Grade 5 Geography Term 2 worksheets

Physical structure of South Africa

High and low areas, mountains, rivers and lakes

You have learned that a ________________________________ shows countries and borders.

A physical map shows the heights of the land above sea level. Sea level is where the sea meets the land. We also call
it the coastline.
A physical map also shows natural or physical
features such as rivers, lakes and Another word for height is
altitude.
___________________ Heights on all South African
maps are shown in METERS
above sea level.

Ways to show height on a map

1. Trigonometric beacon 2. Spot Height 3. Contour line

The build of South Africa (shape and height of the land)

When Geographers describe what the land looks like, they use words such as flat, hilly, mountainous, high, low and
steep. These words describe the _____________________ of the land.

FIGURE A:The drawing shows the build of the land across South Africa, from the Atlantic Ocean in the West to
the Indian Ocean in the east.

1
Look at FIGURE A to name the high and low land across South Africa using the words in the boxes
1. ________________ (Atlantic ocean)
 Very high land  Flat and high land
2. _______________________________
 Sea  Steeply sloping land
3. _______________________________  Sea  Flat and low land
 Flat and low land
4. _______________________________

5. _______________________________

6. _______________________________
Steeply sloping land
7. __________________(Indian ocean)
separating high and low
land
High and low land
In South Africa most of the low land is next to the ________________
The low, flat land closest to the sea is mostly at the ________________height as the sea.
This land is therefore described as being at ________________________
Much of the centre of the country is ______________________ and high above sea level, with some steep mountains.

FIGURE B: Geography terms to describe the build of South Africa

Make use of FIGURE B to use the correct Geography terms to describe the build of South Africa
using the words in the box Escarpment Coastal plain Sea High mountains Coastal plain Plateau Sea

1. ________________ 2. _____________________ 3. ____________________ 4. _____________________

5. ________________ 6. _____________________ 1. ____________________

2
Complete the table:

Describing Words Correct terms

Flat and low land Coastal plain
Flat and high land
Very high land
Steeply sloping land

Geography terms to describe the build of South Africa

FIGURE C

Fill in the missing words from the words in the block

poles, sea level, equator, oceans, continents, border,

A. The line where a calm sea meets the land is called ___________________________
B. The ________________________is the imaginary line around the centre of the globe.
C. The large pieces of land on a world map are called the ______________________________
D. The northern and southern points of the earth’s axis are called the ___________________________
E. The large stretches of sea on a world map are the __________________________
F. When you cross from one country to another, you cross a national ____________________

FIGURE D: Build of South Africa

3
Physical features
1. The _______________of the land tells us whether land is high, low, steep or flat. There often are natural shapes
that also stand out from the rest of the land.
2. In Geography, these are called the physical features of a _____________________________
3. Mountains, ___________________ , ____________________, ______________________, ________________,
_____________________, _________________________ and ____________________are all physical features.

Sea levels
1. Geographers measure the height from the land from where the sea and the land _____________________
2. Such a place is either at sea level or above sea level.
3. Sea level is measured in _______________________
4. A place or feature that is at sea level is at ____________________
5. The ___________________ where the land meets the sea.
6. ___________________ are formed where a coastline curves into the land.
7. A ____________________ is formed where the land juts out into the sea in a point.
8. _____________________________ is where a river ends by flowing into the sea.

FIGURE D:
 Coastal plain – Area of flat low-lying land next to the coastline
 Cape – A narrow piece of land that sticks into the sea and is partially surrounded by water
 Coastline – The area where the land meets the sea
 River mouth – The place where a river ends by flowing into the sea/ocean
 Bay – Body of water connected to the sea
FIGURE E: Physical feature at sea level

