What are landforms?
The surface of the Earth has various natural physical features. These were created from various forces of nature, such as ice, water, wind and the movement of the tectonic plates under the earth’s surface. We call these features landforms.
Types of landforms
There are many types of landforms. These are the types of landforms grade 2 students learn about.
Mountains are large natural elevations of the earth’s surface rising abruptly from the surrounding level. They are formed from earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and erosion caused by wind, water and ice.
Plateaus are flat highlands separated from their surrounding land with steep slopes. They are formed from the collision of tectonic plates that cause the elevation of the earth’s surface.
Valleys are low areas of land between hills or mountains. Typically, a river or stream will flow through a valley. They are formed by glaciers and rivers.
Deserts are dry, barren lands, often covered in sand. These areas don’t get a lot of rain and lack vegetation. The air is very dry and the daytime temperature is high.
Islands are pieces of land completely surrounded by water. They are mostly formed by volcanoes.
Plains are large areas of flat grass with few trees. They are formed by the eroding soil from nearby hills or mountains, or from flowing lava deposited by wind, water or ice.
Rivers are large natural streams of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake or another stream. They start from rainfall from higher areas, such as mountains or hills.
Lakes are large bodies of water surrounded by land. They are formed by the movement of tectonic plates that create basins that fill with water.
Glaciers are slow-moving masses of ice formed by compact snow on top of mountains and near the North and South Poles. They move extremely slowly by gravity.
Deltas are triangular tracts of sediment deposited at the mouth of a river. They are formed from sand, silt and rock particles that accumulate at the entrance of the river.
Grade 2 landmarks and bodies of water worksheets
In our grade 2 science section, we’ve created a series of worksheets to help students practice labeling the different landforms and bodies of water.
