Landform Map Activities for Kids
Geography and geology are important subjects for children to understand, in no small part because they are walking around on the object of study. However, it can be difficult to interest young children in geography's and geology's many terms and concepts. If you want to teach children about the different types of landforms on Earth, you might want to try setting up some engaging activities or projects for them.
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Papier-Mache Mountain
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One fun group project you can have your kids do is to create a papier-mache mountain based on a USGS topographic map. This will help them better understand the relationship between the elevation lines on the map and the actual height the lines represent. To do this, they will first have to use wire to create a frame work for the mountain. Then they can lay their paper strips over the frame. Once it all dries, they can paint it to resemble the map.
Fault Line Model
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Give each of your kids some oven-bakeable clay and have them use different colors to show a cross-section of a geologic fault line, such as the San Andreas or New Madrid faults. Once they complete the models, you can place them in an oven for the period recommended by the clay manufacturer. The baked, cooled models can be placed on a shelf in your classroom for display.
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Erosion Prevention
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Another group project for your kids is creating simulated pieces of terrain in large plastic containers. These containers should be wide and flat, like the containers sold for storing shoes or sweaters under the bed. In one, the students should place a mixture of soil and rocks and then plant grass seeds. In the other, they should add only the soil and rocks. They should water the grass, making sure not to over-water and to provide sunlight. When the grass reaches its full height, take the containers outside and place them against something so they are slightly tilted. Now spray each with a water hose. When the one without grass washes away easily, this will demonstrate to the children how roots from grasses and trees help to prevent mudslides and runoffs.
Making Maps
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Have your students create maps of their own worlds. These maps can be based on worlds they have read about in books or seen on television. The only requirement should be that these maps have the same sort of topographic lines that real maps have, to show elevations.
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