1. Landforms Mountains Hills Plains Plateau Island Peninsula Bay Gulf
Valley
Beach
Coast
Volcano
Ocean
River
Lake
Desert

2. Mountains A mountain has 4 main characteristics 1. High, rocky land
2. Steep  sides
3. Pointed or rounded top
4. Higher than a hill
Example: Himalayan
Mountains

3. A hill has 2 main characteristics
Hills
A hill has 2 main characteristics
1.  Raised part of the earth's surface
2.  Sloping sides
Example: The Black Hills

4. A plain has 3 main characteristics
Plains
A plain has 3 main characteristics
1. Large areas of land
2. Flat, or gently rolling areas
3. Low in elevation
Example:
The Great Plains of central USA

5. Plateau An elevated area of land. Flat like a table.
A plateau has 2 main characteristics
An elevated area of land.
Flat like a table.

6. An island has 2 main characteristics
1. Area of land
2. Surrounded by water
Example: Hawaiian Islands

7. Peninsula A peninsula has 2 main characteristics An area of land
Surrounded by water
on 3 sides.
Example: Florida

8. A desert has 3 main characteristics
Deserts
A desert has 3 main characteristics
1. Super-dry air
2. Little rain (less than 10 inches a year)
3. High daytime temperatures
Example: Sahara Desert

9. Desert Locations

10. Bay A bay has 2 main characteristics Part of a body of salt water.
(smaller than a gulf).
2.  Reaches into
the land.
Example:
San Diego Bay

11. San Diego Bay

12. A gulf has 2 main characteristics
Large part of an ocean 
(Much bigger than a bay.)
2. Reaches into land
Examples:
The Gulf of Mexico
The Persian Gulf

13. A valley has 2 main characteristics
1. Low land
2. Between hills or mountains
Examples:Death Valley

14. Beach A beach has 2 main characteristics The sandy land
Where the ocean and shore meet.
Example: Imperial Beach

15. A coast has 2 main characteristics
1. Land
2. Along the sea or ocean
Example:
The Ivory Coast

16. Volcano A volcano has 3 main characteristics 1. Cone shaped mountain
2. Formed by rock or ash thrown from the inside of the earth
3. At times, opening or depression at top
Example: Mt. St. Helen

17. The ocean has 2 main characteristics
Oceans
The ocean has 2 main characteristics
1. Large body of salt water
2. Covers 3/4 of the earth's surface
Four oceans:
Atlantic
Pacific
Arctic
Indian Oceans

18. Can you find the four oceans? Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic

19. A river has 3 main characteristics
Rivers
A river has 3 main characteristics
1. Large stream of water
2. Flows through land
3. Into lake, ocean or other body of water
Example: Mississippi River

20. A lake has 2 main characteristics
1. Body of water
2. Surrounded by land
Example: Otay Lakes

21. Third grade social studies standard: 3.1
Students describe the physical and human geography and use maps, tables, graphs, photographs, and charts to organize information about people, places, and environments in a spatial context.
By Ms. Hultenius 2006