Yellowstone National Park poses a potential global risk due to its supervolcano. 1) Yellowstone sits atop one of the largest supervolcanoes on Earth, which last erupted 640,000 years ago. 2) An eruption could have devastating consequences, ejecting huge amounts of volcanic material into the atmosphere and potentially cooling the climate globally for years. 3) Millions of people living throughout North America would be at risk from the far-reaching effects of ash and gas from an eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano.

1. Why is Yellowstone National
Park a risk to millions of
people?
Lesson Objective:
To understand the global risk of Yellowstone
Year. 8- Risky World

2. Global Risk
Define ‘global risk’ and give
examples
Confident Individual

3. Yellowstone National Park
The park located in the
North-Western US
state of Wyoming, but
also extends into
Montana and Idaho
The park
receives 3
million
visitors a
year

4. What's risky about Yellowstone
National Park?
Picture
Number
1
2
3
4
5
6
What is the risk?
How risky?
(global or local
and rank)

5. Thousands of un-tamed grizzly bears
roam the park

6. Many natural boiling hot springs and pools
called geysers are found in the park

7. 3 million visitors drive through the park
each year

8. The park covers an area of 2.2 million
acres

9. The park experiences 2000-3000
earthquakes each year

10. The park contains 120 waterfalls

11. How risky is Yellowstone?
Since the park opened in 1872, 276 people have died in
Yellowstone National Park.
Someone even wrote a book about the deaths called ‘Death in
Yellowstone’.
Including:
BUT
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
5 people have been killed by bears
22 people have died from drowning or as a result of severe burns after
falling/jumping into boiling hot springs and pools.
7 people have died in car accidents
1 person died falling of a bridge whilst taking a photograph
22 people have committed suicide in the park
2 people have died as a result of earthquakes
Others include hypothermia, fire, lightening, poisonous gas, avalanches.
What about Yellowstone's
global risk?

12. What else is happening in
Yellowstone National Park?
For this we need to look
below the park,
underground...and go on a
journey to the centre of
the earth...

13. A journey to the centre of the
earth...
Why
Where
When
What
Whilst watching
the video think
about what you
want to know
about the centre
of the earth
Independent Enquirer
Who
How

14. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MFr2cC3erk

15. What is the centre of the
earth really like?
Team Work

16. What is the centre of the
earth really like?
1. The distance to the very centre of the
earth is ____.
2. The temperature of The Core is ____.
3. The thickness of The Mantle is ____.
4. The earth’s centre has ____ layers.
6370km 4
7000°C
2230km

17. What’s happening below
Yellowstone?
Creative Team Work

18. Yellowstone's ticking time
bomb
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOn3wk hluk&fe
(till about 5mins)

19. Yellowstone's global risk
The ash from Yellowstone's supervolcano
would go into the air and spread around
the world

20. What’s the problem?

21. What’s the problem?

22. What’s the problem?

23. What’s the problem?

24. What’s the problem?

25. What’s the problem?

26. Why is Yellowstone a risk to
millions of people?
Lesson Objectives:
• To understand the global risk of
Yellowstone
Group 1. What's risky about Yellowstone NP?
Group 2. What's in the centre of the earth?
Group 3. What would happen if Yellowstone Supervolcano erupted?
Group 4. What would be the global impact?
Reflective Learner