Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Earth’s Changing
Surface
A Trip to Hawaii
“Looking at Landforms”
Selections from the digital
Teacher Lesson Manual
www.sciencecompanion.com
Science Companion Field Trips
A “Science in Real Life” Series
Come on a virtual field trip matching module sample lessons
with special places or current events!
Join our author Belinda Basca and her family
on a journey to the islands of Hawaii...
Hawaii is made up of many islands.
There are eight main islands: Kaho’olawe, Kaua’i,
Lana’i, Maui, Moloka’i, Ni’ihau and O’ahu.
Beaches.
And mountains.
Turn the page to find out how you can learn about different
ways that land forms!
Earth’s Changing Surface
Student Reference Book
Writers
Belinda Basca, Rachel Burke, Lance Campbell, and David Sherman
Developers
Colleen Bell, Diane Bell, Cindy Buchenroth-Martin, and Catherine Grubin
Editor
Wanda Gayle
*Scientists or teachers who gave advice but are not part of the Chicago Science Group.
www.sciencecompanion.com
2009 Edition
Printed in the United States of America. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act, no
part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means or stored in a
database or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher.
SCIENCE COMPANION®, EXPLORAGEAR™, the CROSSHATCH Design™ and the WHEEL Design™ are
trademarks of Chicago Science Group and Chicago Educational Publishing.
ISBN 1-59192-398-0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10-P001-17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08
1
Landscapes, Landforms,
and Time
Chapter 1
Word Connection
landform—A part of
the earth’s surface that
has a unique shape, is
easy to recognize, and
was created by nature.
Chapter 1
But the landscape does change. The land around where you
Word Connection
live did not always look the way it does today.
cataclysmic event—
Some changes to the landscape happen quickly. Floods, earth- An event that causes a
sudden and dramatic
quakes, and volcanic eruptions, for example, can change
change to the earth’s
the land in a few minutes. Scientists call events like these surface.
cataclysmic events.
Most of the changes to the landscape you will explore started How Much
thousands or even millions of years ago, and those changes is a Billion?
continue today. Looking back to when most mountains were A billion is a thousand
formed and comparing it to when you, your parents, or even million. It would take
you almost 100 years
your great-great-grandparents were born is like comparing the to count to a billion.
size of your room to size of the galaxy. That’s a big difference!
2
The Science of Geolog y
But rocks, and pieces of rock, are all around us. They are in the
streets we walk on, in the parks where we play, and in the soil
where we grow our food.
If you want to learn about the earth around you, rocks are the
place to start. And once you look carefully at a rock, you may
wonder about other things:
• Are there fossils in the rock? What can those fossils tell us?
These are the kinds of questions that the scientists who study
the earth and its rocks try to answer.
Chapter 2
• Whenever we build a
structure—a bridge, a
building, or a power
plant—we need to
know about the ground
it will be built on.
By 1800, a million tons One of these problems was that coal was bulky. Moving it
of coal a year were from mines in the country to the factories and cities where
dug from all of Britain’s
coal mines.
people used it was difficult, especially since few roads at that
time were paved.
The Science of Geology 11
In the earliest canals, heavy goods were carried in boats towed by horses.
In the late 1700s, people began to dig canals that filled with
water for transportation. Canals allowed people to float heavy
loads on boats pulled by horses that walked on a path that
ran alongside the canals. Instead of getting stuck on a muddy
road, canals enabled goods to be transported in almost any
weather, and for a lower price than using carts or wagons.
Canal building was all the rage for fifty years, until railroads
became cheaper and more dependable.
The need for coal and canals created one of those special
moments in history when a clever person makes a remark-
able new discovery. In this case, the new discovery came about
because of one of the most important skills used by all scien-
tists, even you: the skill of observation.
Ammonites come many sizes and shapes. This one was found in Montana.
Women in Science
Collecting fossils became a trendy fashion in the mid-1700s.
People could not travel safely very far from their homes. But they
could travel through time by looking at dusty fossil bones, shells,
and plants. Two British women were important fossil collectors
during this time.
