| Africa |
Africa is one of the seven largest areas of land on the earth. These areas of land are called continents. Africa is made up of over fifty different countries, and it is the second largest continent on our planet. Only Asia is bigger than Africa. People speak many different languages in Africa. Some of the languages are Swahili, Hausa, and Arabic. Africa is famous for its Nile River, Sahara Desert, the pyramids of Egypt, and its wild animals such as lions, zebras, hippos, and giraffes. |
| Antarctica |
Antarctica is one of the seven largest areas of land on the earth. These areas of land are called continents. The continent of Antarctica is very cold all year round. It has very few people living there because it is so cold, but scientists come there to study the continent and other people come to explore it. Antarctica is home to certain kinds of penguins, birds, seals, and other animals that can live in a cold climate. |
| anthill |
An anthill is a pile of earth that ants make when they dig in the ground to build their nest. |
| arctic |
If we talk about arctic temperatures, we mean very cold temperatures similar to how cold it gets in the arctic region of the earth. [1/3 definitions] |
| Arctic Ocean |
The Arctic Ocean is one of the five oceans of the world. An ocean is a large body of salt water that covers a very large part of the earth. The Arctic Ocean is in the most northern part of the world and it is very cold and icy. If you look at a map, it is above Canada, Russia, and other far northern countries of the world. |
| Asia |
Asia is one of the seven largest areas of land on the earth. These areas of land are called continents. Asia is the largest of all the seven continents on our planet, and it is made up of about fifty different countries. Asia also has more people than any other continent. Many different languages are spoken in Asia. Some of them are Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, Bengali, Farsi, and Arabic. |
| Atlantic Ocean |
The Atlantic Ocean is one of the five oceans on our planet. An ocean is a large body of salt water that covers a very large part of the earth. It is much bigger than a sea or lake. If you want to travel from America to Africa or Europe, the fastest way is to cross the Atlantic Ocean. |
| atmosphere |
All around the planet Earth are gases. These gases all together are called Earth's atmosphere. As our planet travels through space and around the sun, its atmosphere stays with it. Other planets can have an atmosphere too, but Earth's atmosphere has just the right mixture of gases for humans to live. Our atmosphere lets us breathe and also protects us from the strong energy of the sun. [1/2 definitions] |
| Australia |
Australia is a country but it is also a continent. A continent is one of the seven largest areas of land on the earth, like North America, Africa, or Asia. Most continents are made up of many countries, but Australia is both a continent and a single country. Australia is famous for its unusual animals, such as the kangaroo and the koala. These animals only live in Australia except if they live in a zoo. Australia is the smallest of all the continents, but it is still very large! [1/2 definitions] |
| body |
A body of water is a particular area of water on the earth. Lakes, oceans, and rivers are all bodies of water. A body of land is an area of land, like an island or a continent. Bodies of water and land often have names. [1/3 definitions] |
| Cape Verde |
Cape Verde is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean near the continent of Africa. It is made up of about ten islands. The islands of Cape Verde have some birds that do not live anywhere else on earth. The water near the shores of Cape Verde is famous for its beautiful coral. |
| cave |
A cave is a natural, hollow place in the earth. Caves often have openings in the side of a hill or cliff. A cave is often big enough for a person or animal to go inside it. Animals often use caves as shelters. |
| chemical |
Chemicals are the different substances that exist on the earth and in space. A chemical can be one basic substance, such as oxygen or gold or iron, but we also use the word chemical when we talk about mixtures of things, such as gasoline. People often think of chemicals as liquids, but chemicals can be solids and gases too. Chemicals are things that we can find in nature, but chemicals can also be substances that scientists make for special purposes, such as for medicines or products that we use in our daily lives. |
| clay |
Clay is wet earth that gets hard when you bake it in a hot oven. Clay is used for making things like bowls, pots, and bricks. When clay is soft and wet, it is easy to press it into whatever shape you want, but after you bake it, you can't change it at all! |
| coal |
Coal is a kind of hard material that is found in the earth. It looks like rock, but it isn't really rock. Coal is often black. It can be burned and used for fuel. Coal is sometimes used to produce the electricity that people use in their homes. |
| continent |
A continent is any one of the seven very large areas of land on the earth. These continents are called Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. When we talk about the countries that make up a particular continent, we often include islands that are close to that continent or are connected with it by culture and history. For example, when we talk about the island country of Madagascar, we call it part of Africa even though it does not actually touch the continent. |
| core |
The center part of a round, solid object is called its core. The center part of our planet Earth is called the Earth's core. The core of the Earth is similar to the core of an apple because they are both at the very center. [1/2 definitions] |
| crocodile |
A crocodile is a large reptile with a long tail and short legs. It is a powerful animal with thick skin, a long pointed snout, and many sharp teeth. Crocodiles live in rivers, lakes, and swamps in warm places on the earth. |
| Dead Sea |
The Dead Sea is a large lake in the Middle East that has very salty water. Oceans have salty water too, but the water in the Dead Sea is much saltier. Animals like fish and frogs cannot live in it. The Dead Sea lies between the countries of Israel and Jordan. The Dead Sea is the lowest place on the surface of the earth. |
| deep |
When something is deep, it goes far down or far back. A deep hole reaches far down into the earth. A deep cupboard goes far back behind the cupboard doors. |
| diamond |
A diamond is a clear mineral that is very, very hard. A diamond is actually the hardest natural thing you can find on earth! Diamonds are used in jewelry and also as tools to cut hard materials. [1/3 definitions] |