Photo of lava spewing from a volcano
SOPHIA GROVES/GETTY IMAGES
Earth and Space,

Why Are These People So Close to a Volcano?

Scientists and tourists rushed to see this volcano erupting in Iceland. Were they in danger?

By Hailee Romain
From the September 2023 Issue

Learning Objective: Students will analyze evidence to evaluate the pros and cons of visiting a volcano.

Lexile: 860L; 610L
Key Focus Area: Plate Tectonics and Landforms,
Other Focus Areas: Measurement & Data
Standards
  • NGSS
    Core Idea: ESS2.B, ESS3.B
  • CCSS
    ELA: Reading: RI.1; Writing: W.8; Speaking and Listening: SL.1; CCSS Math: 3.MD.B.3
  • TEKS
    Science: 3.10C, 4.3A, 5.3A, 6.10B; ELA: 3.7F, 4.7F, 5.7F, 6.6F

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Lexile® measure

  • 860L
  • 610L
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610L
Photo of scientists gathered around a volcano spewing lava

SOPHIA GROVES/GETTY IMAGES

People gather to watch lava flow from a volcano in southwestern Iceland in 2021.

Hundreds of people trekked over a dark, rocky landscape in Iceland. The sharp smell of burning rock filled their noses. With each step, the air grew hotter. Finally, they reached their destination: a flowing river of lava!

In March 2021, a volcano called Fagradalsfjall (fah-grah-dahls-fyaht-el) began erupting for the first time in about 6,000 years. The melted rock flowed down the mountain’s sides and oozed from cracks in the ground. As it cooled, it hardened to form new layers of jagged, black land.

All volcanic eruptions can be dangerous. Luckily, this one wasn’t a big threat to nearby residents. It wasn’t explosive, and no one lived in the lava’s path. In fact, crowds gathered to watch the spectacular scene. Some people even cooked hot dogs over the cooling lava!

Volcano scientists called volcanologists headed to the volcano too. They wanted to collect samples of the gooey lava. By studying the samples, scientists can better understand how the volcano works. “It’s like opening a window into parts of the planet we never get to see,” says volcanologist Edward Marshall.

Photo of a scientists gathering lava with a tool

COURTESY ED MARSHALL (MAIN IMAGE); EDGAR ZORN (INSET)

In 2021, volcanologist Edward Marshall scooped samples of lava into a bucket of water to study them in a lab. This lava has a soft texture like melted marshmallows!

Under the Surface

Photo of a scientist

COURTESY ED MARSHALL

Edward Marshall

The island of Iceland is only about the size of Kentucky. But it’s home to more than 30 active volcanoes. The reason there are so many volcanoes is that Iceland sits on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. That’s one of the borders between giant slabs of rock called tectonic plates. At the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, plates pull apart about 1 inch (3 centimeters) per year. Magma, melted rock underground, seeps through the cracks and bursts to the surface as lava.

Fagradalsfjall is a shield volcano. This type of volcano doesn’t usually have violent eruptions. But some volcanic eruptions do major damage to surrounding areas. The more scientists know about a volcano, the better they can detect signs an eruption might be coming. They use data to build digital models of volcanoes. These computer programs show how volcanoes work.

Weeks before the 2021 eruption, scientists detected 50,000 earthquakes in the area—far more than normal. That was one of many signs that the volcano was about to erupt!

Volcanoes in Iceland

Map showing the active volcanoes in Iceland

JIM MCMAHON/MAPMAN®

What do you notice about the location of the volcanoes in Iceland?

Learning From Lava

The volcano erupted for about eight months in 2021. This gave scientists like Marshall the chance to scoop up many samples of the flowing lava. When scientists studied the lava in a lab, they found that the materials it contained changed over the course of the eruption.

Why is that information important? Understanding what the lava is made of helps scientists build more accurate models of the volcano. That can save lives, says Marshall. “By understanding volcanoes, we can try to increase the time people have to get to safety.”

Inside a Shield Volcano

Illustrated diagram showing the different parts of a volcano

ILLUSTRATION BY MAGICTORCH

Magma rises from deep underground and collects in a magma chamber.

During an eruption, magma rises through vents and escapes to Earth’s surface as lava. The lava flows over a large area.