Pterodactyl fossil.
Levels 4-6
Science Companion ®
Unit Overview
Introduction to the Earth’s Changing Surface Unit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Unit Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Lessons at a Glance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Assessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Integrating the Student Reference Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Lessons
1 Looking for Changes to the Earth’s Surface: Part 1* . . . . . . . . . . 58
Navigation Tip:
If you are using Adobe Acrobat or the Adobe 2 Looking at Landforms*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Acrobat Reader, you'll have an easier time with 3 Rivers Shape the Land* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
navigation if you give yourself a "Previous View"
Teacher Directions: Making River Tables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
button. This tool works like a Back button, and
will allow you to retrace your jumps within the 4 Rivers Shape the Land in Different Ways*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
file so you don't get lost. 5 Abrasion Wears Down Rock*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
* Make sure the Page Navigation toolbar is Teacher Directions: Setting up Abrasion Investigations. . . . . . 123
displayed. (Use View/Toolbars or Tools/ 6 Glaciers Carve the Land*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Customize Toolbar if it is not.)
7 Wind Erodes Hoodoos*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
* Place the "Previous View" and "Next View"
buttons on that toolbar if they are not 8 Wind Deposits Dunes*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
already there. (Use Tools/Customize 9 Weathering Breaks Down Rock*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Toolbar.)
10 Looking for Changes to the Earth’s Surface: Part 2 . . . . . . . . . . 194
11 Plate Movements Form Mountains*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
12 Volcanoes Build Up the Earth’s Surface*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Previous View button on 13 Touring Landforms*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Page Navigation toolbar.
* Indicates a core lesson
Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
2009 Edition
Copyright © 2005 Chicago Science Group.
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the United States of America. Except as permitted under the
United States Copyright Act, no part of this publication may be
reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means or stored in a
database or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the
publisher.
SCIENCE COMPANION®, EXPLORAGEAR®, the CROSSHATCH Design™
and the WHEEL Design® are trademarks of Chicago Science Group and
Chicago Educational Publishing.
ISBN 1-59192-291-7
Almost anyone who has spent time with children is struck by the
tremendous energy they expend exploring their world. They ask
“why” and “how.” They want to see and touch. They use their minds
and senses to explore the things they encounter and wonder about.
In other words, children are already equipped with the basic
qualities that make a good scientist.
Habits of Mind
Wondering and thinking about the natural and physical world
Students’ curiosity is valued, respected, and nurtured. Their questions
and theories about the world around them are important in setting
direction and pace for the curriculum. Children are encouraged to
revise and refine their questions and ideas as they gain additional
information through a variety of sources and experiences.
W elcome to
observe with multiple senses and from a variety of perspectives.
They use tools, such as magnifying lenses, balance scales, rulers, and
clocks, to enhance their observations. Students use their developing
mathematics and literacy skills to describe, communicate, and
record their observations in age-appropriate ways.
Communicating clearly
Students are asked to describe their observations and articulate
their thinking and ideas using a variety of communication tools,
including speaking, writing, and drawing. They learn that record
keeping is a valuable form of communication for oneself and
others. Children experience how working carefully improves one’s
ability to use one’s work as a tool for communication.
2
Earth’s Surface Changes
A Quick Look
Lesson Goals
1. Observe various types of landforms.
2. Wonder about the processes that create and shape landforms.
Assessment Option
Pay attention to criteria A and B on Assessment 1 and criteria D on
Assessment 2 when you review student’s responses on pages 4-6
of the science notebooks. Use this review as a pre-assessment of
their understanding of the processes that shape the surface of the
earth and create landforms.
Teacher Master 3, Assessment 2
Vocabulary
landform . . . . . . . . . . . . A part of the earth’s surface that has a
unique shape, is easy to recognize, and
was created by nature.
model. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . An object that represents something that
is similar to the real thing in many ways (it
might be made out of the same materials),
but is different in some ways (it might be
much bigger or smaller, for example).
physical model . . . . . . A three-dimensional model of something.
