Landforms 1. Mountains

2. Hills

3. Plains

4. Plateau

5. Island

6. Peninsula

7. Bay

8. Gulf

9. Valley

10. Beach

11. Coast

12. Volcano

13. Ocean

14. River

15. Lake

16. Desert

Mountains

A mountain has 4 main characteristics

1. High, rocky land 2. Steep  sides 3. Pointed or rounded top 4. Higher than a hill

Example: Himalayan Mountains

Hills

A hill has 2 main characteristics

1.  Raised part of the

earth's surface

2.  Sloping sides

Example: The Black Hills

Plains

A plain has 3 main characteristics

1. Large areas of land 2. Flat, or gently rolling

areas 3. Low in elevation

Example: • The Great Plains of central

USA

Plateau

A plateau has 2 main characteristics

1. An elevated area of land.

2. Flat like a table.

Island

An island has 2 main characteristics

1. Area of land2. Surrounded by

water

Example: Hawaiian Islands

Peninsula

A peninsula has 2 main characteristics

1. An area of land 2. Surrounded by water on 3 sides.

Example: Florida

Deserts

A desert has 3 main characteristics

• 1. Super-dry air

• 2. Little rain (less than 10 inches a year)

• 3. High daytime temperatures

Example: Sahara Desert

Desert Locations

Bay

A bay has 2 main characteristics

1. Part of a body of salt water. (smaller than a gulf).

2.  Reaches into the land.

Example: • San Diego Bay

San Diego Bay

Gulf

A gulf has 2 main characteristics

1. Large part of an ocean 

(Much bigger than a bay.)

2. Reaches into land

Examples: The Gulf of MexicoThe Persian Gulf

Valley

A valley has 2 main characteristics

1. Low land2. Between hills or

mountains

Examples:Death Valley

Beach

A beach has 2 main characteristics

1. The sandy land

2. Where the ocean and shore meet.

• Example: Imperial Beach

Coast

A coast has 2 main characteristics

1. Land 2. Along the sea or

ocean

Example: The Ivory Coast

Volcano

A volcano has 3 main characteristics

1. Cone shaped mountain2. Formed by rock or ash

thrown from the inside of the earth

3. At times, opening or depression at top

Example: Mt. St. Helen

Oceans

The ocean has 2 main characteristics

1. Large body of salt water 2. Covers 3/4 of the earth's

surface

Four oceans:1. Atlantic 2. Pacific 3. Arctic4. Indian Oceans

Can you find the four oceans?

Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic

Rivers

A river has 3 main characteristics

1. Large stream of water 2. Flows through land 3. Into lake, ocean or

other body of water

Example: Mississippi River

Lake

A lake has 2 main characteristics

1. Body of water2. Surrounded by

land

Example: Otay Lakes

Third grade social studies standard: 3.1

Students describe the physical and human geography and use maps, tables, graphs, photographs, and charts to organize information about people, places, and environments in a spatial context.

By Ms. Hultenius 2006