Over time, the flowing lava hardens into rock layers, forming a broad, dome-shaped volcano. From above, it looks like a warrior’s shield.

Shield volcanoes have thinner, runnier lava than other types of volcanoes. How might this affect a lava flow’s speed?

What to Know About Shield Volcanoes

Photo of lava erupting from a volcano

CRIS TOALA OLIVARES/GETTY IMAGES

Fagradalsfjall, Iceland
  • Location: Shield volcanoes often form in places where Earth’s tectonic plates pull apart.
  • Size: The largest shield volcanoes are tens of thousands of feet tall!
  • Eruption Damage: Shield volcanoes are less explosive and cause less damage than other volcanoes.
  • Did you know? Shield volcano eruptions have created many islands.
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Video

Earth and Space

Into the Volcano

Watch a video about different types of volcanoes and how they form.

Into the Volcano

Watch a video about different types of volcanoes and how they form.
Slideshows (1)
Photo of a volcano erupting lava
Model a Lava Flow

<p>View this slideshow for a hands-on activity exploring how lava might flow down a volcano.</p>

Model a Lava Flow

View this slideshow for a hands-on activity exploring how lava might flow down a volcano.

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Question & Answer Sheets
Skills Activities
Quizzes (1)
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

1.  PREPARE TO READ (10 minutes)
Discuss scientific vocabulary and watch a video about volcanoes.

  • Show students an image of an erupting volcano, like Ecuador’s Tungurahua. Brainstorm a class list of words related to volcanoes. (e.g., nouns: lava or ash; verbs: erupt or flow; adjectives: fiery or destructive)
  • Play the video “Into the Volcano.” Then add newly introduced terms, like shield volcano, to your list. Compare and contrast eruptions from stratovolcanoes (or composite volcanoes) to those from shield volcanoes. (e.g., Stratovolcanoes have big, violent eruptions that shoot ash into the air. Shield volcanoes have lava that oozes out and flows down the volcano’s sides. Both can be very destructive.)

2. READ AND ANALYZE (20 minutes)
Read the article and draw conclusions using visual clues.

  • Share the opening photo and ask students to identify words from your class list that describe it. Read the article aloud.
  • Use the article’s Quick Quiz as an informal assessment, OR use it to further reinforce key concepts by having students work in pairs and refer to the text as they respond.

3. RESPOND TO READING (15 minutes)
Analyze arguments for and against visiting a volcano.

  • Have student pairs revisit the article looking for evidence that could be used to argue for (pros) and against (cons) the idea of visiting the volcano. (e.g., pros: a beautiful view; it’s not explosive so not a big threat; cons: a rocky walking surface; hot air; could still become dangerous if you’re not careful) Allow pairs to share their ideas aloud. Discuss the importance of each item in influencing their decision. Have students explain in a short paragraph whether they would or would not visit this volcano.

STEM INTEGRATION

SCIENCE AND ELA: Analyze a Map of Major Volcanoes (NGSS: ESS2.B; CCSS ELA: RI.7)

Preview the map and introduction of the Map: Tectonic Plates and Volcanoes activity. Ask: What do the dashed lines show? (boundaries between tectonic plates) Find your location on the map and identify which plate you are on. Then have students complete the activity independently.

MATH: Analyze a Bar Graph of Active Volcanoes (CCSS Math: 3.MD.B.3)

Explain that scientists use the term active volcano to describe a volcano that is either erupting now or is likely to erupt in the future. Of Iceland’s 35 active volcanoes, only 9 have erupted since 1950. Have students complete the Active Volcanoes by Country skills sheet in pairs.

HANDS-ON INVESTIGATION: Model a Lava Flow (NGSS: PS2.A)

Before the activity, premeasure the dark corn syrup for each group to help save time. (Dark corn syrup is recommended since it will be easier to see.) Preview the directions. Discuss why it’s important in step 3 that they pour the syrup on the peak. (They are modeling a volcano erupting lava from the top.) Have students work in groups of 3 to 5. Before you discuss their results, allow students to walk around and observe other groups’ volcanoes. You may also use the Model a Lava Flow slideshow to demonstrate or guide the activity.

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