Overhead Transparencies:
“Landforms 1–14”
language arts
connection
You can record the names of
landforms during the sensory
observation by making a chart
and listing terms. The chart
can be the beginning of an
Earth’s Changing Surface
“word bank” that you can post
and then add to throughout
the unit to assist students.
(For more information about
word banks, see the “Setting
Up a Science-Friendly
Environment” article in the
Teacher Reference Materials.)
Teacher Note: You don’t need to critique or correct the students’ guesses
at this point. Help them articulate their ideas and questions, and listen for
opportunities to revisit them during future lessons.
social studies
connection
The final overhead
transparency shows the
Great Lakes, an essential
transportation waterway for
both Canada and the United
States. Have students name
the states and provinces that
border the Great Lakes, as
well as the major cities on
their shores.
Teacher Master 20
Art Extensions
• Collages offer children an opportunity to create unique
interpretations of common sights. Encourage students to use
natural materials like bark, flowers, grass, pebbles, and sand
to create a collage depicting a local or a famous landform that
interests them.
• If you haven’t already done so, review the materials list, obtain
classroom supplies, and construct the river tables according to
the teacher directions.
Information
Introduction: Our Changing Earth
In the early summer of 2004, a landslide created a natural dam on
the Pareechu River in Tibet. Within weeks, satellite images showed
a large lake building behind the obstruction, filling a basin and
extending far upriver. According to NASA, “the new lake poses a
threat to communities downstream in northern India, which will
be flooded if the landslide-dam bursts.” 1
Landscapes may appear the same from day to day, but in fact they
are in a state of perpetual change. These changes happen slowly,
often imperceptibly, but they are constant. New rock is added to
the surface as the earth’s crust moves, forming new mountains and
creating rift valleys and volcanoes. The processes of weathering,
erosion, and deposition slowly transform rock, creating an amazing
variety of landforms and features. Depending on the local climate,
the force of moving water, ice, and wind act in unique ways to
shape and carve the earth’s surface.
1
Landslide Creates Lake in Tibet. NASA Earth Observatory: Natural Hazards. September
1, 2004. http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_
v2.php3?img_id=12390
2
Representations of Mountains and Mountainous Landscapes and Environments. Roger
Trend, Lynne Everett, and Jane Dove. Research in Science and Technological Education.
Exeter School of Education, University of Exeter: 2000.
T eacher B ackgrou nd
of landscapes as fixed features by engaging students in the primary
In formatio n
activity of geologists: making careful observations of the processes
that impact the earth’s surface and its interior. Each lesson focuses
students’ attention on the slow processes and the subtle forces that
carve, shape, and weather the earth’s surface. By the end of the unit,
children shed their image of landscapes as unchanging and develop
a view of the earth’s surface as dynamic and constantly changing.
Outer Core
3700C to 4300C
(6692F to 7772F)
The mantle itself is divided into an upper and a lower mantle. The
upper mantle, called the rigid mantle, is a plastic-like rock that
is firmly attached to the crust. Together, the crust and rigid mantle
are known as the lithosphere, a layer about 100 kilometers
(approximately 60 miles) deep. Like a cracked egg shell, the
lithosphere is made up of numerous pieces called tectonic plates.
The plates of the lithosphere float on top of a layer of hot, semi-fluid
rock that composes the lower mantle.
When two plates collide they form convergent margins. Large folded
mountain ranges are typically found along such plate boundaries.
In Lesson 11, students explore folded mountains—one of several
mountain types. Folded mountains, as the name implies, form when
the collision of two plates causes the crust to compress and crumple
into huge mountainous folds. The European Alps, Appalachian
Mountains, and Himalayas are all folded mountain chains.
Physical Weathering
Geologists usually describe three types of weathering: physical,
biological, and chemical. Physical weathering occurs when rock
is broken down into smaller pieces by physical processes. Physical
weathering changes the physical shape of rocks, but not their
chemical composition. Moving water, in the form of rain, rivers,
waves, and storms, is the greatest cause of physical weathering,
even in locations that receive very little precipitation. Glaciers,
wind, and extreme changes in temperature also play an important
role in physical weathering.
