Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Volcano Town Vote: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 8
- ForYear 8
- StageKey Stage 3
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Volcano Town Vote is a free printable geography worksheet for Year 8 (ages 12 to 13), in Key Stage 3. Children weigh up the evidence about a town called Cinder Bay, which sits beside a volcano. They answer four questions first, then use those answers to write a front page report that makes and justifies a decision.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. It is two A4 pages. Print both, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2, which has the notes and answers. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children answer four numbered questions about Cinder Bay. They name a physical hazard the town faces, explain why volcanic soil can help farmers, give a local job that depends on tourists and name one way to reduce the risk to people. Then they use those answers as evidence in a front page report. There are lines for writing and space to answer.
- Name one physical hazard the town faces from the volcano.
- Explain why volcanic soil can help farmers.
- Give one local job that depends on tourists.
- Name one way the town could reduce the risk to people.
Planning the front page
Headline
Write a short headline that states the decision. Keep it to a few words and make it clear which side the report takes.
Opening line
Tell the reader the main point straight away. Who is affected, and what should Cinder Bay do?
Evidence
Use the answers to the four questions as proof. Give at least one point about the physical risk and one about people's lives and work.
The other side
Include the strongest point against your view, then explain why your decision still stands.
Why weigh up a volcano town?
A volcano is a place where molten rock, gas and ash can escape from inside the Earth to the surface. Some volcanoes are active, some are dormant and some are extinct. Many people around the world live close to volcanoes. That shows places are rarely simply good or bad to live in. Communities weigh up what the land gives them against what it might cost.
Geographers often have to make decisions with mixed evidence. Physical geography looks at natural features and processes. Human geography looks at how people live, work and use a place. This sheet asks children to bring the two together, then write to argue. A good argument states a view, gives reasons and admits the strongest point on the other side.
Volcano facts
- Molten rock below the surface is called magma. When it reaches the surface it is called lava.
- Volcanoes can be described as active, dormant or extinct.
- Volcanoes are found on land and under the sea.
- Iceland has many volcanoes.
- Geologists is the name for scientists who study the Earth, including its rocks.
Skills and curriculum link
- Weighing evidence
- Linking human and physical geography
- Writing to argue
- Making a decision
- Justifying a view
Ideas to help with the thinking
- Physical and humanPhysical geography is about natural features. Human geography is about people and what they do. A good answer often uses both.
- Evidence firstDecide what each fact tells you before you decide what to do. Facts are the building blocks of an argument.
- Reasons, not just opinionsUse the word because. A view with a reason is far more persuasive than a view on its own.
- Two sidesMost decisions have a cost and a benefit. Name the strongest point against your view and answer it.
Key words
- Physical geographyThe study of natural features and processes, such as land, weather and water.
- Human geographyThe study of how people live, work and use places.
- HazardSomething natural or man made that could cause harm.
- RiskHow likely it is that harm will happen, and how serious it could be.
- EvidenceFacts or information that support a point of view.
- JustifyGive clear reasons to show why your decision is a good one.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read the whole sheet through together. Talk about what a front page report needs to do.
- Complete the four questions first. Each answer becomes a piece of evidence.
- Use those answers to write the front page report. Ask your child to give a reason for each choice.
- Check against the notes on page 2, then come back another day to improve the report.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Give the sentence starter: Cinder Bay should rebuild because... but the risk is... Let your child answer the four questions first, then read the answers aloud and pick the two that matter most. Write the front page report after that.
To stretch confident children
Add a quote from a farmer and one from a hotel owner who disagree. Children write what each would say, using the evidence from their answers. Then they decide which voice the front page should believe more, and explain why.
Make it a game
Hold a class vote on what Cinder Bay should do. Then share the strongest headlines and let the class say which evidence made each one persuasive. At home, family members can vote and your child reads their front page aloud.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child writes only one side and ignores the risks or the benefits.
Try thisAsk, "What would someone who disagrees say?" Add one sentence that answers them.
Watch forThe report just lists the four answers without linking them to a decision.
Try thisAsk, "So what should the town do?" Then connect each answer to that choice with the word because.
Watch forThe headline is long or does not say what the decision is.
Try thisCut it down to a few strong words. Check that a reader could tell the decision from the headline alone.
Talk about it
- Would you live near a volcano? What would make you stay or leave?
- Which piece of evidence was the most important in your report, and why?
- How is a physical hazard different from a human problem?
- Who in the town might disagree with your decision?
- What would make you change your mind?
- Which headline would make people want to read your front page?
Take it off the page
Mock newspaper
Fold a sheet of paper into a newspaper. Write a headline, a short report and a caption for a drawing about a place facing a hard choice.
Pros and cons chat
Pick a local choice, such as a new road or a closing shop. Each person lists one gain and one cost, then everyone votes.
Map hunt
Look at an atlas or a paper map together. Find mountains, coasts and towns, and talk about why people might choose to live there.
Who it is for
Parents
Read the sheet through, then sit with your child for the first go and let them lead. Ask them to explain their choices aloud before they write. Praise clear reasons, not only the decision they reach.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. The four questions give a quick check, and the front page report gives an extended writing task. Page 2 supports mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Print the sheet as part of a wider geography plan. It pairs well with an atlas, library books and talk about places. It is free to print again for brothers and sisters, or for revision later.
Where this fits
Before this sheet, children learn the basic ideas of physical and human geography. They also practise reading short facts and picking out what matters. Those skills help when they have to turn information into evidence.
After this sheet, children can weigh evidence about other places and issues, such as flooding, coastal change or local planning. They can also practise longer pieces of persuasive writing, where each point is backed by a clear reason.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Volcano Town Vote for?
It is written for Year 8 (ages 12 to 13), in Key Stage 3. Younger or older learners can try it too, with more support or a more detailed report. The sheet suits learners who can give reasons for a view.
- What will children practise?
Children practise weighing physical hazards against farming, jobs and tourism to make and justify a decision in human and physical geography. They also practise writing to argue, using their own answers as evidence in a front page report.
- How do I use it?
Print both pages. Children complete the four questions first, then use those answers as evidence in the front page report. Work through it together the first time, check against page 2 and come back another day.
- What if it feels too hard?
Give a sentence starter: Cinder Bay should rebuild because... but the risk is... Let your child answer the four questions first, then pick the two strongest answers to build the report around.
- Is it free, and do I need colour?
Yes, it is free to print for home and classroom use. No colour is needed. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper, so it is cheap to use again.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups, plus the answers.
- How long does it take?
The sheet does not set a time. Children answer the four questions first, then write the front page report, so let them work at their own pace. They can stop after the questions and return another day to write the report.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.