Exploring Landforms

Overview

In this fourth lesson of Mapping Our World Adventure, students identify common landforms and connect physical features to their representation on maps. They build on earlier map-reading skills by using map symbols, colors, labels, and a legend to explain what they observe.

Learning intentions

• Students will be able to identify landforms on a map.
• Students will be able to describe important features of common landforms.
• Students will be able to use map evidence, including symbols, colors, and labels.
• Students will be able to explain their thinking clearly in speaking and writing.

Success criteria

• I can name at least three landforms.
• I can describe a feature of each landform.
• I can identify landforms on a map using its symbols, colors, or labels.
• I can explain how I know a map shows a particular landform.

Curriculum links

• Mathematics — Measurement and Data: recognize and communicate relationships between units and quantities when discussing map information and distance.
• Writing — Informative/explanatory writing: introduce a topic clearly and group related information.
• Writing — Opinion writing: state and support an opinion using an organized structure.
• Mathematical Practice — Attend to precision: use accurate labels, descriptions, and units when communicating observations.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Hook and retrieval. Display a physical map image with mountains, a river, and a coastline using the opening map mystery slide. Ask, “What clues show us what the land looks like?” Students silently identify one clue, then share with a partner; invite two students to connect their ideas to prior map skills such as symbols, labels, or a legend.

2. 4–10 min · Teach landform vocabulary. Use the landform examples and map-symbol slides to introduce mountain, hill, valley, plain, plateau, island, peninsula, and river. Teacher briefly explains that a landform is a natural feature of Earth’s surface and models how a map may represent it with a symbol, color, shape, or label. Students repeat each term, make a quick air-sketch, and record or say one feature for three landforms.

3. 10–18 min · Map detective pairs. Distribute the landform map detective worksheet to pairs and return to the partner investigation directions. Students examine a simple physical map, identify at least five landforms, and complete prompts such as “I found a ___ because ___” and “The map shows it with ___.” Partners take turns as Map Reader and Evidence Checker, switching halfway through.

4. 18–24 min · Evidence discussion. Display the discussion prompts and sample map section. Each pair chooses one landform from the worksheet and prepares a 30-second explanation naming the landform, describing one feature, and citing map evidence. Pairs share with another pair, who listen for a precise landform name and a clear piece of evidence. Teacher circulates, checks vocabulary, and addresses confusion between related terms such as a hill and mountain or an island and peninsula.

5. 24–27 min · Independent check. Students complete the final section of the individual landform explanation section without partner help. They name three landforms, write one feature for each, and identify one landform on the map with evidence. Teacher quickly scans responses and asks selected students to clarify incomplete or imprecise answers.

6. 27–30 min · Exit and preview. Use the review and exit prompt slide and hand out the Success Criteria exit ticket. Students check the criteria they met and answer: “Which landform would you most like to visit, and what map clue helped you identify it?” Collect tickets to plan the next lesson’s spiral review.

Resources

• the Exploring Landforms slide deck
• the landform map detective worksheet
• the Success Criteria exit ticket
• Pencils and colored pencils
• One projected physical map image
• Optional document camera for modeling worksheet responses

Assessment

• During pair work, listen for accurate use of landform vocabulary and evidence-based explanations. Ask, “What on the map makes you think that?”
• Check each worksheet for three named landforms, accurate features, and a map-based explanation.
• Use exit tickets to identify students who can name landforms but need more support interpreting map symbols, colors, or labels.

Differentiation

• Support learners with a small word bank and picture cues for each landform. Provide sentence starters: “I see a ___,” “A ___ has ___,” and “I know because the map shows ___.”
• Offer dyslexia-friendly access through a clear sans-serif font, large text, high contrast, limited text per page, read-aloud directions, oral response options, and uncluttered worksheet sections.
• Pair students strategically and assign roles so each learner participates. Permit students to point, sketch, or explain orally before writing.
• For advanced learners, ask them to sketch a unique landform, label at least two features, and design a simple map symbol and legend entry for it. They should explain why their symbol would help another reader.

Extension

• Students sketch a unique landform and label its features.
• Students create a mini-map showing the landform alongside two other physical features, including a title, legend, and a short explanation of their symbol choices.