Geological survey reading topographic maps interpreting the colored lines, areas, and other symbols is the. National geographic is allowing everyone to easily download any usgs 7. Geological survey eastern geographic science center. Usgs topo maps of every quad in the continental us free. Map revision continued, though in decreasing quantities, through the 1990s. Students will demonstrate their basic understanding of how to read a topographic map. Map symbols, landfroms, cultural features, rivers, measure linear and areas, compare different usgs topographic map scales, and much more using arcgis online. The second section introduces students to basic topographic map features. Readingunderstanding topographic maps school of forest resources goals for the lesson students will gain an understanding of topographic maps. Limited gis functionality, such as displaying ground coordinates, is available with all maps, and the layered construction of the pdf files allows users to turn data layers on and off. Usgs drg maps for the state of maine are available here. They were essential for integrating and analyzing placebased information, and were widely used by receationalists.
This activity, called watershed woes, helps learners understand topographic maps to identify a watershed. Maps a and b red outline in above map image are gravity and aeromagnetic maps, re. Geological survey scientific investigations map 3412 is a series of products that consists of geophysical and geologic maps of mountain pass and vicinity, california. The last printed usgs topographic maps were published in 2006. Pull it out at the trailhead, orient it correctly see how to use a compass for details and mentally check off landmarks as you hike. Topographic map lab answer key file 20756 is a 510kb acrobat pdf uploaded. Products pane your search results and products will appear by clicking this icon.
Student activity supplement 1 reading a topographic map the legend every map has a legend, or key, that explains the meaning of the symbols used on the map. Go to our survival life store to shop some of our favorites selfdefense tools and. You can search by location, theme, name, and other means to locate the area of interest. Looking at a topographic map for the first time can be a confusing experience. The third section contains a series of questions and calculations students can complete by examining the usgs topographic map of mt. This publication openfile report 95479 is a teachers guide to two u. In 2009, a new usgs quadrangle topographic map series was defined. To use it, simply zoom in on the interactive map to the area youre interested in.
Contour mapping lesson plan university of south florida. This helps students learn about the geologic evolution of the nations. Topographic maps use contour lines, lines of equal elevation, to represent the vertical dimension height of the landscape. Observation activity learning about and exploring the features of a topographical map water cycle discussion hands on activity building a model watershed in which students apply their. Users can display the footprint and thumbnail of one or more products, view metadata, directly download the file or add to a cart. At least 25 vents on the flanks and summit have been active during several eruptive episodes of the past 10,000 years. Usgs links upper right corner reflect links to the usgs website, usgs contact information, and the usgs search tool. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. Policy makers use global mineral commodity data generated by the usgs to inform decisions about national security and international trade. Points a, b, y, and z are reference points on the topographic map.
Newberry volcano is a broad shield volcano located in central oregon. Learning to use a topographic mapis a difficult skill, because it requires students to visualize a threedimensional. Topographic map reading worksheet answers topographic map worksheet topographic map reading worksheet answers topographic map worksheet middle school contour lines topographic map worksheets. From approximately 1947 to 1992, more than 55,000 7. Later, students analyze and answer questions about a mount rainier. The activities require only a topographic map, a ruler, a lead pencil, and the accompanying folder topographic. Publications related to volcanoes within the vhps area of responsibility. Legends tell you what different lines mean, whether they. The topo map remains an indispensable tool for everyday use in government, science, industry, land management planning, and recreation. These are the same topographic maps that were published by the u. To use the map locator to find map products use the search bar or drop a pin by double clicking on the map view. Locate and download or purchase maps including topographic topo maps. Suggestions for teaching this lesson 3, 35minute sessions on the poster is atopographic map of salt lake city. Download free usgs topographic map quadrangles in georeferenced pdf geopdf format by clicking on map locator on the usgs store web site.
Produced by the national geospatial program, these usgs topo maps are. Topographic maps and mount rainier pdf usgs publications. Topographic maps represent features on the earths surface by means of symbols and. Take your map reading skills to a whole new level by learning how to read the usgs topo map, but first, get the map here. The most recent eruption 1,300 years ago produced the big obsidian flow. The usgs was entrusted with the responsibility for mapping the country in 1879 and has been the primary civilian mapping agency of the united states ever since. Geological survey usgs and can be purchased, or downloaded for free from. Topographic maps illustrating physiographic features activity topographic maps can be used to study a wide range of physical features in the united states.
