Learn about the three main types of volcanoes with this engaging science lesson featuring free printables, a PowerPoint presentation, reading comprehension activities, and hands-on learning! Students will explore shield, composite (stratovolcano), and cinder cone volcanoes while learning how their shapes, characteristics, and eruptions differ. This lesson is the second part of our FREE Volcano Unit Study. In the first lesson, What Is a Volcano?, students discover what volcanoes are, how they form, and the different parts of a volcano. In this lesson, you’ll find a student-friendly science slideshow, a printable volcano comparison table, a video suggestion, and a hands-on volcano activity. Whether you’re teaching in a classroom or homeschooling, these free resources allow you to choose the activities that work best for your students.
Be sure to explore our other free science curriculum, including unit studies, labs, and experiments. Since you are studying volcanoes, Plate tectonics, and Ocean Features may be on your radar.
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Volcanoes come in many shapes and sizes, but scientists traditionally classify them into three main types: shield volcanoes, composite volcanoes (stratovolcanoes), and cinder cone volcanoes. Each type has unique characteristics based on how it forms, the materials that build it, and the way it erupts. Shield volcanoes have wide bases and gently sloping sides formed by flowing lava, while composite volcanoes are tall, steep-sided mountains built from layers of lava, ash, and other volcanic materials. Cinder cone volcanoes are typically smaller, with steep sides formed from pieces of volcanic rock that collect around an opening. Students may also learn about lava domes, which form when thick, sticky lava piles up near a volcanic opening rather than flowing away. Let’s take a closer look at the different types of volcanoes and what makes each one unique!
When teaching the three types of volcanoes, I always introduce the key concepts using this slideshow. It reviews what a volcano is and then guides students into learning more in-depth information about volcanoes. This slideshow features the 3 types of volcanoes: composite, shield, and cinder cone. Each of the volcanoes are described with examples provided. The Types of Volcanoes Table is reviewed for student comprehension. I like to use the Types of Volcanoes table below while going over the PowerPoint so that students can fill in pertinent information as we read along. A copy of the table can be downloaded below!
Make learning about the three main types of volcanoes fun with this FREE Types of Volcanoes Doodle Coloring Sheet! This engaging printable combines science facts with coloring to help students learn the differences between shield, composite, and cinder cone volcanoes. Each volcano features a labeled illustration with arrows pointing to important characteristics, along with information about its shape, formation, eruption style, and real-world examples. A comparison chart and interesting volcano facts provide additional opportunities for students to review what they’ve learned. Perfect for upper elementary and middle school students, this volcano coloring worksheet can be used alongside the PowerPoint lesson, as an independent review activity, or as a creative addition to an interactive science notebook.
The Types of Volcano Table is effective at comparing the 3 different types of volcanoes. Use the Types of Volcanoes slideshow to help you complete the table. The table requires the student to describe each type of volcano, give examples, and draw a model of each type. This would be an ideal sheet for students to complete for their notebooks or for homework.
Educational videos are always a plus in my homeschool teaching and in the classes I teach. Visuals help students to see concepts and examples in a way that I can’t draw on the board… no matter how great I draw! In this case, students are able to see volcanoes up close without ever visiting them. It is also an effective way to reinforce the information you read and taught through the PowerPoint.
Bring your volcano lesson to life with this fun and simple Shield Volcano Hands-On Activity! Using a foam plate and a regular-sized container of Play-Doh, students begin by flattening and shaping the dough into a wide, gently sloping volcano that resembles a shield, much like Captain America’s shield. The center should be slightly raised, with the sides gradually sloping outward.
Next, students use the cap from a small 8-ounce water bottle to press a crater into the center of their volcano. Once their model is complete, students add approximately two teaspoons of baking soda to the crater. Give each student a small water bottle containing about ¼ cup of vinegar, and have them add one drop of red food coloring. When everyone is ready, students slowly pour the colored vinegar into their craters and watch as the mixture bubbles up and flows down the gentle slopes of their volcanoes!
This activity provides a great opportunity to discuss how shield volcanoes form the Hawaiian Islands. Explain that real shield volcanoes release relatively runny lava that can travel long distances before cooling and hardening into solid rock. Over thousands of eruptions, these layers of lava gradually build enormous, gently sloping volcanoes. In fact, this process helped form the Hawaiian Islands! Although our baking soda and vinegar reaction is only a model and does not represent the actual cause of volcanic eruptions, it gives students a visual demonstration of how material can spread outward from a volcanic opening. As students watch their pretend lava flow across their plates, encourage them to imagine how repeated flows of real lava can slowly build new land over time.
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