Grade 6 · Social Studies · Lesson 12

Mountains and plateaus

Mountains and plateaus are the highest places on Earth\'s land surface. They are not random — they sit where the slow but immense forces of the planet have pushed, folded, or melted rock upward over millions of years. Understanding why a mountain range stands where it does also helps explain weather patterns, where civilisations grew, and where rivers begin.

What this lesson teaches

1Explain how tectonic plate collisions and volcanic activity build mountains
2Locate the world's major mountain ranges on a continent map
3Describe what a plateau is and name an example
4Explain how mountains create rain shadows and shape human settlement

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