Physical geography Chapter Notes | Social Studies for Grade 3 PDF Download

Introduction

Identify Earth's Land Features Using Photographs

Photographs show what Earth’s land features look like in real life.

• Mountains appear as tall, rocky areas, sometimes with snow on top.
• Hills look shorter and smoother than mountains, often covered in grass.
• Plains are shown as flat, open spaces, sometimes with farms or fields.
• Valleys are low areas between hills or mountains, often with a river.
• Rivers are long, winding paths of water flowing through the land.
• Lakes are calm, large pools of water surrounded by land.
• Deserts have lots of sand or rocks with few plants or trees.
• Forests are filled with many trees and plants, often home to animals.

Photographs help us understand and recognize these land features.

Ocens and Continents

Identify Oceans and Continents

Earth is made up of large areas of water called oceans and large areas of land called continents.

• Oceans are huge bodies of salty water that cover most of the Earth’s surface.
• Continents are big pieces of land where people, animals, and plants live.
• Maps and globes show where oceans and continents are located.
• Oceans are usually colored blue on maps, while continents have different colors.
• Each ocean and continent has a unique name to tell them apart.
• Learning their names and locations helps us understand Earth’s layout.
• Some continents are close together, while others are far apart, separated by oceans.
• Maps and globes show how oceans and continents fit together like a puzzle.

Knowing oceans and continents helps us learn about the world.

Name Oceans and Continents

Earth has five oceans and seven continents, each with its own name.

• The five oceans are:
  • Pacific Ocean: The largest and deepest ocean in the world.
  • Atlantic Ocean: The second largest, between North America, South America, Europe, and Africa.
  • Indian Ocean: A warm ocean near India and Australia.
  • Southern Ocean: A cold ocean surrounding the South Pole.
  • Arctic Ocean: A small, icy ocean near the North Pole.
• The seven continents are:
  • North America: Includes countries like the United States and Canada.
  • South America: Located below North America, with countries like Brazil.
  • Africa: A large continent with deserts, jungles, and animals like elephants.
  • Asia: The biggest continent, with countries like China and India.
  • Australia: A continent and country with unique animals like kangaroos.
  • Europe: Includes countries like France and Germany.
  • Antarctica: A cold continent covered in ice, home to penguins.