Mapping Earth
Time required to complete this unit:
Earth Science Content:
Key Terms: glaciers, deserts, wind, remote sensing, satellite imagery, cryosphere, hydrosphere, aeolian, sea level change, coastal change, topography, contour lines, bathymetry, Mercator, aerial photography, trench, continental shelf, continental slope, abyssal plain, seamount, GIS
Standards: ESS TEKS: 1.B, 1.C, 2.E, 2.F, 2.G, 2.I, 3, 3.A, 3.E, 3.F, 8.C, 9.B, 9.C, 10.C, 10.F, 11.C, 11.D, 12.A, 13.D ES Literacy: 1., 1.1, 1.2, 2., 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 1.7, 2.7, 3.1, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 4., 4.1, 4.5, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 5.2, 5.3, 5.6, 6., 7., 7.2, 7.3, 7.10, 8.7, 9., 9.1, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, 9.7, 9.8, 9.9
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Once humans began exploring Earth they developed navigation and mapping methods, and ways to record and communicate their understanding. Others followed after, expanding previous accomplishments and extending knowledge. Geoscientists build on this body of work and have developed and embraced new technologies that allow them to look at the Earth spatially.
Studies that have examined how geoscientists think and learn about the Earth support the value of field experiences in helping students develop practices that constitute geologic reasoning. These studies suggest that field experiences foster temporal thinking, understanding of the nature of complex Earth systems, and spatial visualization.
This unit chronicles the history and application of mapping skills that are the foundation of field geology and new techniques that modern geoscientists use to image the Earth's surface, both on land and the seafloor. New Earth-mapping technologies and products, including LIDAR, GIS, Google Earth, and satellite imagery not only promote scientific investigation, they enable planners to manage human interactions with the Earth system and ordinary folk navigate the modern world.
Developed by the DIG Texas Blueprints Education Interns Team
Students will be able to (do)
- Interpret Earth surface features using a variety of methods such as satellite imagery, aerial photography, and topographic and geologic maps using appropriate technologies.
- Synthesize topographic maps utilizing a variety of satellite and aerial photography.
- Compare the roles of erosion and deposition through the actions of water, wind, ice, and gravity in constantly reshaping the Earth's surface.
- Explain how scientists use geophysical methods such as magnetism to interpret Earth's structure.
- Plan and carry out an investigation involving mapmaking via the construction of an aerial photography unit.
Students will know
- How aerial images, remote sensing data, satellite, and GIS are used to interpret surface features and interactions between the Earth's systems.
- How to communicate valid conclusions supported by map and/or satellite data.
- How to design or refine a solution to a complex real-world problem, based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations.
Activities
The activities we have selected are congruent with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and are arranged to build upon one another. Therefore, to follow the storyline we recommend that teachers complete the activities in the order provided. To open an activity in a new tab or window, right click the activity link and select the preferred option.
Scotese Paleomap Project
http://www.scotese.com/earth.htm
This mapping project by Christopher R. Scotese allows students to visualize the Earth's plate configurations in the distant past as well as projected into the future. A brief description during the chosen geologic time period is given along with the map of that period.
Instructional Strategies: Lecture
Resource Type: Visualization (static visualization, animation, simulation)
Time Required: 20 minutes
Investigating Map Projections
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/activity/investigating-map-projections/?ar_a=1
This activity by National Geographic has students investigating the effects of changing a 3-D surface to a 2-D surface. They then examine the distortions of different map projections while comparing land and ocean to its representation on a globe.
Instructional Strategies: Challenge or problem-solving
Resource Type: Classroom learning activity
Time Required: 60 minutes
Topographic Maps Activity
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/mapping/6413
This activity from UNC School of Education's David Walbert has learners adding a third dimension to mapping: elevation. Learners draw and read contour lines, and interpret surface features from topographic maps. An analysis of the students' local topography is done using personalized maps generated via a link by the United States Geologic Survey (USGS).
Instructional Strategies: Challenge or problem-solving
Resource Type: Classroom learning activity
Time Required: 60 minutes
Earth's Varied Topography
https://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/investigations/es0307/es0307page01.cfm
This visualization, from TERC's Exploring Earth website, depicts interactive land features and their topographic maps that learners can manipulate and compare to photographs of the area.
