Raise your hand if you’re looking for new topographic map activities for middle school students!
Teaching topographic maps in middle school might seem intimidating, but it’s really a lot of fun!
Hands on topographic map activities are a great way to help students read and interpret topographic maps!
Growing up in the mountains of Pennsylvania, topography has always fascinated me! I love the way a flat map can show mountains, valleys and stream direction.
Learning how to read a topographic map (also known as contour map) is more than a state standard – it’s a life skill!
If you have students who love to spend time in the great outdoors hiking or camping, they’ll be hooked when they learn how to visualize the terrain of an area using a flat map.
Teaching students about topographic maps doesn’t have to be complicated!
Take a look at these 5 engaging topographic map activities for middle school!
1. Easy Topographic Map Lesson Hook
Pull up a local map on Google. Ask students to make a list of information that they can gather from the map. Most likely they can see roads, rivers, lakes, and some landmarks.
Can they tell which areas contain hills or valleys? Nope 🙂
Then pull up a topographic map of that same area. Ask students what they see on this map. This is a great time to demonstrate a quick lesson on reading contour lines and show how you can tell the terrain of the area. Point out areas with steep slopes or flat land.
Students can work in partners to create a Venn diagram or T-chart showing the differences between the two types of maps.
2. Latex/Nitrile Glove Topographic Map Activity
The latex glove activity is one of my favorite quick and easy topographic map activities to help middle school students understand contour lines.
Materials: Latex/Nitrile Glove and pen (Sharpies work great)
Directions:
- After putting on the glove, instruct the students to make a fist. Explain that the knuckles on represent four small hills.
- With a partner, have students trace small contour lines around the knuckles. They can continue to draw contour lines that are more gradual as they move toward the wrist.
- When the drawing is complete, have students flatten their hand to see the topographic map they created.
3. Topographic Map Presentation and Practice with Answers
If you’re looking for a ready-made lesson to explain how to read and interpret topographic maps to middle school students, take a look at this no-prep topographic map resource! .
This easy to teach unit includes how to read contour lines, determine contour intervals and elevation change, stream directions and more. The included practice pages will help students gain confidence in their topography skills. If you’re new to topographic maps, a PDF answer key is included!
4. Topographic Map Task Cards
Reading a topographic map takes practice. Task cards are a fun way to give students the opportunity to practice their skills.
This no-prep topographic map task cards set offers 20 cards to help students practice identifying reading and interpreting their topographic map skills! It also includes digital cards to help make distance learning easy. Best of all, it includes an easy to use answer key!
5. Topographic Map Models
There are many ways to make topographic map models Over the years, I’ve used stacked salad containers, clear overhead sheets, and playdough to create topographic maps.
By far though, I have found that the craft foam topographic map activity had been the best way for my students to create topographic models!
Using inexpensive craft foam, students can create a drawing of a topographic map and transfer it into a three dimensional model.
If you’re looking for a ready to use activity, check out the topographic craft foam project.
This includes:
- differentiated templates for topographic maps
- teacher instructions
- worksheet for creating the profile view
- Don’t worry if you’ve never done this before – a video tutorial for drawing profile lines is included!
Are you loving what you see here here but don’t have the time to recreate the wheel? Everything you need is in this no-prep topographic map bundle!
