They could be written onto blank cards and
also added to the work.
Book references:
Investigating Volcanoes and Earthquakes by Robin Kerrod. Published by Hermes House.
Pocket Book of Planet Earth by Martyn Bramwell Published by Kingfisher Books.
Usborne Nature Trail Book of Rocks by Martyn Bramwell
Usborne Sience and Experiments Planet Earth by Fiona Watts