(BIVN) – Following the dramatic changes at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano brought about by 2018 eruption activity, a new educational curriculum program has been developed for visiting 4th graders.

According to a National Park Service media release issued on Monday:

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park announces the release of a new educational curriculum program developed for fourth-grade students, called Hulihia Kīlauea – A Complete Change. This new program is based on the 2018 high intensity eruption events on the island of Hawai‘i.

The 3-part curriculum contains classroom portions that can be used as stand-alone activities by teachers, as well as suggestions for a field visit to the park. Each component can also be used in classrooms nationwide to help students learn about geology, volcanic landscapes, and the ways communities work to recover from natural disasters.

This new curriculum incorporates both scientific and cultural study. While the materials have been developed for fourth grade classes, each component can be adapted to meet the needs of other grade levels. The complete curriculum materials are available on the park’s website.

This curriculum was developed through two partnerships: Mosaics in Science and the NPS Teacher-Ranger-Teacher Program. Mosaics in Science funded an 11-week internship with MyLynn Phan, a junior at the University of California, Davis. The goal of Mosaics in Science is to provide science-based internships for racially and ethnically-diverse college students to increase relevancy, diversity, and inclusion within the National Park Service. Through the NPS Teacher-Ranger-Teacher Program, Whitney Aragaki, a high school science teacher from Hilo, HI, designed the curriculum so that it meets both national Next Generation Science Standards and Hawaiʻi specific HĀ outcomes.

To research and develop the curriculum materials, MyLynn Phan and Whitney Aragaki interviewed both park staff and members of the local community that experienced the eruption. In addition to these first person accounts, they used materials from the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, art developed by one of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park’s recent artists in residence, and additional park resources.

“We are excited to share this curriculum as a teaching tool for not only classrooms across the State of Hawaii, but one that can be used in classrooms nationwide,” stated Acting Superintendent Rhonda Loh. “We are grateful to all of our park partners and the many individual contributors who helped us to develop this unique interpretation of the Hawaiian experience.”

For more information on educational curricula and educational programs available for students k-12, please contact Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park’s Education Office at havo_education@nps.gov. In addition to providing curricula materials, park rangers in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park’s Education Office can schedule a field trip to the park or provide a distance learning opportunity for schools located off-island.