The chiefs began to quarrel and went to war. Once again, the Great Spirit became angry and in retaliation he turned the two chiefs into mountains. One became Mount Hood and one became Mount Adams. Students discuss how the legend differs from the way we now explain how volcanoes form. Ask students to imagine that they live in a time and place where there are no scientific explanations for why there is an active volcano near their community.
Students create and present orally a short legend to explain why the volcano exists or erupts.
Extension Do research from the journals of George Vancouver, John Fremont, and other explorers to thePacific Northwest to learn their descriptions of Mount St. Helens and other volcanoes in the Cascade Range. Using these accounts as a basis, students create their own diary entries. Using a volcanic hazard map of Mount Rainier, students reach conclusions about the potential hazards of future eruptions. They then create educational materials about these hazards. Mount Rainier is an active volcano whose last major eruption was approximately 150 years ago.