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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding a Geological Map

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers identify different types of maps and observe a geological map.  In this geology lesson plan students create a replica map of a geological area that includes a key. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planning a Railroad Online Lesson

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students design a train route using a topographical map. In this historical and spatial thinking lesson plan, students must plan a route through the Sierra Nevada mountains that a train could physically travel. Links to printable student...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Great Topo Race

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students create a three dimensional island out of cardboard to examine how to read and use a topographical map. They make sure that their island can sustain life and that it has one volcanic mountain peak. They trace the parts of their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping the Sea Floor

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers review their prior knowledge on topographical maps. Using a map, they examine the sea floor off the coast of San Diego, California. With a partner, they chart the sea floor of an area and use cutouts to create a visual...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Viewing Earth and Sky

For Students 7th - 12th
In this earth and sky worksheet, learners review terms associated with map reading. Students also review topographic maps and how contour lines represent elevation. This worksheet has 5 matching, 5 true or false, 5 fill in the blank, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planning A Railroad Online Lesson

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students plan a route across Donner Summit using topographical maps in order to understand the challenges involved in constructing the railroad in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In this history lesson, students first discover how to read...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Design an Island

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students make a map of an imaginary island using the topographic symbols provided from a worksheet. Students place lakes, dwellins, reefs, etc. in areas where they would logically be located from understanding how the topography of an...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Take a Hike

For Students 7th - 10th
In this geography skills worksheet, students respond to 9 questions that require them to read topographic maps and interpret them. The topographic maps are not included.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping Seamounts in the Gulf of Alaska

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Learners describe major topographic features on the Patton Seamount, and interpret two-dimensional topographic data. They create three-dimensional models of landforms from two-dimensional topographic data.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

TOPSY TURVY MAPS

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders use the data analyzer and motion detector to collect data and measure distances. They create topographic maps drawn to scale of a given setup and relate the concepts to the creation of historical ocean maps.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Design an Island

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students explore islands. They create a two- or three-dimensional map of an island. They explain how the topography of an area influences the location of water sources, ecosystems, and human settlements. Lesson includes adaptations for...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Natural Resources

For Teachers K - 12th
Students explore Iowa geography and topographic maps. In this geography and topographic maps lesson, student investigate maps, newspapers, Iowa flora and fauna. Students gain an understanding of how different landforms can be identified...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building a Topographic Model

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Learners explore Mount Shasta and various locations on Mars to examine ways geographical data can be represented. They study topographic maps and translating data from 2-Dimensions to 3-Dimensions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Watershed Delineation

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students use topographic maps to delineate a watershed.In this ecology lesson, students draw the boundaries of a watershed onto a map using contour lines as a guide. Their resulting maps are used to evaluate their understanding.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Thoreau Look at Our Environment

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders write journal entries o school site at least once during each season, including sketched and written observations of present environment. They can use sample topographical maps and student's own maps. Students can use...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Topography: Know the topography of your neighborhood

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers read and identify features on a topography map. For this topography lesson plan, students learn how to read a topography map, and then go out and take pictures of their own and discuss the topography pictures they took.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Monitoring Vocabulary

For Teachers 7th - 12th
As the title implies, this is a list of vocabulary terms relating to water monitoring. If your ecology class is learning about how to test water quality, this will be an appropriate reference sheet for them. As a bonus, if you live in...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Topo Triangulation

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate how to read a topographical map and triangulate with just a map. They convert a compass measurement to a protractor measurement, reverse a bearing direction, and using a worksheet take a bearing of certain landmarks...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

States with Attitude, Latitude and Longitude Dude

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders identify states whose boundaries are formed by lines of latitude and longitude or natural borders such as rivers. They trace a map of the U.S., and fill in borders, rivers and lines of latitude and longitude.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's Its Slope

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Learners identify the slope of a lines.For this algebra lesson, students define the  meaning of slope and write an equation given the slope. They graph linear functions using the slope and y-intercept.
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Lesson Plan
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Exploring Our Watershed System

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine how watershed systems are made up, and visit the Susquehanna watershed system and map out the system. They evaluate the order of watercourses in their area.
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Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Understanding Watersheds

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students should learn how their actions on land can affect the water quality of lakes and rivers.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cherishing the Water of Life

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students work in small groups to brainstorm a list of all creatures, plants, natural, and artificial processes that use or depend on fresh water. The class views an aquarium filled with water representing all the water in the world. The...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Historical Geography Scavenger Hunt

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars are told that Geography is the science that deals with the differentiation of the surface of the earth due to the influence of things like population, vegetation, geology, and land use. They explore the Geography Basics...