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Introducing Topographic Maps: Guiding Students from Concrete Models to Graphic Representations
Students interpret topographic maps and infer human activity as it is influenced by the landscape.
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Understanding Topographic Maps
Underclassmen create a cone-shaped landform and then draw a contour map for it. Then they examine a quadrangle (which was easily located with an online search), and relate it to what they experienced. The accompanying worksheet is...
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Identifying Watersheds with Topographic Maps
Students model a watershed and delineate one using topographic maps. In this hydrology lesson, students use aluminum foil to model a landscape and observe how water moves on it. They also observe the features of a topographic map and use...
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Geographic Regions and Backyard Geology with the USGS Tapestry Map
A beautiful tapestry map of North America is examined by geology masters. The map incorporates the topography and geology of different regions. You can purchase printed copies or a large poster of the map, or if you have a computer lab...
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"Potato Mountain": Reading/Understanding Topographic Maps
Students investigate how to read topographic maps. For this map reading lesson students complete a topographic map activity.
NOAA
Into the Deep
Take young scientists into the depths of the world's ocean with the second lesson of this three-part earth science series. After first drawing pictures representing how they imagine the bottom of the ocean to appear, students investigate...
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Map Lesson Plan
Fourth graders locate and label major sites related to the Revolutionary War in the Hudson River Valley. They examine topographical features of each site and list a few of these features and list two advantages of each military site.
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Geography: examining the Glacial Features of Cape Cod
Students examine satellite images of the glacial features of Cape Cod. They analyze where human activity is located in terms of those features. Students make models of the features, including kettle holes. They also use contour maps...
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What Happens When Sea Level Rises or Falls
Students examine the impact of sea level on land formations. In this geography and map lesson, students construct a contour map model illustrating how much of the clay "coastline" is covered as water is added. Metric measurement is...
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Explore Your World--Geography Takes You Places
Students examine how the world around them is constantly changing. In groups, they travel between centers in their classroom to role play the role of explorers in Washington D.C. They share their experiences with their classmates and...
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Science: Draining the Land - the Mississippi River
Students use topographic maps to identify parts of rivers. In addition, they discover gradient and predict changes in the channels caused by variations in water flow. Other activities include sketching a river model with a new channel...
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Introduction to the Barnegat Bay Estuary
Students research estuaries. For this estuaries lesson, students discuss the differences in a bay and an ocean. Students watch a PowerPoint of the properties of the estuaries and geography of Barnegat Bay. Students complete a worksheet...
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Floodplains in the field (with GIS)
Students measure a topographic and geologic cross-section across a floodplain by simple surveying and auguring techniques. They consider the spatial context of the field observations, use GPS measurements, and desktop GIS analyses.
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Barnegat Bay Watershed
Students design a model watershed. In this watershed lesson, students learn the needed parts of a watershed and how they work. Students evaluate how watersheds effect communities.
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Aquifers and Groundwater
Students understand the purpose of an aquifer. In this aquifer and groundwater lesson, students build a model aquifer find its relationship to water usage. Students record observations as they build the layers of the aquifer.
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Water Cycle
Students explore the water cycle. For this water cycle lesson, students examine water as a resource as they create a water cycle poster and create a water cycle model. Water cycle game instructions are included as well.
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Water Issues on Puerto Rico and Oahu: A Comparison of Two Islands
Fifth graders explore how the tow islands receive and use fresh water. They also address some of the threats to the fresh water supply on each island. Students explore the lesson objectives through water cycle models and experiments.
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Clean Kansas Water
Students gain an understanding of ways we can be responsible custodians of our water supply. Students explore the governor's clean water initiative involving the Lower Kansas/Republican river basin and the pollutants present there.
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SHOW 303: The Channel Island Fox
Students explore how archaeologists and other scientists use different clues to piece together a picture of the past. Students perform activities that allow them to conduct three types of scientific research. They discuss their...
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Creating and Analyzing Graphs of Tropospheric Ozone
Students create and analyze graphs using archived atmospheric data to compare the ozone levels of selected regions around the world.
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Earthquake Introduction
Students investigate basic principles and properties of earthquakes, including vocabulary, causes, and types of faults. They examine history of seismic activity in their home state, and complete "Locating Patterns of Distribution" lab.