Mrs. Zurkuhlen’s Class Is Full of Landform Whizzes! Landforms Mrs. Zurkuhlen’s Class Is Full of Landform Whizzes!

IN THIS ACTIVITY YOU WILL: Learn about the different types of landforms. Create and label landform models with play dough. Write a Four Square describing a landform of their choice.

LANDFORMS What Are Landforms? A landform is any natural formation of rock and dirt, found on Earth. A landform can be as large as a mountain range, or as small as a hill. It can be as large as a continent, or as small as a pond. Geologists study how landforms are created, and how they interact with one another.

MOUNTAINS Mountains can be tall and sharply pointed like the Rocky Mountains. Mountains can be lower and more rounded like the Appalachian Mountains.

VALLEYS Valleys are lowlands that lie between mountain ranges. They are often good places for communities because water runs down from the mountains and they have rich soil to grow crops.

PLATEAUS Plateaus are landforms that have STEEP SIDES and a FLAT top. They may stretch for miles in every direction.

DESERTS A desert is dry land with few plants and little water.

ISLANDS An island is a piece of land that has water on all sides.

PLAINS The area of flat land along a sea or ocean is a coastal plain Plains are flat sometimes grassy lands that stretch for miles and can be good habitats for animals like zebras, lions, and elephants, giraffes.

PENINSULAS A peninsula is a piece of land that has water on ONLY THREE sides and attached to another piece of land. A good example of a peninsula is FLORIDA.

REVIEW OF LANDFORMS MOUNTAINS: High steep,rocky land VALLEYS: Low land in between mountains PLATEAUS:Steep, sloped land with a flat top DESERTS: Dry, sandy land PLAINS: Flat, grassy land that stretches for miles ISLANDS: Land surrounded by water PENINSULAS:Land with water on 3 sides

CREATIVE ACTIVITY Each group will get a package of play dough to make models of the landforms. All landforms should be labeled. You can make the labels with a toothpick and small tag identifying the landform. Tape the tag to the toothpick and insert into the landform.

Writing Activity Students will choose their favorite landform to write a Four Square paragraph and present it to the class.

Pictures Pictures were found in teacher’s personal collection and Microsoft’s Office Online.