Common Core State Standard L.CCS.1/2/3/4 Grades 6-12: Video of a current news event is presented for discussion to encourage student participation, but also inspire the use of evidence to support logical claims using the main ideas of the video. Students must analyze background information provided about a current event, draw out the main ideas and key details, and review different opinions on the issue. Then, students should present their own claims using facts and analysis for support.
07/21/2025
Tourists hike for hours to see volcano eruption in Iceland
Some tourists are hiking up to 12 miles to see lava still bursting from the ground in Iceland after a volcanic eruption amid a swarm of earthquakes. The island has 32 active volcano systems and is part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a huge mountain range that is mostly beneath the ocean. The eruption forced local evacuations including the Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa and popular tourist site. Volcano tourism is widespread and usually safe. But, 22 tourists were killed and others injured in 2019 when a volcano erupted in New Zealand.
■Class discussion: Would you hike several miles to get close enough to an active volcano to see lava bubbling up? Why or why not? Do many people get a thrill from taking risks? What other vacation activities may be risky? Snorkeling in the ocean? Paragliding behind a boat? Riding a zip line? Are such activities more dangerous than riding in a car to get to them? How do you assess risks? Do you generally take risks or play it safe? Do people often grow more cautious as they get older? Does suffering an injury or loss usually make a person more cautious?
