Volcanoes are mountains formed when melted rock (magma) deep below Earth's surface erupts from a vent or opening. They can erupt explosively, spewing hot ash and gas, or gently flow lava. Ancient people believed volcanoes were caused by a god of fire stirring them, but now scientists know they result from geological processes inside Earth. Over 2,000 years ago, a fiery volcanic eruption buried the entire city of Pompeii in Italy under lava and ash.

1. VOLCANOES: Mountains that
Blow their Tops
READING
7TH GRADE

2. DETAILS
• A detail is a small piece of information.
• When details are combined, they give a
complete picture of a thing, a person, an
event, or an idea.
• Details are very important in science.

3. MAIN IDEA
• The main idea is the most important idea in a
paragraph.
• Many times, the main idea is stated in a topic
sentence.

4. CONTEXT CLUES
• Definition clues are context clues that tell the
meaning of the new word.
• Ex. Magma comes out of volcanoes. Magma
is melted rock.
• Magma is:________________________

5. VOLCANOES
• Words: stirred – fiery – erupted
• The ______________ lava was red hot.
• Long ago, people thought a god of fire ______
volcanoes, causing them to erupt.
• More than 2,000 years ago, a volcano _______
or exploded, in Italy. It buried the entire city
of Pompeii.

6. CLASSWORK AND HOMEWORK
• Start reading the story.
• Answer Think it Through Questions.