Before Activity
The teacher will have workstations set up for each group naming the landform they will create on an index card.
The students will view the video, "Exploring Landforms and Bodies of Water for kids," as a review of landforms. (Listed in technology resources.)
During Activity
The teacher will divide the class into seven groups one for each landform to be created. The students will imagine and discuss in small groups how to create landforms with modeling clay.
The students will plan together. Each group must produce a drawing of their assigned landform using crayons and paper before beginning to create the model of the landform. The teacher must approve the drawing before building the landform. Upon approval, the students will collaborate and build landforms given using modeling clay on a cardboard piece.
Representations described below may vary.
The lake group will use blue clay to form a flat lake surrounded by land made out of green and brown clay.
The mountain/valley group will use green and brown clay to create land with steep sides that rise up from the mainland. They may use a little white clay on the peak for snow. They will also focus on the location of a valley which is the low land between the mountains.
The river group will use blue clay to create a large stream that runs through land to another body of water. They will use green and brown clay to make land on both sides of the river.
The island group will use green and brown clay to form land completely surrounded by water using blue clay.
The desert group will use brown clay to create an extremely dry area with little water and few plants.
The plain group will use green clay to form land that represents a large area of flat, grassy land.
The ocean group will use blue clay to represent a large body of salt water.
After Activity
After 35 minutes of forming landforms with clay, each group will present their representation to the class, and the class will listen and critique each model. The group may make any improvements if necessary after discussing them with the class.
When all groups have shared and made improvements, the students will write a descriptive paragraph about the landform they created in their journals. After writing, they may illustrate the writing piece.
