1. Physical Characteristics
Land Formations

2. HILLS
PLAINS
THE FOUR
MAJOR TYPES
MOUNTAINS
PLATEAUS

3. Identifiable by their steep slopes and their peak or summit.
MOUNTAINS
Identifiable by their steep slopes and their peak or summit.

4. Major mountain ranges include:
Himalaya Mts. (Asia – Between Nepal and Tibet) Andes Mts. (South America – on the western coast) Rocky Mts. (North America – Canada to New Mexico) Pyrenees Mts. (Europe – Between Spain and France) Alps (Europe – South central Europe) Apennines (Europe – Italy) Ural Mts. (Asia – Russia; separates Europe from Asia) Atlas Mts. (Africa – from Morocco to Tunisia) Appalachian Mts. (North America – Eastern U.S.)

5. The Himalayas
(Rooftop of the World)

6. The Alps
Peak
Steep Slopes
Matterhorn

7. Rocky Mts.
                                 
Highest point in the Rockies is Mt. McKinley (20,320 ft.) in the Alaska Range.

8. More rounded than mountains, generally lower and with less relief.
H I L L S
More rounded than mountains, generally lower and with less relief.

9. ROUNDED TOPS
GENTLE SLOPES

10. Plains can be coastal or interior.
Flat or
gently rolling lands.
Plains can be coastal or interior.

11. Coastal Plains

12. Notice anything missing?
Interior Plains
Notice anything missing?

13. Heavily grassy plains (and plateaus) are known as prairies
Heavily grassy plains (and plateaus) are known as prairies. Most are found west of the Mississippi River.

14. PLATEAUS
Usually called a “tableland,” plateaus are higher than the land to one side and lower than the land to the other. The steep side begins with a cliff. It is an in-between land that separates mountains from plains.

15. CONTINENTAL SHELF BUTTE MESA ISTHMUS VALLEY ARCHIPELAGO CANYON
OTHER LANDFORMS
INCLUDE
BUTTE
MESA
ISTHMUS
VALLEY
ARCHIPELAGO
CANYON

16. An isolated hill with a flat top and steep sides.
BUTTE
An isolated hill with a flat top and steep sides.

17. Flat-topped, elevated area that is bigger than a butte but smaller than a plateau.
MESA

18. CANYON
Deep, narrow valley with steep sides, and usually a river running through it.

19. VALLEY
A depression in the earth’s surface, usually between hills or mountains.

20. A group of islands situated closely together. Example: Japan
ARCHIPELAGO

21. CONTINENTAL
SHELF
The underwater extension of a continent. It’s beneath the surface of the water.

22. Isthmus
A narrow piece of land that connects two large land masses and separates two bodies of water.

23. Class Work-Homework
On Your Own: Draw an imaginary island. On this island, illustrate at the different landforms we discussed in class. Be sure to label each landform and give its characteristics.
Use all 11 types of landforms. Descriptions and characteristics are provided for all 11.
Use 8 types of landforms. Descriptions and characteristics are provided for all 8.
Use 6 types of landforms. Descriptions and characteristics are provided for all 6.