Smoke and lava bubbling in a volcano
Time Machine,

Journey Inside a Volcano

Travel inside one of the most active volcanoes in the world: Kilauea!

By Tricia Culligan
From the February 2022 Issue
Lexiles: 500-600L, Easier Level
Featured Skill: Knowledge Building,

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Think and Read: Big Idea

As you read, think about what it would be like to go inside a volcano.

JIM MCMAHON/MAPMAN® 

Kilauea is in Hawaii. 

It’s a sunny day in Hawaii. Palm trees sway in the breeze. Waves crash in the distance. But instead of sinking your toes into the sand, you watch blazing melted rock flow by your boots. It’s lava!

You’re standing on the edge of one of the most powerful forces in the world: a volcano. And this isn’t just any volcano. This is Kilauea, one of the most active volcanoes on the planet.

What are you doing here? You’re a volcanologist, a scientist who studies volcanoes. You travel the world trying to figure out when a volcano will become dangerous. 

Lava usually flows gently out of Kilauea. But in 2018, the volcano erupted dangerously. Lava came pouring out. Could this happen again? That’s what you’re trying to figure out—by going into the volcano! 

You’re standing on the edge of one of the most powerful forces in the world: a volcano. And this isn’t just any volcano. This is Kilauea. It’s one of the most active volcanoes on Earth.

What are you doing here? You’re a volcanologist. That’s a scientist who studies volcanoes. You travel around the world and try to figure out when a volcano will cause damage. 

Lava usually flows gently out of Kilauea. But in 2018, the volcano erupted dangerously. Lava came pouring out. Could this happen again? That’s what you’re trying to figure out. How will you do that? By going into the volcano! 

Dry, Rocky, and Hot

Dry, Rocky, and Hot

USGS PHOTO BY KYLE ANDERSON

Volcanologists have an important job. If you can predict when a volcano will erupt, people can leave the area in time and stay safe. It’s an exciting, dangerous­ job—and you love it!

Ahead you see a large, hollow opening called a crater. You put on your protective gear and climb down the crater’s rocky wall. Right away, you’re hit with a scent so powerful, it stings your nose. It smells like rotten eggs. But it’s gas rising from the volcano. 

At the bottom of the crater, you see dusty rocks everywhere. The air surrounding you is hot and dry. Fiery magma is flowing right beneath the rocks you’re standing on. (Magma is what we call lava while it’s underground.) It’s time to find out if this magma is about to explode!

Volcanologists have an important job. You try to figure out when a volcano will erupt. Then people can leave the area and stay safe. It’s an exciting, dangerous­ job. And you love it!

Ahead, you see a large opening called a crater. You put on your gear. It protects you while you’re inside the volcano. You climb down the crater’s rocky wall. Right away, you’re hit with a powerful scent. It stings your nose. It smells like rotten eggs. But it’s gas coming from the volcano. 

You get to the bottom of the crater. You see rocks everywhere. The air around you is hot and dry. Magma is flowing under the rocks you’re standing on. (Magma is what we call lava while it’s underground.) Is this magma about to explode? Time to find out!

USGS PHOTO BY JESSICA BALL

Meet a Volcanologist!

Volcanologist Jessica Ball stands in front of Kilauea. She describes what it’s like traveling inside the volcano. “You hear it all around you. You feel it under your feet. You smell it in the air. It feels like the volcano is alive!”

 

Want to be a volcanologist one day? Ball says math and science are important. But so is writing! “We record everything we see in a notebook,” she says.

Like a Detective

Like a Detective

You get to work collecting fist-sized rocks and taking measurements. You’re like a detective searching for clues. You write down notes about what you see, hear, and feel. When volcanoes are ready to burst open, they get bigger. Magma pushes the rocks out, changing the volcano’s shape. Another sign the volcano might explode? Earthquakes. You check for big cracks in the rocks or any shaking in the ground. 

Suddenly, a whirlwind of dust fills the air and gets in your eyes. It’s like a mini-tornado. Time to get out of here!

You get to work. You collect rocks and take measurements. You’re like a detective looking for clues. You write down what you see, hear, and feel. When volcanoes are ready to burst open, they get bigger. Magma pushes the rocks out. This changes the volcano’s shape. Another sign the volcano might explode? Earthquakes. You check for big cracks in the rocks. You also check for any shaking in the ground. 

Suddenly, a cloud of dust fills the air. It gets in your eyes. It’s like a small tornado. Time to get out of here!

HAWAII VOLCANO OBSERVATORY/USGS

A volcanologist collects lava using a special hook. “It’s like pulling Silly Putty,” says Ball. “You have to get the hook in there and yank on it.”

You'll Keep Watching

You'll Keep Watching

Back outside, you see a lava stream. Click! You snap some pictures. The flowing lava looks like the syrup you pour on your pancakes. But it’s stiff and heavy. You yank some out with a metal hook. Later, in a lab, you’ll study what you gathered. 

Right now, you don’t see any signs of danger. Eruptions can be hard to predict though. Nobody knows exactly when Kilauea will have another dangerous explosion. But that’s why your job is so important. You’ll keep watching, ready to warn people before the volcano goes BOOM!

Back outside, you see a lava stream. Click! You snap some pictures. The flowing lava looks like the syrup you pour on your pancakes. But it’s stiff and heavy. You pull some out with a metal hook. Later, you’ll study it in a lab.

Right now, you don’t see any signs of danger. Eruptions can be hard to predict though. Nobody knows when Kilauea will have another big explosion. 

But that’s why your job is so important. You’ll keep watching, ready to warn people before the volcano goes BOOM!

THINK AND WRITE

Imagine you’re inside a volcano. Using descriptive details, write a journal entry about what the experience is like. 

THINK AND WRITE

Imagine you’re inside a volcano. Using descriptive details, write a journal entry about what the experience is like. 

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Can't Miss Teaching Extras
Watch

Take a deep dive into the science of volcanoes in this 3-minute video from SciShow Kids.

Inside Kilauea

Watch some incredible footage of Kilauea erupting in this 3-minute video from the BBC.

Future Career Inspiration?

Would your students want to be volcanologists when they grow up? Together as a class, read this DK Find Out list of amazing facts about these scientists who study volcanoes. These brave men and women face many risks as they work to keep people safe from eruptions. 

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