Guiana Shield

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/guiana-shield

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the age of formation?Precambrian, approximately 1.7 billion years old
2. What is the geological classification?One of three cratons of the South American Plate
3. Why are the tepuis called "islands in the sky"?Tepuis are flat‑topped mountains that stand alone high above the forest, like islands. Their steep sides and high peaks create special climates and homes for unique plants and animals.
4. How do the waterfalls on the Guiana Shield get so tall?The shield has steep cliffs from the high tepuis. Rainwater runs down these cliffs, forming very tall drops such as Angel Falls.

Craton: A stable, ancient core of continental crust, forming the foundation of a continent.
Precambrian: The earliest geological eon, spanning from Earth's formation to the beginning of the Cambrian period.
Metamorphic Rocks: Rocks that have been changed from their original form by heat, pressure, or chemical reactions.
Sedimentary Rocks: Rocks formed from the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic particles.