Summary
This lesson is about physical geography in the United States and focuses on major landforms and their features. Students will start by reviewing what they already know about landforms with a fun game called Kahoot. They will then create a model of an assigned landform using paper mache. After that, they will become experts on their assigned landforms and present their findings to the class. Students will also explore real-world examples of these landforms on Google Earth. Finally, they will draw a treasure map and create a story featuring the landforms they have learned about. The lesson is designed to be easy to understand and uses simple, everyday language to make it accessible to all students.
Essential Question(s)
What is a landform? What are specific identifying features of landforms? How do specific landforms differ from each other?
Snapshot
Engage: Students will complete a landform Kahoot.
Explore: Students will research a landform or waterform and then make a paper mache model.
Explain: Students will become the expert and teach their peers about the specific features of their landform.
Extend: Students will locate a variety of landforms on Google Earth.
Evaluate: Students will make a treasure map and create a story using their new knowledge of landforms and waterforms.
Materials
Landform and Waterforms List and Definitions for the teacher (attached)
Google Earth Assignment Slides (attached)
Treasure Map example (attached)
Paper Mache Model examples (attached)
Paper Mache:
Hot water
Flour
Newspaper
Masking tape
Large Styrofoam plate
Any additional materials needed to shape the landform prior to Paper Mache
Treasure Map & Story:
Printer paper that has been "distressed"
Engage
15 Minute(s)
Tell students they will be playing a Kahoot game to figure out their knowledge of landforms. Follow the link to the provided Kahoot and play the game. Students do not need to worry about knowing every answer. This is just a game to see what they already know about landforms.
Explore
60 Minute(s)
Students will each be assigned a landform . They will research the landform they are assigned and sketch a picture and label and write out the identifying features of their landform. They will then start the paper Mache activity. Landforms should be no bigger than the large Styrofoam plate provided.
Follow these instructions to help students create their Paper Mache landforms:
Allow students to create a base structure for their landform.
Once students have completed the base structure for their landform, they will then begin the first layer of Mache.
Students will apply three or four layers of paper Mache to their landform. Once the landform Paper Mache is dry, students can paint their landform accordingly and if needed, add labels.
Explain
60 Minute(s)
Allow students to do any additional research that is needed to complete their understanding of the features of their landform. They should have enough information written so they feel confident to teach the class about their landform. Once they are finished, let the students lead the class in a Gallery Walk, where each student will present about their landform.
After their presentations, have students get their journals. In their journals, instruct students to draw a small picture of each landform as it is presented. Students then write a definition for each landform next to or underneath the landform picture they drew.
Extend
45 Minute(s)
Pass out the attached Google Earth Landforms worksheet to each student or pair of students. Navigate each student or pair of students to Google Earth and tell them that they will use Google Earth to locate a variety of landforms. Once each type of landform is found, students will take a screenshot of the landform and attach it to the corresponding assignment slides.
Evaluate
60 Minute(s)
Guide student writing by providing a prompt: “You are a pirate hiding your treasure, or you have found a map and are trying to locate the treasure.” Students will draw and color a treasure map using a minimum of 10 landforms they have learned. Students will then write a story about the treasure map they drew, detailing the features of at least 5 of their landforms.
Differentiation for Gifted Learners
There is the potential for students to make connections regarding landforms and weathering/erosion. Students can explore what kind of weathering or erosion would change landforms. Students may want to explore how landforms change over time through GOOGLE EARTH TIMELAPSE. https://earthengine.google.com/timelapse/.
Resources
K20 Center. (n.d.). Gallery Walk https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/118
K20 Center. (n.d.) Jigsaw https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/179
K20 Center. (n.d.). Kahoot https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/637
Google. (2019). Google Timelapse. Google.com. https://earthengine.google.com/timelapse/
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Holmes, M. (n.d.). Paper Mache With Flour. Instructables. https://www.instructables.com/Paper-Mache-With-Flour/
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Kahoot! (n.d.). Create.kahoot.it. Retrieved October 2, 2023, from https://create.kahoot.it/share/landforms/7643e197-ed01-41b5-8a8c-f799a909bc8b
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