Students conduct research and teach each other about the eruption of Mount St. Helens and identify the major components of the eruption, their characteristics and their effects. They simulate the eruption dramatically.

Learners explore tropical herpefauna. They discuss the story "Tropical Herpefauna...Tropical What?" by Lori Bruckeim. Students discuss any concepts of the essay that need clarification and they predict, visualize, question, and summarize.