Earth's Dynamic Geosphere: Volcanoes Activity 1- Where are the Volcanoes

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Earth's Dynamic Geosphere book cover
AGI/It's About Time

To complete the investigation, each student group will need:
  • US Geological Survey map: This Dynamic Planet
    Click on title ("This Dynamic Map") to download a copy of the map as a PDF file. Note that you will need Adobe Acrobat (available for free on the USGSS site) to open this file.

The map can also be purchased for $7 (plus $5 s/h) from:
USGS Information Services
Box 25286
Denver CO 80225

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Preparing for the Chapter Challenge

Think about how you can help the audience understand why you chose the probable location of the volcanic eruption for your story. Use the following resources to find the volcanic eruptions in California.

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Learn more about Volcanoes Beneath the Sea

  • Volcano World - "Submarine Volcanoes"
    Reviews the basics of platetectonics and examines closely submarine volcanoes at divergent and convergent boundaries and hot spots. The site has good images of underwater lava flows as well as images of the organisms that live near these submarine volcanoes.
  • USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory -"Submarine Volcanoes, Ridges, and Vents"
    Site includes a general overview of submarine volcanic eruptions as well as information about specific underwater volcanoes including the volcanoes of the Juan de Fuca ridge in the Pacific, Kavachi of the Solomon Islands, Kick 'Em Jenny of the West Indies, the Loihi Seamount of Hawaii, and Surtsey and the Vestmannmaeyjar volcanics of Iceland.

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Learn more about Volcanoes on Land

USGS Volcano Hazards Program, Read about volcanism in the following US states:

+ Alaska

+ Arizona

+ California

+ Colorado

+ Idaho

+ Nevada

- Nevada:

+ New Mexico

+ Oregon

+ Utah

+ Washington

+ Wyoming

- Wyoming:

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Learn more about the Ring of Fire

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Learn more about the Volcanoes Formed by Rifting on the Continents

  • Columbia Plateau - Columbia River Basalt Group
    Read more information about flood basalt and how they formed the Columbia Plateau. It also includes links to a map and geologic time scale for the subdivisions within the Columbia River Basalt Group.
  • Mount Kilimanjaro
    Learn more about Africa's tallest mountain in the East African rift valley.

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Learn more about Volcanoes at Hot Spots:
  • USGS - "Hot spots:" Mantle Thermal Plumes
    Learn more about the geology of the Hawaiian islands as well as other other hotshots around the world.
  • USGS Hawaii Volcano Observatory
    Read about the Hawaiian Volcanoes and how they formed. It also includes links to other pages about specific volcanoes on the islands of Hawaii and Maui.
  • Volcano World - Hawaii
    View a slide show with color photos and descriptions about the theory of "hotshots." Site also includes a list of sample lesson plans, key concepts, references, and activities about hot spots and the Hawaiian islands.

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Learn more about Volcanoes and Water on Earth

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Learn more about Map Projections

Learn more about other kinds of map projections:

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