Volcanoes and Their Effects on Earth's Changing Surface

 
          This unit, “Volcanoes and Their Effects on Earth’s Changing Surface” is structured around the student; the delivery of each lesson is given in a format conducive to student participation, student research, and student-to-student involvement.  This unit is introduced with a “text-to-world” and “text-to-self” approach, in which students are required to think of why studying the Earth is important.  Furthermore, students are required to define the word “change” (the enduring understanding of this unit).  With an emphasis on change and Earth’s surface, the introductory lesson is both motivating and engaging, as well as it compels students to think about the importance of the Earth and how it relates to themselves.  The closing of this unit will “tie in” everything that the students have learned over the week, as they will view video clips of a volcano before and after it erupts, making connections to their learned knowledge.  Ultimately, the closing of the unit is also engaging, and compels students to use their knowledge to fully understand the effects of volcanoes on Earth’s surface.