How Does a Glacier Shape the Landscape?

A glacier is like a giant ice bulldozer that moves slowly across the land and changes it as it goes.

Glaciers are huge masses of ice, made from snow that has been squeezed together for many years. When they move, they push rocks and dirt along with them, just like a bulldozer pushing sand and gravel on a construction site.

As a glacier moves forward, it pushes the ground in front of it, this is called glacial erosion. It’s like when you press your hand against playdough; the dough gets squished and shaped by your hand. The ice can also pick up rocks and dirt, carrying them along on its journey.

When the glacier stops moving or starts to melt, it drops off all the rocks and dirt it was carrying, this is called glacial deposition. It’s like when you carry a basket of toys around the house and then set them down in a new room. These dropped-off rocks and dirt can form hills, valleys, and even lakes.

When glaciers move back and forth over the same land many times, they create different shapes, some smooth, some bumpy, just like how your footprints look when you walk through wet sand.