Fourth graders learn that the tallest mountains began as flat rock, pushed up slowly where the Earth's plates collide and then worn down over ages, and put the steps of mountain-building in order.
Students will be able to…
The tallest mountains were once flat, low rock. What slow and powerful process pushes rock miles into the sky, and what wears it back down?
Project this and put the steps of how a mountain forms in order — tap each one from deep inside the Earth to the worn-down peaks.
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
The tallest mountains on Earth are miles high, yet the rock in them was once flat and low. What force is strong enough to push a whole mountain up?
Students put the mountain-building steps in order.
Students model folding with paper or clay.
Students explain mountain-building.
Students reflect on how mountains form.
Aligned to Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core literacy. State-standard crosswalks available on request.
Make observations to provide evidence of the effects of weathering and erosion.
Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations to support an explanation for changes in a landscape.
Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed the surface at varying scales.
Explain events and ideas in a scientific text, including what happened and why.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Have students draw the steps from flat rock to a peak, label the moving plates, and add how the mountain is worn down, so the whole slow process holds together. A printable mountain-building worksheet is in the Science library.
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A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.