Shape It Up!

This interactive from Kinetic City provides the opportunity to experience how mountains, rivers, and canyons were formed. In this activity, you are presented with two images: one is a picture of a landscape as it currently is and the second is an image of the same landscape as it could be in the future—or their goal. Your job is to choose the force of nature you think is needed to get to the goal and then choose the length of time you think it will take to get to that goal. If you make a wrong choice, the game will let you know and you get to choose again.

The "Learn More" button provides you with more information about the forces of nature involved: volcanoes, water, glaciers (ice), and wind.

For Educators

This interactive resource can be used to stimulate interest in units on the processes that shape the earth. It is designed so that students can observe and explore how these forces of nature can shape and reshape the earth.

Before they click the "Start" button, they should first go through the "How to Play" section so they understand how the interactive works. They also could choose to go through the "Learn More" section to get more information about the forces they will encounter.

Allow students to manipulate the interactive on their own. Then discuss with the class what they have observed, encouraging students to name the forces of nature and to describe what the forces do individually, as well as how they may interact to shape and reshape the earth's surface. Encourage them to come up with questions or challenges that they would like to explore about the forces of nature and then have them pursue those questions for a research project.

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