Science · Earth Science
Earth’s Surface — Reading Comprehension Lesson
Reading comprehension passage and printable worksheet about Earth’s surface — landforms, weathering, erosion, and how the land changes — for grades 3–6.
Subject
Science
Grade Level
Grades 3–6
Lesson Length
30–45 minutes
Format
Lesson page + printable PDF
Reading Passage
Earth’s Surface
Earth’s surface is constantly changing. Mountains rise and erode, rivers carve valleys, and coastlines shift over time. The forces that shape Earth’s surface come from both inside the planet and from the weather and water on its outside. Understanding how these forces work helps scientists explain the landscapes we see around us.
Weathering is the process that breaks rocks into smaller pieces. Physical weathering happens when water freezes in the cracks of rocks and expands, splitting them apart. Roots growing into rock can do the same thing. Chemical weathering happens when rain, acids, or other chemicals dissolve or change the minerals in rock. Over many years, even the hardest rocks slowly break apart through weathering.
After rocks are broken down by weathering, the loose material can be moved by erosion. Erosion happens when wind, water, ice, or gravity carries pieces of rock and soil from one place to another. Rivers are one of the most powerful agents of erosion — they carry sediment downstream and deposit it in new places, building up deltas and floodplains.
Earth’s surface is marked by many kinds of landforms. Mountains are high landforms formed by the movement of tectonic plates or by volcanic activity. Valleys are low areas between hills or mountains, often carved by rivers or glaciers. Plains are flat areas of land that are often used for farming. Plateaus are elevated flat-topped landforms with steep sides.
Glaciers are large masses of ice that move slowly across the land. As they advance, glaciers scrape and carve the surface below, creating valleys, lakes, and other features. Many of the lakes in northern parts of North America were formed by glaciers during the last ice age. Even today, glaciers continue to shape parts of Earth’s surface in the polar regions and in high mountain ranges.
Printable Worksheet
Printable PDF · 4 pages
Earth’s Surface Reading Comprehension Worksheet
Printable worksheet includes the reading passage and comprehension questions about Earth’s surface, landforms, weathering, and erosion. Includes answer key.
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