Most kids are fascinated with volcanoes. When teaching about them, it is important to let kids make a volcano, have good pictures of real volcanoes, and if possible, a video, since most students are not able to take a field trip to actually see one. If you are fortunate to be on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, then you can hike up to the top of Diamond Head, an extinct volcano. We did this, and it was quite impressive. Or you can visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii, which we also did, and you might get to see an actual lava flow. We didn’t get close enough to see a lava flow, but we did walk through the Thurston Lava Tube which was very interesting.
Here is a book we own that has many great pictures of volcanoes:
Use a large pan, 9 x 13. Place an empty 16 ounce bottle in the middle of it with the top off.
Using either papier mache, modeling clay, or salt play dough, make a mountain with vertical ridges around the bottle. Do not cover the top of the bottle. Paint brown and let dry.
Mix 1 tablespoon liquid dishwashing soap and 1 tablespoon baking soda in a cup and carefully pour into the bottle in the middle of the mountain. (If you’re brave, you can add a few drops of red or orange food coloring in with the soap and baking soda.)
Place the pan with the mountain outside. Add 1/4 cup white vinegar to the bottle and stand back. Your volcano will erupt!
For ESL students, be sure and label everything.
For Gifted students, ask higher level questions. If you want the chemical reaction, this is it: NaHCO3 + CH3COOH –> Na+ + H2O + CO2 + CH3COO-. When the baking soda and vinegar are mixed, it produces a carbon dioxide gas (a chemical reaction) which is the same gas that a real volcano produces.
VOLCANO KITS:
Kit: Volcano Island – Discovery Extreme Light and Sound Rumbling Volcano by Poof Slinky
Our Amazing Volcanoes / Earth Science Kit by Poof Slinky
When I taught Gifted and Talented students, they were in a regular classroom (first or second grade). I had a mix of regular students, gifted and talented students, ESL students (sometimes students starting the year speaking no English), and children with learning disabilities or physical handicaps. How is a teacher able to meet the needs of gifted students?
Teacher’s manuals will often have suggestions for gifted students.
Have the gifted students work on projects they can do by themselves.
Just because a student is a gifted student does not mean they are an independent worker or a self-motivator. Pair these students up with a partner who is an independent worker.
Utilize resources. I had one exceptionally bright first grader who would go to the library and do research on topics of his choosing with minimal supervision from the librarian. He would either write about it or illustrate and make a poster about his research.
Encourage students to enter extra activities offered by your district such as Science Fair, History Fair, Invention Convention, Art Contests, etc. One year, I had a gifted second grader (an ESL student) who excelled in art and entered a district contest. He won an award!
Have students work on a class newspaper that they publish once a week or once a month.
A lot of times, you can see where certain students excel in one or more of the Seven Areas of Giftedness. Develop centers or projects for these areas.
by Glen Kaye
from Schylling
by Simon Adams
by Editors Of Time For Kids
