Volcanoes Activities for Middle School Science

The Kesler Science Volcanoes Complete 5E Lesson offers everything you need for an engaging, multi-day exploration of volcanoes for grades 6–8. Using the 5E Model, this comprehensive resource answers essential questions such as “What are the parts of a volcano?” and “What processes form volcanoes?” With differentiated materials, multimodal learning, and flexible formats, students of all levels can dive into earth science concepts.

The Exploration phase features a nine-station lab where students investigate volcanoes through hands-on experiments, readings, videos, and digital research. Output stations like “Organize It!” and “Illustrate It!” allow students to demonstrate understanding, while “Challenge It!” offers advanced activities for early finishers. Editable PowerPoints, Spanish translations, and interactive notebook templates in multiple formats support customization and accessibility.

This resource is designed for both in-class and virtual learning environments, with digital options available for remote students. Assessments, review questions, and student-choice projects provide comprehensive evaluation opportunities, making this lesson adaptable for diverse classrooms while fostering student engagement and success.

The Kesler Science Volcanoes Station Lab immerses middle school students in the study of how geoscience processes shape Earth's surface. This student-led, modular activity offers eight differentiated stations and a bonus challenge station, allowing students to direct their learning while teachers facilitate the experience. The lab’s comprehensive materials reduce prep time and promote engagement through hands-on, research, and multimedia activities.

The nine stations include input stations like “Explore It!” for hands-on demonstrations, “Read It!” for reading comprehension, and “Watch It!” for video-based learning. Output stations such as “Organize It!” and “Illustrate It!” encourage students to apply and communicate their understanding, while “Write It!” and “Assess It!” provide structured opportunities for reflection and assessment. A challenge station provides advanced learners with engaging extension activities.

Designed for flexibility, the Volcanoes Station Lab is ideal for both in-class and virtual learning environments, with digital versions available for remote students. The differentiated activities, Spanish-language options, and multimodal approach ensure accessibility and personalization, fostering deeper understanding of earth science concepts.

The Kesler Science Volcanoes Student Choice Projects offer middle school students the opportunity to select a project that suits their learning and output style. With six structured project options and a “design your own” choice, this activity promotes creativity and personalized learning. A grading rubric supports assessments by teachers, peers, or students themselves, making this resource versatile for classroom use.

This flexible, differentiated resource includes editable rubric pages and teacher directions to accommodate a variety of learning needs. The modified project page provides options for students requiring additional support, while advanced learners can tackle a combination of projects for a greater challenge. These multimodal activities encourage students to demonstrate their understanding of volcanoes in creative ways.

The projects use common classroom supplies such as paper, markers, and scissors, with many activities adaptable for digital formats. Optional crafting supplies allow students to build models, enhancing hands-on engagement. This resource combines differentiation, creativity, and ease of implementation to enrich Earth science lessons.

The Kesler Science Earth Science Interactive Notebook Bundle is a must-have for teachers who want to provide an interactive learning experience in earth science. It includes both print and digital versions, making it a versatile resource for traditional classrooms, 1:1 environments, and distance learning.

The bundle covers a wide range of earth science topics, including continental drift theory, plate boundaries, rocks and minerals, the rock cycle, Earth’s layers, volcanoes, earthquakes, and more. It also features activities like Venn diagrams, topographic maps, and reflection pages to help students demonstrate understanding and make connections between concepts.

The digital version includes a unique interactive notebook PowerPoint, which can be uploaded to Google Slides or learning management systems like MS Teams and Canvas. The paper version provides blank and pre-filled templates, along with color photos to guide students in completing each activity. Both versions come with a teacher answer key and a modified version for students with accommodations.