Download landforms - 5th Grade Science

LANDFORMS
Investigation 1
Schoolyard Models
MODEL
A representation of an
object or process
BOUNDARY
The limit or border of an
area or region
STRUCTURE
Something built by
people,
like a building
MAP
A drawing of an area,
usually as though you
were looking straight
down on it.
CARTOGRAPHER
Is a person who
makes maps
GRID
Is a network of vertical
and horizontal lines that
form squares
SYMBOL
A color shape or texture
used to represent
something else on a map
such as a building, road
or landform.
KEY
A key is an explanation
of symbols used
on a map.
Investigation 2
Stream Tables
DRAINAGE BASIN
A system of rivers and
streams that drains an
area like the
Colorado Plateau
EROSION
Wearing away of earth
materials by water,
wind, or ice
LANDFORM
A shape or feature of the
earth’s surface, like a
delta or canyon
CANYON
A V-shaped valley
eroded by a river
or stream
DELTA
A fan-shaped (triangular)
deposit of earth materials
at a mouth of a stream
PLATEAU
A large, nearly level area
that has been lifted above
the surrounding area
DEPOSITION
Deposition is the
process by which
eroded earth materials
settle out in another
place.
SEDIMENTS
Sediments are eroded
earth materials that have
been deposited.
BASIN
A basin is a low area in
which sediments are
often deposited.
CHANNEL
A channel is the course
or path the water takes
in a stream or river.
MEANDER
A meander is a curve
or loop in a channel.
Investigation 3
Go With The Flow
SLOPE
A slope is the angle or
slant of a stream,
channel, or
land surface.
ALLUVIAL FAN
An alluvial fan is a fanshaped landform deposited
at the end of a steep canyon
where the slope becomes
flatter.
Fans are usually found in
arid regions like Death
Valley.
FLOOD
A very heavy flow of
water, which is greater
than the normal flow of
water and goes over the
stream’s normal channel
FLASH FLOOD
Rises and falls rapidly
with little or no advance
warning, usually as the
result of very heavy
rainfall over a relatively
small area
LEVEE
A levee is an
embankment along a
stream that protects land
from flooding. Levees
can be natural or
constructed.
DAM
A dam is a construction
or wall across a river that
holds back the water
flowing through the
river, creating a reservoir
or lake.
FLOODPLAIN
A floodplain is the area
around a river that is
covered by water
flowing over the
riverbank during a flood.
Investigation 4
Build A Mountain
CONTOUR LINE
A line on a topographic
map that connects points
of equal elevation
BASE
Bottom of a mountain
CONTOUR
INTERVAL
The difference in
elevation between
contour lines
ELEVATION
Vertical distance, or
height, above sea level
PEAK
The highest point of a
mountain
SEA LEVEL
The average height of
the ocean’s surface, zero
elevation
TOPOGRAPHIC
MAP
Uses contour lines to
show the shape and
elevation of
the land’s surface
PROFILE
The profile is a side
view or a cross section
of a landform such as a
mountain.
BENCH MARK
A bench mark is a
surveyor’s marker
usually placed
permanently in the
ground at a known
position and elevation.
INTERMITTENT
STREAM
An intermittent stream
has water flowing in it
only during certain
times of the year.
PERENNIAL
STREAM
A perennial stream
always has water
flowing in it.
Investigation 5
Bird’s-Eye View
RIDGE
A narrow area of high
land between two
valleys
GLACIER
A large mass or body
of moving ice
VALLEY
A low area between
higher areas through
which a river or stream
often flows
INTERPRET
Interpreting a map means to
figure out the symbols,
textures, colors, and
patterns to put together an
image of the land covered
by the map.
AERIAL
PHOTOGRAPH
An aerial photograph is
a photograph of the
earth’s surface taken
from an airplane or
space craft flying above
the earth.
SCALE
Scale describes the ratio
between a measured
distance on a map to the
actual distance in the real
world.
SURVEYOR
A surveyor measures
and marks the distance,
elevation, position, and
boundaries of land area.
BAR SCALE
A bar scale is a ruler
line on a topographic
map that shows the
scale.
REPRESENTATIVE
FRACTION
A representative fraction
tells the scale of a map
as a ratio between
distance on a map to
distance in the real
world.
RAPIDS
Rapids are a part of a river
channel where the water
moves rapidly over
obstacles, such as large
boulders.
INTERMITTENT
LAKE
An intermittent lake
contains water only during
certain times of the year,
such as the rainy season.