An ecosystem is the relationship among living things and habitats within an area. Some can be as small as a single tree or as large as an entire forest. Marshes, deserts and forests are examples of an ecosystem. The concept of ecosystems can be an abstract one without engaging activities to help students understand. Field trips to areas where wildlife can be observed, plant life is flourishing and insects can be identified are good activities for third graders. The food chain can be explained through participation in role-playing activities where roles of either prey or predator are assumed. This provides a better understanding of both roles.
Landforms are defined as the natural features and shapes of an area. Some examples are mountains, valleys, canyons, caves, volcanoes, bodies of water and deserts. A good book for teaching landforms in third grade is "Geography From A to Z" by Jack Knowlton. The illustrations help students learn definitions and characteristics of the landforms. Kids can make booklets of their own by folding 8 1/2-inch by 14-inch sheets of paper in half and stapling them together on the fold. They can add letters of the alphabet to each of the pages and leave room to draw a landforms feature that begins with that letter.
The climate of an area refers to the average weather conditions over a long period. Weather refers to current conditions occurring at any one moment. Third-graders can better understand the difference by comparing the weather of different locations. For example, show a video about the climate in Hawaii and one about Alaska. Compare the two climates, then discuss the difference. Make flash cards with pictures of different types of weather such as snow, wind, rain and sun. Have students work in pairs to match weather conditions with different geographical locations on the map.
A culture is a group of people who have commonly shared customs, beliefs, values and ethics. A society is not the same as a culture, but they are connected. A good activity to help develop understanding about another country is to let students choose one to research and report on. Students can make a booklet with illustrations of clothing, foods and traditions of their country. A culminating activity is to prepare a food from the country and share it will the class.