QUESTION 1 (a)

INSTRUCTIONAL UNIT: PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

TOPIC: LANDFORMS

OBJECTIVES: At the end of this topic, students should be able to:

 Identify what landforms are

 Describe specific landforms including mountains, hills, valleys, plains, rivers,

beaches, swamps and archipelagos.

 Locate and name major landforms in Trinidad and Tobago.

TEACHING POINTS:

1. Landforms are natural features and shapes on the earth’s surface.

2. Mountains are the highest landforms on the earth’s surface. They are usually conical

in shape with steep sides and a pointed tip called a peak

3. Hills are lower than mountains but higher than the surrounding areas.

4. A valley is the flat area of land between two mountains

5. A plain is a broad area of relatively flat land

6. A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater flowing towards an ocean,

sea, lake or another river.

7. A beach is an area of sand or small stones (pebbles) near to the sea.

8. A swamp is a flat, waterlogged area filled with vegetation and mangrove trees.

9. An archipelago is a chain or group of islands.

The average student in a class would be able to correctly observe from watching pictures

or videos or even from their own knowledge of our physical environment that the earth is not

void and without shape. While they may not know every naturally occurring feature or shape

on the earth’s surface by the correct name, they will no doubt be able to identify that some
places are higher than others or that some places may be wetter than others. In a broad sense,

teaching this topic will ensure that students will be able to not only describe certain

characteristics of the earth’s surface but they will also be able to name specific landforms as

well. Additionally, to make the topic even more worthwhile, after students have placed

specific names for certain characteristics, they will then use that information to locate and

name some of the major landforms in Trinidad and Tobago.

QUESTION 1 (b)

TASK

Create a model of Trinidad and Tobago identifying (with names) the following:

 All the mountain ranges in the country (including highest peak)

 Two MAIN rivers

 Two swamps

 Three Plains

 Three beaches on EACH island

 Bodies of water surrounding the islands.

Marks will be awarded for clearly labelled models/diagrams (inclusive of a key/legend),

appropriate use of materials/symbols, visual appeal (neat and orderly work) and creativity.

All submissions MUST have the student’s name and form on it.
PURPOSE OF TASK

The ultimate purpose of this task is to ensure that not only do students have the

theoretical knowledge of what are landforms and some of the various types of landforms but

they will be able appreciate the characteristics of landforms that exist and identify where

these various landforms are in Trinidad and Tobago. They, at least some of them, will be

able to even creatively replicate these characteristics into models which will solidify concepts

in their minds.

Additionally, this task allows for various intelligences to be displayed. One student

may be able to recite a definition and identify characteristics of a landform while another

student will be able to use his/her creative genius to replicate these characteristics into three-

dimensional models. This task facilitates learning through doing. This type of learning

according to studies offers multiple benefits as it allows students to bridge the gap between

the theoretical and practical while allowing educators the opportunity to enrich students’

minds in engaging ways.

INSIGHTS

As students engage in the assigned task, they will be able to make the links between

the definitions and recreating the characteristics of the landforms on their models. For

example, students will be able to see for themselves what after doing their model, that a flat

area between two mountains is not just a flat area but in fact that flat area is referred to as a

valley. Studies have shown that concepts come alive through tactile procedures. That hands-

on activity of creating a mountain allows a child the opportunity to create a cone like

structure with a peak thus ensuring that in the future when they see an actual mountain, the
likelihood would be that they would distinguish the conical features and the peak, making the

learning process real.

 EXCELLENT ABOVE AVERAGE AVERAGE BELOW AVERAGE POOR
(5) (4) (3) (2) (1)
All required landform Most of the required Half of the required Only two of the Only one of the
REQUIRED categories are correctly landform categories landform categories required landform required landform
LANDFORMS positioned and labelled are correctly are correctly categories are correctly categories is correctly
positioned /or labelled positioned and/or positioned and/or positioned and/or
labelled labelled labelled
Model is neat, orderly, Model is neat and Model is untidy but Model is untidy, Model is neither neat,
VISUAL APPEAL well-spaced. orderly but not well orderly and well- disorderly but well- orderly not well-
spaced spaced spaced spaced
Excellent use of Very Good use of Good use of materials Fair use of materials Poor use of materials
CREATIVITY materials and symbols materials and symbols and symbols and symbols. Some and symbols, if any at
materials not all.
appropriate for
assignment
Model has all elements Model has all the Model has only the Model only has the Model has none of the
including heading/title, elements except a key title and name of name of student elements required
ELEMENTS key, name and class of student
student.

Each model will be assessed on the criteria listed in column one (e.g. required landforms, visual appeal etc). The model will then be classified
and scored based on which level (excellent, very good etc). The score for each criteria will be totalled for a final score out of 20.

Table 1. Rubric for the drawing/model task