Eight riddles on page 1 ask 2nd grade students to name a landform from a word bank of mountain, valley, plain, plateau, island, peninsula, canyon and hill. The clues are short, such as "Water is all around me" and "I am a deep valley a river cut into rock." Page 2 gives two I am, I have, What am I frames for students to write their own riddles. The sheet ties to NGSS 2-ESS2-2, and page 3 holds the key.
2-ESS2-2
“Develop a model to represent the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water in an area.”
Riddles 1 to 8 link the shape of the land, such as flat on top or water on three sides, to its name. Riddles 9 and 10 have students describe a landform in their own words.
Eight clues in two columns, each with a response box under it. Students pick the answer from the word bank above, for clues like "I am low land between two hills" and "I am smaller and rounder than a mountain."
Two shaded frames numbered 9 and 10, each with I am, I have and What am I lines. A mountain and river picture sits beside the first frame and a palm tree island beside the second.
Answers 1 to 8, then a note that riddles 9 and 10 will vary, with a sample clue set for an island with sandy beaches.
Read aloud first
Read riddles 5 and 6 aloud and let students show the shape with their hands before they write. Island and peninsula differ by one side of water.
Partner swap
Pairs trade their page 2 riddles and solve each other's. A clue that fits two landforms shows up straight away.
Cross off the bank
The word bank has eight words for eight riddles, so students can cross out each word as they use it. Tell them to start with the clues they are sure of.
Get started today
