"The Three Little Pigs" is a classic children's story that can be used for a volcano activity for kindergartners. Introduce volcanoes to the class by showing them pictures and discussing what happens when they erupt. Read the story to the class. Then provide each student with a sheet of white paper to take home. Instruct the students to draw a picture of a volcano. Then draw a picture of the strongest house in the little pig story. Tell them to draw the house where it would be the safest if the volcano erupted.
Provide instructions for the students to take home and complete with their parents. The student and parents should gather an empty cola bottle, a funnel, a paper plate, craft dough, baking soda and vinegar. They should first place the bottle on the paper plate and cover it in craft dough to resemble a volcano. A disposable beverage cup may also be used in place of a bottle. The student may decorate the volcano if he wants. They should then pour three to four 4 tablespoons of baking soda into the bottle or cup. Then add about half a cup of vinegar into the bottle or cup. Use the funnel if pouring into a bottle. The volcano will then erupt.
Discuss volcanoes and volcanologists. Ask the students to think about what a volcanologist might find when he explores a volcano. Provide the students with volcano coloring sheets to take home and color. An alternative is to give them blank paper and ask them to draw the volcano and a volcanologist exploring it. Ask the students to add to the volcano the things he might find there. They can also practice handwriting skills by writing the letter "v" at the top of the page.
Students can make a paper volcano at home with their parents. Provide each student with one sheet each of blue, red and orange construction paper and one craft stick. Provide instructions for their parents to help them with this activity. The students should draw a volcano on the red paper and cut out the shape. They should then attach the volcano to the blue paper by gluing the sides only. Next the student will draw the shape of erupting lava on the orange paper and cut out the shape. Glue or tape the lava to the end of the craft stick. With their parents' assistance, the student should then cut a small slot out of the blue construction paper behind the volcano. The student can then insert the lava stick inside the volcano and through the slot. They can raise and lower the stick to make the volcano erupt.