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Geography

Contour Lines on the Ground

Overview

Students build a landscape model and draw contour lines to represent it.

Learning Objective
Students understand how contour lines represent height on a map.

Resources needed

  • Soil, sand, or clay
  • String or sticks to mark heights

Lesson stages

0 / 7 done
  1. 1 Build a simple hill from soil or clay.
  2. 2 Use string to mark the outline at the base.
  3. 3 Move up to a consistent height and mark the next ring.
  4. 4 Repeat to the top.
  5. 5 Draw the rings as seen from above on paper.
  6. 6 Compare the drawing to the model.
  7. 7 Discuss what close and far-apart lines mean.

Tap a step to mark it as done.

Variations

  • Build a valley instead of a hill.
  • Create a map for a partner to recreate the model from.
More information

Teach contour, height, steep, gentle, interval.

Use a simpler two-level model.

Can students explain what close contour lines indicate and read a simple contour map?

Use soil from the school ground. String or thin sticks mark the levels. Draw contours on any paper.

Students often think contour lines show steepness directly. Emphasise it is the spacing between lines that shows steepness, not the lines themselves.

Core map reading skill. Links to physical geography and fieldwork.

Activity details
Primary Medium 20 minutes 5 mins prep Small Group Outdoor
Topics
Maps Physical Geography