Ward's® From Lines to Landforms Lab Activity

Create Three-Dimensional Models of Landforms from Topographic Maps

Help your students make the connection between line and landform as they literally build three landforms from the measurements of the corresponding topographic maps. Working together, students cut a layer of foam to represent each contour on the map, then put them all together to create a three-dimensional model. They then answer questions about topographic maps and landform features to reinforce what they’ve learned. The lab activity comes with materials for three models: Crown Butte, Montana; a laccolith; and “before” and “after” eruption models of Mount St. Helen’s. You will get foam sheets, mounting boards, topo guide patterns, a teacher’s guide, and student copymasters. The activity can be used with any-size class.