Objective: Students will be able to differentiate the impacts of a volcanic eruption from the White Island Volcano in New Zealand

Activity 1: Research the Eruption

Before students can understand the impact of the eruption, they must first do some research on the event to understand what happened and why. Discuss some information about the White Island Volcano and its eruption in December 2019. Introduce key terms used to describe global natural disasters, such as lava flows, earthquakes, ash clouds, and tsunamis.

Explain the focus on the impacts of the eruption and encourage students to think beyond the immediate physical effects that followed the eruption.

Activity 2: Picture Story

Break the class into groups and provide each with a piece of paper and art supplies. Have each group create a scene depicting the White Island eruption and its effects, details should include the volcano, ash clouds, lava flows, seismic waves, and/or tsunami waves.

Each group should then present their story to the class and explain each element of the picture.

Activity 3: Chain Reaction

After they understand the eruption and its physical aspects, it is time to analyze the different effects the eruption had. Draw a chart on the board with three columns: Immediate Impact, Medium-Term Impact, and Long-Term Impact. Give each student a different color marker and have them brainstorm and add impacts to the chart in the correct categories.

Wrap Up:

After the class has had enough time to brainstorm and research, a discussion should follow regarding their findings and the importance of understanding natural disasters and their consequences. Ask students to explain the difference between the three categories and connections between the eruptions' effects. Point out real-world cases of the impacts discussed and how they still shape the lives of people today.