Section 1
Water Covers Most of Earth's Surface
Almost three-fourths of Earth is covered by water, appearing blue from space. Oceans contain salt water, while rivers, streams, and most lakes contain fresh water without salt.
In this Grade 3 science lesson from Science: A Closer Look, students explore Earth's surface features, learning key vocabulary such as ocean, continent, landform, crust, mantle, and core. Students discover that nearly three-fourths of Earth is covered by water and identify major land and water features including mountains, valleys, canyons, plains, plateaus, peninsulas, and islands. The lesson also introduces the seven continents and the features found on the ocean floor.
Section 1
Water Covers Most of Earth's Surface
Almost three-fourths of Earth is covered by water, appearing blue from space. Oceans contain salt water, while rivers, streams, and most lakes contain fresh water without salt.
Section 2
Landforms Shape Earth's Surface Features
Landforms include mountains with steep sides, valleys between hills, flat plains, plateaus with flat tops, canyons with steep walls, and coastal features like peninsulas and islands.
Section 3
Ocean Floor Contains Underwater Landscapes
The ocean floor extends from continental shelves near coastlines to abyssal plains and deep trenches. These underwater features mirror land-based landforms with mountains, valleys, and canyons.
Section 4
Earth Consists of Three Major Layers
Earth has three main layers: the thin outer crust where we live, the middle mantle containing both solid and flowing rock, and the hot core with liquid outer and solid inner sections.
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Section 1
Water Covers Most of Earth's Surface
Almost three-fourths of Earth is covered by water, appearing blue from space. Oceans contain salt water, while rivers, streams, and most lakes contain fresh water without salt.
Section 2
Landforms Shape Earth's Surface Features
Landforms include mountains with steep sides, valleys between hills, flat plains, plateaus with flat tops, canyons with steep walls, and coastal features like peninsulas and islands.
Section 3
Ocean Floor Contains Underwater Landscapes
The ocean floor extends from continental shelves near coastlines to abyssal plains and deep trenches. These underwater features mirror land-based landforms with mountains, valleys, and canyons.
Section 4
Earth Consists of Three Major Layers
Earth has three main layers: the thin outer crust where we live, the middle mantle containing both solid and flowing rock, and the hot core with liquid outer and solid inner sections.
Book overview
Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.
Continue this chapter