Biological Weathering
Biological weathering occurs when the actions of living
organisms contribute to the breaking down of rock. Most people
are unaware of the role that living organisms play in shaping
the earth’s surface. Plants, bacteria, and fungi are all agents of
biological weathering. Even the footsteps of humans and animals
are considered by some scientists to be an example of biological
weathering. The roots of plants are strong enough to wedge
and break apart rocks. Tree roots can even break apart giant
boulders. Soil is created through physical, chemical, and biological
weathering and is composed of rocks, minerals, organic debris,
and living organisms. These organisms are widespread in soil and
produce acids and enzymes that chemically break down and
dissolve rocks. Though not covered in the lessons, plants, bacteria,
lichens, and fungi play an important role in weathering processes.
Chemical Weathering
Chemical weathering occurs when the minerals in rocks are
chemically transformed into new materials. Oxidation, the most
common form of chemical weathering, occurs when oxygen reacts
with iron and magnesium-rich minerals. This is the same process
that rusts metal. The deep red and brown colors of many rocks are
caused by iron oxidation. Dissolution, another important form of
chemical weathering, occurs when slightly acidic water dissolves
calcium-rich minerals in rock. Dissolution is the primary process
that causes the formation of limestone caverns. It is also the cause
of weathering seen in many limestone buildings throughout the
world exposed to air pollution and acid rain.
The forces of water, ice, and wind all pick up and transport eroded
material, but eventually gravity pulls this material down to settle
on the surface of the earth. There it may form new soil, compact
over time to become new rock, build a river delta, or settle onto a
sand dune. Deposition occurs when eroded rock material is laid
down in a new location. It also occurs when volcanic activity causes
new rock material to emerge from beneath the earth’s surface.
Doing Science
o v er I W
isc on
D de
I
r
I Record
I Think
Doing
Science
ve
er I
bs Tr
I O y
1 - Beginning Does not understand that Does not understand any Does not have a sense
the earth’s surface of the processes that of how much time it
Has no previous
constantly changes or create landforms. takes for changes to the
knowledge of lesson
that landforms result earth’s surface to
content.
from those changes. occur.
Performance Tasks
Earth’s Surface Changes and Earth’s Surface Changes Earth’s Surface Changes
How the Earth’s Surface and How the Earth’s and How the Earth’s
Changes Clusters Surface Changes Clusters Surface Changes Clusters
How Landforms Are Created How Landforms Are How Landforms Are Created
1-4, pages 30-33 Created 1-4, pages 30-33 1-4, pages 30-33
Glacial Landforms, page 35 Glacial Landforms, page 35 Fast and Slow Changes,
Effects of Abrasion, page 36 Effects of Abrasion, page 34
Summative Opportunities
1 - Beginning Does not understand that Does not understand that Does not understand
rocks can break down. rocks and sediment can that moving water, ice
Has no previous
move over, and build up, or wind can contribute
knowledge of lesson
the earth’s surface. to weathering, erosion,
content.
or deposition.
Performance Tasks
Earth’s Surface Changes Earth’s Surface Changes Earth’s Surface Changes and
and How the Earth’s and How the Earth’s How the Earth’s Surface
Surface Changes Clusters Surface Changes Clusters Changes Clusters
How Landforms Are Created How Landforms Are Created How Landforms Are
1 4, pages 30-33 1 4, pages 30-33 Created 1 4, pages 30-33
Summative Opportunities
Glacial Landforms, page 35 Glacial Landforms, page 35 Fast and Slow Changes,
Effects of Abrasion, page 36 Effects of Abrasion, page 34
page 36 Glacial Landforms, page 35
Movements of the Crust Effects of Abrasion, page 36
Change the Earth’s Surface Unit Assessment
Explaining Mountain Landform Letter, page 39
Formation, page 37
Looking at Landforms
Directions: As you observe and discuss the photographs of landforms, record the type of land-
form in the first column. In the second column, write your best guess (or guesses) about how it
was created. (Note: Some pictures show more than one landform.)