Instructional Strategies: Inquiry, Modeling
Resource Type: Visualization (static visualization, animation, simulation)
Time Required: 60 minutes
Introduction to Geologic Mapping
http://ncgmp.usgs.gov/geomaps/introgeo_mapping.html
This activity from the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program provides an overview of geologic mapping along with field methods and an explanation of map descriptors and databases
Instructional Strategies: Reading
Resource Type: Classroom learning activity
Time Required: 30 minutes
Geologic Maps
http://www.nature.nps.gov/geology/usgsnps/gmap/gmap1.html
This USGS-developed web-site discusses the main features of a geologic map.
Instructional Strategies: Reading
Resource Type: Classroom learning activity
Time Required: 45 minutes
Geologic Maps
http://www.usu.edu/geo/physical/Geologic%20Maps_lab.pdf
A lab, developed by Utah State University, designed to help students understand, visualize, and analyze geologic maps using a 3-D viewer and actual geologic maps.
Instructional Strategies: Inquiry
Resource Type: Classroom learning activity
Time Required: 50 minutes
Aerial Photography and Shoreline Mapping
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/geodesy/aerialphotos/
This short article from NOAA's National Ocean Service provides learners with the basics of aerial photography and then takes the reader through the various applications such as assessment of coastal change and disaster response.
Instructional Strategies: Reading
Resource Type: News or popular magazine article
Time Required: 10 minutes
Retreating Shorelines: Texas Gulf Coast
http://earthsky.org/earth/jeffrey-paine-retreating-shoreline-along-texas-gulf-coast
The Texas Gulf coast is among the most dynamic environments on Earth. Research scientist Jeffrey Paine of the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas talked to EarthSky about how scientists study one of the most important coastlines on the planet, and about the risks and value of human activity there.
Instructional Strategies: Reading
Resource Type: Interview with an expert
Time Required: 30 minutes
Earth from Orbit 2014
http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/details.cgi?aid=11858
This video from NASA includes satellite images of Earth in 2014 as well as photos and a time lapse video from the International Space Station.
Instructional Strategies: Lecture
Resource Type: Video
Time Required: 10 minutes
NASA: Remote Sensing - How Do Satellites Work?
http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/teachersite/RS4.htm
This short NASA activity uses modeling to teach students how satellites transmit data. It is recommended as a simple demonstration that can lead into more complex discussions about the use of satellites in modern-day mapping.
Instructional Strategies: Inquiry
Resource Type: Classroom learning activity
Time Required: 30 minutes
World of Change : Feature Articles
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOfChange/
NASA Earth Observatory's "World of Change" is a feature article that uses comparative satellite imagery to document how our planet's land, oceans, atmosphere and Sun are changing over time.
Instructional Strategies: Reading
Resource Type: Scholarly article
Time Required: 30 minute activity
Seafloor Spreading Centers: The Life Cycle of the Seafloor
http://earthref.org/SCC/lessons/2011/seafloorspreading/#week1
This unit from the Scripps Classroom Connection begins by teaching students the methods used by scientists to study the seafloor, with various seafloor features presented for analysis. Learners then perform a mapping and graphing activity meant to familiarize them with the range of depths and features on the seafloor. This activity is listed under "Overview Week 1: Daily Lessons and Activities," and is labeled "Day 2: Seafloor Shape and Features" on the main page.
Instructional Strategies: Challenge or problem-solving
Resource Type: Laboratory investigation, experiment or demonstration
Time Required: 90 minutes
Gravity Map Uncovers Sea-floor Surprises
http://www.nature.com/news/gravity-map-uncovers-sea-floor-surprises-1.16048
Alexandra Witze's article for Nature discusses the modern satellite technologies used to create the most detailed seafloor map ever, released in October 2014, which boasts more than twice the resolution of the previous effort.
Instructional Strategies: Reading, Inquiry, Modeling
Resource Type: Scholarly article , Visualization (static visualization, animation, simulation)
Time Required: 10 minutes
What’s Really Under the Ocean
http://www.mbari.org/earth/mar_geo/bathy/under/under_ocean.html
What is really under the salt water in our worldwide oceans? This activity from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute guides learners to explore, investigate, and analyze our mysterious ocean floors. Students will be exposed to, learn about, and demonstrate basic understanding of ocean floor features and mapping using near-time data.
Instructional Strategies: Challenge or problem-solving
Resource Type: Classroom learning activity
Time Required: 90 minutes
Exercise to Introduce Google Earth and Geologic Landforms
http://csmres.jmu.edu/Geollab/Whitmeyer/web/visuals/exercises.html
This website, belonging to Dr. Steven Whitmeyer of James Madison University, contains a collection of download links and overlay files to several Google Earth Exercises and Labs.
