Students can use a salt dough to make replicas of Missouri's plains, plateaus and mountains. To make the dough, mix 2 c. flour with 1 c. table salt, and then add 1 c. boiling water and 3 tsp. vegetable oil. Use a spoon to mix the dough before setting it to the side. Once the dough has cooled, knead it well before use. Use the salt dough to make models of Missouri's Northern Plains, the Ozark Plateau or the St. Francis Mountains.
Students can use paint to represent the different landforms found in Missouri. Green paint works well for representing prairie lands while blue paint is perfect for showing waterways. The Ozark Plateau occupies the largest land area in Missouri and is home to many springs, lakes and rivers. Both the Missouri and Mississippi rivers also flow through Missouri, so students may want to include these features in their landform diorama. Or, cut out the shape of the state of Missouri on a large piece of paper, and have students use paint on the paper to show these areas.
Students can add texture to features on a Missouri landform map using a glue and sand mixture. Pour nontoxic white glue into a plastic cup, add sand and use a straw or stick to mix it well. Once students have finished using the salt dough to form mountains, they can coat the landforms with the sand and glue mixture. Once the mixture dries, the mountains will have a rough, grainy texture.