Last week, a volcano near Niijima Island in Japan had a big explosion. It was caught on video by Japan’s coast guard and shared online. The video shows rocks from the volcano being thrown into the sea, going up about 200 meters high. Niijima Island is a new island that formed 10 years ago.

When a volcano erupts, it can shoot out ash and rocks into the sky. This happens when there’s a lot of pressure building up under the Earth’s surface and it needs to be released. The ash and rocks can travel far and be dangerous to nearby places. Luckily, this eruption was far away from Tokyo, so it didn’t directly threaten the city.

Japan is no stranger to volcanic eruptions because it’s located in an area called the Pacific Ring of Fire. This area is known for having lots of volcanoes and earthquakes. The Ring of Fire is shaped like a horseshoe and goes from the west coast of the Americas to the east coast of Asia. It has 75% of the world’s active volcanoes and is prone to earthquakes and tsunamis.

Even though volcanic eruptions can be scary and cause damage, they also help shape the Earth’s surface and create new land. Volcanoes can make islands, mountains, and fertile soil. They remind us of the powerful things happening inside the Earth and how our planet is always changing.

In conclusion, the recent eruption at Niijima Island in Japan shows us that volcanic activity is still happening in that area. It’s cool to see, but we should also remember that it can be dangerous. The video taken by Japan’s coast guard lets us see how powerful and beautiful nature can be, and how people who live near volcanoes have to be strong and resilient.

Original news source: Watch: Volcano in Japan spews ash, rock 200m into sky (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Give each group a copy of the article.
3. Ask the groups to read the article and summarize it in 3-5 sentences.
4. After a designated time, have each group share their summary with the class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Give each group a list of vocabulary words from the article.
3. Ask each group to take turns selecting a word and drawing it on the board without using any letters or numbers.
4. The rest of the class must guess the word based on the drawing.
5. Once the word is guessed correctly, the group can move on to the next word.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Assign each group a position: either pro or con.
3. Ask each group to discuss and list the pros or cons of living near a volcano based on the information in the article.
4. After a designated time, have each group present their list to the class.
5. Encourage class discussion and debate about the advantages and disadvantages of living near a volcano.

– Future Predictions
Instructions:
1. Discuss with the class the concept of predicting the future.
2. Ask each student to individually write down three predictions about volcanic activity in the future based on the information in the article.
3. After a designated time, have the students share their predictions in pairs or small groups.
4. Encourage the students to discuss and debate their predictions, providing reasons and evidence to support their ideas.
5. Finally, have a class discussion to share and compare the different predictions.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions:
1. Ask the class to think about and reflect on the following question based on the article: “What are the potential impacts of volcanic eruptions on people and the environment?”
2. Pair up the students and instruct them to discuss their thoughts and ideas with their partner.
3. After a designated time, have each pair share their answers with the class.
4. Facilitate a class discussion to further explore the topic and encourage students to consider different perspectives.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What happened last week near Niijima Island in Japan?
2. How high did the rocks from the volcano go up in the air?
3. Why does a volcano erupt?
4. Why didn’t the recent eruption threaten Tokyo?
5. Why is Japan prone to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes?
6. What is the Pacific Ring of Fire and where is it located?
7. How do volcanic eruptions help shape the Earth’s surface?
8. What does the recent eruption at Niijima Island remind us about nature and the people who live near volcanoes?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Last week, a (1)______ near Niijima Island in Japan had a big explosion. It was caught on video by Japan’s coast (2)______ and shared online. The video shows (3)______ from the volcano being thrown into the sea, (4)______ up about 200 meters high. Niijima Island is a new island that formed 10 years ago.

When a volcano erupts, it can shoot out ash and rocks into the sky. This happens when there’s a lot of pressure building up under the Earth’s surface and it needs to be released. The ash and rocks can travel far and be (5)______ to nearby places. Luckily, this eruption was far away from Tokyo, so it didn’t directly (6)______ the city.

Japan is no (7)______ to (8)______ eruptions because it’s located in an area called the Pacific Ring of Fire. This area is known for having lots of volcanoes and earthquakes. The Ring of Fire is shaped like a horseshoe and goes from the west coast of the Americas to the east coast of Asia. It has 75% of the world’s active volcanoes and is prone to (9)______ and (10)______.