Instructional Strategies: Challenge or problem-solving
Resource Type: Classroom learning activity
Time Required: 250 minutes
For this unit we have selected one lab:
- Exercise to Introduce Google Earth and Geologic Landforms
This exercise by James Madison University's Dr. Steven Whitmeyer shows learners how to use Google Earth to determine latitude, longitude, elevation, distance between locations, and other geophysical data.
Instructional Strategies: Challenge or problem-solving
Resource Type: Classroom learning activity
Time Required: 45 minutes
NASA Earth Observatory: A New Era for Earth Science
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/LandsatBigData/
This article by Holli Riebeek takes learners through the history of NASA's Landsat program, the longest running enterprise for acquisition of satellite imagery of Earth, and its modern-day applications. A new light-curve approach to image analysis has allowed for the detection of changes smaller than a single Landsat pixel, making it possible to monitor more closely than ever the Earth's changing landscape.
Instructional Strategies: Reading
Resource Type: News or popular magazine article
Time Required: 10 minutes
Balloon and Kite Mapping
http://publiclab.org/wiki/balloon-mapping
This activity by Public Lab first leads learners through building and using a balloon and kite kit to capture aerial photographs of their surroundings, then uses Mapknitter to construct a map from the images.
Instructional Strategies: Challenge or problem-solving
Resource Type: Laboratory investigation, experiment or demonstration
Time Required: 60 minutes (based on teacher pre-preparing materials)
Field Trips
Studies that examine how geologists think and learn about the Earth point to the value of field experiences in helping students develop practices that constitute geologic reasoning. We encourage teachers to take students into the field as much as possible. To this end, we include ideas for actual and virtual field trips. The latter recognizes the limitations of the K-12 classroom setting. Field learning provides a chance to encourage the ability to see features that are important to professional practice. Indeed, many geoscientists report that fieldwork was a key factor influencing their choice of geoscience as a career.
Virtual Field Trips
Texas Through Time - Great Places to See Geology in Texas
If possible, conduct a field trip to a local geologic locale in your area and have your students create a geologic map. Texas teachers may review this Bureau of Economic Geology website for excellent background information on geologic sites of interest across the state. Good examples are: The Franklin Mountains in West Texas, Pedernales Falls State Park, and Enchanted Rock. Each place link takes the learner to a series of photos from the area and includes information such as background, facts, general geology, directions, and breakdowns of the location's most interesting geological features.
Cornell University - Paleontological Research Institute
At this website one can read arguments for virtual field trip experiences (VFEs) in science, as well as read guidelines for creating valuable experiences. There is also access to a database of existing VFEs and a link to the Mother of all Field Experiences, the Mars rover program.
Destination360 is an organization promoting travel via virtual tours. Their links will allow you to stand on the edge, or in the middle, of some iconic destinations such as the summit of Mt. St. Helens, Iguassu Falls, or even the surface of Mars, and experience 360-degree panoramas.
Scaffolding Notes
Teachers must develop their own individual plan for how they will teach the unit. The learning activities and educational resources in this unit are intended to complement other instructional activities led by the teacher. Many of the selected learning experiences provide links to excellent background preparatory materials, additional hands-on resources, teaching tips, and cross-curricular connections.
Teachers will need to create their own multimedia presentations, deliver lectures and assign ancillary work to their students in order to set the stage for effective use of the learning activities contained herein. Therefore, it is imperative to allocate time to review the activities and background material prior to using the learning experiences in this unit and to probe students for their prior knowledge before starting an activity.
In addition, although some activities may incorporate assessments, teachers may need to create their own assessments to ensure that are appropriate for the students they teach.
Asterisks (*) indicate teacher resource and background information recommendations for activity support.
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*This unit takes a historical approach of mapping the Earth's surface with activities from early mappers leading into topographic maps, gravity mapping, mapping the ocean floor, aerial photography, remote sensing and satellites, and ending with the integration of all of these methodologies and a look at what the future holds for visualizing all the interactions that are ongoing within the systems of our modern Earth. There are multiple hands-on mapmaking activities, animations, visualizations, interviews with experts, and analyses of modern techniques.
The PALEOMAP Project gives a representation of plate configurations, noting the change from ancient to modern land mass configurations, from the Precambrian to each of the geologic time periods. There is also a detailed climate history link for interested teachers.
Investigating Map Projections is a National Geographic activity that explores the difficulty of taking a large three-dimensional object, such as the Earth, and representing it in two dimensions. The activity proposes a challenge to students to peel an orange in one piece and then lay it flat, so as to represent the two-dimensional version of the global map. From this lead-in, the rest of the activities have students creating maps and globes, analyzing maps, and debating different representations of the Earth.
