Curated OER
Design an Island
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...
Curated OER
Salad Tray 3D Topographic Model
High schoolers 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
Volcano Contour Models Activity
Young scholars 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.
Curated OER
Geography Terms
Pupils identify different landforms and fill out a worksheet where they explain what each landform is. In this geography lesson plan, students fill in a landform map and then use landform words as they describe the landforms.
Curated OER
Rock River Watershed
Students discover what a watershed is and which one they live in. Using the internet, they research why watersheds are important to an ecosystem and how to keep them from getting polluted. They use a map to locate various items within a...
Michigan Sea Grant
Exploring Watersheds
Collaboratively, students partake in a hands-on activity in which they build models of a watershed. Each group member draws an elevation map—a bird's eye view—of their model and predicts how water will flow from the high to low points....
Curated OER
Oregon Rainshadows
Students brainstorm list of possible highest locations in Oregon, identify and label places from list on map using color code, and discuss and identify causes of a rain shadow.
Curated OER
Volcanoes!: The Dangers of Snow and Ice
Students observe a demonstration of how melting snow and ice can contribute to mudflows. They then observea list of continents with the number of snow and ice covered mountains on each continent and discuss. They then label a group of...
Curated OER
Nature and Place Names in Arkansas
Middle schoolers examine the way that many place names in Arkansas came to be. By looking at Arkansas highway maps, they find names that come from the characteristics of each of the state's six geographical divisions. This interesting...
Curated OER
Watershed Island
Students make a clay model and a geographic map of a watershed. They talk about the differences between the two representations and the potential human threats to watersheds.
Curated OER
Landscape Picture Map: Natural Features
Students discover six landscapes. In this natural features lesson, students review the meaning and examples of natural features. Students use a landscape picture map to identify six natural features.
Curated OER
Beyond the Tap
Students explain the basic properties of a watershed including how water flows from higher to lower elevations and how watersheds are interconnected. They comprehend how the placement of buildings, roads, and parking lots can be...
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Topography: Know the topography of your neighborhood
Young scholars read and identify features on a topography map. In 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.
Curated OER
Natural History of Costa Rica
Students use outline maps to become acquainted with Costa Rica. They see how it was formed and how its origin has created very diverse environments. Students then use atlases and compare their physical maps with maps of climate and the...
Curated OER
Where in the World is Utah Wheat?
Students examine the role of climate and landforms in the use of Utah's land. In this geography lesson, students analyze the relationship between geography and agriculture in the state as they examine data regarding wheat production in...
Curated OER
Exploring Wyoming Species Habitats
Middle schoolers are introduced to the concept of species habitats and ranges. They introduced to ArcView GIS as a tool for mapping. Pupils use query data for species withina county, elevation, range, rivers and streams, land cover, and...
Curated OER
Volcano Contour Models Activity and Tracing the Highs and Lows in San Francisco
Learners 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.
Curated OER
Agriculture in Canada
Students examine various elements in the physical environment and their relationship to agriculture in Canada. Using the ArcCanada CD-ROM, they analyze maps, and interpret relationships between the physical environment and land use.
Port Jefferson School District
Climate Patterns
Young climatologists explore the factors that contribute to a region's climate in this two-part earth science activity. To begin, learners are provided with a map of an imaginary planet and are asked to label global wind and ocean...
Curated OER
"Across Oregon On The 45th N Parallel" A Transect of Oregon
Students explore the physical geography of Oregon. In groups, students collect weather and elevation information on Oregon. They organize the data and create maps and graphs of the information. Afterward, students compare the...
Curated OER
Where are the Watersheds in San Francisco?
Students create a mental map of San Francisco. They compare it with actual topographical maps of the city. Then they label various locations on the San Francisco Hillshade map and locate watershed boundaries.
Curated OER
Climb Every Volcano
Students use a contour map to distinguish the elevation of a volcano. In this volcano lesson, students use styrofoam to create the contour of their map. Students glue and assemble their volcano. Students compare and contrast their...
Curated OER
It'll Go With the Flow...
High schoolers construct a water table elevation contour map and consider the direction and rate of groundwater flow to predict the actual runoff pattern. They discuss their findings and evaluate a hypothetical landfill site based on...
Curated OER
Red River Contours
In this contour map worksheet, students use a given contour map to answer 16 questions about the area shown on the map. Topics include the gradient from one spot to another, the elevation, the direction of the flow of the Red River, the...