Topographic Maps: Garifo's Honor Formative Grade

Master topographic maps! Understand elevation, contour lines, and landforms with this interactive worksheet.

Rules of Topo Maps Analyzing Topographic Maps Part 1 Have a look at the following map and answer the four questions that follow it (the measurements are in meters) - 1) What is the elevation of point A? 900m 850m 800m 2) What is the difference in elevation between points A and B? 100m 200m 0m 3) What is the contour interval of the map? 100m 200m 50m 4) What is the approximate elevation of point X? Greater than 1600 1500m 1600m Analyzing Topographic Maps Part 2 Label the topographic map of a hill using the word bank. Copy and paste from the word bank to ensure the system marks it correct. Then answer the two questions that follow it.Word Bank: Peak Sea Level Contour Line Sea Level Peak Contour Line 1) If the first layer of your map is sea level and the contour interval = 10 ft., then what elevation is point C? 0 ft 10 ft 5 ft 100 ft 2) Which side of the hill probably has a river flowing down it? North South East West Analyzing Topographic Maps Part 3 Have a look at the following map and answer the three questions that follow it. 1) What is the difference in elevation between point A and point B? 30 ft 17ft 50 ft 2) Which hill would you visit if you want to go rock climbing on a cliff? (This is the place where it is the steepest) Aurora Hill Holland Hill Girard Hill 3) What is the difference in elevation between Holland Hill and Girard Hill? 3 20 30 Analyzing Topographic Maps Part 4 Label the following topographic map using the word bank.Word Bank:Depression 1150 River 1230 850 Depression River 1150 1230 850 Analyzing Topographic Maps Part the Last (Finally!) Use the word bank to fill in the blanks as you read the paragraph.Word Bank: Elevation Slope Contour Lines Head V-shapes Volcano Downhill Steep Crater Contour Interval Gentle Upstream Hash Marks Topographic MapsThe topography of a region can be shown on a map. Topographic maps represent geographical features, such as hills and valleys. Topographic maps use contour linesto show geographical features. A contour line is a line of equal elevation. If you walk along a contour line, you will not go uphill or downhill. Topographic maps are also called contour maps.The rules of topographic maps are:Each line connects all points of a specific elevation Contour lines never cross. After all, a single point can only have one elevation. Adjacent contour lines are separated by a constant difference in elevation (such as 20 feet or 100 feet). The difference in elevation is the contour interval. The The contour interval is sometimes indicated in the map legend. Scales indicate horizontal distance and are also found on the map legend.Interpreting Contour MapsHow does a topographic map tell you about the area? Let’s consider the following principles:1. The spacing of contour lines shows the slope of the land. Contour lines that are close together indicate a steepslope. This is because the elevation changes quickly in a small area. Contour lines that seem to touch indicate a very steep slope, like a cliff. When contour lines are spaced far apart, the slope is gentle So contour lines help us see the three-dimensional shape of the land.DepressionsAnother recognizable landform on topographic map is a depression. A depression is sort of the opposite of a hill. It is a ditch, or gully, or pit, where the elevation decreases towards the center. On a topographic map depressions look a lot like hills. They will appear as a series of closed circles one inside the other. However, to distinguish them from hills, depressions have hashmarkson all of the contour lines. This allows us to easily identify them as depressions. The lowest point in a depression is inside the inner most circle. An example of a depression includes a volcano.