Making Topographic Maps
Summary
In this activity, students learn how to contour topographic data from three-dimensional models that they create for themselves. Students examine how topographic contour lines differ based on different topographic features.
Collapse
Learning Goals
The purpose of this assignment is for students to develop an understanding of how topographic maps represent different three-dimensional landscapes.
Context for Use
This activity is suitable for an introductory physical geology class as part of a lesson on topographic maps. The intent is to do this activity prior to any significant lecture or practice with interpreting topographic maps. However, the instructor may benefit from having an initial discussion with students about their past experiences with topographic maps.
Supplies (each student group will need the following set of materials):
- Shoebox-shaped Tupperware 48 oz. container (approximately 8x5x4 inches)
- Box of Kinetic Sand© (a 2 lb. box works well; see Resources section, below, for a couple of sources)
- Ruler
- A 6-inch lollipop stick (or something similar) pre-marked in 1 cm increments
- 6 overhead transparencies
- Overhead transparency pens (one black, one another color)
- Clear plastic board large enough to cover Tupperware container (e.g. clear plastic clipboard)
- Three sheets of graph paper
- Blank piece of paper
Supplies (each student group will need the following set of materials):
- Shoebox-shaped Tupperware 48 oz. container (approximately 8x5x4 inches)
- Box of Kinetic Sand© (a 2 lb. box works well; see Resources section, below, for a couple of sources)
- Ruler
- A 6-inch lollipop stick (or something similar) pre-marked in 1 cm increments
- 6 overhead transparencies
- Overhead transparency pens (one black, one another color)
- Clear plastic board large enough to cover Tupperware container (e.g. clear plastic clipboard)
- Three sheets of graph paper
- Blank piece of paper
Description and Teaching Materials
In this activity, students will build three different landscapes in a Tupperware container. Students will use the lollipop stick to measure height at different locations across the surface of the model landscape. These data points are then transferred onto the overhead transparency. The height data can then be contoured to construct a topographic map for the model landscape. The process is repeated three times for three different landscapes: gentle slope, volcano, and river channel.
- Student Assignment (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 14kB Apr5 16)
- Sample Images (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 136kB Apr5 16)
Teaching Notes and Tips
Students may struggle with interpolating contour lines between data points. It helps to have an example model built that can be used for show-and-tell. Also, depending on the timing of the activity, students may need some suggestions on how to build the volcano or river channel.
Share your modifications and improvements to this activity through the Community Contribution Tool »
Assessment
There are no answer keys for this activity because the results depend upon the specific models created by the students.