​Vocabulary

In another lesson, you learned that Earth is made up of different layers.

The CRUST is the outermost layer of Earth.

The crust provides a solid surface for land and water. Earth's surface is the top part of the crust.

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Landforms

Landforms are different shapes of land on Earth's surface,

Landforms are natural formations made of rock and land. Some are also made of water.

Each landform is defined by its shape, size, location, and what it is made of.

​A mountain is a landform that is taller than the surrounding land.

Mountains are gigantic rock formations with steep sides and high peaks that stand out from the land around them.

Sometimes they are rocky, and sometimes they are covered in trees.

Mountains

Hills are similar to mountains since they are areas that rise above the surrounding land.

They are smaller than mountains.

Hills usually have rounded tops

Hills

A valley is a low-lying area between hills and mountains.

They are usually very wide.

Valleys

A canyon is similar to a valley, but it is deeper, narrower, and has steeper sides.

This is the Grand Canyon in the USA.

Canyon

Plain

​A desert is a huge area of land with little to no rainfall. Deserts are usually dry sandy plains.

​​Desert

​A cliff is a very steep wall of rock that rises very high. Cliffs often form near water.

Cliff

A plain is a large flat area of land with few trees.

Plains are sometimes called prairies or grasslands and can be great for farming.