Contour map Teacher Resources

Students understand how farming practices and the topography of a region can effect the health and safety of all living things. Students play a game which helps them understand how the chemical Azatrine has spread in the watershed.

Students use drawings, maps, readings, paintings and photos to consider how the topography of Pennsylvania led to the construction of the Allegheny Portage Railroad. They also investigate their own community's transportation history.

Students work together to create a watershed model. They discover the flow of surface water on different topography. They examine how materials originate from miles away and end up in a different wetland.

Students observe slides of U.S. coastal geography. They study topography and vegetation maps for one region. They gather geographic facts on a guided worksheet. Students pretend to be colonists. They decide what kind of economic system...

In this map worksheet, students draw a topographic map using benchmark points. They draw contour lines showing 20 foot intervals.

Eighth graders practice interpreting a contour map as well as reading latitude and longitude in a team activity. Following a discussion on mapping terms, teams are given maps and estimate the distance between two points. Students...

Students visualize, in three dimensions, features represented by contour lines on a topographic map. They see that the different elevations shown on a two dimensional topographic map can be used to build a 3-D model.

Students enerate an accurate landscape profile from a topographic map. They determine the correct interval needed to accurately graph the change in elevation on a single piece of graph paper.

Students apply knowledge of topographical maps and how computer programs are used to make 3-D models of areas that humans have never visited. They view a Mars Canyon movie, then map the canyon.

Students explore a stream in their area and show the class the topographic map of the stream. They locate the topographic map and name the streams, lakes and ponds in their watershed. They write a paragraph about their stream and...

Students recognize and re-create the political boundaries and physical features of the nation of Poland. They create three dimensional topographic maps of Poland. In addition, they compose two journal entries written in two different...

In this mountain building worksheet, students use playdoh to create mountain features. They cut apart the mountain and then use the pieces to create a topo graphic map of their mountain.

Students investigate how to read topographic maps.  In this map reading instructional activity students complete a topographic map activity. 

Students identify where their water sources and explore a watershed on a map.  In this watershed lesson students walk a wetland, and identify sources of pollution.

Students create a 3-D topographic map.  In this map building lesson, students use cardboard to create a topographic map of the Catskills mountain region.

Students study how to mark inclines and construct a mountain profile.  In this topographic map lesson students mark contour intervals and draw mountain profiles. 

Tenth graders create a topographic map and see how it represents  different elevations. In this topographic maps lesson students read and interpret topographic maps. 

Young scholars complete a worksheet about topographic mapping. For this map skills lesson, students examine the features and discuss the uses for topographic maps.

In this geography skills worksheet, students respond to 37 multi-part questions that require them to read and interpret topographic maps.

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.

Students plot stranding sites onto a map using latitude and longitude as well as compass directions with respect to coastal features. They identify several species of marine animals that might become stranded; distinguish their...

Students study remotely sensed images and topographic maps to classify land cover types in their watershed area. They take samples in the watershed area to interpret the images.

Students explore the parts of a river system and use topographical maps to determine the stage of the river.

Students study physical features of a local stream. They study how to identify water features on topographic maps.