Topographic Map Skills

WHAT OTHER TYPES OF INFORMATION (BESIDES LOCATION) CAN MAPS SHOW?

Topographic Map Skills

Catalyst1. Jelly Bean Video

Reflection: What would you do differently?

2. What method do we use to answer questions in science?

3. THINK: What types of information do we get from maps?

Sneak Peek: Unit 1: Geology: Were the continents always in their current positions?

FINISH: WORLD MAPS• Be able to locate the 7 continents!

• The 5 major oceans!• Which ocean is LARGEST?

Latitude and LongitudeLatitude

Influences climate Latitude = our

altitude to Polaris (the North Star)

Longitude Same longitude

experiences the same time (time zones)

TIME ZONES

What is a time zone?

Thought Question: Why do time zones exist?

Does the sun RISE and FALL at the same time in all places in the world?

Even today (and especially in ancient times, people measured noon by the position of the Sun directly overhead!)

Earth rotates on its axis at 15°/hourThe Earth has a total of 360°, 24 time zones

as a result of our rotation

UNITED STATES TIME ZONES

What are the 4 major US time zones?• Eastern• Central• Mountain• Pacific

Which one do we live in?

WEATHER MAPS: ISOTHERMSIsotherm: lines that connect areas

of equal temperaturesIso = equalTherm = temperature (or heat)

Vocabulary for Success

IsoIsothermContour linesElevationSea levelContour indexContour interval

Isolines

Lines that connect areas of equal value on a map Iso = equal Ex) isotherm map

Topographic Maps

Globes, projections, & geological maps do not show all the features of the land like rivers, hills, and constructed features.

Topographic maps can show us characteristics of the land Contour lines on the map show elevation!

Contour Lines

Contour line is a specific type of iso-line Lines that connect points of equal elevation on a map

Elevation = height above sea levelSea level = average height of all Earth’s

oceans

Topographic MapWhat do you notice about this map?

Decoding the Map

Map Scale = ratio between distances on a map and actual distances on the surface of Earth (ex. 1: 24,000) If there were buildings on this map, how big would

they be in real life? Map Legend = explains what the symbols

represent on the map

Contour Interval

Contour interval – distance between contour lines on a map

Contour Index

Reference contour line whose elevation is labeled Think: Index finger

Fast Facts

1. Closer lines = steeper slope

2. Depression = hole 3. Highest elevation of a

hill Find the highest/latest

contour line Highest possible elevation is

just below that of the next line

Let’s Practice: The Flag RaceContour Interval = 100 feet

At what elevation did I leave my glasses?

100 Feet

500 feet

The Flag Race Map

100 feet

500 feet

The Flag RaceContour Interval = 100 feet

100 Feet

500 feetWhich side of the mountain would you chose to climb up?Why?

SLOPESTEEP Less steep

The Flag RaceContour Interval = 100 feet

100 Feet

500 feetWhich side is less steep?

The Flag Race Map

100 feet

500 feet

Which side is less steep on the map? How can we tell? What does “steepness” look like on the map?

Let’s give these lines a name….

So what ARE those Squiggley lines on the

map?

We call those lines…Contour line = connects points of equal

elevation

The Flag Race

What is the elevation of your forgotten

sunglasses? How do you know? We call the spaces between each

line, the contour interval. Write your

own definition of what “contour interval”

means.

100 Feet

500 feet

The contour interval is 10…

200

240

*What is the elevation of the church?

*What is the elevation of the school?

The contour interval is 50…

100 ft300ft

*What is the elevation of the church?

*What is the elevation of the school?

BONUS: The contour interval is 100. The x represents the elevation of the peak. What is

the highest possible elevation of the peak?

x100

500

What if we have to figure the contour interval out on our

own?

Steps to calculate contour interval Subtract the elevations of two index contour

lines Count the number of spaces between two index

contour lines Divide the difference in elevation by the number

of spaces between two index contour lines

Calculate Contour IntervalStep 1: 800 – 700 =

100Step 2: Count spaces:

5Step 3: 100/5 = 20

Contour interval = 20!

Calculate Contour Intervalon this map

PARTNER WORK

1. With the person sitting beside you:-Construct a landform out of Play-Doh.-It should include several different elevations.2. Draw a contour map of your landform.3. Raise your hand – when checked off:

FIND ANOTHER GROUP TO TRADE WITH! Try to construct their landform!

Find a line across a contour mapUse a piece of paper to mark off where the

contour lines cross the line.Use the paper as the x-axis of a graph with the y-

axis equal to the contour intervalPlot the points and connect them with a smooth

line.A profile shows the side view of a contour map.