1. Landforms Created by Glaciers
Aim: To describe and explain how erosion by glaciers create Corries, Arêtes, and Pyramidal Peaks.
Starter: Complete the worksheet by writing in the definitions then trying to work out what the glacial features are.
Arete: An arête is a knife-edge ridge. It is formed when two neighbouring corries run back to back.
Corrie: A corrie is a rounded, armchair shaped hollow with a steep back wall on the side of a mountain.
Pyramidal Peak: A pyramidal peak is formed where three or more corries and Arêtes meet. It is the point at the top of a mountain.
Tarn: Is a lake found in the bottom of a corrie.

2. Before Glaciation – V shaped valleys, rounded hills
During Glaciation – Glacial processes begin to change the shape of the landscape
After Glaciation – U shaped valleys, steep sided mountains.
video

3. What does a pre-glacial landscape look like?

4. What does a glacial landscape look like?

5. What does a post-glacial landscape look like?

6. How did you do?

7. Recap Time for a quick re-cap on what you learnt last lesson...
Each row of tables has to answer one of the questions.
Everyone else needs to listen and write down the answer.

8. Q1. What does ice do to the landscape? (one thing!)

9. A1. What does ice do to the landscape? ICE ERODES THE LANDSCAPE (✔)

10. Q2. Name and describe this feature.

11. A2. Name and describe this feature
A2. Name and describe this feature. V-SHAPED VALLEY (✔) Narrow valley floor(✔) Very Steep sides(✔)

12. Q3. Name and describe this feature.

13. Q3. A3. Name and describe this feature. U-SHAPED VALLEY (✔)
Wide, Flat Valley Floor (✔)
Steep Valley sides (✔)
Q3.

14. Q4. What 3 erosion processes makes a valley go from A to B?
HINTS

15. A4. What 3 erosion processes makes a valley go from A to B?
PLUCKING (✔)
ABRASION (✔)
and FREEZE-THAW WEATHERING(✔)

16. So how are these features created?
Pyramidal Peak
Arete
Corrie

17. Arête
Corrie
Pyramidal
Peak
© Trevor Cole
The eroding ice carves out steep mountain sides. Ridges called arêtes stand out against the sky. Hollows called corries develop below them on the mountain sides

18. How is a Corrie formed?
Snow collects in a natural hollow on the side of a mountain. Over time, further snow collects in the hollow. This extra weight compresses the snow underneath, turning it into ice.
The hollow is deepened and widened by the corrie glacier through the processes of abrasion and plucking.
This over-deepening leads to an ‘armchair’ shape characteristic of a corrie and causes a ‘rock lip’ to be formed.

19. Inputs – avalanches, precipitation (snow)
Store – ice
Outputs – meltwater, evaporation
Processes of erosion – abrasion and plucking must be described fully. Definitions are usually worth 2 marks each.

20. Inputs – avalanches, precipitation (snow)
Store – ice
Outputs – meltwater, evaporation
Processes of erosion – abrasion and plucking must be described fully. Definitions are usually worth 2 marks each.

21. Explain how is a Corrie formed (4)
Inputs – avalanches, precipitation (snow)
Store – ice
Outputs – meltwater, evaporation
Processes of erosion – abrasion and plucking must be described fully. Definitions are usually worth 2 marks each.

22. Use the information in the video and the information provided to help you annotate the formation of a corrie.
Water may gather on the floor of the corrie. This is know as a tarn
As snow gathers and piles up the pressure forms ice and it starts to move downhill
The process of plucking steepens the back of the corrie.
Ice rotates, scooping out the floor of the corrie
Frost action make the mountain jagged.

23. A Corrie in pictures! Cwm Idwal
Steep back-wall
Inputs – avalanches, precipitation (snow)
Store – ice
Outputs – meltwater, evaporation
Processes of erosion – abrasion and plucking must be described fully. Definitions are usually worth 2 marks each.
Bowl-shaped corrie
Tarn

24. Task: Draw an annotated sketch of the glacial features

25. Annotations to help....
Steep back wall caused by freeze-thaw and plucking
Arm chair shaped hollow that snow and ice accumulate in, carved by a glacier
Rock lip at the edge of the corrie formed by deposits as the glacier rotated out of the basin
Tarn formed in the deepest part of the corrie as it was scooped out by erosion (abrasion)

26. Corrie on Maps

28. Add to your corrie exam answer…How is an arete formed? (4)
Steep back wall created by freeze-thaw and plucking
Corrie
An arm chair shaped hollow widened and deepened by a glacier.
Arete
Sharp knife edged ridge between TWO corries.
Formed as two corries are eroded and weathered backwards.
Named example
Striding Edge on Helvellyn in the Lake District

29. How does a Corrie form an Arête and a Pyramidal Peak?

30. Formation of an arête
Arêtes are ‘knife-edged’ ridges formed between two corries.

31. Label the Pyramidal Peak Diagram
Inputs – avalanches, precipitation (snow)
Store – ice
Outputs – meltwater, evaporation
Processes of erosion – abrasion and plucking must be described fully. Definitions are usually worth 2 marks each.

32. Formation of a pyramidal peak
Pyramidal peaks are formed when three or more corries cut backwards into the same mountain.
arête
tarn
corrie

34. Task
Create a 6-10 step annotated diagram to explain the formations of a corries, aretes and pyramidal peaks

35. Have a go with play dough
Have a go with play dough... Explain to the person next to you the processes that create a pyramidal peak.
Who is ready and willing to give a demonstration to the class?