FIGURE E: Physical features at sea level

Sea
1

5
3
2
6
3
4

4
Make use of FIGURE E to name the following numbers

1. ____________________ Use FIGURE D and your own knowledge to use the correct Geography terms to
2. Sea describe the physical features at sea level in South Africa.
3. ____________________
Give ONE word for:
4. ____________________
 Body of water connected to the sea: __________________
5. ____________________  The area where the land meets the sea: _______________
6. ____________________  Area of flat low-lying land next to the coastline: _________________
7. River  A narrow piece of land that sticks into the sea and is partially surrounded
by water: ____________
 The place where a river ends by flowing into the sea/ocean: _________

Rivers
1. Rivers are always coloured in __________________ on a map. Rivers always flow downstream.
2. A river is a channel of __________________ water that flows towards an ocean, a lake, a sea or into another
river. We call that a perennial river.
3. Sometimes a river flows into the ground or dries up completely. We call that a non-perennial river.
4. Rivers can be small and narrow and flow slowly. Or they can be big and wide and flow fast.
5. A small river is sometimes called a _____________________________
6. Rivers are important because they carry fresh water to farms, towns and factories.
7. Some rivers are deep enough for boats to sail on them. They are then used to transport people and goods.

Where a river begins:

8. Rivers always begin in _________________places and then flow down towards _______________ places.
9. The place where a river begins is called the ________________________ of the river.
10. The source of a river is often _____________ up in a mountain where it rains a lot or in a lake which is on high
ground.
11.The source of a river can also start at the point where an underground spring bubbles up at the surface. Such a
river might start as a small stream and then be joined by other streams as it makes its way down a slope.
12. Big rivers can flow for many kilometres on their journey, towards the ______________
13. Rivers that flow strongly can carve deep valleys and gorges into the land.
14.Sometimes a river can drop suddenly from a high level down to a much lower level. The river forms a
_______________ at this place. Large rivers are often joined at their journey to the sea by other rivers.
15.The rivers that join the main river are called ________________. The main river and all its tributaries are
together called a _______________________

5
 Use the words in the block to label each part A-D in FIGURE G

delta, river, mouth, tributary, river resource, main river

FIGURE : F Journey of a river

A: B: C: D: E:
_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ ___________________

Make use of FIGURE F to write a paragraph about the journey of a river using the
words mouth ,delta ,source main river, tributary etc. (5x1) (5)

6
Physical map of Africa

Physical features and human activities

When people live in an area that changes the natural environment and the landscape all the time .

1. People and rivers

Everybody needs water to live. Most of the world’s big cities
are near rivers. Water is a natural resource and therefore we must safe water.
Name four ways you can safe water at your house:
1. _________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________________
Name four ways you can safe water at your school:

1.___________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________________

7
 2 People and mountains
Most people don’t live in the mountain areas. Most people live in the flat areas.

Complete the table:

Reasons why most people live in flat areas Reasons why few people live in mountains
1. The land is flat for __________________________. 1. The land is too steep for ____________________.
2. The weather is ____________________________. 2. The weather is _________________________.
3. There is ___________________space for building 3. It is __________________________ to build roads.
settlements , roads etc.

3.People and the coast

There are many reasons why people live and work near the coast.

Complete the following sentences:

a. The area is close to the sea for __________________________.
b. There are __________________________ for ships.
c. The land is __________________ at the coastal areas for buildings.
d. The _____________________is good for farming.
e. There are big rivers for ________________ and ______________________.
f. Name FOUR places in SA with harbours:

___________________, ____________________, ____________________________, __________________

8
 4. Human activities:
People changes the natural environment and the landscape of places all the time because of human
_____________________.

Some of these needs are:

1. More _______________to get to 2. __________________ to live in 3. ______________ for their
work and back. children

4. ______________ to buy thing 5._____________ need to be built

for water

FIGURE G: Impact of human activities

Impact: Influence or effect of something

1. Name TWO negative impacts factories have on the environment:

 __________________________________________________________
 __________________________________________________________

2. Name TWO negative impacts towns have on the environment:

 __________________________________________________________
 __________________________________________________________

9
 FIGURE G: Case study

Teachers’ own question about case study

10