Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Volcano Contour Models Activity

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Learners experiment with water levels and plastic topographic volcano models to determine the contour lines that would be used to create a topograpohic map of a volcano. They use the traced lines to actually develop the map.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Volcano Contour Models Activity and Tracing the Highs and Lows in San Francisco

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate how to draw topographic contours and read topographic maps.They examine the topography of San Francisco and contrast the elevation of different points within San Francisco.
Lesson Plan
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Curated OER

Changing Planet: Sea Levels Rising

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Begin by showing a six-minute video, Changing Planet: Rising Sea Level as an anticipatory set. Pupils draw a topographic map of a potato continent. Finally, they will visit NOAA's sea levels online map and NASA's carbon dioxide...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Contour Basics: JAVA Mac/PC

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students explore how to draw contour lines from limited data and extend this knowledge to real data sets. They participate in many opportunities from students to assess their own progress and the exercise is completely online.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Topographic Maps

For Teachers 7th - 10th
In this topographic map worksheet, students learn how to read a topographic map and create a topographic map of their own using clay or Play-Doh. Students include contour lines by layering the clay. Students answer 6 questions about...
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Constructing and Visualizing Topographic Profiles

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Militaries throughout history have used topography information to plan strategies, yet many pupils today don't understand it. Scholars use Legos and a contour gauge to understand how to construct and visualize topographic profiles. This...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mystery of the Megaplume

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Read through the extensive background information and then lead your geology or physical oceanography class through an investigation of actual temperature anomaly data from the Juan de Fuca ridge. They translate the data onto a plot,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geologic cross section of Manhattan, NYC

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers draw an accurate geologic cross section by using a given data table. They relate the features of the cross section to geologic processes. Students then relate the characteristics of the bedrock to the architecture.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Line With Printmaking

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders investigate the use of lines in different pieces of art by creating their own ink print.  In this art analysis lesson, 3rd graders identify the contours and lines of natural objects such as twigs and leaves. Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson 2 Activity 2: Mapping Mount St. Helens

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students use topographic map skills to interpret impact of the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens on the volcano's topography, and draw profile views of Mount St. Helens before and after the May 18, 1980, eruption.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Potato Mountain": Reading/Understanding Topographic Maps

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers investigate how to read topographic maps.  In this map reading lesson plan students complete a topographic map activity. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping Mount St. Helens

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students study topographic maps and contour lines and construct a simple three-dimensional model of Mount St. Helens before the May 18, 1980, eruption. They use topographic map skills to interpret the impact of the May 18, 1980, eruption...
Organizer
Curated OER

Bird Activity

For Students 5th - 7th
In this bird learning exercise, students complete a set of 16 activities about birds, listing characteristics, matching organs with steps in the digestive process, labeling a drawing of a feather and completing 4 short answer questions.
Lesson Plan
National Geographic

Mapping the Shape of Everest

For Teachers 4th - 6th
With Mount Everest as the motivator, your earth science class learns about topographic maps. Begin by showing a film clip from The Wildest Dream: Conquest of Everest, featuring fearsome virtual imagery of a path up world's tallest...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping Ancient Coastlines

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Most of this lesson plan is spent working on the "Bathymetry Worksheet." It includes a graph of the changes in sea level over the past 150,000 years and a bathymetric map of changes in an imaginary coastline over time. Participants...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bathymetric Mapping

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students draw contour lines based on NOAA soundings on a nautical chart. They color the contours and glue label tags for topographic features. They determine that the floor of the ocean is composed of hills, plains, ridges, trenches,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Topographic Maps and Mountain Profiles

For Teachers 7th - 11th
Students study how to mark inclines and construct a mountain profile.  In this topographic map lesson students mark contour intervals and draw mountain profiles. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping Potato Island

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Learners create their own topographical map using a potato. In this hands on lesson students construct a topographical map and explain what contour lines are using a potato.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Living in the Oak Woodlands: Early People of the Jewett Mine Area

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students examine the archeology and native peoples of the Jewett Mine area of Texas. Using a map, they explain the economic patterns of the native groups and how the geography of the area affected activities. They compare and contrast...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Physics: Visualization of Hydrogen Wave Functions

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students explore various methods for visualizing the results of hydrogen wave function. They observe trends using a polar plot tool and make plots for the first three energy levels of the radial wave function for hydrogen. Students apply...
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mystery Photo

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students research the effects of soil erosion and pollution in the soil.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping The Ocean Floor

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Young scholars explore and analyze the bottom structure of underwater habitats. They describe and explain what can't see through the collection and correlation of accurate data. Learners assess that technology is utilized as a tool for...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Working for Water

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Learners examine the ways that government works to help improve aquatic habitats. In this water habitats instructional activity students view a video and plan a school restoration project.