Social Studies Landform Project:

Due Date: Friday, October 28th

Create a diorama using ashoe box or a pizza box to demonstrate landform meanings.

Show and label landforms on your diorama using artistic and creative design. The diorama can be made from paper, clay, salt dough, etc.

Basic Project Requirements: (Any additional will add to grade!)

* each student must include at least 2 landforms in their diorama.

* each student must include at least 2 human features in their diorama.

Suggested Landforms

Continent. A large continuous land mass.

Island: A piece of land surrounded by water.

Desert: A hot, very dry, treeless area that is usually filled with sand.

Tundra. A cold treeless area.

Forest. A large area of land with many trees.

Archipelago. A group or chain of islands.

Plain. A large, flat area of land in the low lands with mostly no trees and minor changes in elevation.

Prairie. A wide, flat area that has grass and a few trees. (See plain)

Crater. A large depression in the earth caused by the impact of an asteroid or other object from space.

Isthmus. A narrow strip of land that connects two land masses and has water on each side. (See strait)

Coast. The boundary between the land and the sea.

Beach. A wide, flat area of sand that covers the coast.

Delta. A low watery land at the mouth of a river. It is usually shaped like a triangle.

Wet land. An area of land that is often wet. (e.g. swamp, bog, marsh, moor )

Cape. A pointed piece of land that sticks out into a body of water. (See peninsula).

Peninsula. A large body of land that is surrounded by water on three sides.

Mountains and High Lands

Mountain: A land that is raised above the surrounding area. It is over 2000 feet (610 m)

high.

Volcano: A cone shaped mountain or hill built around a vent that connects it with

reservoirs of melted rock below the surface of the earth.

Hill: A landform that is raised above the surrounding area, but is smaller than a mountain.

Plateau: A flat open country in the high lands.

Dune: Temporary hills of sand shaped by the wind.

Cliff: A vertical rock exposure.

Butte: A rock or hill formation with a flat top and steep sides. (See mesa)

Mesa: A land formation with a flat top and steep sides in a dry area.

Valley: The low areas between two elevations.

Canyon: A deep valley between high cliffs or formations with steep sides.

Peak: the highest point on a mountain.

Water

Ocean: A large body of salt water that surrounds a continent.

Sea: A large body of salt water that may be partly or totally surrounded by land.

Lake: A large body of water surrounded by land.

Pond: A small body of water surrounded by land.

River: A large, flowing body of water that empties into the sea.

Tributary: A stream or river that flows into a larger river.

Glacier: A slow moving river of ice.

Lagoon: A shallow body of water along a coast.

Gulf: A part of the ocean or sea that is partly surrounded by land.

Bay: A small body of water that is partially enclosed by land.

Sound: A wide sea inlet that is parallel to the coast. It is usually between the coast and

an island.

Channel. A deep and wide strip of water that separates two larger bodies of water. It is

usually part of a river

Cove. A susually part of a river mall, horseshoe shaped body of water on a coast.

Strait. A narrow body of water that connects two larger bodies of water. It has land on

both sides.

Swamp. Fresh water wet land with very muddy, spongy land.

Marsh. Salt water or fresh water wet land that is found beside rivers, lakes and coasts.

Source. The beginning of a river.

Grading Rubric

Exploring Landforms Project Rubric:
(20 points each)

Student's project includes _____

at least 2 landforms in their diorama.

Student's project includes at least 2 human _____

features in their diorama.

Student's project shows effort with neatness _____

Student's project shows creativity in project _____

Student has labeled physical and human _____

features.

Extra Credit:

(25 points)

Student’s project includes a map of their _____

landform.

  • included a map key
  • included a compass rose
  • included a inset map
  • includes a scale
  • colorful and neat

Total ______

Create a map to go with your landform diorama

Show and label the landforms (physical & human features) on the map

Remember to make a map key, inset map, scale, and a compass rose!

Create a map of your landform diorama and attach the map to the lid of your shoebox diorama.

Map Example