T E A C H I N G G U I D E

1st Grade Reading Level

TEACHING

Landforms

ISBN 978-0-8225-9221-1 Blue

T E A C H I N G L A N D F O R M S2

StandardsLanguage Arts • Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the reading process.

• Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies for reading a variety ofinformational texts.

• Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the writing process. • Demonstrates competence in the stylistic and rhetorical aspects of writing. • Uses grammatical and mechanical conventions in written compositions. • Gathers and uses information for research purposes. • Demonstrates competence in speaking and listening as tools for learning.

Earth Science • Understands Earth’s composition and structure.

Geography • Understands the characteristics and uses of maps, globes, and other geographic toolsand technologies.

• Knows the location of places, geographic features, and patterns of the environment.• Understands the physical and human characteristics of place.

Multiple Intelligences Utilized• linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, interpersonal, and naturalistic

Copyright © 2008 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Student pages may bereproduced by the classroom teacher for classroom use only, not for commercialresale. No other part of this teaching guide may be reproduced, stored in aretrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic,mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior writtenpermission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., except for the inclusion of briefquotations in an acknowledged review.

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Manufactured in the United States of America1 2 3 4 5 6 — IG — 13 12 11 10 09 08

Books in the Landforms seriesinclude:

CoastsIslandsMountainsPlainsPlateausValleys

T E A C H I N G L A N D F O R M S 3

Model(teacher)• Show students how to cut out the animal pictures

and landform labels on landforms diagrams pp. 9–10and animals p. 11.

• Explain how students should color the landformsdiagrams and glue the labels and the animals to thecorrect landforms. Label one landform together as aclass.

Practice(students)• Each student will color the landforms diagrams on

pp. 9–10 and the animals on p. 11. They will cut outthe animals and landform labels and add them to theappropriate landforms. Encourage students to addadditional plants, animals, and people to theirdiagrams.

Discuss(class)• As a class, discuss where students placed each label

and animal. Were any of the landforms confusing tolabel? Which ones? Why?

• How are some of the landforms related?

Evaluate(teacher)• Assess each student’s ability to accurately label the

landforms on landforms diagrams pp. 9–10.• Students may take their landforms diagrams home to

share with their families, or you may have themexplain the diagrams to students in another grade.

Lesson 1Label the LandformsPurpose: Students will identify and label a variety oflandforms and the animals that live there.

Objectives• Define the word landform.• Identify various landforms.• Explain the features of various landforms.• Distinguish landforms from each other.• Label landforms on a diagram.• Explain similarities and differences among landforms.

Activity Procedures

Prepare(teacher)• Copy landforms diagrams pp. 9–10 and animals p. 11

for each student.

Pretest(teacher, students)• What is a landform? Define landform for the

students. (A landform is a natural feature of theearth’s surface.)

• List some landforms you know.

Read(class)• Read the Landforms books. This may take several days.• Review what students have learned about each

landform after reading the books.

Materials• Landforms books• landforms diagramspp. 9–10

• animals p. 11

• pencils• crayons• scissors• glue

Pretest(students)• What does a mountain look like? How about a

plateau? (Ask about the other landforms as well.)• How could we show someone what these landforms

look like?

Read(class)• Read all of the books in the Landforms series.

Model(teacher)• Show students the sample relief map you created.• Model how to create specific features of the map

using cardboard, salt dough, and other buildingmaterials.

• Once students’ maps are complete and dry, showthem how to paint the maps.

Practice(small groups)• In small groups, students will create their own relief

maps, showing each of the following landforms:coast, mountain, plain, plateau, valley, and island.Paint maps once they dry. (This will take several daysto complete.)

• You may wish to have each group create one of thelandforms, and then put them all together to make asingle large relief map.

Discuss(class)• Are all of the landforms represented on your map?

Show the class the different features.

Evaluate(class, teacher)• What did you like most about this project? What did

you like least? • How did this project help you better understand the

landforms?• Teacher will assess each group’s map for

understanding of the landforms.• Display the relief map in a hall or school display case.

(You may wish to have students add labels beforedisplaying.)

T E A C H I N G L A N D F O R M S4

Lesson 2Make a Relief MapPurpose: Students will create relief maps todemonstrate understanding of landform concepts.

Objectives• Recall various kinds of landforms.• Discuss the features of each landform.• Construct a relief map.• Identify the features of a map.• Explain the features of a map.• Assess understanding of landform concepts.

Activity Procedures

Prepare(teacher)• Prepare an area for relief map construction and

painting. Cover the area with newspaper or plastic.• Divide students into small groups for the relief map

activity.• Prepare a sample relief map.• Prepare salt dough just before the students are to use

it, or prepare it ahead of time and store it in sealedplastic bags so it won’t dry out.

Salt Dough Recipe:1 cup salt 11⁄4 cups water3 cups flour

Dissolve salt in water. Gradually stir in flour untilit forms a soft dough.

