Using resources available on the web, explain the existence of the Cascade Volcano Range on the west coast of North America. Focus on one of the volcanoes.
A one-page report (12 pt. font, 1.15 space) is due.
Citations on a separate page are required. All citations must be made in a consistent format (APA or MLA but be consistent).
Include a list of the web sites that you use in this endeavor.
Also include websites that include animations and images that you think would be age-appropriate for your middle grades students.
St. Mount Helens
ReplyDeleteWhen I see the word volcano, the first thing that comes to mind is high heat, lava, magma, explosion, ash, and danger. Geology is the study of earth and gives explanations on how planet Earth came about and gives other detailed information on topics, such as volcanoes, that play a major role in the different things that occur and affect planet Earth. One volcano in particular that I enjoy learning about along the cascade volcano range is Mount St. Helens. In my geology class I have heard a lot of things that take place at Mount Helens and different features and /or names of different parts of volcanoes and the activity roles that occur within volcanoes.
Some important facts I learned about Mt. Helens that were very important includes the:
Location: Washington, Skamania County
Latitude: 46.2° N
Longitude: 122.18° W
Elevation: 2,549 (m) 8,363 (f)
Volcano type: Stratovolcano (small but similar to shield volcanoes).
Composition: Basalt to Rhyodacite
Most recent eruption: 1980, 2004-2008
According to the information I researched on the web, Mount St. Helens was formed during four eruptive stages beginning about 275,000 years ago and has been the most active volcano in the Cascade Range during the Holocene. The Holocene period is considered the youngest geologic time period, which is almost comparable to the postglacial time. The postglacial time, is a time I’m more aware due to the fact that it refers to the time since the end of the last major ice age, in which I discussed many facts about the ice age throughout my high school and collegiate years. Mount St. Helens formed a conical, youthful volcano sometimes known as the Fuji-san of America. As I begin to research the events that occurred within St. Helens on the web to find out the actions that took place there, I came across a spectacular story. The U.S. Forest Service in cooperation with Mount St. Helens Institute and the USGS Cascade Volcano Observatory and the USFS PNW Research Station tells and shows pictures the phenomenal story of St. Helens on a slideshow (http://www.fs.usda.gov/mountsthelens). According to the author, at 8:32 Sunday morning, May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens was shaken by an earthquake measuring 5.1 on the ritcher scale, erupted. The north face of this tall symmetrical mountain collapsed in a massive rock debris avalanche. In a few moments this slab of rock and ice slammed into Spirit Lake, crossed a ridge 1,300 feet high, and roared 14 miles down the Toutle River.
The avalanche rapidly released pressurized gases within the volcano. A tremendous adjacent explosion ripped through the avalanche and developed into a turbulent, stone-filled wind that swept over ridges and toppled trees. At the same time gray ash fell over eastern Washington and beyond for miles. Wet, cement-like slurries of rock and mud scoured all sides of the volcano and pumice poured from the crater. The eruption lasted 9 hours, but Mount St. Helens and the surrounding landscape were dramatically changed within moments. A vast, gray landscape lay where once the forested slopes of Mount St. Helens grew. In 1982 the President and Congress created the 110,000-acre National Volcanic Monument for research, recreation, and education. Inside the Monument, the environment is left to respond naturally to the disturbance. Wow! I learned so much about the cascade volcano range (St. Helens more specifically and other volcanoes in general) just by taking small trips on-line. It’s amazing how much you can learn with the click of a button. I found that volcanoes are so spectacular and I want to learn more about them now. Being that I learned so much in a short-period of time, one thing that could make this research more worthy of the information I collected, would be to witness or see a volcanoes erupt myself.
References:
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/st_helens/
http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/Mount_St_Helens