Landforms and Geomorphic Processes

Active learning helps students visualize slow, large-scale processes that are difficult to observe directly. For landforms and geomorphic processes, hands-on modeling and simulation make abstract concepts concrete, allowing students to test hypotheses about erosion, deposition, and tectonic forces in real time.

• Grade 11
• Geography
• 4 activities
• 40 min–60 min

Learning Objectives

1. Explain the distinct processes that create different types of mountain ranges, such as fold, fault-block, and volcanic mountains.
2. Analyze the impact of glacial erosion and deposition on shaping major Canadian landforms, including valleys and drumlins.
3. Design a detailed, labeled diagram illustrating the step-by-step formation of a river delta, from sediment transport to deposition.
4. Compare and contrast the erosional forces of rivers and glaciers in shaping landscapes.

Jigsaw

⏱ 50 min·Small Groups

Jigsaw: Mountain Formation Processes

Divide class into expert groups on fold, fault-block, and volcanic mountains; each researches one type using diagrams and videos. Experts then regroup to teach peers and co-create comparison charts. Conclude with a class timeline of Canadian mountain evolution.

Prepare & details

Explain the processes that lead to the formation of different types of mountains.

Facilitation Tip: During the Jigsaw Protocol, assign each expert group a specific plate boundary type and have them prepare a short demonstration with labeled diagrams before teaching their peers.

Setup: Flexible seating for regrouping

Materials: Expert group reading packets, Note-taking template, Summary graphic organizer

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Concept Mapping

⏱ 45 min·Pairs

Stream Table Simulation: Delta Formation

Provide stream tables with sand and adjustable water flow. Students adjust slope and sediment load to form deltas, measure changes, and sketch stages. Discuss variables affecting delta shape in pairs before sharing data class-wide.

Prepare & details

Analyze how glacial activity shapes landscapes over geological time.

Facilitation Tip: For the Stream Table Simulation, run multiple trials with different sediment sizes and flow rates to show how deposition patterns change over time.

Setup: Tables with large paper, or wall space

Materials: Concept cards or sticky notes, Large paper, Markers, Example concept map

• Understand
• Analyze
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management

Concept Mapping

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

Clay Modeling: Glacial Landscapes

Students sculpt valley models from clay, then use wooden tools to simulate glacial erosion and deposition. Compare pre- and post-erosion forms, label features, and present how Canadian landscapes match. Photograph for digital portfolios.

Prepare & details

Design a diagram illustrating the formation of a river delta.

Facilitation Tip: When using Clay Modeling for glacial landscapes, have students mark their clay with a pencil to trace the movement of debris and compare it to real glacial landforms like drumlins or moraines.

Setup: Tables with large paper, or wall space

Materials: Concept cards or sticky notes, Large paper, Markers, Example concept map

• Understand
• Analyze
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management

Concept Mapping

⏱ 60 min·Pairs

Field Mapping: Local Geomorphic Features

If possible, visit schoolyard or nearby site; students map landforms with compasses and sketch erosion evidence. Back in class, analyze photos to classify processes and predict future changes.

Prepare & details

Explain the processes that lead to the formation of different types of mountains.

Setup: Tables with large paper, or wall space

Materials: Concept cards or sticky notes, Large paper, Markers, Example concept map

• Understand
• Analyze
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management

Teaching This Topic

Experienced teachers approach this topic by using a mix of analog modeling and real-world case studies to bridge the gap between abstract theory and observable phenomena. Avoid relying solely on diagrams or textbook images, as these often oversimplify the dynamic nature of geomorphic processes. Instead, prioritize activities that allow students to manipulate variables and observe outcomes, reinforcing the idea that landforms evolve over long timescales through competing forces.

What to Expect

Students will accurately explain how tectonic, glacial, and fluvial processes shape landforms and support their explanations with evidence from models and simulations. They will also identify key landform features and link them to the processes that created them.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Jigsaw Protocol, watch for students who assume mountain formation happens rapidly.

What to Teach Instead

Use the expert group’s labeled diagrams and peer teaching to emphasize that mountain ranges like the Rockies form over millions of years due to slow tectonic uplift and erosion. Have students calculate the average rate of uplift in cm/year based on geological data.

Common Misconception

During the Clay Modeling: Glacial Landscapes activity, watch for students who believe glaciers only erode the landscape.

What to Teach Instead

Have students observe how their clay ‘glacier’ deposits debris (till) at its snout and sides, then compare this to images of glacial moraines. Ask them to describe the dual role of glaciers in both carving and building landforms.

Common Misconception

During the Stream Table Simulation: Delta Formation, watch for students who think river deltas form primarily through erosion.

What to Teach Instead

Guide students to measure sediment deposition at the delta’s edge during each trial. Ask them to explain how the drop in river velocity leads to sediment settling and delta growth, using their data to counter the misconception.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After the Jigsaw Protocol, present students with three landform images and ask them to write the landform name and the primary process responsible for its creation on a sticky note. Collect and group responses to identify patterns in understanding.

Discussion Prompt

During the Clay Modeling: Glacial Landscapes activity, pose the question: 'If a glacier and a river both flowed through this area for 10,000 years, what key differences would we see in the landscape?' Use their tactile models and vocabulary (e.g., striations, moraines, V-shaped valleys) to assess their understanding of erosional vs. depositional features.

Exit Ticket

After the Stream Table Simulation: Delta Formation, ask students to write a two-sentence explanation of how sediment deposition creates deltas and list one real-world example, such as the Fraser River Delta. Review their responses to check for accurate connections between velocity, deposition, and delta growth.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge students to design and test an experiment that simulates how a sudden increase in river flow (like a flood) would change delta formation in the stream table.
• For students who struggle, provide pre-labeled landform cards with visual cues to help them match processes to features before modeling.
• Deeper exploration: Have students research a specific landform in Canada (e.g., the Niagara Escarpment) and present how both erosional and depositional processes contributed to its formation over time.

Key Vocabulary

Orogeny	The process of mountain formation, especially by folding and faulting of the Earth's crust.
Glacial Till	The unsorted mixture of clay, silt, sand, gravel, and boulders deposited directly by a glacier as it melts.
Fluvial Deposition	The process by which sediments, transported by a river, are dropped or settled in a new location, often forming landforms like deltas.
Plate Tectonics	The theory that Earth's outer shell is divided into several plates that glide over the mantle, driving processes like mountain building and earthquakes.
Abrasion (Glacial)	The grinding and scraping of rock fragments embedded in glacial ice against the bedrock, which erodes the landscape.