Looking at Landforms
Type of Landform: My Guess About How It Was Formed:
Looking at Landforms
Type of Landform: My Guess About How It Was Formed:
Looking at Landforms
Directions: As you observe and discuss the photographs of landforms, record the type of land-
form in the first column. In the second column, write your best guess (or guesses) about how it
was created. (Note: Some pictures show more than one landform.)
Looking at Landforms
Type of Landform: My Guess About How It Was Formed:
Looking at Landforms
Type of Landform: My Guess About How It Was Formed:
Refer to Teacher Masters 11-19
for descriptions of landforms
students may identify on the
Answers vary.
overhead transparencies.
Assessments
Earth’s Changing Surface Assessment 1: Landforms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Earth’s Changing Surface Assessment 2: Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Earth’s Changing Surface Assessment 3: Breaking Down Rock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Earth’s Changing Surface Assessment 4: Movements of the Earth’s Crust. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Earth’s Changing Surface Assessment 5: Observing and Describing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Earth’s Changing Surface Assessment 6: Interpreting and Using Models. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Note Recording Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8–9
Teacher Masters
Surface Changes Walk (Lessons 1 and 10). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Landform Information (Lessons 2 and 6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11–19
Landform–Sensory Memories (Lesson 2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Glacial Movements (Lesson 6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Processes that Shape the Earth’s Surface (Lesson 10). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Surface Change Performance Task (Lesson 10). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Request for Materials (Lesson 11). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
The Shaping of Bryce Canyon (Lesson 13). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
The Shaping of Mt. St. Helens (Lesson 13). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26–27
Family Links
Building Sand Castles (Lesson 1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Rock Hunt (Lesson 4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Experiencing the Depression Era Dust Bowl (Lesson 8). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
ISBN 1-59192-294-1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10-P001-17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08
2009 Edition. Copyright © 2005 Chicago Science Group. All Rights Reserved.
Earth’s Changing Surface Assessment 1: Landforms
As you evaluate students’ discussions and work, determine how well they understand the following:
Assessment Criteria:
A. The earth’s surface B. Landforms are the C. Some changes to the
is constantly changing; result of weathering, earth’s surface happen
landforms result from erosion, deposition, quickly, but most take
those changes. and movements of place over a long period
Students’ Names the earth’s crust. of time.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
Assessment Criteria:
A. Weathering B. Erosion is a C. Deposition is a D. Weathering,
is a process by process by which process by which erosion, and depo-
which rocks and rock and sediment rock and sediment sition are the result
sediment break move over the build up the earth’s of moving water,
Students’ Names down over time. earth’s surface. surface. ice, and wind.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
Assessment 2: Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition Earth’s Changing Surface Teacher Master
Landform Information
The following table describes the overhead transparencies displayed in Lesson 2
and subsequent lessons. Use the notes provided to help guide students to observe
carefully, name particular landforms, and explain and record their ideas about how
the landforms were created. If you saw examples of similar landforms on the Surface
Changes Walk, ask students to point out those similarities.
Teacher Note: You don’t need to share all the information provided. It is more important to encourage
students to make their own guess about how the landforms were created. As you teach the lessons, you can
return to the transparencies to help students apply their new understanding to explain these features.
Landform Information (Lessons 2 and 6), page 1 of 9 Earth’s Changing Surface Teacher Master 11
Landform Information
Landform 3 Aerial View of the Innoko River, Alaska
Landform(s) • River
displayed: • Riverbank: The sides of a river.
Questions for • How fast is the water flowing? How can you tell?
students: • How does this compare to the stream in “Landform 1”?
• Does the water move faster or slower?
• Is the slope steep or flat?
How the This meandering river was created by water flowing at a slower
landform rate through an almost flat plain. The path is determined by the
was created: slope of the landscape.
