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Module 1: Volcanoes - Local hazard, global issue

Middle school students are interested in volcanic eruptions because of their dramatic nature and because of the sensational destruction they can cause. The National Geography Standards expect students to understand how physical processes like plate tectonics shape and change patterns in the physical environment, how the characteristics of different environments both encourage and constrain human activities, and how natural hazards affect humans. Detecting change and tracking processes in Earth's systems is an important component of NASA research. This module allows students, like NASA scientists, to explore two ways that volcanoes affect Earth: by directly threatening people and the environments adjacent to them and by ejecting aerosols into the atmosphere. Through three investigations, students explore issues of volcano hazards at different scales, from their local environment to the global effect of volcanic aerosols on climate and aircraft safety.

Investigation 1
How close is safe? - Buffer zone development

Investigation 2
Sensing volcanic effects from space

Investigation 3
Tracking world aerosol hazards