Vocabulary Lesson

Lava & Viscosity

Grades: 2-3

Time: 30 minutes

Overview

You will learn the story of the Hawaiian goddess, Pele, and how she created the land that makes our home today.  You will explore different places on Oahu where you can see evidence of volcanic activity.

Video

Kīlauea is a volcano on the Big Island of Hawai‘i.  People, plants, and animals living close to erupting volcanoes are affected by the changes in the land.  In Hawaiian, the word for volcano is ‘lua pele’‘Lua’ means ‘hole’ or ‘pit,’ so it refers to a hole in the land where the volcano is. Click on the link to watch the video of Kīlauea erupting in December of 2019.

Video

In ancient Hawai‘i, the people believed in Pele, the goddess of volcanoes.  Some Hawaiian words have the name ‘pele’ in them like the word for volcano which is ‘lua pele’.  The word for lava is ‘‘ā pele.’  The ancient people believed that Pele formed the Hawaiian Islands that we call home today.  Click on the link to watch a video story about Pele’s search for a home.  As you watch, think about what the story of Pele can teach you about volcanoes.

Lesson

Learn about volcanoes you can see around Oʻahu.

Parts of a Volcano Video

Learn about the different parts of a volcano. Then you can fill in and color the “Volcano Diagram” worksheet here.

*If you do not have a printer, just use a blank piece of paper and a pencil to draw a volcano like the one shown on the “Volcano Diagram” worksheet. Then label and color the parts of the volcano.