- Definition
A landform is a natural shape or feature on the Earth's surface, like a mountain, valley, or plain.
A mountain is a landform because it is a natural feature that rises high above the ground around it.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A landform is like the different shapes you can make in a sandbox — a tall pile is a mountain, and a flat area is a plain.
Ask your child: What shapes do you see on the land when we look out the car window?
Common mix-up: Kids may think landforms are only huge things like mountains. Even a small hill or a flat field is a landform, as long as it's a natural shape on the Earth's surface.
Examples
- A valley is a landform that is a low area between hills or mountains.
- A flat, grassy plain is another type of landform.
landform is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
- Grade 3 Social Studies / History / Geography
- Grade 4 Social Studies / History / Geography
- Grade 7 Social Studies / History / Geography
+2 more mentions across the curriculum
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
