Section 1
Water and Wind Shape Earth's Surface
Flowing water creates streams, rivers, canyons, and beaches while wind forms sand dunes. Together, these forces constantly transform landforms, making mountains steeper and valleys deeper.
In this Grade 4 lesson from Science: A Closer Look, Chapter 3, students explore Earth's major landforms — including mountains, plains, canyons, and sand dunes — and learn how water and wind shape Earth's surface over time. Students also discover Earth's internal layers (crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core) and examine features like river deltas and drainage basins where water meets land.
Section 1
Water and Wind Shape Earth's Surface
Flowing water creates streams, rivers, canyons, and beaches while wind forms sand dunes. Together, these forces constantly transform landforms, making mountains steeper and valleys deeper.
Section 2
Rivers Create Deltas Where Land Meets Water
When rivers slow down at oceans, they deposit soil and sand, forming triangle-shaped deltas. Water also creates drainage basins where rivers collect water from large land areas.
Section 3
Scientists Divide Earth into Four Layers
Earth consists of the brittle crust on the surface, the solid but movable mantle below, the liquid outer core, and the solid inner core at the center.
Section 4
Oceans Contain Features Similar to Land
Continental shelves extend from shores, while continental slopes lead down to the ocean floor. The ocean floor contains mountain ranges, underwater volcanoes, and deep trenches.
Section 5
Scientists Perform Experiments to Study Landslides
By creating model mountains with soil and water, scientists test how landslides occur and what barriers might prevent damage to buildings and landscapes.
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Section 1
Water and Wind Shape Earth's Surface
Flowing water creates streams, rivers, canyons, and beaches while wind forms sand dunes. Together, these forces constantly transform landforms, making mountains steeper and valleys deeper.
Section 2
Rivers Create Deltas Where Land Meets Water
When rivers slow down at oceans, they deposit soil and sand, forming triangle-shaped deltas. Water also creates drainage basins where rivers collect water from large land areas.
Section 3
Scientists Divide Earth into Four Layers
Earth consists of the brittle crust on the surface, the solid but movable mantle below, the liquid outer core, and the solid inner core at the center.
Section 4
Oceans Contain Features Similar to Land
Continental shelves extend from shores, while continental slopes lead down to the ocean floor. The ocean floor contains mountain ranges, underwater volcanoes, and deep trenches.
Section 5
Scientists Perform Experiments to Study Landslides
By creating model mountains with soil and water, scientists test how landslides occur and what barriers might prevent damage to buildings and landscapes.
Book overview
Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.
Continue this chapter