old school volcano

Noah's has had a love/fear of natural disasters for a while...tornados, floods, and volcanoes.  We make volcanoes erupt on somewhat a regular basis.  This old school project starts with making salt dough (equal parts salt and flour and add a little water at a time until you can knead it/add coloring at this point). The same recipe my mom made for us as our play dough.  After forming a volcano, poke a hole center, you just spoon in baking soda and then pour vinegar on top (use red food coloring in the vinegar for the lava color).  I seriously buy vinegar at costco just for this purpose.  Last time we made these Clara's dough was formed in a lumpy flat mound.  Noah chimed in. "Looks like Clara's making a shield volcano"...impressed, I asked what kind he was making, "Cinder-cone",  ofcourse!  I wish I could take credit for teaching those facts (esp. because I taught a unit on it back when I taught first grade).  Noah really was self taught from his own library items (he only brings home nonfiction books and movies).