LIVING WITH A VOLCANO IN YOUR BACKYARD--MOUNT RAINIER: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FEATURING MOUNT RAINIER

Living with a Volcano in Your Backyard is a multidisciplinary teacher professional development program that connects science and humanities teachers to the history and processes of Mount Rainier. This program targets middle school teachers; however materials and resources are easily adaptable for elementary and high school classes as well as other Cascade Range volcanoes. Materials and resources are aligned with Washington State and National learning standards in science and social studies. Collaborations between Mount Rainier National Park staff, scientists from U.S. Geologic Survey, emergency managers and master teachers provide different perspectives for transferring and applying up to date information to the classroom. Themes of the project include human interactions, current research and volcanic processes, and hazard identification and preparedness. Activities include historical readings, inquiry, and scientist-led field observations. Following completion of this five day class, teachers should be able to: recognize that many volcanoes of the Cascade Range are historically and presently active, explain dynamic processes that shape volcanoes of the Cascade Range, understand important clues used to predict future eruptions, develop an emergency preparedness plan, and describe the cultural significance of Mount Rainier in the past and present. Two master teachers describe how they adapt materials and activities to fit the perspective of their differing communities—one teaching in a lahar hazard zone and one teaching in a volcanic hazard free zone thus improving ALL students’ awareness of volcanic hazards regardless of their immediate proximity to a Cascade Range volcano.