Landform adventure

This lesson will enable students to learn the types of landforms and bodies of water. Then they will use geographic terms to describe landforms and bodies of water in Mexico. Activities in this lesson can be taught during a period of 2-3 days.

A lesson plan for grades 2–3 English Language Arts and Social Studies

By Beth Edmonds

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Related topics

• Learn more about bodies of water, geography, landforms, language arts, maps, read-alouds, and social studies.

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Learning outcomes

The learner will

• identify landforms and bodies of water on a simple map.
• make a book of landforms.
• do research to find out what landforms make up Mexico.
• construct a map of Mexico showing the landforms and bodies of water.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

3 Hours

Materials/resources

• Mexico by Karen Jacobsen
• Mexico: The People by Bobbie Kalman
• A Taste of Mexico by Linda Illsley
• Postcards from Mexico by Helen Arnold
• various resource books and maps
• little booklets made with newsprint pages and construction paper covers (1 per student)
• definitions of “landform” and “bodies of water” written on sheets of chart paper (see the Pre-Activities section for the definitions)
• bulletin board paper
• blue yarn
• brown construction paper
• physical map of North Carolina
• physical map of Mexico
• pencils, scissors, glue, crayons, markers

Activities

Day 1

Show students a physical map of North Carolina. Explain that there are many shapes and sizes of landforms and bodies of water. As you introduce each of the following landforms and bodies of water, point to them on the North Carolina map (if applicable):

1. Mountains are the tallest parts of the land.
2. Hills are the middle-sized ones.
3. Foothills are the shortest ones.
4. Valleys are the spaces between mountains.
5. Grasslands are flat places (plains) covered with grass.
6. Deserts are flat places on earth covered in rocks, stones, or sand.
7. An island is a small piece of land surrounded by water.
8. An ocean is the largest body of water on the earth. Oceans have salty water.
9. Rivers are long, large streams. They have fresh water.
10. A lake is a large body of water on the land.
11. A pond is a smaller body of water on the land.

Students can make a booklet about the landforms and bodies of water. Give each student a book made by stapling together sheets of newsprint inside of a construction paper cover. Select the terms that you would like for the students to write, define, and illustrate.

Day 2

1. Play a game to review the landforms and bodies of water. Divide the students into 2 groups. Call out a definition. The first team to ring a bell or give another type of signal and to say the correct term gets 1 point.
2. Show students a physical map of Mexico. Help the students find the mountains, valleys, deserts, plains, oceans, etc. Also, point out major cities such as Mexico City. Show students where Mexico is located in relation to the equator. Ask them what type of climate one would expect to find in Mexico (temperate or tropical, sunny or wet).
3. Read aloud the book entitled Mexico by Karen Jacobsen.

Day 3

1. Read aloud Postcards from Mexico by Helen Arnold. This book highlights several stops during a trip through Mexico. After reading the book, discuss with students the parts of Mexico that they would like to visit.
2. Put students into small groups of 3-4 students. Give each group of students a large outline map of Mexico cut out of bulletin board paper. Provide globes, simple maps, simple atlases, and resource books on Mexico for your students to explore as they complete this project.
3. In small groups, the students will find out about the landforms and bodies of water in Mexico and where they are located. Then they will develop symbols for the landforms and bodies of water. For example, blue yarn can be used for rivers and brown paper triangles for mountains. The students will add the geographical features to the map using the symbols. Remind students to add the country’s name, compass rose, and map key. Have each group share its map with the rest of the class.

For an extension activity, students can make a travel brochure for Mexico using the information they learned.

Assessment

For assessment, call out definitions of landforms and bodies of water. Have students write the correct term on a sheet of paper. Also, as you point to various landforms and bodies of water on a map, have students write the correct term on a sheet of paper.

Supplemental information

Comments

You could have students construct physical maps of other countries like Japan, France, and Germany.