US Physical Features Map Quiz
A free map quiz for the landforms and waterways of the United States: mountain ranges, plains, rivers, lakes and the oceans around the country. The quiz names a feature and students tap it on the map, or in Hard mode they type every one they know.
It covers the features most 4th and 5th grade social studies books teach – the Rocky Mountains and Appalachians, the Great Plains, the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, all five Great Lakes, the Gulf of Mexico and more. Each one is labeled as a river, lake, mountain range or landform.
How to use it in class
- Explore first. Open Explore on the board and tap each feature. Its name is read aloud and labeled, along with what kind of feature it is.
- Play Classic. The quiz names a feature and students tap it. Rivers have a wide tap area, and the Grand Canyon and Great Salt Lake have dots to tap.
- Learn from mistakes. A wrong tap shows what was tapped. After three misses the right feature flashes and has to be tapped before moving on.
- Try Hard mode. Students type every feature from memory – short names like “Rockies”, “Appalachians” or “Mississippi” all work.
- Review and share. At the end, “Review map” shows every feature in its result color, and “Challenge a friend” makes a link to share.
Classroom ideas
East vs. West
Compare the Appalachians in the east with the Rockies in the west. Which are taller, and which are older?
Follow the river
Trace the Missouri River into the Mississippi and on to the Gulf of Mexico, and list the states it passes.
HOMES
Use the classic memory trick for the Great Lakes – Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior – then find each one.
All 25 physical features in this quiz
- Appalachian Mountains
- Atlantic Ocean
- Cascade Range
- Coastal Plain
- Colorado Plateau
- Colorado River
- Columbia River
- Grand Canyon
- Great Basin
- Great Plains
- Great Salt Lake
- Gulf of Mexico
- Hudson River
- Lake Erie
- Lake Huron
- Lake Michigan
- Lake Ontario
- Lake Superior
- Mississippi River
- Missouri River
- Ohio River
- Pacific Ocean
- Rio Grande
- Rocky Mountains
- Sierra Nevada
Frequently asked questions
Which features are in the quiz?
Mountains: Rocky Mountains, Appalachian Mountains, Sierra Nevada and Cascade Range. Landforms: Great Plains, Great Basin, Coastal Plain, Colorado Plateau and Grand Canyon. Rivers: Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Colorado, Rio Grande, Columbia and Hudson. Lakes: Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario and Great Salt Lake. Water: Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean.
Where do the outlines come from?
From Natural Earth, a free public-domain map dataset. Mountain ranges and plains don’t have exact borders, so their outlines are approximate, like on any classroom map.
What is the longest river in the US?
The Missouri River is slightly longer than the Mississippi. Together, the Missouri–Mississippi system is one of the longest in the world.
Is it free?
Yes. It’s free, with no sign-up, on any device.