*The next two activities focus on topographic maps; the first is an optional introduction.
*Topography Salad Tray is a USGS activity that provides instruction on how to construct a model that represents topographic relief from a topographic map. It is highly recommended that the teacher read the instructions carefully prior to constructing their model. The instructions are very detailed, and the school may already have the equipment or materials to do the activity. Any topographic map can be used; if one is needed, the USGS link, Map Locator and Downloader, provides access to maps from all over the continental U.S. If the teacher does not have access to all the materials - 7 clear, square, flat, plastic take-out food containers - it is recommended this activity be done as a demonstration.
The Topographic Maps Activity gives direction on creating and analyzing topographic maps. The activity begins with printable grid paper and a lesson teaching how to draw contour lines, then provides instruction on reading contour maps. We recommend the teacher do the extension that uses downloaded maps from their area for analysis. As per the document, individual maps can be downloaded at Map Locator and Downloader.
Earth's Varied Topography takes the learner through 12 images, each depicting a map of a particular surface-features area. The majority of the images include a topographic map and a 3D representation. One section has a topographic map and an aerial map and overlays them. There is no special software to download or any specific player needed. The students will need to have access to computers, or the teacher can complete the activity with the class on one computer using the images projected on a screen. Each of the 12 images has its own questions or instructions hitting multiple learning styles and multiple skills.
*The next activities represent an increase in technology in mapmaking such as the use of 3D imagery and aerial technologies.
Introduction to Geologic Mapping is a USGS informational piece that provides background information for looking at maps beyond just their topographic features. Traditional geologic features such rock types can be combined with other information to display not only what the surface looks like, but also the subsurface and some non-geologic features as well, and can also describe how they affect one another. The website includes a brief discussion of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and how that adds yet another dimension to mapping. It is recommended that the page Geologic Map Databases be discussed with students. This page shows a graphic of how all the "layers" of information are ordered so as to produce modern geological maps. The other links lead to more detailed descriptions of what can be depicted in a modern geologic map and how that information is obtained.
The USGS webpage Geologic Maps takes students through the basics of geologic maps, including the use of symbols, colors and lines. We suggest creating a list of guided questions or utilizing the jigsaw approach when teaching this activity. It provides a solid foundation for the following activity.
Geologic Maps is a lab activity from Utah State University's Department of Geology. This lab contains a very useful list of items found on geologic maps as well as two pages of labelled block diagrams. For the activities, Exercise Part 1: Visualizing Geology in 3-D with online program asks students to explore 3-D models and has an embedded link to a 3-D block diagram viewer. Students view already constructed mapping models and then create their own versions. In Exercise Part 2: Inspecting Geologic maps in the lab room students read geologic maps and interpret specific parts of the maps. The following maps are used in the exercise and can downloaded and printed or used online:
Aerial Photography and Shoreline Mapping is an informational piece by NOAA that describes the process of aerial photography and the number of purposes it serves. The article discusses the historical use of cameras, as well as their modern day use and incorporation of light detection and ranging technology (LIDAR). The information provided regarding the purpose is specific to shoreline environments but can easily be extrapolated to land applications.
In Retreating Shorelines along the Texas Gulf Coast, an article in EarthSky online magazine, J. Paine discusses the dynamic nature of the Texas Gulf coast. There is a 90-second podcast that gives a synopsis. In the article, Mr. Paine gives a number of causes of the overall negative change in coastline in terms of natural sources, such as the melting of glaciers from the last ice age, subsidence, and storms, as well as anthropogenic sources such as the the use of groundwater, oil and gas drilling, urbanization, and climate change. He also discusses the use of mapmaking technologies, with maps included in the article.
*The next activities include the use of remote sensing technologies and satellite data in mapmaking.
Earth from Orbit 2014 is a 3-minute video that details the vast array of modern satellite-based technologies and data-collections via a range of visualizations, model runs, and conceptual animations. These data include Landsat paths around the planet, shortwave albedo measurements, stratospheric ozone intrusion, carbon dioxide and monoxide sources and movement, volumetric precipitation, and global surface temperature anomalies, any or all of which topics may be used to facilitate class discussion. A link to download a high-definition version of the video is provided on the webpage.
The NASA activity Remote Sensing: How Do Satellites Work is recommended as a simple demonstration on the methods used by satellites to collect information about the Earth and to transmit that data to Earth-based computers. The lesson asks students to form predictions about said methods, then, after the demonstration has been completed, to answer questions about the data transmission and to reflect upon and refine their earlier predictions.
