C Curriculum Explorer
Science·Volcanoes & Earthquakes·conceptual

Active, Dormant & Extinct

Classify volcanoes as active (could erupt any time), dormant (sleeping but could wake up), or extinct (will not erupt again)

Suggested ages 7–9

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Learning journey

Your child is learning about what's inside volcanoes and earthquakes, how Earth has different layers, and exploring dramatic geological events like the story of Pompeii and tsunamis.

Evidence of understanding

  • Define active, dormant, and extinct volcanoes
  • Explain that a dormant volcano is not safe just because it has not erupted recently
  • Classify a given volcano based on its eruption history

Assessment prompt

If you told Active, Dormant & Extinct about a volcano that last erupted 500 years ago, could they explain whether it's active, dormant, or extinct, and why a dormant volcano might still be dangerous?

Standards alignment

No external standards are linked to this topic.