Landform 4 Rio Grande River and Santa Elena Canyon, Texas
Landform(s) • Canyon: A deep valley with steep sides shaped by water.
displayed: • River
Questions for • What can they tell about the rock? (Note the layers.)
students: • Why are the canyon walls so steep?
• Why is the river water brown? (It carries sediment.)
How the This canyon was formed over a long time by weathering of
landform rock, and erosion by the river’s water.
was created:
Landform 5 Red Canyon (with Grand Valley in the distance), Colorado
Landform(s) • Canyon
displayed: • Valley: The low land that lies between mountains or hills.
Questions for • What shaped this canyon?
students: • Where is the water? Where could it come from?
How the This canyon was formed by the weathering of rock and the
landform erosion of material by infrequent, seasonal rains. (There is no
was created: permanent stream in this arid region.)
Special details You might explain that this photo is taken from the top of a
and features: large mesa cut by the canyon. (A mesa is a flat, elevated area
of land surrounded by steep sides.)
Landform Information (Lessons 2 and 6), page 2 of 9 Earth’s Changing Surface Teacher Master 12
Landform Information
Landform 6 Goblin Valley, Utah
Landform(s) • Hoodoo: A strangely-shaped rock formation, usually sculpted
displayed: by wind erosion.
• Mushroom rock: A rock formation that has a narrow base and
a wide top.
• Rock pillar: A tall column of rock. (A mushroom rock is a
special type of rock pillar.)
Questions for • Is the rock pillar solid rock? (Yes.)
students: • What might have shaped this pillar? (Water and wind.)
• How does the round rock on top of the pillar affect the rest of
the mushroom rock’s shape? (For now, encourage students to
guess; they discover the answer during the exploration in Lesson 7.)
How the Rock pillars form when water and wind wear away rock and
landform then transport the sediment until all that remains is a ragged
was created: rock column. Sometimes a hard cap as a kind of protective
“hat” for the pillar, shielding the underlying layers of sediment
from seasonal rains.
Special details Some students might notice that this formation is located in a
and features: canyon and that there are rock pillars in the middle distance.
Landform Information (Lessons 2 and 6), page 3 of 9 Earth’s Changing Surface Teacher Master 13
Landform Information
Landform 7 Cunningham Creek, San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Landform(s) • Creek: A small stream. Streams and rivers often have many
displayed: tributary (side) creeks.
• Mountain: A part of the earth’s crust that has been raised
high (at least 300 meters [985 feet]) above the surrounding
lowlands.
• U-shaped valley: A lowland area that was carved by a glacier
and has a distinct rounded shape.
Questions for • What is running down the middle of the valley?
students: (A creek and a road.)
• Does the creek appear to carry as much water as some of the
rivers and streams in the previous pictures?
• What else might have shaped this valley?
• What caused the sides of this valley to be so round
and smooth?
• Why is the mountainside in the background so rocky?
(High elevation and steep sides make this a challenging habitat
for trees.)
How the The valley in the foreground was originally carved by a
landform glacier. The creek does not carry enough water to have
was created: eroded the valley much since the glacier melted.
Special details Note the road was created by human activity, but may have
and features: once been a track used by animals.
Landform Information (Lessons 2 and 6), page 4 of 9 Earth’s Changing Surface Teacher Master 14
Landform Information
Landform 8 Mount Le Conte and Emerts Cove, Great Smoky Mountains
National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina
Landform(s) • Mountains, river, and a valley
displayed:
Questions for • What is running down the middle of the valley?
students: (A creek and a road.)
• Does the creek appear to carry as much water as some of the
rivers and streams in the previous pictures?
• What else might have shaped this valley? (Human activity has
leveled the valley to make fields for crops.)
• What caused the mountaintops to be almost round?
• Why might it be easier for trees to grow on these mountains?
(Lower elevation and less steep sides make this a good habitat
for trees.)
How the Like the rest of the Appalachian range, these mountains are
landform “old.” Their round shape is due to millions of years of weathering
was created: and erosion of rock material.
