An Introduction to Landforms of the Earth

This lesson walks students through the basic landforms on the Earth. This includes plains, mountains, hills, plateaus, peninsulas, islands, archipelagos, valleys, and canyons. The importance of rivers and the deltas and alluvial plains they create are examined.

The lesson also discusses the difference between oceans, seas, gulfs, and bays. The importance of straits are discussed and how they are the mirror opposite of isthmuses. The difference between lakes and reservoirs--despite usually all called lakes--is pointed out.

Beyond discussing the definitions, as fluid as they might be, the lesson discusses the ways that many of these landforms have been created. This includes the weathering, erosion, and deposition of sediment by wind, water, ice (glaciers), and even gravity. The role that plate tectonics in oceanic and continental plate convergence--either convergent subduction or convergent folding--has in creating landforms such as mountains is shown.

While this lesson can be enjoyed by all audiences, it is designed to meet various standards of the Texas Education Knowledge Standards (TEKS) for the World Geography studies course.