Materials• Landforms books• cardboard, shoeboxes, and/or otherbuilding materials

• scissors• paint brushes

• salt dough (seerecipe below)

• acrylic paints• painting T-shirts orsmocks

• newspaper

T E A C H I N G L A N D F O R M S 5

Pretest(students)• How do mountains form? How do islands form?• Define the terms volcano and eruption.

Read(class)• Read Mountains and Islands.

Model(teacher)• Show students your volcano model. • Explain the steps for making the volcano. You may

wish to have students create their models along withyou, step-by-step.

Practice(pairs or small groups)• Build volcanoes:

Step 1 Make a cone out of newspaper. Makesure the opening at the top is not too large.Tape the end of the newspaper to the sideof the cone so it keeps its shape.

Step 2 Tape the cone to the cardboard baseso the large end is over the hole.

Step 3 Dip strips of newspaper into the paper-máché mixture and cover the entire cone.Extend the paper-máché onto the base tohold the volcano in place. Let dry overnight.

Step 4 When paper-máché is dry, paint thevolcanoes. Let dry overnight.

Step 5 Make your volcanoes erupt. Fill asqueeze bottle with glue or a flour and watermixture. Hold the squeeze bottle inside thevolcano and gently squeeze so the liquidoozes up and out of the volcano’s mouth.Observe how the liquid makes a shell on topof the volcano rather than soaking in.

Discuss(class)• What happened when your volcanoes erupted?• How do eruptions make mountains grow?

Evaluate(teacher, students)• Students will complete Volcano Worksheet p. 12, and

teacher will assess for understanding.

5

Lesson 3Make a VolcanoPurpose: Students will demonstrate how volcaniceruptions can make mountains grow.

Objectives• Define key terms from the texts.• Explain what happens when a volcano erupts.• Construct a volcano model.• Demonstrate a volcanic eruption using a model.• Explain how a volcanic eruption can make a

mountain grow.• Compare an experiment to a real volcanic eruption.

Activity Procedures

Prepare(teacher)• Prepare an area for volcano construction and

painting. Cover the area with newspaper or plastic.• Make a sample volcano.• Cut holes in the center of cardboard pieces, large

enough to fit a squeeze bottle inside. (You will needone for each student pair or small group.)

• Divide the class into small groups or pairs.• Make paper-máché. Combine flour and water until

the mixture is the consistency of thick glue.

Materials• Mountains and

Islands books• Volcano Worksheetp. 12

• cardboard• tape• scissors• newspaper• flour

• water• acrylic paints• paint brushes• paint shirts or smocks• glue or anotherthick, quick-dryingliquid (e.g. flour andwater mixture)

• squeeze bottles

• Explore additional books/websites about thelandform you read about.

• As they read, students should write down the kinds ofactivities people might do on their specific landform.

Model(teacher, class)• Using one landform as an example, talk about its

features. • What activities might people do there? List these on

the board. • Choose a single activity and model how to write a

short paragraph about what you would like to do onthat landform. Give reasons for wanting to do thisactivity, and explain why this landform is a goodplace to do this activity.

Discuss(small groups)• In their small groups, have students discuss what their

landform is like and what activities people might dothere.

Practice(students)• Each student will write a short paragraph about an

activity they would like to do on the landform theyresearched.

• Students should draw a picture of themselves doingthe activity. (You may wish to have students drawbefore writing so they can use their drawings to guidetheir writing.)

• Regroup students so one person from each originalgroup is in each of the new groups (for example, oneperson will have researched islands, one will haveresearched valleys, etc.).

• Have students present their drawings and paragraphsto other members of their group.

Evaluate(teacher)• Observe student presentations.• Assess each student’s paragraph for understanding of

the landform and for other features specified (e.g.text-illustration correspondence, capital letters,punctuation, complete sentences, etc.). Make surestudents know what you will be assessing before theybegin their writing.

T E A C H I N G L A N D F O R M S6

Lesson 4Explore a LandformPurpose: Students will research specific landforms todetermine what kinds of activities people could dothere.

Objectives• Research a specific landform.• Discuss the features of a landform.• Determine the kinds of activities people could do on

a specific landform.• Identify an activity the student would like to do on a

specific landform.• Explain reasons that a specific landform is ideal for a

specific activity.• Compare different landforms and activities.

Activity Procedures

Prepare(teacher)• Gather books and/or bookmark websites about

various landforms.• Divide students into small groups.

Pretest(class)• What landforms are near where we live? What kinds

of activities can people do there?

Read(small groups)• Each small group will read a different title from the

Landforms series.

Materials• Landforms books• additional books/websites aboutlandforms

• lined paper

• drawing paper• pencils• crayons or markers• chalkboard• chalk

T E A C H I N G L A N D F O R M S 7

Read(class)• Read books from the Landforms series.

