Volcanoes+–+Fact+or+Fiction?

= Title: Volcanoes - Fiction or Fact?=

**Authors:** Bill Begeal and Neil Clifford **Grade Level:** 6

//For additional free online lessons integrating media literacy and critical thinking into the curriculum, go to www.projectlooksharp.org.//

**Summary:** This lesson, revolving around media's depictions of volcanoes, will have students apply their knowledge about volcanoes and analyze where this knowledge came from. They will view and interpret several short video clips on volcanoes, as well as write and research their own remaining questions on volcanoes.

**Objectives:**
 * Students will examine various media sources of volcanic information and assess its accuracy.
 * Students will identify reliable sources of information regarding volcanoes
 * Students will begin to develop rudimentary media literacy skills including //Understanding// -- Comprehending basic media messages as a foundation for developing analytical questions based on those messages. //Awareness// -- Cultivating a heightened cognizance to media messages, their place in society, and their effect on our lives. //Analysis// -- Decoding media messages for meaning in order to develop a critical, thoughtful approach and response to those messages.

**Lesson Steps** : Use this lesson after instruction on volcanoes.
 * 1) Begin by asking students to draw a volcano, then ask them where they have seen images of volcanoes before.
 * 2) Have the students share their drawings and compare their sources of knowledge. Record on Smart Board or chalk board.
 * 3) Share video clips listed under materials.
 * 4) After watching the video clips, brainstorm a list of things they saw/noticed.
 * 5) Run a decoding of the video clips, using questions like:
 * Does their knowledge match what they saw?
 * Are all volcanoes on a tropical island? How could we find out?
 * Do all volcanoes explode violently?
 * Are all volcanoes shaped the same way?
 * Where have you learned your information about volcanoes?
 * Who would know what volcanoes are really like? Where could we find out this information?
 * 1) Introduce concepts of media and media literacy through asking questions like what do we mean when we say media? (radio, television, newspapers, magazines, the Internet, movies, books).
 * 2) Ask the students what might be meant by the term media literacy (the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and produce communication in various forms).
 * 3) Watch the videos again, with a focus on interpreting the media.
 * 4) Ask the students questions like:
 * What do you think the video is from? Why do you think that?
 * When was it made?
 * Who is the target audience for this? How do you know?
 * Is this fact? Opinion?
 * Is there an obvious message here?
 * Are there any implied messages?
 * Who got paid for it?
 * What kinds of actions might I take in response to this message?
 * Is there anyone who might benefit from this? Could it harm anyone?
 * 1) On the Smart Board or projector, show various images of volcanoes and non-volcanoes and have students sort them into the ones they think are volcanoes and the ones that aren't.
 * 2) Introduce students to the three different volcanic landforms (shield, cinder-cone, composite).
 * 3) For homework, have the students create a list of 5 things they want to know about volcanoes during this unit.
 * 4) Have students each share one thing on their list.
 * 5) Instruct each student in researching their specific fact using credible sources on the Internet and library resources.
 * 6) The students should prepare a presentation (oral or visual) describing what they learned through their research, with correct sources documented.

**Materials:**
 * Construction paper
 * Crayons/color pencils/markers
 * Smart Board, Chalk Board, or Projector
 * Internet access
 * Computers/laptops
 * Holland, Jennifer. //Red Hot Hawaii.// National Geographic. October 2004
 * Marshall, Andrew. //The Gods Must Be Restless.// National Geographic. January 2008
 * Video clips:
 * Superman - Volcano clip [] Choose a clip form this 8-minute segment
 * Hula Hoops Commercial : []
 * Brady Bunch Clip - Peter's Science Project []
 * Nature -PBS- Kilauea clip @http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/kilauea-mountain-of-fire/video-full-episode/4825/ Choose a clip form this 50-minute film

//This lesson was produced during 2011-2012 as part of a collaboration between Project Look Sharp at Ithaca College and four NY State BOCES School Library Systems. The initiative brought together pairs of secondary science teachers and school librarians to develop models for integrating critical thinking and media literacy into secondary science content. The project was supported by federal LSTA funds awarded to the NY State Library by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services.// //To view additional lessons from this series go to: www.projectlooksharp.org.//