Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
once and future MOON
Beyond the phases of the moon, this comprehensive lesson plan covers geologic history and geology. Amateur astronauts examine photos of the lunar landscape, experiment with the creation of craters, and delve into information about the...
Space Awareness
Valleys Deep and Mountains High
Sometimes the best view is from the farthest distance. Satellite imaging makes it possible to create altitude maps from far above the earth. A three-part activity has your young scientists play the role of the satellite and then use...
Curated OER
Tracing Highs and Lows in San Francisco
On a topographic map, students identify the scale bar, north arrow, and contour interval. They then locate a hill on the map and make note of the contour lines. Students then locate other places with similar contour line patterns....
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Ping!
Using "mystery bathymetry" shoeboxes, young explorers simulate sonar action to map out the topography of an un-viewable landscape. This classic activity helps physical oceanography learners understand how sonar works. It would be...
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Mapping the Aegean Seafloor
Earth science learners create a two-dimensional topographic map of the floor of the Aegean Sea. They use it to then create a three-dimensional model of the ocean floor features. This comprehensive resource delivers strong background...
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Slope and Topographic Maps
Students investigate slopes as they study topographic maps. For this algebra lesson, students discuss and apply the concept of slopes to graphing and analyzing data.
Curated OER
Compare Topography of Earth and Mars with a Worldwide Telescope
Students compare geography to topography. In this topography lesson, students examine the topography of the surfaces of the Earth. Students compare one feature of Earth to one feature of Mars and present in a PowerPoint.
National Park Service
Fire Ecology on the Rim
An engaging unit on wildfires includes three sections, including a background section with eight lessons and five activities, a field experience section with 13 lessons and five activities, and a conclusion section featuring an...
Curated OER
Introducing Topographic Maps: Guiding Students from Concrete Models to Graphic Representations
Middle schoolers interpret topographic maps and infer human activity as it is influenced by the landscape.
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Maps
Students investigate threee types of maps. For this algebra lesson, students idenitfy different maps and explore how they relate to the area keeping cllimate and topography in mind. They discuss maps used to navigate land. air and sea.
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Boom and Bust in the Ozark Forests
Here is a hard-hitting, cross-curricular lesson plan on the effects that the deforestation of the Ozark forests in the 19th century had on the people, animals, and ecosystems of the area. The Dr. Seuss book The Lorax is used as a way of...
Curated OER
Windbreakers; Earth Science, Topography, Weather
Students consider how topography affects weather and human activity. Students simulate a mountain range and observe surrounding wind patterns.
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Cross Section and Slope
Students draw cross sections of given contour maps. In this math lesson, students interpret the different symbols used in the map. They determine slope and steepness through direct measurement.
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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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Biodiversity in Sixth Grade
Sixth graders explore the nature of habitats on an ABC hike. In groups, they collect items that make up habitats including plants, feathers, and leaves among other materials. Students then classify and organize the collected materials...
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Measuring Permeability of Soil, Sand and Gravel
Students investigate the different materials in their environment. In this geology lesson, students collaborate in groups to examine the differences in sand, soil and gravel. Students utilize a magnifying glass or microscope...
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Fossil Fuels (Part II), The Geology of Oil
More of a mini-unit than a lesson, these activities lead inquisitors through a survey of oil deposits. In the first part, they read about and view diagrams of sedimentary rock layers that trap oil. Next, they test porosity and...
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Map that Habitat
Young scholars participate in an activity that replicates the creation of sea floor bathymetry by taking a simplified form of soundings in the classroom. They discuss sea floor mapping technologies, sonar, soundings, and remote sensing,...
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What Happens When Sea Level Rises or Falls
Learners 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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Cookie Mapping
Young scholars study the components of a bedrock geology map through a hands-on activity involving a cookie and graph paper.
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Identifying Watersheds with Topographic Maps
Students model a watershed and delineate one using topographic maps. In this hydrology instructional activity, students use aluminum foil to model a landscape and observe how water moves on it. They also observe the features of a...
Curated OER
Salad Tray 3D Topographic Model
Students explore the characteristics of topographical maps. They examine the relationship of contour lines and vertical elevation. Students create a three-dimensional model of a landscape represented by a topographic contour map.
Curated OER
What Do Maps Show?: Lesson 4 How to Read a Topographic Map
Students examine the use of topographic maps as two dimensional representations that show elevations and slopes with contour lines. They read maps of the Salt Lake City, Utah area and complete the associated worksheets that show map...