Mountains and How They Form
Year 3 Geography Exploring Physical Geography Understanding Mountain Formation
What is a Mountain?
A mountain is a very tall piece of land Mountains are usually taller than 600 metres They are much higher and steeper than hills Mountains often have snow on top They can be found all around the world
Can You Spot the Difference?
Look at these pictures Which ones are mountains? Which ones are hills? How can you tell the difference?
How Do Mountains Form?
The Earth's surface is made of giant puzzle pieces called tectonic plates These plates slowly move and push against each other When plates push together, land gets pushed up high This creates mountains over millions of years Some mountains form from volcanoes too!
Volcanic Mountains
Some mountains are formed by volcanoes Hot melted rock (magma) comes up from deep underground When it cools down, it becomes solid rock Layer by layer, this builds up into a mountain These mountains often have a cone shape
Build Your Own Mountain!
Work in groups of 4-5 students Use clay or playdough to build a mountain Make it taller than 60cm (our classroom scale!) Add labels: peak, base, slopes Decide if it's a folded mountain or volcanic mountain Present your mountain to the class
Mountain Facts Around the World
{"left":"Mount Everest is the world's tallest mountain at 8,848 metres\nBen Nevis is Scotland's highest mountain at 1,345 metres\nThe Himalayas were formed when India crashed into Asia","right":"Mount Fuji in Japan is a famous volcanic mountain\nThe Rocky Mountains stretch across North America\nSome mountains are still growing today!"}
What Have We Learned?
True or False: Hills are always shorter than 600 metres True or False: Mountains form when tectonic plates push together True or False: All mountains are formed by volcanoes Name one way mountains can form What's the difference between a hill and a mountain?