TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS

Carter AtkinsPaul ClementJordan Sonderegger

Warm Up & Objective

Write 3-5 sentences about what you already know about topographic maps.

Students will learn how to read and create topographic maps and profiles.

What is a Topographic Map?A topographic map is a map that illustrates with

vast amounts of accuracy the physical and cultural features that occur on Earth’s surface.

Reading a Topographic Map

The name of the topographic map is given in the northeast corner of the map.

A reference map is located in the bottom margin. The reference maps shows just about where this map area is.

A map scale is located in the bottom margin as well. It is usually expressed with a fractional scale and a graphic scale.

Reading a Topographic Map

Direction of the topographic map is located within the lower margin of the map also. True North is indicated with the black star. It shows the earth’s geographic north pole. Magnetic north is indicated with the MN.

The MN arrow shows both direction and number of degrees the Magnetic North is from the True North.

Reading a Topographic Map

As you can see on your topographic map at your table. There are many different colors. These colors indicate various symbols.

Red is used for major roads and some boundaries. Black is for buildings and secondary roads. Salmon is for urban areas. Green is for vegetation. Blue is for rivers, streams, and other water

features. Brown is for lines called contour lines. Contour

lines show elevation. Purple is for revised map features.

Reading a Topographic Maps

Reading a Topographic Map

Contour Lines as mentioned before show elevation of mountains, hills, and land features. Contour lines connect all points with equal elevations.

Some rules about contour lines include: Contour lines never cross. Widely spread indicate gentle hills. Closely spread indicate steep slopes. Contour lines form a “V” crossing a stream.

Every 5th contour line is called the index contour. The elevation between 2 contour lines is called a

contour interval. The contour interval is also located at the bottom margin of the map.

How to Draw a Topographic Profile

Topographic Profiles show side-views of mountains and their elevations.

1) Create a line called A-B on the contour map through half the mountain/hill/land feature.

2) Lay a sheet of paper along the line you just created. Mark each place where the contour lines reach the edge of the paper and write the elevation.

3) On a separate piece of paper draw a horizontal line that is slightly longer than your line A-B.

4) Create a vertical scale from the horizontal line and label each line with elevations. The first line on the bottom should begin with an elevation slightly shorter than the lowest elevation that you have marked.

5) Lay the marked edged paper to the vertical scale paper. Place a dot on the vertical scale that is equal to the elevation of the dots on the marked paper.

6) Connect the dots to see the finished topographic profile.

^^^Like this

Ending Question

Using the topographic map at your table, answer the following on a separate piece of paper:

1. What is the name of the map?2. What is one water feature?3. In what area is this map located?

(east, west, south, north)4. What is the contour interval?5. What is a topographic map?

Sources

http://www.arkansas.com/places-to-go/lakes-rivers/river.aspx?id=10

http://www.somewhereelseland.com/monumentvalley.php

http://www.ganeshbhandari.com/category/mount-everest/

http://allthingsd.com/20120705/of-course-apple-is-using-autonavi-for-ios-maps-in-china/

http://hooyahmaps.blogspot.com/2012/07/isobar-images.html

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/fosrec/Metzger1.html

http://www.solving-math-problems.com/math-symbols-similar.html

http://enb110-whc-2012.blogspot.com/

http://mail.colonial.net/~hkaiter/topographic_maps.html

TASA for information on topographic maps and profiles.