Learning Goals
Students will be able to develop a model of magma movement, pressure release, cooling, rock recycling, and energy flow to explain the processes and limitations represented by a clay volcano.
Students will be able to formulate a testable question and controlled investigation about how one teacher-approved design or ingredient variable affects foam height, eruption duration, rate, or temperature change.
Students will be able to test and optimize a safe reaction chamber that demonstrates thermal-energy release through a teacher-supervised, 3% hydrogen-peroxide foaming reaction.
Students will be able to justify collaborative design decisions and model revisions using test data, peer feedback, scientific reasoning, and identified trade-offs and limitations.
Products
Volcano Engineering Investigation Notebook
Each student documents an investigable question, variables, annotated design concepts, predicted outcomes, quantitative data and graphs, temperature evidence, scientific analysis, and an independent justification of revisions. The notebook also explains Earth-material cycling and energy flow and identifies where the teacher-supervised foaming reaction differs from a real volcanic eruption.
Tested Clay Volcano Model and Volcano Science Expo Presentation
Teams build, safely test, and revise an air-dry-clay volcano with a teacher-supervised 3% hydrogen-peroxide reaction in an open container and spill tray, then present the model, data, design trade-offs, Earth-system explanation, and limitations. The presentation shows how members’ individual concepts and evidence informed the final design while all observers wear goggles, maintain distance, and avoid touching or tasting materials.
No rubric has been generated yet.