Even though volcanic eruptions can be scary and cause damage, they also help shape the Earth’s surface and create new land. Volcanoes can make (11)______, (12)______, and fertile soil. They remind us of the powerful things happening inside the Earth and how our (13)______ is always changing.

In conclusion, the recent eruption at Niijima Island in (14)______ shows us that volcanic activity is still (15)______ in that area. It’s cool to see, but we should also remember that it can be dangerous. The video taken by Japan’s coast guard lets us see how (16)______ and beautiful nature can be, and how people who live near volcanoes have to be strong and resilient.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is a volcanic eruption?
2. How would you feel if you lived near a volcano?
3. Do you like watching videos of natural disasters? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s important for people to learn about volcanic eruptions? Why or why not?
5. What do you think is the scariest thing about volcanic eruptions?
6. How do you think volcanic eruptions shape the Earth’s surface?
7. Have you ever experienced an earthquake or volcanic eruption? If so, can you describe what happened?
8. What precautions do you think people should take if they live near a volcano?
9. Do you think it’s worth living near a volcano, despite the potential dangers? Why or why not?
10. How do you think volcanic eruptions affect the environment?
11. What do you think would happen if a volcano erupted in a big city like Tokyo?
12. Have you ever seen a volcano in person? If so, where and what was it like?
13. Do you think humans can predict when a volcano will erupt? Why or why not?
14. How do you think volcanic eruptions impact the economy of the affected areas?
15. What can we learn from volcanic eruptions about the power of nature?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. volcano
2. explosion
3. rocks
4. eruption
5. pressure
6. damage
7. earthquakes
8. resilient

Meanings:
(a) When a volcano shoots out ash and rocks
(b) A big burst or bang
(c) Shaking of the ground caused by the Earth’s movement
(d) Hard pieces of the Earth that can be thrown
(e) A mountain that can shoot out hot lava
(f) Able to recover quickly from difficult situations
(g) Harm or destruction caused by something
(h) Force or stress pushing against something
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What caused the recent explosion near Niijima Island in Japan?
(a) Earthquake
(b) Volcanic activity
(c) Tsunami
(d) Tornado

2. How high did the rocks from the volcano go?
(a) About 100 meters
(b) About 500 meters
(c) About 200 meters
(d) About 1000 meters

3. Why did the volcano erupt?
(a) It was caused by an earthquake
(b) It was a natural disaster
(c) The volcano was old and needed to release pressure
(d) There was a lot of pressure building up under the Earth’s surface

4. Which city was directly threatened by the recent eruption?
(a) Osaka
(b) Kyoto
(c) Nagoya
(d) Tokyo

5. Where is Japan located?
(a) In an area called the Pacific Ring of Fire
(b) In the middle of the Pacific Ocean
(c) In Europe
(d) In North America

6. What percentage of the world’s active volcanoes are located in the Pacific Ring of Fire?
(a) 50%
(b) 25%
(c) 75%
(d) 100%

7. What can volcanic eruptions create?
(a) Islands, mountains, and fertile soil
(b) Earthquakes and tsunamis
(c) Tornadoes and hurricanes
(d) Forests and rivers

8. What does the recent eruption at Niijima Island remind us of?
(a) The beauty of nature and how people should appreciate it
(b) The powerful things happening inside the Earth and how our planet is always changing
(c) The dangers of living near volcanoes
(d) The need to take more videos of volcanic eruptions

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. While volcanic eruptions can be dangerous, they also play a role in shaping the Earth’s surface by creating new land, such as islands, mountains, and fertile soil.
2. Last week, a volcano near Niijima Island in Japan erupted and the explosion was caught on video by Japan’s coast guard.
3. Volcanic eruptions occur when there is a buildup of pressure beneath the Earth’s surface that needs to be released, resulting in the ejection of ash and rocks into the sky.
4. Unluckily, the eruption was close to Tokyo and posed a direct threat to the city.
5. The video shows flowers from the volcano being gently dropped into the sea, reaching a height of about 200 meters.
6. Niijima Island is a relatively new island that formed just 10 years ago.
7. Japan is located in an area known as the Atlantic Ring of Fire, which is prone to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.
8. The Atlantic Ring of Fire stretches from the west coast of the Americas to the east coast of Asia and contains 75% of the world’s active volcanoes.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What happened last week near Niijima Island in Japan?
2. How high did the rocks from the volcano go?
3. Why does a volcano erupt?
4. Why is Japan prone to volcanic eruptions?
5. What are some of the positive effects of volcanic eruptions?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What happened last week near Niijima Island in Japan?
Last week, a volcano near Niijima Island in Japan had a big explosion.

