Shapes of land and water
Develop a model to represent the shapes and kinds of land (mountains, valleys, plains) and bodies of water (rivers, lakes, oceans) in an area
What a learner can do afterwards
- Name and describe at least four types of landforms (mountain, valley, plain, hill, cliff)
- Name and describe at least three types of water bodies (river, lake, ocean, pond)
- Create or interpret a simple model or map showing land and water features of an area
The lesson
The ground is not the same everywhere. A mountain is land that rises up high and comes to a point. A hill is smaller and rounder than a mountain. A valley is a low strip of land you find between hills or mountains. A plain is a big, flat stretch of land that is easy to walk or drive across. A cliff is a steep wall of rock that drops straight down.
Water covers a lot of Earth too, and it comes in different shapes. A river is a long stream of water that flows from one place to another. A lake is a body of water with land all around it, and a pond is like a lake but smaller. The ocean is the biggest body of water of all, so big you cannot see the other side.
Mia hikes up a mountain trail. Partway up, she crosses a valley where a river runs through. Lower down, the land flattens into a plain, and in the distance she can see the ocean meeting the shore.
When you build a model or draw a map, use bumps for mountains and hills, a dip for a valley, and flat space for a plain. Color water blue for rivers, lakes, ponds, and the ocean, and label each part so others know what it is.
Land comes in shapes like mountains, hills, valleys, and plains, and water comes in shapes like rivers, lakes, ponds, and oceans.
Watch it
Where it sits
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.