Ward's® Topographic Map and Profiling Lab Activity

Introduce techniques of reading topographic maps.

Take students on a field trip without leaving the classroom! Students get practical geological field experience by studying and analyzing data and samples from the Wood River Quadrangle in Illinois and Missouri. Students also learn to think like geologists, applying the field evidence gathered to make decisions regarding economic and environmental land use. The lab activity comes with all the materials you need to outfit a class of thirty students.

The perfect activity to teach students the basics of map reading, students will learn to identify contour intervals, locate points by township and range, construct topographic profiles, and recognize map symbols and scales. The activity comes with one Wood River quadrangle map, a set of ten topographic map symbol sheets, topographic profile worksheets, copymasters for student activities, and a teacher’s guide. Additional copies of the topographic map may be purchased separately.