Special details Trees grow because it is at a low elevation and the rounded
and features: slopes can hold a lot of soil and small plants that build even
more soil.
Landform Information (Lessons 2 and 6), page 5 of 9 Earth’s Changing Surface Teacher Master 15
Landform Information
Landform 9 Aerial view of Mt. St. Helens, Washington, after the
May 18, 1980 eruption
Landform(s) • Volcanic mountain: A mountain formed by the deposition and
displayed: accumulation of volcanic materials over time.
Questions for • What feature is at the top of the mountain? (A crater.)
students: • What can they see that shows that there was a sudden,
dramatic change? (Students may notice the barren landscape
and mudslides [lahars] in the lower foreground of the photo.)
• What might this mountain have looked like before the
eruption?
How the This volcano built up until internal earth forces caused an
landform eruption in 1980.
was created:
Special details For web sites with detailed information about the spectacular
and features: eruption in 1980, as well as the current status of Mt. St. Helens,
visit our web site: www.sciencecompanion.com/links/.
Landform 10 Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
Landform(s) • Glaciers: Large, long-lasting masses of moving ice and snow.
displayed: Glaciers move downhill or outward in all directions as a result of
gravity and their immense weight.
• Mountains, river, and a U-shaped valley
Questions for • What created the steep slope of the mountainsides? (The
students: slopes are one side of a U-shaped valley carved by a glacier
that melted.)
• Where is the source of the river’s water?
• Why does the riverbed seem so broad and wide when there is
so little water? (During spring floods more water flows, eroding
material and changing the river’s course over this relatively flat
valley floor.)
How the This broad, U-shaped valley lies alongside a mountain range
landform created by internal earth forces. Because of the high latitude,
was created: snow does not melt in summer and glaciers form on the
mountaintops, providing the river’s water. During the last Ice
Age, the valley itself would have been filled by a large glacier.
Landform Information (Lessons 2 and 6), page 6 of 9 Earth’s Changing Surface Teacher Master 16
Landform Information
Landform 11 Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, Hawaii
Landform(s) • Beach: Land at the edge of a body of water, usually marked
displayed: by sand or gravel that has been deposited by waves.
• Cliff: A high, steep surface of rock.
Questions for • What is the water in this photo doing?
students: • How did the beach form?
• What details can they see in the cliff? (Layers of rock.)
• What caused these layers?
• How did the cliff form?
How the The layers of rock were deposited by many eruptions of a
landform volcano. The cliff was created as water from rain and waves
was created: weathered and eroded the rock. The beach was formed from
sediment deposited by waves.
Special details Point out the layers in the cliff formations and compare these to
and features: the layers in the canyon shown on Teacher Master “Landform 4.”
Landform 12 Sand ripples on the shoreline of a lake below Spencer
Glacier, Alaska
Landform(s) • Sand ripples: Wave-like patterns that form on the surface of
displayed: sand. The patterns move and shift due to changing water or
wind currents.
Questions for • Other than sand, what can they see in the photo? (Plant roots
students: and rocks.)
• Where could this sand have come from?
How the As water advances and retreats over the sand, small dunes
landform are deposited by the waves. The sand originated from rock
was created: weathered by glaciers and water.
Special details Compare the tiny dunes in this photo with the large dunes in
and features: the next one.
Landform Information (Lessons 2 and 6), page 7 of 9 Earth’s Changing Surface Teacher Master 17
Landform Information
Landform 13 Namib Desert Dunes, Namibia, Africa
Landform(s) • Sand dune: A hill or ridge of loose sand formed by the wind.
displayed:
Questions for • What is this formation made of? (Sand.)
students: • Where could the sand come from? (Weathered rock.)
• How did it get here? (It was moved by wind.)
• What might shape the dune? (Wind, and if water is
present, rain.)
• How might the plants affect the way a dune changes
over time?
How the Sediment broken down in the southern African highlands
landform washes down the Orange River and into the Atlantic Ocean.
was created: Currents carry the sediment north, where it is deposited along
beaches. The prevailing winds carry the sand inland and create
a vast area of huge dunes.
