Social Studies Landforms Project
Project Due Date: Friday, October 19, 2012
Goal of Project:
After choosing a theme (i.e. deserts, fruit, pizza toppings, etc.), each group will
draw an original map in the shape of their choice. You are encouraged to maintain
your theme throughout your entire project. The map will include at least 10 of the
landforms defined in the introduction and chapter one of the social studies text.
The goal is to match each landform with a name that matches your theme. But
that’s not all! I would also like for each landform and theme name to work as
alliteration. For example, on my Nacho Island you can find Lettuce Lake, Salsa
Source, and Red Pepper River (see my attached example).
Project Details:
Each group must first select a shape to use as the base for the map (see example).
After drawing the outline of their shape, each student must select 10 landforms to
include on their map. Each of these landforms must be labeled on the map. Be sure
to check the example for clarification.
Project Requirements:
 Island drawn on a poster board (provided by Ms. Johnson)
 Island contains at least 10 landforms
 Drawings and landform labels are neatly drawn and written
 Alliterations match both your theme and an appropriate landform
 Entire poster board is used
 Poster is bright and colorful
 Poster is labeled with your name
 Poster has a title (for example: Nacho Island)
 CREATIVITY
Helpful Hint:
This project requires you to create a map of an island and include at least 10
landforms on that island. If you look in the landform bank, the term “island” is
listed. Therefore, just by drawing your shape you already have one landform drawn.
In addition, an island is an area of land that is completely surrounded by water, so
if you position your island in the center of the poster board, and label the remaining
poster, “________ Ocean/ Sea,” you already have two landforms completed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------By signing this contract, I agree that I have reviewed the details of this
assignment, am aware of the due date and understand that when graded, late
projects will be lowered by a full letter grade. I hereby promise to put first things
first in order to receive the best grade that I am capable of achieving.
______________________
Student Signature
Landform Bank:
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Archipelago: a chain of islands
Basin: bowl-shaped land surrounded by higher land
Beach: a piece of land that is alongside a body of water
Canyon: a deep, narrow valley with steep sides
Cape: a narrow point of land that extends out into a body of water
Coastal plain: an area of flat land along a sea or ocean
Gulf: a body of water that is surrounded by land on three sides
Hill: land that is higher than a plain, but not as steep as a mountain
Island: land that is surrounded by water on all sides
Isthmus: a narrow strip of land that connects two larger areas of
land
Lake: a body of water entirely surrounded by land
Mountain: the highest, steepest land around
Mountain range: a row or mountains
Mouth: the place where a river empties into a larger body of water
Ocean: a body of salt water larger than a sea
Peninsula: land that is surrounded by water on three sides
Plain: a area of open, flat land
Plateau: a large area of high, flat land
River: a large stream of water that flows from higher to lower land
Source: the start of a river
Sea: a body of salt water smaller than an ocean
Tributary: a small river or stream that flows into a larger river
Valley: land that lies between mountains or hills
Volcano: a cone shaped mountain with lava erupting from it
Waterfall: a steep drop from a high place to a lower place in a stream
or river
Social Studies Landforms Project
Grading Rubric
Student name: ______________________________
Island name: ________________________________
*Projects that are turned in after the Friday, October 19, 2012 due date
will be lowered by one letter grade.*
CATEGORY
4
Landforms
Present
10 landforms are
labeled on the map.
Position of landforms
is logical.
Spelling and
Capitalization
100% of words on the
map are spelled and
capitalized correctly.
Creativity
The student shows an
exceptional amount of
creativity on this
project.
The student shows
creativity on this
project.
The student shows
minimal creativity on
this project.
The student shows
little to no creativity
on this project.
Neatness of
Poster
There are no visible
errors and all
features are colored
completely.
There are minimal
errors and most
features are colored
completely.
There are many
errors and most
features are colored
completely.
Lines, corrections of
errors, and/or
features are not
neatly done.
Rubric Total:
Comments:
3
2
9-7 landforms are
labeled on the map
6-4 landforms are
labeled on the map.
1
Less than 4
landforms are labeled
on the map.
More than 50% of
Most of the words on
Less than 50% of the
the words on the
the map are spelled
words on the map are
maps are spelled/and
and capitalized
spelled and/or
or capitalized
correctly.
capitalized correctly.
correctly.
**Example**
Nacho Island
Tomato Tributary
Meat Mountain
Sour Cream Sea
Guacamole Gulf
Lettuce
Lake
Jalapeño Hills
Red Pepper
River
Onion Ocean
Cheesy Coastal Plains