Name
Landforms
By Trista L. Pollard
You have learned that
our planet is covered with
continents and oceans.
Well, there are other
landforms that are found
on our planet. Landforms
are natural features that
are found on Earth. Some
of these features are water
and others are land
surfaces.
Let's start with some of the biggest on Earth. Mountains are
high, rocky landforms that have steep sides. Some of our mountains
are part of huge groups called mountain chains. Mountain chains
are series of hills or mountains that stretch over large areas. In North
America, there are the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian
Mountains. The Andes Mountains are found in South America. If
you went to visit Switzerland in Europe, you would see part of the
Alps mountain chain.
The tops of mountains are very far from the ground. That means
the climate in the mountains is very different from the climate on
flatter land. Climate is the temperature, wind, and precipitation of
an area. Temperature is the degree of hotness or coolness of an area.
Precipitation is what we see all of the time. It is the rain, sleet, and
snow that fall from the sky. The climate in the mountains tends to be
cooler. You may even see snow on the tops of mountains when
there isn't snow on the flatter land that surrounds the mountain.
In the mountains, there are lakes and streams. Lakes are small
bodies of fresh water that are surrounded by land. Streams are also
small bodies of water. However, they flow or carry water away from
lakes to rivers. Rivers are larger bodies of fresh water. They flow
over land and empty into the ocean. They may also empty into other
lakes or rivers. The Mississippi River in the United States (U.S.)
empties into the Gulf of Mexico. A gulf is a small body of water
that is surrounded by land on three sides. The Nile River in Egypt
empties into the Mediterranean Sea. Remember seas are smaller
bodies of saltwater that are surrounded by land.
As we move away from the mountains, we find flatter land. This
land may have a lot of vegetation like grasslands. It may also have
very little vegetation like deserts. Grassland is completely covered
by grass. There aren't many trees or shrubs in grassland areas. The
middle of the U.S. has large areas of grasslands called plains. That
is why it is sometimes called the "Great Plains." There are areas of
Africa that are covered by grasslands called savannahs.
Speaking of Africa, one of the largest deserts is found there. A
desert is a dry sandy area that has very little rainfall. The Sahara
Desert is that type of place. There are very few plants in a desert.
Animals and people who live in deserts have to adapt to the heat and
lack of water. Deserts are also very cool during the night time.
There are also parts of Africa that are filled with forests. Forests
are large areas of land that are covered by trees and shrubs.
Rainforests are located in Africa and South America. These forests
have a large amount of rain each year. There are also forests in
Europe and North America.
One last type of landform is an island. Islands are completely
surrounded by water. Remember Australia? It is the only continent
that is an island. There are many islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Hawaii, which is one of the states in the U.S., is a group of islands.
Most islands are very small compared to Australia.
As you travel around your town and your state, see what
landforms you can find. You may be surprised at what nature has to
offer.
5. The Nile River in Egypt empties into the ______.
A. Gulf of Mexico
B. Mediterranean Sea
C. Atlantic Ocean
D. Mediterranean Ocean
Name
Landforms
6. Complete the sentence: ______ are areas of dry land that have
very few plants and little rainfall.
Questions
1. What are mountains?
7. Complete the sentence: Islands are landforms ______.
2. ______ are small bodies of fresh water that are completely
surrounded by land.
A. Gulfs
B. Lakes
C. Rivers
D. Streams
3. Use the letters to put these words into alphabetical order.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Mountain chain
Mountains
Forest
River
4. Gulfs are surrounded by land on only two sides.
A. True
B. False
8. How are rainforests different from other types of forests?
Name
You are an island. Write a speech that explains to the other landforms
about your life away from other land. Be creative.
What types of landforms are found in your town or city? What types
are found in your state? Write a detailed paragraph that describes the
type of landforms in your town, city, or state.