Comprehension Crosswords – Grade 3 by Edupress, Inc. EP187

Mountains of Fire

People have always looked at volcanoes in wonder and fear. Long ago, they made up stories to explain these “mountains of fire.” The Romans thought that Vulcan lived beneath a volcano. Vulcan was their god of fire. A volcano’s fire was said to be sparks from his furnace. The people of Hawaii told stories about Pele. She was their goddess of fire. They believed a volcano spouted fire every time Pele was angry. Today, scientists know that heat and pressure cause volcanoes to erupt.

The earth is made up of many layers of rock. Deep inside the earth, it is so hot that some of the rock melts. This hot, melted rock is called magma.

As magma forms, it produces gas. The gas mixes in with the magma. The magma is under great pressure from the weight of the rock around it. When the pressure builds, the magma blasts a path to the surface of the earth.

Magma that reaches the earth’s surface is called lava. Lava, gas and dust burst forth out of an opening in the ground. They pile up, forming a mountain. When the lava cools, it hardens. A volcano is born!

Extended Activities:
• Draw a picture that shows how a volcano is formed. Use your picture to explain volcanoes to a younger student.
• Use an encyclopedia, the Internet or other resources to make a list of volcanoes that are active in the world today. Find their locations on a map of the world.

Mountains of Fire

Across

2. Magma is under great _ from the weight of the rock around it.
3. Lava, gas and _ burst forth out of an opening in the ground.
4. What a volcano looks like
5. Magma that reaches the earth’s surface
6. This is produced as magma forms.
7. What lava does when it cools

Down

1. This causes rock deep inside the earth to melt.
2. Long ago, people made up _ to explain volcanoes.
3. Heat and pressure cause volcanoes to _, or burst forth.
4. Hot, melted rock
5. Hawaiian goddess of fire
6. Roman god of fire