Model(teacher)• Demonstrate how to make the minibook. • First, cut the pages in half on the dotted lines. • Fold each strip in half on the solid line. Do this with

each minibook template, keeping the cover pageand pages three, five, and seven on the outside.

• Match the templates so that the page numbers are inthe correct order.

• Staple to bind them together. • Demonstrate how to complete the minibook:

Step 1 Complete a sentence on one of theminipages. You may use words fromthe list created during the pretest, oryour own words.

Step 2 Glue a magazine image or draw apicture explaining the sentence.

• Display your completed minibook for the class.

Practice(students)• Each student will complete their own minibook.

Discuss(class, small groups)• Have students share their minibooks with the class or

in small groups. • Discuss similarities and differences between the

minibooks.

Evaluate(teacher)• Display minibooks and evaluate for understanding.

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Lesson 5MinibooksPurpose: Students will make minibooks todemonstrate knowledge of various landforms.

Objectives• Identify various landforms.• Explain the features of specific landforms.• Distinguish between landforms.• Draw various landforms. • Construct a book about landforms.• Compare student minibooks.

Activity Procedures

Prepare(teacher)• Copy minibook template pp. 13–14 back-to-back,

and pp. 15–16 back-to-back for each student.(Align the little triangles at the bottom of each pagefor copying.) Each student needs one complete bookof twelve minipages.

• Complete an entire minibook with text and drawingsor magazine photos.

• Collect magazines from home (optional).

Pretest(class)• Brainstorm a list of words that remind you of

landforms. List these on the chalkboard or chartpaper.

Materials• Landforms books• minibook templatepp. 13–16

• pencils• crayons or coloredpencils

• stapler• magazines, glue, andscissors (optional)

• chalkboard or chartpaper

• chalk or marker

T E A C H I N G L A N D F O R M S8

Additional ResourcesBOOKSBaines, John D. Coasts. Austin, TX: Raintree Publishers,

2000.This book explores various kinds of coasts, theplants and animals that live on them, and howthey are beneficial to humans.

Bauer, Marion Dane. The Grand Canyon. New York:Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2006.Young students will learn about how the GrandCanyon was formed, what people can do there,and more in this illustrated title.

_____. Rocky Mountains. New York: Simon & SchusterChildren’s Publishing, 2006.This illustrated book explains how the RockyMountains were formed and describes theanimals that call them home.

Fowler, Allan. Living on the Plains. New York:Scholastic Library Publishing, 2000. This earlyreader introduces students to the Great Plainsand other U.S. prairies. With color photographs.

Oldershaw, Cally. Atlas of Geology and Landforms.New York: Scholastic Library Publishing, 2001.This reference book is filled with informationabout the earth, inside and out.

Salzmann, Mary Elizabeth. In a Valley. Minneapolis:ABDO Publishing Company, 2002.This photo-filled book uses simple, repetitive textto teach beginning readers all about valleys,including features of valleys and the organismsthat live there.

Zoehfeld, Kathleen Weidner. How Mountains AreMade. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1995.Students will learn how various kinds ofmountains are formed. Photos and illustrationsreinforce simple explanations, and childcharacters add to the appeal.

WEBSITESFace of the Earth

http://www.edu.pe.ca/southernkings/face.htmThis site describes various landforms on Earth,kinds of rock, the rock cycle, and it has student-friendly earth science games, as well as a glossary.

FOSSweb – Landformshttp://www.fossweb.com/modules3-6/Landforms/index.htmlTeachers and students can learn about variouslandforms and view photos at this informativesite.

Landforms Glossary – Enchanted Learninghttp://www.enchantedlearning.com/geography/landforms/glossary.shtmlLine drawings accompany descriptions of variouslandforms.

Types of Landhttp://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/types_of_land_2/This educational site has photos and explanationsof various landforms.

What’s It Like Where You Live?http://www.mbgnet.net/Explore various habitats and landforms. This siteoffers simple descriptions as well as colorphotographs.

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Teaching Landforms

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Teaching Landforms

12

Teaching Landforms

Volcano Worksheet

Name

How did you make your volcano? Write or draw your answer in the box below.

What happened when the volcano erupted? Write or draw your answer inthe box below.

How do some mountains grow? Write your answer on the lines below.

13

Teaching Landforms

___________________ live

on islands.

Valleys ______________

______________________.13

Landformsby

_____________

4

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14

15

__________________ live

on mountains.

I would like to explore

_____________________.32

Mountains ____________

______________________.

I would like to __________

________________ there.14

�Teaching Landforms

15

5

__________________ live

on plateaus.

Plateaus ______________

______________________.912

Islands ______________

______________________.

__________________ live

in valleys.8

�Teaching Landforms

16

Teaching Landforms

11

__________________ live

on plains.

Coasts ______________

_____________________.76

Plains ________________

______________________.

__________________ live

on coasts.10

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