Knowledge Organiser
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Which unit are you teaching?
What you'll get
One labelled picture of the whole unit. Chalk suggests one from your topic, and you can switch at any time.
Volcanoes
Big question: Why do volcanoes erupt, and how do they change the land?
You already knowRocks and soils (Y3)The layers of the Earth
Coming nextEarthquakesLiving with natural hazards
The big picture
ash cloudcraterlavaventmagma chambertectonic plateKey vocabulary· numbers match the picture
 | magma | melted rock under the ground |
| lava | magma that has reached the surface | |
| crater | the bowl-shaped hollow at the top of a volcano | |
| vent | the opening that magma escapes through | |
| magma chamber | a pool of magma deep under the volcano | |
| ash cloud | tiny pieces of rock and glass blasted into the air | |
| tectonic plate | a giant slab of the Earth's crust that slowly moves | |
 | dormant | not erupting now, but could erupt again |
How a volcano erupts
Key facts
- Most volcanoes form where tectonic plates meet or pull apart.
- Magma rises because it is hotter and lighter than the rock around it.
- Gas trapped in magma builds up pressure until the volcano erupts.
- Lava cools and hardens into igneous rock, such as basalt.
- Volcanic ash breaks down into fertile soil, so many people farm near volcanoes.
Watch out
- Magma and lava are completely different things.Magma is underground; at the surface it is called lava.
- A volcano is always erupting.Most are quiet for years; some are dormant or extinct.
Ask yourself
- Why do so many people live near volcanoes?
- Why are most volcanoes near the edges of plates?
Year 6 Geography, Volcanoes, in the layout you have chosen. Flip it into a quiz for retrieval practice, print it, or export to PowerPoint and Google Slides.