February 2024

Volcano Pizza

Download this lesson

Academic Standards

 

Reading Objective:

Students will recognize that superhot magma inside Earth erupts via a volcano, spewing out lava that is hot enough to burn a pizza!

 

Reading Level:

Lexile: 540L; GRL: K

 

Next Generation Science Standards:

2-ESS1-1: Earth events can occur quickly or slowly.

2-PS1-4: Changes caused by heating can be irreversible—as in the case of a burned pizza.

 

Vocabulary:

volcano, lava, assemble, vents, magma

Use these questions to check students’ understanding and stimulate discussion:

 

1. What did David start on top of a volcano?
(a pizza restaurant)

2. What is lava?
(hot melted rock that has come out of the earth)

3. Did David’s first pizza work well? Explain.
(Answers will vary.)

4. Did David’s first pizza work well? Explain.
(Answers will vary.)

Go online to print or project the Reading Checkpoint.

 

  • When David places his pizza pan on the lava to cook, he has to make sure the flowing lava doesn’t carry it away.
  • David wears thick boots and clothes to protect his body from the heat of the lava. Still, when he gets home, his feet are sore from the intense heat! David soaks his feet in salt water to help them feel better.

Materials: lemons, baking soda, food coloring, knife, spoon, plates or trays, pencils, copies of the skill sheet

Overview:  Kids make (or watch you demonstrate) a lemon “volcano.” Baking soda sprinked on top reacts with the acid in the lemon to create foaming “lava” that oozes down the sides. Food coloring is optional. It looks great.

Directions:

  1. Before the lesson, cut a lemon or lemons in half so each group of kids gets a lemon half. (Or have just one that you can demonstrate with.) For each lemon half, cut a sliver off the base so it will sit flat on a plate or tray.
  2. Set up workstations with a lemon half, a few teaspoons of baking soda, a spoon, and a plate. Supply food coloring if you like.
  3. Tell kids these “volcanoes” will erupt because the acid in lemons reacts chemically with baking soda to create a bubbly gas called carbon dioxide.
  4. Kids can use a spoon to loosen the insides of the lemon to free up the juice. Drop in food coloring.
  5. Sprinkle baking soda on each lemon half. Prod with a spoon to mix with juice. Watch it fizz!
  6. Record observations on the skill sheets.