Volcano National Park: a Diverse Environment

Volcano National Park: A Diverse Environment

When people think of the Hawaiian Islands, they may have images of bright blue water, surfers riding the waves, and strands of colorful flowers called leis worn as people stroll by the ocean. These are part of the wonderful Hawaiian experience. But Hawai’i is more than sand and surf. Drive to the interior of the islands and you will see many of the most fascinating geological formations on our planet – volcanoes. That’s because volcanoes are responsible for the formation of these islands.

Tens of millions of years ago, a hot spot in the mantle of our planet began to erupt. Over time, the lava that was left behind rose to sea level. These volcanoes formed the chain of small islands that is now known as Hawai’i. Today these islands contain many active volcanoes.

Drive around the islands and you will see an array of landscapes. Lush rainforests containing dramatic waterfalls are home to colorful birds, unusual reptiles, and fragrant flowers. This is a contrast to places where beds of lava, now cooled seem to sit in silence. This makes parts of the islands look like a moonscape!

One of the best spots to safely view the power of volcanoes is National Volcano Park on the big island of Hawai’i. Here you can see and learn more about the largest volcano on Earth – Mauna Loa. This means Long Mountain, a good name as this huge sloping volcano covers half of the big island of Hawai’i. This volcano is still hard at work, doing what volcanoes do - it has erupted 33 times since 1843. The Park is also home to the volcano, Kilauea. This volcano is also active and is responsible for closing roads in the Park, so visitors need to check the “volcano report” before setting out to drive along Crater Rim Drive to view the massive mountains.

Another amazing feature of the Park is the Thurston Volcano Tube. A river of flowing lava formed this 500-year old lava cave. Over time, this liquid lava became solid, forming walls and even a ceiling. Venture into this cave of lava and you do feel like you are in a tube. It’s dark so bring your flashlight to help you walk on the rocky floor, see the uneven ceiling, and navigate the twists and turns. Your light will show dripping water and the beautiful colors made by minerals oozing from the rocks. When you leave the tube, a forest of tall ferns and beautiful flowers awaits. It’s like you’re on a movie set!

Each year thousands of people hike through this tube, the rainforest and along the 150 miles of trails this Park offers. But be careful! Along the way there are spots where the Earth is bubbling with steam. Your hike will reveal some amazing images. You can see the largest petroglyph field in Hawai’i. Long ago, native Hawaiians carved important events about their lives into the lava rock. Today, visitors can see over 23,000 of these messages from the past. They are an important record of the history and culture of these islands. They help us realize how people have adapted to the environment over thousands of years.

Look at these photos. Imagine you are writing captions for a travel brochure. What would you say to encourage people to visit?

Dear Colleague,

One of the things educators and researchers know is that children respond well to real photographs. Throughout the years, we have tried to incorporate photography into much of what we do. From the photographs that form our background scenes in our cartoons to our Facebook page and weekly activities, you’ll find our globetrotting adventures have resulted in a multitude of opportunities for your students to see the world. We hope that this week, our pictures will provide a chance for you to discuss with your students the power of the visual. So much can be communicated with a picture. I was reminded of the impact of photographs when my 15-month-old grandson recently visited. My husband was away, but young Bennett kept pointing to his picture and clapping. When his grandfather called, Bennett toddled over to the picture and pointed. What a testament to the powerful role photographs can play. Watch for our May 29th WAP for more on the wonderful world of photographs!

Besides motivating children, especially those visual leaners in your class, pictures provide the context. They help children imagine what the world outside of your community might be like. What units are you studying in social studies and science? Where can you post photos related to these topics in your classroom? Be creative! Bathroom? Inside children’s cubbies? Windows? You may want to have a photo of the day or week, use it for a caption writing “contest.” Consider the categories: humorous, descriptive, fact-filled. What serves your goal? Captions are powerful tools, as they require us to succinctly express our thoughts.

Add to your photo-friendly classroom with this exciting extension: Have children research famous photojournalists. What is this profession? What does a photojournalist do? Ask children to imagine themselves in this profession. What are the benefits and obstacles? Connecting personal futures to your units of study is a sure-fire way to motivate children and to challenge them to consider the many options that are available to each and every one of them.

Happy teaching,

Dr. Kathy

Wondering about our spelling, Hawai’i? That’s the traditional way to spell it. We chose to use this version to prompt questioning in young minds. Who were the first people on these islands? What was their language? All good questions for further investigation.

For printing ease, we have posted the photos in grayscale. To see them in color, visit our homepage at www.missmaggie.org.

Goals:

Children will read about Volcano National Park in Hawaii. The active volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Kilauea are described as is the lava tube and petroglyphs. The follow-up activity requires children to use photographs along with the information in the text to write “travel brochures” encouraging people to visit these areas. The activity is available on the emergent, primary, and intermediate levels and correlates with the National Social Studies Standards: Culture and People, Places and Environment and Physical Systems and Environment and Society of the National Geography Standards.