Credit: U.S. Geological Survey AS Geology

Volcanic Hazards Assignment

Approved for Key Skills evidence

This assignment allows you to practice your Key Skills in Communication These tasks are designed to help you develop your skills in :

 Reading and summarising information  Producing appropriate documents with images

Aim – to investigate various sources for information about volcanic eruptions and the problems they cause and to produce appropriate documents on your findings.

Task 1 – Research This exercise will introduce you to the information and data that is held in the LRC and on various websites. Should you require any assistance in your search for information please ask the LRC staff and your teacher for help and advice. Sources of information

1. Geology Today May/June 2002 Geodigest article p93 (in LRC) Jan/Feb 2000 article (stored in classroom)

2. Book sources e.g Geohazards by Coch Natural Disaters by Alexander Volcanoes by Francis Volcanoes by Kraft Hazard Geography by Ross

3. Internet sources

Go to the TRC College Intranet Homepage and click on Departments which will take you to a list of departments. Click on Geology and then double click on links, which will bring up a selection of useful links including : The British Geological Survey, The Geological Society, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and Volcanoes on the Learning Web. You could also try inputting “volcanic hazards” using a search engine such as yahoo.

4. Plate Tectonics CD–ROM Interactive Plate Tectonics Plummer & McGeary available in the LRC and in the Geology classroom. CD-Rom Discovering Science Open University - Block 3 - Plate Tectonics

Task Two – short document Produce a short document that illustrates and warns people of the different types of volcanic hazards that volcanoes produce. Include illustrations where possible. This leaflet is to be aimed at people living in the areas close to active/dormant volcanoes and should include the dangers associated with the volcanic hazards and steps to be taken to minimise risk.

You have a free choice of format and may want to consider anyone of the following methods of presentation, leaflet, A4 diagram, flowchart, poster, factsheet or A4 handout. Remember that illustrations are good visual aids and are often the best way of communicating information to those who are non-specialist geologists. Task Three – Long document Using your knowledge of predictive techniques produce a long document (approximately 1000 words) on Volcanic Hazards. This will include a description of the various hazards and a discussion of whether it is possible or not to predict volcanic eruptions. Refer to the various methods employed in predicting volcanic eruptions.

In this piece of work you must include :  a summary of a document printed off the internet (include the original document for comparison).  evidence that you have read and summarised the article in Geology Today.  Information from at least one other book source. This could be Geoscience, or the Volcanoes booklets or one of the books listed in the sources of information.  a bibliography

When preparing your report/document assume your audience to be other AS Geology students. Appropriate technical language should be used.

In this task you will be applying your communication skills to deal with quite complex subjects and extended written material. Below is some information to help you produce a good document:

 Use a variety of source materials and produce a bibliography  Include at least one image which aids your explanation.  Remember to present your ideas using paragraphs, headings or subheadings.  Use technical vocabulary appropriate to the subject.  Make sure your spelling is correct and that you have punctuated properly.  Use your own words – don’t copy from texts !

You may wish to use this work as a basis for a presentation.

Credit: U.S. Geological Survey