PLANETARY VOLCANISM IN “EVERY-DAY” GEOSCIENCE CURRICULUM: EXAMPLES AND LESSONS LEARNED

There are 2 issues to address in teaching students and the public about extraterrestrial volcanism. First, students need to be made aware of the existence and impact of volcanic activity on Earth and its inhabitants; second, students need to understand how volcanic behavior varies throughout our Solar System. Geologic processes on Earth are the result of complex interactions between the hydrosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere; interactions between these spheres are controlled by intrinsic parameters that vary from planet to planet, including (but not limited to) gravitational acceleration, composition, and solar heating. These characteristics all affect volcanic behavior. In introductory courses and public outreach, I emphasize the first issue; in upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses, I focus on the second.

Here, I will present a range of classroom activities that can be implemented at the introductory level and expanded for advanced students. These activities and exercises are designed to work as independent modules, and rely on inexpensive tools and readily available (internet) data sets. My primary goal is to make students aware of volcanic processes throughout the Solar System; my secondary goal is to have them appreciate and apply this knowledge. Generally, I begin with known terrestrial examples such as Hawaii (which is familiar to most students in the U.S.), Mount St Helens (which, in Western New York, is less well known), and Yellowstone National Park as well as non-volcanic, local examples that are recognized by almost all students. From there, I work to expand the students' thinking and understanding to other volcanoes in the Solar System. I have found Mars to be the most accessible planet for students to begin their comparative volcanology explorations because of gross morphologic similarities with terrestrial volcanoes, and availability of similar data sets.