Abstract
We developed educational materials for volcano disaster prevention for first grade students of lower secondary schools in Izu Oshima, aiming at understanding GNSS observations under a volcano disaster prevention education program in collaboration with elementary and lower secondary schools, and examined the educational effects of classroom practice using the materials. Specifically, urethane foam, which is used to simulate magma, is placed under cat litter (bentonite-based), which is used to simulate a mountain body, and a button, which is used to simulate a GNSS, is placed on top of the cat litter. As the urethane foam rises in the cat litter and the “mountain” expands, the distance between the two GNSS-like buttons is measured by the students, and a graph of the change in distance between the two points is created based on the measured data. The results of the lesson practice demonstrated that the teaching material was effective in helping students understand the relationship between the distance between two GNSS points and subterranean magma. It also showed the possibility of connecting the rising magma and evacuation behavior. In addition, the activity of reading line graphs of GNSS data published in “Koho Oshima” (Public Relations Oshima), which was conducted before and after the class practice, suggested that the class using the teaching materials may enable students to relate the distance between two GNSS points and the movement of magma, and, further, to read and interpret line graphs.
