Homeschool Guide: These lesson plans are a guide for parents. Content may contain errors — always cross-reference with official exam board specifications.

earthquakes & volcanoes

FoundationHigherAll Boards

4 detailed 50-minute lessons with teaching scripts, worked examples, parent guides, and assessment criteria.

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Lesson Overview

Total Lessons: 4
Tier: Foundation and Higher
Duration: 50 minutes per lesson (200 minutes total)
Exam Boards: AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas, CCEA

Learning Objectives

Prerequisites

Materials & Equipment

Lesson 1: Introduction: earthquakes & volcanoes

Duration: 50 minutes

Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Quick Recall

Write down everything you already know about earthquakes & volcanoes. Then check against the key terms: key terms from earthquakes & volcanoes. Use a mini-whiteboard or paper.

Main Content (35 minutes)

Parent/Teacher Guide:
Before lesson: Read the script below. Pre-teach key vocab: key terms from earthquakes & volcanoes.
If stuck: Re-read the revision notes (link above), then break the content into smaller steps.
Extension: See the Stretch & Challenge ideas in Lesson 4.
Teaching Script (35 mins):
Mins 0-5 - Hook: "Today: earthquakes & volcanoes. By the end you will be able to answer exam questions on it unaided. It connects to the rest of Geology because the ideas here recur across the spec."
Mins 5-20 - Direct Instruction: Work through the core ideas below one at a time; after each, ask your student to explain it back in their own words.
Mins 20-30 - Guided Practice: Model the worked example together, then let your student attempt the first practice question with guidance.
Mins 30-35 - Independent Practice: 2-3 practice questions from Lesson 3 below, with immediate feedback.
First Look

Start with the revision notes summary, then attempt: explain the key ideas of earthquakes & volcanoes

Plenary (5 minutes)

Check Out

Your student states one thing they learned and one question they still have about earthquakes & volcanoes.

Lesson 2: Core Concepts: earthquakes & volcanoes

Duration: 50 minutes

Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Review Previous Lesson

Quick recap: write 3 key points from Lesson 1 on earthquakes & volcanoes. Check them against the notes below.

Main Content (35 minutes)

Key Fact: Earthquakes occur when stress builds up at plate boundaries and is suddenly released as seismic waves
Key Fact: The focus is the point underground where the earthquake originates; the epicentre is the point on the surface directly above
Key Fact: Volcanoes form where magma reaches the surface: at divergent boundaries (fissure eruptions), subduction zones (explosive stratovolcanoes), and hotspots (shield volcanoes)
Key Fact: Effusive eruptions produce fluid basaltic lava (e.g. Iceland); explosive eruptions produce viscous andesitic/rhyolitic lava, ash and pyroclastic flows (e.g. Mt St Helens)
Key Fact: Earthquake hazards include ground shaking, liquefaction, landslides and tsunamis
Key Fact: Volcanic hazards include lava flows, pyroclastic flows, ash falls, lahars and gas emissions

Practice (10 minutes)

Q: explain the key ideas of earthquakes & volcanoes

Answer:

Plenary (5 minutes)

Explain Back

Your student teaches the key points back to you without looking. Fill any gaps immediately.

Lesson 3: Application: earthquakes & volcanoes

Duration: 50 minutes

Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Quick Recall

Recall the key terms: key terms from earthquakes & volcanoes. Define each in one sentence.

Main Content (35 minutes)

Parent/Teacher Guide: Let your student attempt each question alone first, then compare with the model answer. Award method marks for correct working even if the final answer is wrong.

Work through the practice questions on the revision notes page for this topic.

Plenary (5 minutes)

Error Review

Review any questions answered incorrectly. Identify whether the error was knowledge, method, or reading the question.

Lesson 4: Exam Practice: earthquakes & volcanoes

Duration: 50 minutes

Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Command Words

Review what these command words require: state (one point), describe (say what happens), explain (say why), compare (both sides), evaluate (judgement).

Main Content (35 minutes)

Exam-Style Question

Attempt a past-paper style question on earthquakes & volcanoes from the exam board past paper finder (see Resources), then mark it against the scheme.

Exam Tips: Focus vs epicentre: focus = underground, epicentre = on the surface directly above | Magma type determines eruption style: basaltic = gentle, andesitic/rhyolitic = explosive | Both earthquake and volcanic hazards are examined, know at least 3 of each | Plate boundary type determines volcano type: divergent = shield, convergent = stratovolcano
Common Errors: ✗ The epicentre is where the earthquake starts underground ✓ The focus is the underground origin point; the epicentre is the surface point directly above it ✗ All volcanoes are equally explosive ✓ Volcano explosiveness depends on magma composition: basaltic (low silica) = gentle eruptions; andesitic/rhyolitic (high silica) = explosive eruptions ✗ Earthquakes only happen at plate boundaries ✓ While most earthquakes occur at plate boundaries, intraplate earthquakes can also occur on ancient faults within plates
Stretch & Challenge (Grade 8-9):
  • Synoptic links: explain how earthquakes & volcanoes connects to another Geology topic you have studied
  • Real-world: research one real-world use or example of earthquakes & volcanoes
  • Critical: "What are the limitations of the models used in earthquakes & volcanoes?"

Plenary (5 minutes)

Assessment Criteria
  • Got it: Confident explanation + correct worked examples
  • Getting there: Main points OK, needs support with detail
  • Not yet: Confused on key concepts - re-run Lesson 2

Homework & Consolidation

Recommended Resources

🎓 Smart Lesson (Guided)