Science
Chapter 6
Lesson 1
“Landforms”
Vocabulary:
1. Landform- A part on the Earth’s surface that has a certain shape and is formed
naturally.
Types of landforms:
1. Mountain- A raised part of the land, usually with steep sides, that rises above
the area around it.
2. Valley- The low area of land between mountains, hills, or other high areas.
3. Plain- A large land area that is mostly flat.
4. Plateau- A flat area of land that is higher than the land around it.
5. Canyon- A narrow and deep valley that often has a stream or river flowing
through it.
● About three-fourths of the Earth’s surface is covered by water and 97% of that water is
salt water.
●A canyon is formed when a river or stream cuts through the land over a long period of
time as shown in the picture below:
Lesson 2
“Earth’s Crust”
Vocabulary:
Earth’s Layers:
1. crust- The outermost layer of the Earth where all living things are
located.
2. mantle- The middle layer of the Earth which is the thickest layer
made of rock.
3. core- The Earth’s deep innermost layer which contains melted rock
and metal.
3 Types of Rock:
1. igneous rock- Rock that forms when melted rock from inside the
Earth cools and hardens.
2. sedimentary rock- A rock that forms when sediment hardens into
thin layers.
3. metamorphic rock- A rock that forms when heat and pressure
change other rocks.
Other Vocabulary:
1. mineral- A material that is found in nature that has never been alive.
2. earthquake- A sudden movement of large sections of rock beneath the
Earth’s surface.
3. fault- A crack in the Earth’s crust where pressure can build up and
cause earthquakes.
4. volcano- An opening in the Earth’s crust through which hot ash,
gases, and melted rock move from deep inside Earth to
the surface.
5. fossil- The remains of a once living plant or animal.
● The Earth’s mantle is made of rock that acts like a thick fluid.
● Rapid changes in Earth’s landforms are most likely to occur from earthquakes.
● The Earth’s crust is thicker under land than under the oceans, as shown in the picture
below:
Lesson 3
“Soil”
Vocabulary:
1. Soil- The loose material that covers much of the Earth’s surface.
2. Weathering- The breaking up or wearing away of rock.
3. Erosion- The process of carrying weathered rock from one place to another.
4. Humus- The decayed remains of plants and animals.
● Refer to the diagram below for the following notes:
● Layer A is called topsoil. Topsoil is the top layer of soil, which contains a lot
of humus. Plants grow well in topsoil.
● Layer B is called subsoil. Subsoil contains small pieces of rock and very
little humus.
● Layer C is called bedrock. Bedrock is the solid layer of rock that lies below the
lowest layer of soil.
● Trees that live in rock grow roots that slowly break the rock apart over time.