Special details Point out the sand ripples in the foreground (bottom of photo)
and features: of the dune. Compare these to the ones in the previous photo
and have students think about the different forces (water and
wind) that created them.
Landform Information (Lessons 2 and 6), page 8 of 9 Earth’s Changing Surface Teacher Master 18
Landform Information
Landform 14 View from space of the Great Lakes, North America
Landform(s) • Lake: A body of fresh water.
displayed:
Questions for • What can they see in the photo? (Land, lakes, pack ice,
students: and snow.)
• Are these landforms? (The lakes and surrounding land are
landforms; the pack ice and snow are not.)
• What will happen to the snow and pack ice when summer
comes? (They will melt.)
• How might this impact the surface of the earth? (Water
impacts the earth’s surface in many ways that students will
learn about in future lessons.)
• Why did we need to use a satellite photo to show these
landforms? (Some landforms are so large that they can only
be distinguished in their entirety from a great distance.)
How the The Great Lakes were formed as glaciers scraped the earth’s
landform surface during the last Ice Age. At its greatest extent, 18,000
was created: years ago, the ice sheet was up to 4 km (2.5 miles) thick. As the
ice melted and receded starting about 14,000 years ago, the
lakes began to form from the glacial meltwater.
Special details • The lakes depicted, from top to bottom (east to west),
and features: are: Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan,
and Lake Superior.
• This image was taken by NASA’s Aqua satellite, in orbit
around the Earth. According to NASA, the red dots on the
photo indicate the location of thermal activity, such as
a fire or other human activity, detected by the satellite’s
instruments.
• If you have one available, refer to a map of North America
to provide context for students to place these features and
comprehend their size.
• Point out the smaller Finger Lakes of western New York
State, just below and to the right of the title. (These were also
created by glaciers.)
Landform Information (Lessons 2 and 6), page 9 of 9 Earth’s Changing Surface Teacher Master 19
Name: Date:
Landform—Sensory Memories
To help you describe your landform with more details, close your eyes and think
about the setting of your poem, legend, or story. Then open your eyes and jot down
notes in the proper places below. Use these details when you write.
Overhead Transparencies
Landform 1 (Lessons 2, 4, and 5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Landform 2 (Lessons 2 and 4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Landform 3 (Lessons 2 and 4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Landform 4 (Lessons 2 and 3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Landform 5 (Lessons 2 and 5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Landform 6 (Lesson 2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Landform 7 (Lessons 2 and 6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Landform 8 (Lesson 2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Landform 9 (Lessons 2 and 12). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Landform 10 (Lessons 2, 4, and 6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Landform 11 (Lesson 2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Landform 12 (Lesson 2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Landform 13 (Lesson 2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Landform 14 (Lessons 2 and 6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Parts of a River (Lessons 3 and 5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Erosion Features: Close Up and Far Away (Lesson 5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Deposition: Deltas from Space (Lesson 5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Glaciers (Lesson 6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Glacial Location During the Last Ice Age (Lesson 6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Rock Arch and Rock Pillar (Lesson 7). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Mushroom Rocks (Lesson 7). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Landforms Deposited by Wind (Lesson 8). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Layers of the Earth (Lesson 11). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Volcano Before Eruption (Lesson 12). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Parts of a Volcanic Mountain (Lesson 12). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Photo Cards
Bryce Canyon (Lesson 13). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26–28
Mt. St. Helens (Lesson 13). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29–33
ISBN 1-59192-295-X
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10-P001-17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08
2009 Edition. Copyright © 2005 Chicago Science Group. All Rights Reserved.
Landform 1
Mount Le Conte and Emerts Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park,
Tennessee and North Carolina.
Photo: W.B. Hamilton, U.S. Geological Survey
Aerial view of Mt. St. Helens, Washington, after the May 18, 1980
View from space of the Great Lakes, North America. April 10, 2003.
Photo: Visible Earth Collection, NASA.