Hawaii: Islands on Giant Volcanoes
Episode of the series Natural Wonders of America
- Illustrated slideshow (55 images)
- Glossary (15 words)
- Comprehension quiz (18 questions)
- Cultural notes
Extract · 30 sThe episode
A mountain taller than Everest. Every island in Hawaii is a volcano. Hot rock comes up under the ocean and slowly makes a mountain. Some beaches have black sand. On the Big Island, the earth is still making new land.
Episode worksheets (2)
- Student sheet In your teacher account
- Teacher sheet In your teacher account
Teaching guide
Objective & content
This documentary takes learners to Hawaii, a chain of volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean. It explains how the islands form from hot rock under the sea, compares Mauna Kea with Mount Everest, and visits Kīlauea and Mauna Loa on the Big Island. It also presents the nēnē, Pele in Native Hawaiian stories, James Dole and the pineapple trade, and how Hawaii became the fiftieth state in 1959. The main grammar is the present simple to describe places, with the past simple for dated facts such as "In 1901, a young American called James Dole planted pineapples". Learners practise listening comprehension and nature and volcano vocabulary.
Materials & prerequisites
- A student sheet and a teacher sheet (PDF and HTML versions) in `printables/`.
- Learners should know the present simple, basic comparatives and superlatives, and "there is / there are".
- A few past simple forms are useful, for dated facts only.
Curriculum alignment
Tagged `c3-child-and-living-world`: cycle 3 (6e). The episode targets CEFR A2+.
Possible adaptations
- Lower levels: Offer segmented listening and additional visual aids.
- Advanced levels: Encourage an oral summary and a debate in English on the theme.
- Large groups: Organise group work with differentiated roles.
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