Exploding With Curiosity

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Overview

Curriculum Context:

• Learning Area: Social Sciences – Aotearoa New Zealand’s Histories
• Curriculum Level: Level 1
• Big Idea: Understanding Aotearoa New Zealand through stories of significant places and events
• Focus Inquiry: "Earth's Fiery Giants – Volcanoes"

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Lesson Snapshot

Time	Activity	Purpose
5 mins	Karakia + Volcano Video Introduction	Connect to home/kura and spark curiosity
5 mins	Class Discussion: What is a volcano?	Build background knowledge
10 mins	Giant Floor Volcano Vocabulary Game	Introduce new words kinaesthetically
15 mins	Cut-and-Paste Volcano Puzzle	Reinforce parts of a volcano
5 mins	Whakarāpopototanga (wrap-up) + volcano chant	Reflect and revisit learning

Total Time: 40 minutes
Group Size: 8 tamariki (ideal for hands-on learning and support)

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Learning Outcomes

By the end of this lesson, ākonga will be able to:

• Recognise and name basic parts of a volcano (e.g. lava, ash, crater, magma).
• Identify that Aotearoa New Zealand has volcanoes, some of which have shaped our land and communities.
• Participate in collaborative learning experiences through guided play and craft.

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Resources Needed

• A3-sized cut-and-paste volcano worksheet (pre-cut for easy handling)
• Images of New Zealand volcanoes (e.g. Rangitoto, Taranaki, Ruapehu)
• Coloured paper and glue sticks
• A “giant volcano mat” drawn on cardboard or the whiteboard
• Laminated terminology flash cards: Lava, Magma, Ash, Crater, Eruption
• Simple volcano chant (e.g. “Boom, sizzle, rumble, roar – volcanoes shake the ocean floor!”)
• Safety scissors (optional – pre-cut preferred for age group)

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Detailed Lesson Plan

🔥 1. Karakia + Volcano Video Introduction (5 mins)

• Begin with your class karakia to settle the group and create readiness for learning.
• Show a short, silent clip (30 seconds) of a cartoon-style volcano erupting. Use sound effects yourself – 'rumbbbble', 'BOOM'.
• Ask, “What do you think is happening here?”
• Clarify that this is a volcano – one of the Earth’s fiery giants!

Teacher Tip: Tie in the local context if relevant: “Did you know there’s a volcano not too far from here?”

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🌋 2. Circle Time Chat: What is a Volcano? (5 mins)

• Sit in a circle. Show visual prompts of NZ volcanoes (e.g. Rangitoto Island).

• Guide discussion with questions:

  • “Have you seen a mountain like this before?”
  • “What might come out of the top?”
  • “Why do you think the land looks black or rocky?”

• Emphasise key words using flash cards: lava, magma, ash, crater, eruption.

Use simple definitions:

• Lava – hot rock that runs down the side
• Magma – hot stuff underground
• Ash – dusty smoke
• Crater – the hole on top
• Eruption – when a volcano goes BOOM!

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🕺 3. Giant Floor Volcano Game (10 mins)

• Use a large volcano poster or life-sized drawing on the floor.
• Place word flash cards (e.g. "lava") around the mat.
• Call out, for example, “Find the lava!” and kids run/tiptoe/crawl to the right part of the volcano.

Repeat for each term. Then swap roles: let ākonga choose a word and lead the others. Builds movement, memory, and fun!

Teacher Tip: If space is limited, place the volcano on a table and use magnet cards or Velcro for attaching parts.

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✂️ 4. Volcano Discovery Cut-and-Paste (15 mins)

Activity:

• Hand out pre-cut puzzle pieces (or allow ākonga to choose and glue pieces in the right place).
• Worksheet shows a simple volcano cross-section with blank labels.
• Students glue the labels to the matching parts:
  • Lava
  • Magma
  • Ash cloud
  • Crater

Offer guided support to those who need help reading or placing items.

Follow-up questions during activity:

• “Where does the lava come from?”
• “Which part looks hot?”
• “What’s the ash cloud doing in the sky?”

Use this time as a formative assessment opportunity.

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🎵 5. Whakarāpopototanga + Volcano Chant (5 mins)

Gather back at the mat. Ask tamariki to “teach the teacher” what they learned.

• “What are some volcano words you remember?”
• “Can you point to the crater/lava if I show you the volcano mat again?”

End with an energetic volcano chant:

"Boom, sizzle, rumble, roar —
Volcanoes shake the ocean floor!
Lava, magma, ash and stone —
This is how our land was grown!"

Practise using actions for each word.

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Extension Ideas (If Time Allows or As a Follow-up Activity)

• Set up a dramatic play area as a “Volcano Explorer Station” with goggles, maps, clipboards, and pretend rocks.
• Use playdough to model volcanoes and re-enact eruptions.
• Sing a volcano version of “Twinkle, Twinkle”:

“Volcano, volcano, rumbling high / Spitting lava to the sky…”

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Assessment and Teacher Reflection

• Informal Observation: Note vocabulary use during the mat time and puzzle activity.
• Learning Journals / Seesaw: Take pictures of completed puzzles for sharing with whānau.
• Reflective Prompt: Think about which children connected with the kinaesthetic vs visual aspects. How might this shape tomorrow’s learning?

Consider how mātauranga Māori perspectives of natural forces – such as volcanic creation stories – might be incorporated into future lessons.

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Teacher Wow Moment

This lesson goes beyond cutting and gluing—it tells a story of our land. By using movement, chanting and kiwi-specific references to volcanoes, you’re helping tamariki feel the learning. It’s active, meaningful, and uniquely Aotearoa. Ka rawe! 🌋