Map mysteries activities sample questions to use with usgs topographic and thematic maps as starting points to uncover mysteries about the cultural and physical geography of the earth. It has contour lines to show the shape and elevation of the land. Usgs astrogeology science center works with nasa and spacescience communities to integrate planetary maps, geology, and remote sensing for mars, venus, the moon, mercury, asteroids, titan, io, and more. Usgs logo upper left corner reflects the relevance of the bureaus work in todays world and communicates usgs. Open the product list by clicking results next to the product count. They have a lot going on with different colors, lines, and labels read full post. The symbol 533 represents the highest elevation on aurora hill. Many of their explanations are useful for teaching youth to read the topographic lines in a map. All maps can be viewed and printed with adobe reader or comparable pdf viewing software. Trash click this to remove all markers and products. The resultant goal is for the us geological survey usgs to produce a national karst map in digital form, derived primarily from maps prepared by the individual states, and to link that map on a webbased network to state and local scale maps and related data. The legend is usually printed right on the map, although some maps, like usgs topographic maps, publish legends separately.
Lesson suggestions from the usgs for teaching the concept of alfred wegeners theory of plate tectonics, pangea and continental drift. This directory level site includes links to various resources on topographic maps, how to obtain them, read them, their history, and map projections and includes links to various teaching activities and modules. Simply zoom in to your area and click on one of the red markers, which will bring up the topo map of the area. One special kind of map is called a topographic map. During the past two years, a diverse group of karst experts discussed a longterm plan for karst mapping on a national scale.
Next comes an array of activity sheets for students. Geological survey looseleaf manual of topographic instructions. The first section aids students in the construction of a simple topographic map of the pyramid of khafre. Features are shown as points, lines, or areas, depending on their size and extent. The topographic maps on topozone were created by the united states geological survey usgs and have evolved for more than read full post. These maps are best used with global positioning software or a map viewer. Introduction to topographic topo maps topo maps are very accurate, detailed maps of locations in the u. Construct a topographic map of the egyptian pyramid of khafre a topographic map is a twodimensional representation of a threedimensional space. It has been built by thousands of eruptions, beginning about 600,000 years ago. Title bar is a standard bar describing the website. After 125year legacy of topographic mapping 18842009, the usgs embarked on an innovative future of integrating historical maps with computergenerated maps from a national.
Geological survey bh 50 bureau highlights evidencebased resource management decisions. Create a contour map ws making their own contour map activity is the best way to learn how a contour map works. The usgs is the sole federal provider of this mineral resourcerelated science and of. It is the onestop shop for learning about, using, and teaching topographic map concepts. Physical geography resources for minnesota physical setting project. The scientists of the usgs study the landscape of the united states, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The united states geological survey usgs, formerly simply geological survey is a scientific agency of the united states government. About the usgs historical topographic map collection and explorer. How to use a compass with a usgs topographic map activity learn to navigate using a topographic map and a compass. They will be presented with activities that will help them to describe a topographic map, explain the different information a topographic map contains.
Reading topographic maps oklahoma geological survey. Launched in 2009, the us topo quadrangles project provides free online quadrangle topographic maps for anyone living in the continental united states. Topographic maps are a signature product of the usgs. Us topo maps can be downloaded free of charge from several usgs websites. Starting with number 1, read aloud a feature from the topo map tidbits features list. See 6 best images of topographic map worksheets printable.
In 2014, the us geological survey usgs and esri collaborated to bring the everincreasing collection of us historical topographic maps to everyone through the usgs historical topographic map explorer. Creek connections topographic map module topo bingo scale is the proportion of the distance depicted on a map tothe actual distance in the real world. This app brings to life more than 178,000 maps dating from 1882 to 2006. Geological survey maps that show gravity and magnetic data in contour form superimposed on a landsat satellite image of the san francisco bay area. Inspiring topographic map worksheets printable printable images. These files were created using highresolution scans and average 1017 megabytes in size. Tricks and tips for creating a layered geoenabled adobe pdf map by john bocan west virginia geological and economic survey. Geological survey usgs used to be the gold standard for topo maps. This lesson will help students learn how to read that map. Topographic maps activity topographic map activities. Eruptions in the cascade range over the past 4,000 years, usgs general information product 63 volcanoes on a map of washington, oregon, and northern california with time lines for each showing the ages of their eruptions geological hazards at volcanoes, usgs general information product 64geological processes and associated hazards at. The closer together the contour lines appear on a topographic map, the steeper the slope assuming constant contour intervals. In 1980 the national mapping division was formed from the.
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