The feature article World of Change from NASA's Earth Observatory describes the constantly-changing nature of the Earth using satellite imagery. It compares decades-old pictures of various locales to modern-day images of the same locations, showing the impact of natural and manmade phenomena to the geography of the planet. Each image links to a page with further explanation of the changes being observed, as well as a sequential series of satellite images showing the gradual changes that occur year to year. The article covers occurrences such as coastline changes, sea ice movement, drought cycles, severe storms, burn recovery, global temperatures, ozone holes, deforestation and mining, among others.
Seafloor Spreading Centers: The Life Cycle of the Seafloor contains a number of lessons aimed at teaching students about the features that provide evidence for seafloor spreading and plate tectonics, and how those features are formed. The activity, listed under "Week 1" and entitled "Day 2: Seafloor Shape and Features," contains four downloadable links, comprised of a presentation on bathymetry (with comprehensive annotations), a lesson plan, a worksheet, and a mapping activity (with color photographs showing in detail how students are to follow the lesson on mapping the seafloor).
This article from Nature, Gravity Map Uncovers Sea-floor Surprises, describes the satellite-based process by which an international team of researchers last year created a map of the sea floor generated by the highest-resolution gravity model ever made for the oceans. The map allows geologists around the world to reconstruct how oceanic crustal plates have shifted, and has brought into view over 20,000 previously unknown seamounts.
In What's Really Under the Ocean students will be exposed to, learn about, and demonstrate basic understanding of ocean floor features and mapping using near-time data. The lesson includes a link to the (optional) National Geographic video "Drain the Ocean," as well as photographs of various geographical locations and printable sonar image cards designed to teach students about ocean floor features. An end-of-lesson assessment is also provided.
Dr. Steven Whitmeyer's Exercise to Introduce Google Earth and Geologic Landforms teaches students how to use Google Earth's basic navigation tools to examine various locales around the globe, findings longitudes and latitudes, elevations, and distances between cities, and using their knowledge of geophysical traits to answer topographical questions. Teachers may alter the exercise's instructions to focus on local geographical locations. A teacher key is available here and is labeled "Google_Earth_Intro_Exercise.zip."
The following video from 2015 examines the future of mapping technologies and the excitement shared by scientists regarding their use for our future Earth.
NASA Earth Observatory: A New Era for Earth Science describes the history of NASA's Landsat Image program, and how, in concert with modern supercomputing power, scientists are now able to monitor disturbances to the global landscape, such as harvesting, forest thinning, fires and storms, in greater detail than ever before.
Balloon and Kite Mapping teaches learners how to build a balloon and kite kit for use in aerial photography, and then how to construct a map of their local surroundings using their images with online mapmaking software. Teachers may choose to build the balloon and kite kit ahead of time, which will cut the activity time down considerably.
Next Generation Science Standards
We anticipate that students should be able to achieve the NGSS Performance Expectation(s) listed after completing the activities in this unit. However, we have not carried out educational research to verify this.
MS-ESS2-3.Analyze and interpret data on the distribution of fossils and rocks, continental shapes, and seafloor structures to provide evidence of the past plate motions.
HS-ESS2-1. Develop a model to illustrate how Earth's internal and surface processes operate at different spatial and temporal scales to form continental and ocean-floor features.
HS-ESS2-2. Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth's surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems.
These Performance Expectations integrate the Disciplinary Core Ideas, Cross Cutting Concepts and Science and Engineering Practices of the NGSS as shown in the unit table NGSS Congruence: Mapping the Earth (Acrobat (PDF) 184kB Jul24 15).
Additional Resources
The recommended additional resources may be used to extend or augment the storyline.
This website from the USGS is an interactive web-based tool that allows a broad range of users to explore the geology of the Lone Star State at a scale of 1:250,000. Users can navigate the map with a simple click-and-point tool, or by using the location search tool to search for common geographic place names, latitude/longitude coordinates, and other areas of interest. The interactive map viewer allows users to turn data layers on or off, identify layers of interest, and retrieve detailed information about each geologic formation, such as the feature name, geologic age, and feature description.
Compiled by Dr. Susanne Janecke, at the Utah State University Department of Geology, this resource has a plethora of useful links and databases with the emphasis on mapping, geophysics and imagery. It is also downloadable as a PDF file.
This article from NASA's Earth Observatory presents an introduction to remote sensing and its history.
Topographic Maps of Big Bend National Park
Free topographic maps of Big Bend National Park from Pickatrail.
