Landforms

Objectives Identify and explain the theory of Pangaea Identify and explain the theory of Continental Drift Identify the different shapes found on the surface of the earth

Objectives Explain how the forces within the Earth help bring about changes to the surface area of the Earth Explain how weathering, erosion and deposition help create land shapes on the surface of the Earth

Objectives Identify and list the characteristics of different types of mountains Identify and list the characteristics of different types of plateaus Compare and contrast a canyon and a valley

Objectives Explain how volcanoes help create land shapes Explain the different types of volcanoes Identify the importance of the Ring of Fire and creation of mountains

VOCABULARY The following words are the use in Unit 3 Landforms, Weathering and Erosion. Students will be given this list of words on 13 October 2014 and will be tested on them on 24 October 2014.

A huge hole or crater that is left by the collapse of a volcanic Calderas A huge hole or crater that is left by the collapse of a volcanic mountain is called a caldera.

Chemical Weathering Chemical Weathering is the process that breaks down rock through chemical changes.

Composite Volcanoes Sometimes, lava flows alternate with explosive eruptions of ash, cinder and other materials. The result is a composite volcano. These are tall, cone shaped mountains in which layers of lava alternate with layers of ash.

Creep Creep is the very slow downhill movement of rock and soil. This often occurs because of the freezing and thawing of water in cracked layers of rock beneath the soil.

Deltas Sediment deposited where a river flows into an ocean or lake builds up and creates a landform called a delta.

Depositions This is the process of depositing material eroded and carried by water, ice or wind.

Erosion The process by which natural forces move weathered rock.

Geothermal The word geothermal comes from the Greek word geo meaning Earth and therme meaning “heat”. The literal translation would be Earth Heat.

Landform A landform is a feature of topography, such as a hill or valley, formed by the processes that shape Earth’s surface.

Mass Movement Gravity causes mass movement which is the processes of moving rock and other materials downhill.

Mechanical Weathering Some forces of weathering break rock into pieces physically. This is mechanical weathering.

Mountains A mountain is a landform with high elevation and high relief. Mountains normally are found in groups called mountain ranges.

Permeable This means that a material is full of tiny, connected air spaces that allow water to seep through it. Permeable rock weathers chemically at a fast rate.

Plain A plain is a landform made up of nearly flat or gently rolling land with low relief.

Plateaus A landform that has high elevation and more or less level surface is called a plateau.

Relief The difference in elevation between the highest and lowest parts of an area is called relief.

Sediment The material that is moved by erosion is referred to as sediment.

Shield Volcano There are places on the Earth’s surface where thin layers of lava pour out of a vent and hardened on top of previous layers. Such lava flows gradually and build a wide gently sloping mountain called a shield mountain. The Hawaiian islands are a good example of a shield mountain.

Slump Slump describes a mass of rock and soil suddenly slips down a slope in one large mass.

Topography Topography is the shape of the land.

Tributary A tributary is a stream or river that flows into a larger river.

IN THIS ACTIVITY YOU WILL: Learn about the different types of landforms. Write a Four Square describing a landform of their choice.

LANDFORMS Landforms are the kinds of land a place has. Landforms include mountains, valleys, plateaus, deserts,plains, islands, and peninsulas.

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