2. How high did the rocks from the volcano go up in the air?
The rocks from the volcano went up about 200 meters high.

3. Why does a volcano erupt?
A volcano erupts when there’s a lot of pressure building up under the Earth’s surface and it needs to be released.

4. Why didn’t the recent eruption threaten Tokyo?
The recent eruption didn’t threaten Tokyo because it was far away from the city.

5. Why is Japan prone to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes?
Japan is prone to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes because it is located in an area called the Pacific Ring of Fire, which has lots of volcanoes and earthquakes.

6. What is the Pacific Ring of Fire and where is it located?
The Pacific Ring of Fire is an area shaped like a horseshoe that goes from the west coast of the Americas to the east coast of Asia. It has 75% of the world’s active volcanoes and is prone to earthquakes and tsunamis.

7. How do volcanic eruptions help shape the Earth’s surface?
Volcanic eruptions help shape the Earth’s surface by creating new land, such as islands and mountains. They also create fertile soil.

8. What does the recent eruption at Niijima Island remind us about nature and the people who live near volcanoes?
The recent eruption at Niijima Island reminds us that nature can be powerful and beautiful, but also dangerous. It shows us that people who live near volcanoes have to be strong and resilient.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) volcano
(2) guard
(3) rocks
(4) going
(5) dangerous
(6) threaten
(7) stranger
(8) volcanic
(9) earthquakes
(10) tsunamis
(11) islands
(12) mountains
(13) planet
(14) Japan
(15) happening
(16) powerful
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. volcano
Answer: (e) A mountain that can shoot out hot lava

2. explosion
Answer: (b) A big burst or bang

3. rocks
Answer: (d) Hard pieces of the Earth that can be thrown

4. eruption
Answer: (a) When a volcano shoots out ash and rocks

5. pressure
Answer: (h) Force or stress pushing against something

6. damage
Answer: (g) Harm or destruction caused by something

7. earthquakes
Answer: (c) Shaking of the ground caused by the Earth’s movement

8. resilient
Answer: (f) Able to recover quickly from difficult situations
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What caused the recent explosion near Niijima Island in Japan?
Answer: (b) Volcanic activity

2. How high did the rocks from the volcano go?
Answer: (c) About 200 meters

3. Why did the volcano erupt?
Answer: (d) There was a lot of pressure building up under the Earth’s surface

4. Which city was directly threatened by the recent eruption?
Answer: (d) Tokyo

5. Where is Japan located?
Answer: (a) In an area called the Pacific Ring of Fire

6. What percentage of the world’s active volcanoes are located in the Pacific Ring of Fire?
Answer: (c) 75%

7. What can volcanic eruptions create?
Answer: (a) Islands, mountains, and fertile soil

8. What does the recent eruption at Niijima Island remind us of?
Answer: (b) The powerful things happening inside the Earth and how our planet is always changing
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. While volcanic eruptions can be dangerous, they also play a role in shaping the Earth’s surface by creating new land, such as islands, mountains, and fertile soil. (Answer: True)
2. Last week, a volcano near Niijima Island in Japan erupted and the explosion was caught on video by Japan’s coast guard. (Answer: True)
3. Volcanic eruptions occur when there is a buildup of pressure beneath the Earth’s surface that needs to be released, resulting in the ejection of ash and rocks into the sky. (Answer: True)
4. Unluckily, the eruption was close to Tokyo and posed a direct threat to the city. (Answer: False)
5. The video shows flowers from the volcano being gently dropped into the sea, reaching a height of about 200 meters. (Answer: False)
6. Niijima Island is a relatively new island that formed just 10 years ago. (Answer: True)
7. Japan is located in an area known as the Atlantic Ring of Fire, which is prone to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. (Answer: False)
8. The Atlantic Ring of Fire stretches from the west coast of the Americas to the east coast of Asia and contains 75% of the world’s active volcanoes. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