Changing the Shape of Land

Oceans have waves that move. Rivers have water that flows from place to place. At home you might see moving water in the sink or shower.

If you look at the trees you can see the wind moving the leaves. If you stand outside on a windy day, you might see the wind moving loose objects like empty containers.

Land can change from natural disasters, humans changing it, water and wind can change land as well through a process called erosion.

Wind could blow the soil around or water from the rain could carry the soil downhill.

Waves move the sand around on the beach. The waves also crush shells making them into tiny pieces that look like sand.

Wind can move sand, dry soil or dust. Strong winds can carry heavier things.

Wind can carry soil across a distance, such as sand dunes forming or being blown away. This is called wind erosion.

Water can carry tiny pieces of the Earth’s surface downstream, like how the Grand Canyon was formed by the flowing water of the Colorado River.

Wind breaking down rocks and carrying the particles away is an example of erosion. You can also see how over time a river carries soil downstream and makes rocks in the river smoother.

Flowing water carved into the rock and carried the particles downstream. Over a long time, the river carved deeper and deeper and the Grand Canyon became how it is today.

Natural and manmade objects can block the water from eroding soil. Humans can plant grass or add mulch and stones on top of soil to keep it from moving away.

You could plant trees to slow down the wind. You could also add plants like grass, whose roots will keep the soil in the ground.